Hi, I’m Kareem!

Born in York, Ontario, Canada. I am the kind of nerd that doesn’t seem to say much until you find the right topic and then can’t stop. That topic for me is food. I am an Organic Chemist – specifically, a Physical Organic Chemist specializing in Organic Synthesis and Antioxidant Chemistry. In addition, to be sub-fanatical about food preparation and flavour combinations – I tend to know a good deal about how the foods we eat work on the molecular level. I enjoy reading, travel, photography, music, running and weight swinging. I also enjoy how I can link all of these things to food!

My Mission

To provide straightforward recipes that are truly good for you and your taste buds. Balancing the equation of nutritional variety for the least amount of money, with the most amount of flavour and the highest likelihood that you, the reader, will continue to reproduce and enjoy the recipe.

Along the way, I aim to highlight the Key Ingredients that underscore a recipe. This way personal liberties can be adjusted to one’s own preference with a better understanding of the core flavours in each dish.

I intend for this blog to be the blog that I can turn to for recipes the way that I like them to be constructed. An immaculate mise en place, ingredients portioned by weight whenever possible, and all stews heavily laden with garlic.

I hope that this blog becomes a workhorse resource for family and friends. When it’s a Thursday night and groceries from the weekend are running thin – I want loved ones to be able to have something nutritious and delicious on the table in under 30 minutes with nothing but a pot and a can opener.

When it’s date night and time is of the essence, I want your special someone to enjoy a meal that is as intentionally developed as your own relationship.

When those you care for fall ill, I want the healing process to be spurred on by a warm comforting meal that is both easy on the stomach and fuel for the brain and body.

Lastly, I want these writings to be a place to share ideas and expression. Ultimately, food is highly personal and that’s what makes it so interesting. I want to see a recipe that was maybe inspired here transformed into something extraordinary. At the end of the day, life is one big adventure. Where there’s an adventure, there’s a good story. And where there’s a good story, it’s always great to have a great meal to go with it. 

My Vision

Food is my passion. I have been fortunate to have had good food and food habits be a constant in my life. The name FibreOptics comes from how I view the world through the lens of food. I am food-focused, food-driven and food-inspired. I will talk about every aspect of food: recipes, culture, history, origin stories, contemporary takes, economics, and chemistry.

I want to know how dishes came to be, I want to know what our grandmothers made; including all of their last-minute whimsical add-ons. I want to share newly found recipe treasures with my friends. I want to carry on traditional recipes from my own family history. This is a blog, an archive of recipes I hold dear; but I want this to grow, to be a hub for all things that touch the realm of food. This realm affects everyone, every day, every time, and there is no shortage of good eats to discover. Stay hungry my friends and remember to keep your food in focus.

Enjoy heartily,

Kareem