The Syrian Arab Republic Welcomes You: A Journey through Damascus in Food

I spent last weekend in Damascus, a much larger city than Amman that’s only three short hours away, minus the time it takes to cross the border. Most of my time was spent in the old city, which has many of its original walls and structures intact. The traditional Syrian houses that occupy the city now accommodate restaurant goers and visitors to the Hammams, or Turkish Bath style spas. I saw a few sights, but I mostly enjoyed the two very important elements of travel: food and shopping.

The theme of this trip? Street food! My restaurant experiences in Damascus weren’t extremely impressive, except for a delicious fatoush salad that I will attempt to re-create this week. Other than that, it was all about the vendors and tiny local shops.

The first morning was quiet, as most of the city closes for Friday prayers. I started the day with a surprisingly fresh falafel sandwich and some pressed pomegranate juice. It was tart! Note: always add water and sugar to pomegranate. One thing I enjoyed about Damascus, and Jerusalem as well, is all of the fresh fruit juice vendors: orange and carrot, lemon and mint, blackberry and strawberry.

I rarely get out before 10 in the morning – the culture has worn off on me – so in Amman I usually miss the early activities of the bakers I so enjoy watching. But as a tourist, I was out of that hotel/hostel/death trap (I mean this literally – the elevator stalled regularly and the stairwell was turned into a storage room and we were on the 6th floor!) bright and early and ready to take lots of pictures. There is nothing like the smell of freshly baked bread.

Below they are cutting some donut like dough, but denser. They press it into the metal basket to get the right texture, and then deep fry and douse in sugar syrup for the finished product.

Above: Za’atar….I overdosed on this stuff long ago. They make a little pizza dough and cover it with a mix of herbs, sesame seeds, olive oil and bake.

This ice cream shop in the old city is famous for its simple vanilla icy ice cream topped with Syrian green pistachios (so sweet!) and cashews. It’s definitely popular; we had to push our way through and barely managed to get out through the crowds…but so worth it. That’s me, posing with my ice cream.

More to come…

French Toast with Peanut Butter “Syrup”

Eggs are hands down the best ingredient for the healthy eater on a budget. They are cheap and so versatile.  

From my personal research, it seems to be a common opinion of most nutritionists that the healthiest diet is a vegan diet full of complete proteins, with the addition of eggs. Eggs provide all of the vitamins and proteins that carnis get from meat.

Here’s the ethical dilemma I’ve been thinking about for both vegans and vegetarians: Is the chick an animal when it is laid, or when it hatches? Life at conception, I say, but I’m not all about animal rights.

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One of my favorite go-to meals for breakfast, lunch or dinner is French toast – egg soaked stale bread, pan fried in butter. Mmm. It’s a great way to use up old bread that isn’t molding yet, or the “ends” of the loaf that no one wants to use for a sandwich.

As a kid I always spread peanut butter on my waffles or pancakes, then covered them in syrup. In college I evolved to Nutella. So mature.

So today I was making some peanut butter and chocolate granola bars, and I thought how perfect a peanut butter sauce would be for all of my breakfast favorites. SO, here is my peanut butter “syrup” and French toast recipe, with substitutions for Vegans

For the French toast:

For one serving (two slices of bread), whisk together one egg, a quarter cup of milk, a dash of cinnamon, and a splash of vanilla extract. Soak the bread in this mixture in a shallow bowl or plate.

Put some butter or margarine in a frying pan on medium high heat. When it is hot, throw on the bread and let it brown on each side.

For the Syrup:

In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together 2 Tbs natural peanut butter, 2 Tbs powdered sugar, and a quarter cup of milk.

For Vegans:

Substitute 1 mashed banana for the egg, soy milk for the milk, and add a bit of margarine. Pour the mixture over the bread. (Adapted from The Vegan Handbook)

For the syrup substitute soy milk or water for the milk.

