The reason behind all this hullabaloo is simple: I miss this food. As a young boy whose family lineage dates back to Lebanon and Egypt, my youth was spent at the dinner table eating delicious Middle-Eastern dishes.
I never cared for seeing how the food was made, though; I was just a beneficiary of many hard hours of preparation, usually by the women in the family. But, now, being the newfound chef I am, I'd like nothing more than to learn how whip-up Middle-Eastern food.
I called my aunt, who still makes this cuisine like it's her job and consistently has flocks of friends and family line up at her apartment door to eat her food, to discuss with her the beauties and techniques of cooking, and, more specifically, the dishes that she prepares for her family. Here's what she told me…
In response to being asked when she started cooking, she said: "I never did anything until I was in my mid-20's. At that point, I was in my first apartment and needed to take care of myself. So you start dabbling with a few ingredients, seeing what works with what… just follow your taste. After a while it became second-nature.
On some informal education, she said: "The Food Network is a great way to learn. On their shows, there's always a happy ending. No stress. You see how an experienced chef cooks and how it always comes out spectacularly; you learn and then you try making it yourself. Following recipes is fun."
On the role food plays in life, she said: "Cooking is a way to get the family to sit together. And when you're together in good spirits because the food and drink is delightful, anything is possible. It's wonderful watching people enjoy my food, too. When you see that the food you took so long to prepare is making other people happy, it makes you happy."
On recommendations, she said: "And you can't be a stubborn chef either. You have to think about your audience much more that yourself. If you like spicy but other people can't handle it, leave it on the side. I'm always taking suggestions. If my husband says it could use a little more of this or a little less of that, I'll do it. Whatever makes other people happy, is best."
On Middle-Eastern cooking, she said: "It's a very clean cuisine because it uses the same spices over and over again. A bunch of lemon, garlic, butter and some nuts, and it's always delicious if done right."
My aunt Shoula and I spoke for over an hour about the various dishes I'd have to concoct to truly capture the essence of Middle-Eastern cuisine. She gave me her recipes and techniques and, now, it's time to put them to use. Here we go…
No comments:
Post a Comment