Apron - Molokhia

Screen printed on this apron in a handwritten Arabic script is a family recipe for Palestinian Molokhia. Also known as jute mallow, Molokhia is a nutrient dense, leafy green vegetable which is typically made into a soup or stew. Eaten across the Arab world, it’s a staple in Palestinian cuisine and in Gaza, it is considered a "lucky charm" or "blessing" often served on the first day of Ramadan to represent hope and a good year. During summer, when the Molokhia is in season, families buy large quantities to pick, wash, dry it and store for year-round use.  These screen printed Qastina apron designs turn Palestinian culinary heritage into beautiful, useful daily objects. Made of 100% organic mansouri cotton woven in Palestine and printed in Dheisheh Refugee Camp in Bethlehem. Machine wash cold, hang to dry. Approximately 29" x 23" During his visits abroad, artist and designer Ayed Arafah would regularly phone his mother and ask her for recipes; she would then dictate the right instructions. Arafah was trying to cook his favourite dishes, and he was left with many scraps of paper with recipes on them. Back in Palestine, he translated these into handwritten memos and drawings, and screen-printed the artworks onto cotton fabric woven in Al Khalil/Hebron. As a Palestinian refugee in Bethlehem, Arafah keeps the memory of Qastina – the village he originates from – alive.