Global Table Adventure

Monday Meal Review: Egypt

February 7, 2011 By Sasha Martin 13 Comments

THE SCENE We huddled together on the couch - three big geeks - faces glowing in the flickering light. It was Mr Picky, myself, and our friend Janine. Ava was asleep for the night. In fact, she'd been asleep for hours and hours and hours. The coffee table was loaded up with platters of Ful Medames, White Coffee, and a box of kleenex - just in case. Now, before you get the wrong idea, I should state that I'm not normally a TV person. I was raised without it. My mother kept hers in the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Egypt, Monday Meal Review

Recipe: White Coffee (a.k.a. Rose water Tea)

February 6, 2011 By Sasha Martin 4 Comments

Makes 1 cup Want to drink a rose? White Coffee is the fabulous way to be romantic. Just boil a pot of water and 15 seconds later you'll be sipping on a hot cup of romance, relaxation and restful enjoyment. Although called white coffee, this popular Middle Eastern drink is really a caffeine-free blend of hot water with floral essences, spices, herbs, or aromatics. Our version is made especially for Valentine's Day with one of the most popular variations, rose water. Psst, it helps to serve … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Alcohol-Free, Egypt, Gluten Free Adaptable, Hot, International Recipes, Miss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Potluck Friendly, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Valentine's Day, Vegan, Vegetarian

Recipe: Fava Bean Mash (Ful Medames)

February 6, 2011 By Sasha Martin 5 Comments

Makes about a quart On the streets of Cairo, Egypt, people on their way to work stop by a street vendor to grab a few bites of Ful Medames. They hover around, scooping the dip up with Egyptian flatbread - a sight as common as an American dunking a donut into their coffee. This breakfast of champions is full of protein and... thanks to all the goodies drizzled on top?.... totally, utterly addictive. Ingredients: 1 onion, chopped 2 tomatoes, chopped 2 15 oz cans fava beans, drained and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Breakfast, Dips, Egypt, Gluten Free Adaptable, International Recipes, Potluck Friendly, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Vegan, Vegetables/Pulses, Vegetarian

Recipe: Ali’s Mother (Umm Ali)

February 6, 2011 By Sasha Martin 4 Comments

Serves 6 Egyptians have been eating Um Ali for hundreds of years. Clifford A. Wright tells the story well: One day while hunting in the Nile delta, the sultan developed a ravenous appetite and stopped in a small village. The peasants wished to please the sultan, so the best cook of the village, Umm Ali, pulled out a special pan and filled it with the only ingredients she had around: some dried wheat flakes, sultanas [raisins], nuts, and coconut. She covered it with sugar and milk and put it … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Egypt, International Recipes, Sweets, Vegetarian

Fun Fact Friday: Drink like an Egyptian

February 4, 2011 By Sasha Martin 7 Comments

Want beer for dinner? While this might seem like an outrageous and irresponsible prospect today, from what I can tell it was a possibility in ancient Egypt. So grab your passport, as we dig up a few fun facts about Egyptian beer. Beer was a thick and hearty beverage, made by fermenting barley mash with yeast. Some also think it was made by fermenting pieces of yeast-risen bread. Today we think of beer as golden or dark amber. In ancient Egypt beer could be red, which was popular, or … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Egypt, Fun Friday

Recipe: Kushary (also Kushari)

February 3, 2011 By Sasha Martin 8 Comments

Serves 6 In Egypt, there are entire restaurants devoted soley to the production of Kushary. Giant vats are filled with the necessary ingredients and kept warm over low heat. With each order, a quick-moving server walks their ladle through the vats, filling the customer's bowl up to the brim with pasta, rice, lentils, spicy tomato sauce, and fried onions. While it is difficult to reproduce this type of assembly at home, it is possible to layer all the ingredients in a casserole and keep warm. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Egypt, International Recipes, Pasta, Potluck Friendly, Rice, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Technique Thursday, Vegan, Vegetarian

Recipe: Spicy Egyptian Tomato Sauce

February 3, 2011 By Sasha Martin 3 Comments

Makes 2 cups Spicy, garlicky, and tangy, this "doctored" tomato sauce goes great with pasta, rice, or all of the above (a.k.a. kushary ... noodle, rice and lentil casserole). Feel free to tone down (or up) the heat, if you like things a little milder. Often extra sauce is placed on the table so diners can heap it on in whatever quantity desired. Ingredients: 1 can tomato sauce (15 oz) 4 cloves garlic, crushed 1/2 tsp cayenne (or to taste) 1 tsp vinegar salt (only needed if your … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Egypt, Gluten Free Adaptable, Sauces & Dressings, Vegan, Vegetarian

Menu: Egypt

February 2, 2011 By Sasha Martin 7 Comments

Our house is swept up in snow drifts more beautiful than whipped cream and taller than Miss Ava. Thankfully, our heat works and this Egyptian menu keeps our imaginations (and bellies) happy. A combination of rustic down-home cooking and elegance, there's something for everyone. And, in case you forgot that Valentine's Day is just around the corner, consider cosying up to a cup of White Coffee made with rose water, perfect for a simple, heart-warming Valentine's Day treat. Kushary (also Kushari) … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Egypt, Menu Wednesday