FOOD
MY Eugenia Diaz day...
by Sabah el Fizazi
May 6th, 2025
WTF is Eugenia Diaz? To me, Eugenia Diaz is not an influencer (I don’t like that word); I’d rather call her an INSPIRER. Her YouTube videos have been part of my MORNING routine for the past year. Nestled in her tiny cabin in Portugal, Eugenia lives a self-sufficient life on her own piece of land. Her cookbook, FROM FARM TO TABLE, is a testament to her philosophy of making FOOD our medicine. My friend SOU and I chose six recipes from Eugenia’s book. On a WINTERY day – we ordered all the groceries beforehand so we could FOCUS on the baking AND cooking – we spend a full day in the KITCHEN enjoying our culinary adventure. In the end, we managed to make THREE recipes, and the result was beyond what we had hoped for.
One small twist to our plan came when I realised my friend’s OVEN was not suitable for bread baking. Like Eugenia, I try to look for solutions. So the day before OUR Eugenia Diaz Day, I decided to buy a new small oven just for THIS occasion. When Sou arrived to pick me up, she found me standing at the door, EMBRACING my new BABY in my arms…
Orange Soda with Homemade Syrup
I ALWAYS wanted to serve my GUESTS a homemade DRINK. So I chose the recipe for an Orange Soda with Homemade Syrup. Thinly sliced ORANGES, sliced orange zest, and a touch of SUGAR came together to create a drink. We couldn’t yet taste the soda because, for the coming FOUR weeks, we need to keep it refrigerated to take away all the bitterness. But I could already imagine Eugenia drinking this soda under the warm PORTUGUESE sun.
Pepe’s Bread
Next on the list was Pepe’s Bread, named after Eugenia’s HUSBAND. There is something almost meditative about kneading DOUGH, feeling it transform under your hands. As we looked at the golden loaf inside the new oven, we were like first-time MUMS, filled with pride and joy. Making home-baked bread is something I WANTED to do for a very long time. I really didn’t expect it to be such A success.
Homemade Mediterranean Tomato Sauce
Lastly, we made the Homemade Mediterranean Tomato Sauce. It was Sou’s CHOICE and for me a REASON to reduce BUYING the SUPERMARKET sauces. This recipe was a perfect love marriage of ripe tomatoes, bell pepper, onions, garlic, and a touch of salt. The simplest dishes are the most satisfying.
As the day came to an end, Sou and I sat down to enjoy the fruits of our labor. It was more than just a meal; it was an experience, a journey into Eugenia Diaz’s world. We laughed, shared stories, and enjoyed the joy THESE simple recipes had brought us. My EUGENIA DIAZ DAY was a reminder of the beauty in simplicity, the joy of creating, and the importance of living in harmony with nature. It was a day that nourished not just our BELLIES but our souls.
PS: My Eugenia Diaz Day reminded me that TRUE inspiration comes from those who live authentically and find JOY in the simple things. The best part? Eugenia herself sent me a heartfelt email after I let her know about the blog and the use of her pictures. Knowing that she will read my words – that’s the cherry on my glutenfree cake 😉