Newsletter

12. Small Batch, Big Impact: How Artisan Brands Are Redefining the Future of Food

The future of food isn’t being shaped solely by large corporations and mass production. Increasingly, it’s being driven by small-batch, artisan brands that prioritise flavour, transparency, and connection over scale. Artisan food producers operate differently. Small batch production allows for greater control over ingredients, sourcing, and process. It leaves room for fermentation, experimentation, and seasonal variation—things that don’t fit neatly into industrial timelines but make a tangible difference to taste. There’s also a growing demand for a story. Consumers want to know where their food comes from, who makes it, and...

A mezze spread is less about perfection and more about abundance. It’s designed for sharing, grazing, and lingering at the table—where conversation stretches longer than the meal itself. Done well, it feels effortless. In reality, it’s all about balance. Step one: start with anchors. Every mezze spread needs a few core dishes that ground the table. Hummus, baba ghanoush, or labneh provide creaminess and richness. These are the dishes people return to between bites, so quality matters. Step two: add contrast. Mezze thrives on variation. Pair creamy dips with something...

Shatta exists in almost every Palestinian household, but no two jars are ever quite the same. It’s a condiment shaped by memory, availability, and personal preference—passed down, adjusted, and remade countless times. So when we set out to make Shatta at Fil, the goal was never to “standardise” it. The goal was to honour it. What sets Fil’s Shatta apart starts with process. We use fermentation not as a trend, but as a tradition. Fermenting chillies develops complexity over time—softening raw heat, deepening flavour, and introducing subtle acidity that can’t...

At first glance, Shatta, harissa, and zhoug might look interchangeable. They’re all chilli-forward condiments, deeply tied to Middle Eastern and North African cuisines, and often described—incorrectly—as “hot sauce.” But spend a little time with each, and the differences become clear. These condiments may share heat, but their origins, flavours, and uses are entirely distinct. Shatta is the Palestinian expression of spice. The word itself simply means “chilli” or “heat,” and as a condiment, it’s intentionally flexible. Traditionally made from fresh or fermented chillies, salt, and sometimes garlic or vinegar, Shatta...

A well-stocked pantry is more than a collection of ingredients. It’s a shortcut to flavour, a cultural archive, and often a reflection of how food is cooked and shared at home. In Middle Eastern kitchens, the pantry plays a particularly central role. With just a handful of staples, you can build dishes that are bold, comforting, and deeply rooted in tradition. At the foundation is olive oil. Not just any olive oil, but the kind that’s grassy, peppery, and unapologetically present. In Palestinian households, olive oil is not a finishing...

7. 5 Unexpected Ways to Use Shatta That Teta Never Told You (But Would Approve Of)

Shatta has traditionally been a humble condiment; a simple plate topper that brings a burst of fresh heat to any meal. While there’s nothing wrong with that, at Fil we...

6. Filanthropy - Flavour That Makes a Difference

Since the very beginning, we’ve believed that as a Palestinian food brand, our Shatta should do more than taste amazing - it should do good. Even with limited resources, we’ve...

5. The Story of a Spoonful: The Origin Of Our “Award-Winning” Shatta Jam

When we first started Fil, we never set out to make a chilli jam...

4. Fil in the Wild: Now Available in 25 Locations (and Counting!)

We're thrilled to share that Fil is now available in more than 25 carefully chosen stockists — from independent grocers and delis to artisan food platforms, cafés, and even a...

3. Cult Heroes - Arayes

Some dishes just belong to a time and place. Arayes is one of them. It’s the dish we secretly hope someone brings, but never want to demand. This bbq cult...

palestinian shatta zaatar roast chicken comfort food

2. Food that Tastes Like Home - Baba’s Zaa’tar Chicken

Comfort food isn’t just about ingredients - it’s about the memories stirred with every bite. Here’s the story (and recipe) behind one of the dishes that brings me home.

1. What is Shatta?

Welcome to the Fil newsletter. We told ourselves we wouldn’t start one, but we realised that this space offers something unique that Instagram and other channels do not—an intimate way...