Syrian :

Raw Felafel Patties

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Felafels aka Ta'amia in Egypt are spicy meatballs or patties made with either fava beans or chickpeas.They are popular all over the Middle East particularly in Egypt,Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan where they are eaten any time of day.For breakfast,[...]

Alya (Sheep Tail Fat)

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A staple of the Arab kitchen since 3000B.C. , alya also known as aliya or roghan-e donbeh in Farsi is the rendered fat from the tail of the Awassi sheep, an Asian breed of sheep that are commonly found in parts of Africa, the Middle[...]

Beans, beans and bread

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Image by seier+seier+seier via Flickr My passion for the spices and flavors of the Middle East only seem to increase as I get older. I have been trying more and more to experience again the wonderful meals I enjoyed for[...]

Shopping and tasting notes

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Image by Tony the Misfit via Flickr When you live in Hackensack, as I do, it doesn't make sense to do takeout from Aleppo, my favorite Middle Eastern restaurant in Paterson. But on the way home from Morristown yesterday on Route 80,[...]

Arak ( Anise-Flavored Liqueur)

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Arak is an anise-flavored aperitif that is made from the fermented juice of white grapes.It is widely produced and consumed in Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan though the best is said to come from Zahle in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon.Arak is the[...]

Layers of flavor for breakfast

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Image via Wikipedia How much can you cram into your breakfast sandwich? This morning, I started with two toasted slices of 100 percent whole grain bread, spread hummus on one and added organic salad greens, a small[...]

99 cents sardines in Hackensack

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Image by Ahron de Leeuw via Flickr I was delighted to find the Moroccan sardines I have been buying in Paterson for 99 cents a can at Sahara Stores -- the Middle Eastern deli and grocery in Hackensack where I stopped for bread on[...]

Small package travels a long way

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Image by luluinnyc | Amy Dreher via Flickr I was paying for Syrian bread at Sahara Stores in Hackensack the other day when I noticed a small package marked "maamoul" --  a date cookie with the same name my mother gave her[...]

Follow the tracks to great food buys

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Image via Wikipedia I've enjoyed shopping and eating in Paterson's Middle Eastern food bazaar for nearly 30 years, but haven't paid much attention to the city's bustling, year-round Farmers' Market . Today, I met Chuck[...]

99 cents sardines are alive and well

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Image via Wikipedia Sardines at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. Seafood is a crucial part of my non-meat diet and those plump, little sardines are one of my favorites -- as part of a breakfast sandwich with hummus,[...]