The Lure of the Middle East

There' s something exotic about Middle Eastern cooking. It could be the spices or the uniqueness of the dishes.Maybe it's the way the food is cooked or presented that makes us curious about this centuries old cuisine. It's different yet made with the same ingredients that most of us use in our everyday meals. Luckily enough it can be easily replicated.

Middle Eastern cuisine covers the area from Turkey to Iraq and Iran and down the south which includes Saudi Arabia ad North Africa. One of the most popular dishes is hummus. This is a delicious spread that made with mashed chick peas, garlic, lemon and olive oil. It's a cinch to make at home and serve with toasted pita triangles. Another easy to make Middle Eastern favorite is baba ghanoush. This is popular throughout the region especially in Syria and is made from eggplant, lemon juice and various spices such as cumin. Again this can be eaten it toasted pita. Falafel is big here in the New York metro area. Again this is made from chick peas but molded into a ball and fried.

Middle Eastern cooks are also known for creating sumptuous feasts. there is always lamb on the table , usually roasted. Chicken is also served an if it's an Egyptian meal, then sometimes rabbits. Since eggplants are big in the region , there is usually a plate of tomato stuffed ones accompanying the meat. Almost every Middle Eastern dinner has dolma, stuffed graped leaves. These can be filled with rice or rice and lamb and served as an appetizer or a side dish Sometimes a soft cheese served as well. Dessert usually is baklava, a pastry made from phyllo dough, ground pistachios and honey ad dates. Dates are plentiful and a staple of any Middle Eastern diet.

The Middle East lures us with its' exotic bazaars and ancients ways. it also lures us with its' cuisine, old as time yet still tasty in this modern era.

What To Do About Easter Leftovers

Now that the eggs have been hunted and the chocolate bunnies are sans ears, it's time to think about what to do with the leftovers from yesterday's holiday meal. Your fridge's shelves are probably groaning with the leftover ham , lamb and asparagus. The thing is these are great foods that can be transformed into some tasty dishes.



Ham leftovers are the easiest to deal with after a big feast. You can grind it up with a little oil and create fresh deviled ham. This is perfect on sandwiches or even on crackers for a evening snack. You can also chop it up , mix in some celery , onion and mayo and have a nice chunky salad to go with rye bread. Ham is also good with eggs. Fry some up with eggs for a hearty breakfast or lunch. Mince it for Western omelets.Lamb is a bit trickier. Most people just reheat it and eat it the way they did on Easter. However you cam cube it and then add curry along with veggies for a tasty twist on an Indian classic. You can also make it into a casserole using lamb gravy along with white or wild rice. You can also cut it into cubes and microwave it as kabobs.




Like, ham asparagus can have a few reincarnations. If you had served it just boiled, then you can have it cold the second time around with a vinaigrette sauce as a salad. Add some chopped red peppers or grape tomatoes for color. Also you can reheat a second time and freshen it up with some just made Hollandaise sauce. if that's not your thing then just rebroil with some butter and sliced up Easter egg on top Add a sprinkling of newly grated Parmesan cheese.

Don't consider all those leftover Peeps and chocolate your meal for the next few days. If you have leftovers use them. There's plenty to do with all that spare ham , lamb and asparagus to create a second feast.

Preparing For Easter

Easter Saturday is a special time for prepping food and getting ready for tomorrow. I'll let you fellow foodies have your food blessed as well as prepping that ham or buying that asparagus for tomorrow's' feat

Enjoy the day, enjoy your food and most of all enjoy your chocolate. Celebrate the Resurrection and the rebirth of your spring garden.

Happy, Happy Easter to all my readers and their families!!!


Liz

Good Friday Observances

Just a short entry today since it is Good Friday.

We're having the traditional Piedmontese tomatoes and eggs (the Sicilians make something similar with green peppers) tonight since we can not have any meat.

Observe the day.


