Welcome to our About us at smartcookie95.com!
We are citizens of the world in who we are but even more in what we eat. Read more if you are curious to know more about us at smartcookie95.com
We are a mother and a daughter (writing) and a son, (tasting and eating:)). We are French and British nationals with roots running from Asia to Africa. India, Vietnam, Tunisia, Morocco, Nigeria, are what we proudly call our heritage. That mixed with our daily lives in France and the UK have broadened our culture, our identity but also our curiosity about food. Melting pot is in our core.
Food has always been and will always be more than feeding our bodies, it is about feeding our soul and about making a deep connection with our loved ones around a good meal.
Travel around the globe in a day!
Because our family is so diverse in origins. We often travel in a day through our taste buds as we visit family. We can start with continental breakfast, typically your French one with croissant – pronounced this way in French BUT! I really like how this American Friend pronounces it 🙂 – and pain au chocolat or baguette (French bread) with butter and jam.
After morning activities, we would then have Indian lunch with Apa’s Bryanis, or lamb/shrimp curry with white rice. Later in the day, we would go for a 5pm Morrocan tea, before the real deal… Yeah, the real deal needs its own sentence. Moroccan women like my step-mum don’t do things “à moitié”…Every time we have a gathering, we will start with a Morrocan style salad, and then the main dish such as couscous, tagines, Roasted chicken with preserved lemon or Roasted lamb. More on Morrocan culture in a future blog post.
When my father was alive (may his soul rest in perfect peace) he would cook us a typical Tunisian dish called Moulhikya. It doesn’t look like any other dish you have seen. Check it out for yourselves here, I won’t spoil the surprise;).Â
Motherland Asia
My mum’s family are Indian/siam people from Vietnam. They were born and lived there for at least 4 or 5 generations – or more we don’t know 🤷🏻♀️
They left this beautiful country after the Vietnam war, bringing with them the lovely recipes like pho, nems, and banh tet to Europe.
Back to Africa
Our connection to Nigeria goes back to 20 years. Sarah, my daughter, is half nigerian and has loved to discover her culture with her dad through cooking. The staple of Nigerian cuisine runs from delicious Jollof rice to stews like Egusi or Ogbono stew/soups and much more!
Europe, mon Amour
Since moving to the UK, we have embraced the culture, the people and the food. From the English tea traditions, to nice desserts and pastries to Sunday roasts
We love having friends over and give them all the love we have received. On those days, we can cook any of the above meals or cook French dishes like the beef bourguignon, and of course, we pick up the right wine. It’s all about the convivialite.
East Asia and the rest of the world, too!
Our taste buds have been trained to discover other cultures, so we didn’t want to stop there. We explore the Korean cuisine, which we love, the Japanese cuisine and many more. We are open to good food that speaks to our body and soul.
We are grateful for the internet and our opportunity to connect with you. smartcookie95.com blog is our loving contribution to the world. We can’t have you all at home for a good meal, so we want to share the recipes that we enjoy and give you that warm feeling of being loved.Â
We love.Â
(our mantra)