New York

WHEN chef Sameh Wadi was growing up - first in Kuwait, then in Jordan, and finally in Minneapolis and St Paul - one of the few constants in his life was his mother's cooking, especially the date-filled ring cookies called ka'ak that she made by hand and stockpiled during Ramadan.

Children do not fast during Ramadan, but adults like Mr Wadi's mother, Shahira, do not eat during daylight for the month. Traditionally, women spend much of their time cooking for the iftar, or fast-breaking meal, that is eaten every night after sunset.