An Edible Mosaic. Faith Gorsky
Rice Pudding 129
Coconut Semolina Cake 130
toasted Semolina Pudding with Cinnamon 130
Rose and Pistachio ice Cream 131
CHAPTER NINE
Drinks 133
Grape Syrup Drink with Sultanas & Pine nuts 134
Creamy hot Sahlab Drink 135
Fresh Limeade 136
Rose Syrup Punch 136
tamarind Juice Drink 137
tangy Yogurt Drink 137
Apricot Drink 138
Sage tea 138
turkish Coffee 139
white Coffee 139
Middle Eastern Grocery Stores 140
Index 142
Acknowledgments 144
Foreword by Lorraine Elliott
Ifirst met Faith a few years ago when I stumbled across her blog. And by meeting her I do mean in the online sense. I have never seen her in person; we live in two completely different and far away countries but that mattered not a jot. I felt like I knew her and that she and I had so much in common. I would read her blog and exclaim how I had felt the very same way about a topic or had the same experience.
The number of times that we both commented that we were “sisters” was innumerable and her blog stood out to me and she stood out to me as someone that I could count as a friend even though we technically hadn’ t met. It had been years since I visited New York and she has never visited Australia. The Internet and blogosphere is funny and charming like that.
Apart from the common reactions to things, I loved her recipes, many of which I have tried. Middle Eastern cuisine is one that I love to eat but have not had much experience preparing. And this is where Faith comes in, not just to me but to the many thousands of readers that she has. Knowing that she had gained all of her knowledge through the years from her mother-in-law, overriding a language barrier to prepare recipes that her Middle Eastern husband Mike (who I also feel like I know so well!) would like, makes me treasure them even more.
It’s passion for learning and passion for a culture that makes one want to learn more about its cuisine. Family recipes are like little golden wrapped treasures held together by delicate webs and gossamer. It can be a challenge to get to the core of them while traversing vague measurements and getting to know mysterious but exciting ingredients. But they are worth the time to get to know because not only are the flavors wonderful, there is also depth and gravity given to them with the family history and it is a privilege for us to have access to these recipes.
Practically speaking, I appreciate the way that she approaches Middle Eastern cuisine. Like those of us that don’ t come from the culture but appreciate it, no question is too silly or basic and she explains the basics to us much like a good friend would. I never knew that pomegranate molasses is great on a falafel sandwich but you bet I’ ll be drizzling that the next time I have one!
We all know that food is more than a source of fuel and energy and that it brings people together. It can also provide comfort for those eating and also making it a pride of place whenever there is a celebration. Faith imbues her recipes with warmth and comfort and I look at her as a good friend who imparts her most treasured secrets to those lucky enough to have found her.
Lorraine Elliott
My Passion for Middle Eastern Cooking
Middle Eastern fare isn’t the cuisine I grew up eating. Actually, until about six years ago, the only Middle Eastern foods I had ever eaten were hummus, falafel, shish kebab, and baklava...and looking back, I can tell you that everything I ate up until that point was in no way authentic. So, how did I end up with such a passion for Middle Eastern cuisine?
My husband, Mike, is Middle Eastern; actually, his father is Palestinian and his mother is Syrian; he was born in Kuwait, raised in Syria, and went to college in Jordan. Suffice to say he was raised on Middle Eastern fare and, being the picky eater he is, he doesn't care for foods unless his mom makes it. This, of course, meant that when Mike and I first got married I had to learn how to cook authentic Middle Eastern food.
Mike and I were married in the Middle East, and we lived there for the first six months of our marriage. During this time I had the opportunity to experience firsthand the magic of Middle Eastern cuisine. I saw how a spectacular dish can start with just an ordinary ingredient... that is, if you add the right combination of spices, and give it the time and effort to cook it properly with the passion and attention it deserves, or as they say in Arabic, nefus ala el ekel (literally meaning to “have breath that is good for food”).
I discovered even more exotic and wonderful foods the longer I stayed in Syria and I even started to enjoy Middle Eastern foods that I didn't care for originally, like slimy green soup (Molokhia) and super tangy yogurt cheese (Labneh). As I was experiencing all these new foods, I was also learning how to cook them from my mother-in-law, Sahar, a fantastic cook, who, in true Syrian tradition, knew her way around the kitchen before the age of ten. The only way to learn how to cook from authentic old world cooks is to watch them in action. Nothing is written down, there are no cooking times, very few enumerated steps, and certainly no measurements. I remember one night Mike requested I make him rice pudding, so he asked his mom for the recipe. This is the translation of what she told him: “Cook some rice and warm some milk. Add cornstarch and sugar and boil. Make sure to add rosewater.” When I asked how much milk, the answer was “as much as you want to make.” And what about the rice? “A small coffee cup of rice.” Keep in mind that Middle Eastern coffee, like espresso, is served in tiny demitasse cups... luckily I knew this before I made the pudding! Those were only the start of my questions though. From then on, I realized that if I wanted to learn how to cook Middle Eastern food I would have to watch Sahar. But even this wasn't as easy as it sounds.
There was a language barrier between Sahar and I: she spoke only a little English and I spoke even less Arabic. In the beginning, much of our time together in the kitchen was spent pointing to ingredients and both excitedly exclaiming what they were. Then I would watch her cook and, as she was working, I took the time to intricately write down ingredients, measurements, methods, steps, and cooking times. Finally, it got to the point where I had mastered a few recipes and I was the one making family meals... and with a family of about ten this was no small feat! As I fell in love with Middle Eastern cuisine and culture, learning the art of Middle Eastern cooking became a passion for me. When Mike and I left the Middle East after spending six months there, I left with a knowledge of and a great appreciation for Middle Eastern fare; more than that though, I truly felt like I had been accepted into his family.
Since then I've had the opportunity to travel to the Middle East four other times. After mastering a number of basic recipes and techniques, I've been able to delve even deeper into the cuisine and culture of the region, which has given me an even deeper passion for Middle Eastern fare.
When Mike and I arrived in the U. S., I felt prepared to make him his favorite Middle Eastern foods; actually, by then my passion for cooking had grown immensely and I began to take every opportunity to learn about new dishes, techniques, and regional cuisines. As my love for cooking grew, so did my talent. I began planning special occasion menus