Granola Girl

From  The Urban Dictionary:

<granola girl:> Modern hippy woman minus the heroin and STD’s. Socially aware and active with a penchant for hemp and sodium-free soap. May eat tofu for breakfast and sweeten food with agave syrup. Is determined to save the world. You know you’re granola when you strap your five thousand dollar bike to your five hundred dollar car and vote for Ralph Nader.

I just made this granola yesterday. It was pretty tasty with some milk and raisins this morning for breakfast. This is a good base recipe – feel free to add nuts and dried fruit half-way through baking.

Ingredients:

Oats

Date Syrup

Brown Sugar

Cinnamon

Canola Oil

Pinch of Salt

Vanilla Extract

Preheat the oven to 250 F.

In a saucepan, everything together except for the oats, until dissolved and bubbling. Turn off the heat and mix in the oats.

Place on a greased baking sheet in clumps. Bake for no more than 25 minutes.

Warning: The granola will not seem done, but trust me, it hardens up as it cools. I have burnt way too many batches, so be careful!

Scooters will save the environment!

Vegan Apple Crumble

There are few variations to this apple crumble, or crisp, as it is also called, but some notable short-cuts that do not compromise the flavor or texture.

It is easy and oh so satisfying. You will be surprised it is vegan, but feel free to add some vanilla ice cream…I have been impressed by Soy Dream, for those that want to keep this dish dairy-free. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• Two to three large apples, sliced
• Lemon juice
• flour
• cinnamon
• nutmeg (optional)
• clove (optional)
• light brown sugar (lots!)
• 2 packets of instant oatmeal,any flavor that sounds tasty will do
• vegetable oil

Step One: Toss the apples in lemon juice, spices and a bit of flour until all of the apples slices are lightly coated. Arrange the apples in a glass dish and cover. Put in the oven for 10 minutes at about 145 C.

Step Two: In a separate bowl, mix flour, oatmeal packets, brown sugar and oil. If the oatmeal packets aren’t already flavored, or if you are using plain rolled oats, add some more spices here.

Step Three: Remove the apples from the oven. Crumble the mixture on top of the apples and return the dish to the oven, uncovered. Finish baking for about 25 minutes or until apples are bubbling and the crumble is toasty brown.

Curry Couscous

This curry couscous came out of using things out of my pantry to make a vegan meal during Lent. It is great cold or hot.

Ingredients:

• 1 can of chick peas
• 1 cup of couscous
• golden raisins
• blanched almonds – toasted
• tomato juice
• vegetable or chicken stock
• flour
• curry
• ginger
• cumin
• salt
• vegetable oil

Couscous: Bring stock to a boil and pour over the dry couscous in a bowl. Cover. After about 5 minutes the couscous will absorb all the liquid, and that part’s done!

Chickpeas: Drain the can of chickpeas and rinse. Place in a saucepan with oil and tomato sauce. Bring to medium high heat and saute. Add flour to thicken the pan sauce. Season with salt, cumin, ginger, and a liberal amount of curry.

Mix in raisins and couscous. Add the almonds at the end and serve.

Serving Suggestions:

• Stuff tomatoes and broil
• cold on a bed of lettuce as a salad
• as a side for grilled chicken

Another Year, Another Blog

I know I know. I keep creating new blogs. But as I begin my third year in Jordan (eek!), I am once again entering a new season of thoughtfulness and creativity. It seems to happen just about this time each year, doesn’t it? It’s lent, it’s springtime…well, in Jordan it’s springtime.

Each blog has served its own unique purpose. Not All Who Wander Are Aimless was purely to update my world in America on my life in Jordan. The Bohemian Dispatch is a forum to share my thoughts on world news, culture and politics. It isn’t as personal, because I came to a place living here where I didn’t know how I felt about things anymore, let alone how to articulate them.

This one is essentially about whatever beautiful thing I feel like writing about, because I have decided that art and beauty, to roughly quote a memoir I’m reading, “are not luxuries, but necessities for life,” especially here. So on this blog I will celebrate them, remember them, even create some of my own.

Happy Reading.