Liz

The International Easter Bunny

There's nothing like Easter candy, especially when it;s from other countries. Don;t get me wrong. I love our own brands, the Russell Stover and Palmer bunnies, the Reese's peanut butter eggs, The Hershey's kisses ,the Almond Joy coconut eggs and so on . However it's the Euro chocolate that makes me swoon. Some how the dark chocolate is more intensive while the milk has a creamy texture and feel, as if it was made yesterday.

Since the Germans more or less invented th e modern Easter tradition, it's no wonder that their chocolates are the best. I remember when my Swabian cousins brought someover one Easter. talk about goo d chocolate. It was ethereal, with a lighttexture and amazing cream (not milky ) taste. This is the stuff of Easter legend. Not to be outdone there is Perugina a staple at my houseand my other cousins in Northern Italy. Their eggs, these large ostrich size confections are hollow and filled with treats . Their bittersweet is almost like a cacao liqueur, deep, almost coffee like in flavor and smoothness . Te milk is creamy, light in flavor without that cloying aftertaste that some milk chocolates possess. Perugina is the master chocolatier throughout Europe and their holiday candies reflect this the best. This is where you can taste their fine candymaking with pieces of unadulterated chocolate.

The English know how to do candy right as well (well they should. They're the number one candy consumers in Europe).Their filled Cadbury eggs are a fun reminder of what Easter candy should be. Break open an etched milk chocolate one and out pours this gooey mix of fondant white and yolk. Their filling is similar to the one you find in Cella cherries , a rich gooey creme that has to be slurped up quickly. It';s a nice offset to the chocolate and adds to the shell's flavor.

it;s nice to know that the Easter bunny is a global creature. He picks up candy from all over the world to give to us. Now if only the little cotton tail could stop the global recession.


Note: Remember to help the victims of L'Aquilia earthquake. You can go to www.redcross.org and then click on where it has info about L'Aquila. 1,500 are homeless and they need more shelter and food to survive.

Passover Cuisine

Tonight and for the next eight days is the religious observance of Passover. The holy days have their own foods ; each with a special significance . Each dish has been handled down for centuries, some with modifications , others with the same ingredients from ancient times.

There are the traditional foods that symbolize various meanings. There is matzoh, the unleavened bread, that symbolized the Israelites quick flee into Egypt. Th Passover table also has horseradish and bitter herbs to stand for slavery's bitterness. Charoset, a, mix of chopped apples. nuts wine and cinnamon represents life's sweetness while a roasted egg symbolizes life. There are also vegetables and lamb which symbolizes hope and sacrifice. A bowl of salt water symbolizes tears shed while there are four glasses of wine on t he table one for Elijah.


Of course over the centuries additions have been made to the table. various countries such as Italy and Spain have added some of their influence especially with the Roman and Sephardic Jews. Flourless cakes and pastries are also included to give some kick to the meal.


A Passover table is one of the most symbolic tables . Each dish has a meaning that goes back eons . Yet every year it still remains relevant.

Meet My Peeps

Nothing says Easter like bright sunshine yellow Peeps. Thes emarshmallow shaped chicks have been a staple in many an Easter basket for a long, long time. They represent a fun time, full of innoncnce and freshness. Even if you've outgrown the Easter basket and Sunday best , you're never too old for Peeps.



How were the ppeps hatched. Thank candy maker Sam Born who introduced the sugary chicks as "Just Born" in the early 1910's. They started out as a bright yellow color, gracing Easter baskets and cake tops (you can also put them on a skewer to roast , looks like a mini rotisserie). Now Peeps come in white, pink , green, purple and blue for a more Easter-y festive look. The company expanded to bunny shapes as well and itroudced a chocolate mousse flavor Peep just this Spring



Nowadays you can buy other Peep forms for other major holidays. Halloween has white peep ghosts , orange pumpkins and black cats. Christmas has green marshmallow trees, gingerbread men and peppermint stars and Valentine's Day has pink and white hearts. Still nothing captures our heart s like those blobby big bottomed chicks with their pointy beaks and tiny bead like eyes. You almost want to cuddle one if you didn't feel like eating it!



For all you foodies out there, write in and share your Peeps memories with us. Even if you have ideas for turning them intoa fancy dessert, I'd love to hear from you.