A place To Share, the way of Palestinians: 

We have always loved the joy that comes from sharing food with family and friends - a true Palestinian cultural trait. Growing up in Duluth, MN, there was ample opportunity for pre-game “spaghetti” dinners for use hungry soccer players, although we did not serve spaghetti, instead it was fresh, spit roasted chicken shawarma, homemade pita, falafel, and much more colorful, garlic laden goodness. 

 It was the fuel for our day, our lives - our family revolved around the kitchen and of course, the kitchen table. My mother and father truly fostered and honored the importance of homemade food and sharing that with our family and those who needed a space at the table - the door was always open with fresh sage tea, usually following a table laden with lamb stews, vegetarian dips, and fresh salads - homemade from the heart.

My father was born in Shuffat, Palestine. Refugeed in the 6-day war of 1967, his family fled out of the country for safety. His story is of resilience, as all Palestinians are. He came to the United States where he went to college at the University of Minnesota, where he met my mother.

My mother always loved cooking. She became adamant in learning the traditional ways of Arabic cooking. With fascination, grit, and pure passion, she fostered a love of cooking Middle eastern cuisine. Together, they opened their door to many individuals and raised the four of us, Samir, Zac, Isak, and me. 

Our childhood home is in the woods of rural Duluth, on the corner of Lake Superior. We have a short growing season in our area of Minnesota, so my parents were innovative. My mom was always gardening, canning, and preserving her fresh vegetables, fruits, and greens. In addition, she found a love for foraging and growing medicinal, native plants to our region. Through these two passions, she started sharing her knowledge and goods under her first pop up shop, Fräsch goods. How lucky am I to be able to have this knowledge and love shared with me. 

Palestinian cuisine has so much depth because it uses fresh, regionally specific ingredients. It is made up of many wonderful, things such as squeaky cheese from Nablus, herbs and molokhia from Jericho, and olive oil in the Palestine’s beautiful verdant hills. 

In the past 100 years, Palestinian’s have been disproportionately displaced, refugeed, and denied access to growing, farming, and producing the food they have for years and years - as our people and land become colonized, appropriated, and stolen, so does our food. Our old ways of sharing ingredients and goods between regions are being denied, so Palestinians must be incredibly strong and innovative to preserve their way of culture and food, always finding a way through sharing to create our homeland’s beloved, sacred dishes. 

Palestinian food is so rich because it is shared by region, and with each region, a community. As we grow as a business, our products rely so heavily on ethically and sustainably sourced goods. This means we will support Palestinians in their ongoing struggle to keep their farms and source of incomes. Our imported goods will be reflective of true Palestinian livelihood and will be fair in trade. 

This also means we will support our community in the Northland region, by partnering with local farms, producers, and makers. Supporting our local community and our Palestinian community in the Holy Land will not only result in tasty, nutritious, and sustainable food, it will also bring people together. 

The inspiration behind Falastin is rooted in resiliency, family, community, and culture. It is a place for education, celebration of culture, honoring family stories, supporting community, and of course, a place to share.