Written by Doona Arkeef
EdmontonEats is pleased to welcome Doona as cultural host to her first event with us. Doona is preparing a recipe kit for her sweet and delicious Hariseh Cake. We can hardly wait to taste this Syrian treat!
Doona came to Canada in 2016 via Jordon where her husband and their three children moved at the start of the civil war in Syria. Doona is originally from Aleppo, Syria. Aleppo is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, surviving countless conflicts, kingdoms and environmental events. The city was the largest in Syria, until the civil war, where the Battle of Aleppo had significant impact on the city’s inhabitants.
For Doona, sharing food is sharing your life. It tells your story. It’s deeply personal. It’s from the heart. When someone cooks for you or your family, it is an expression of love. That’s what makes traditional Syrian food so special to Doona.