eG Foodblog: Verjuice - Red, Green or Christmas?

[Verjuice]

Dinner is served.

Baqlawa:

Ice cream:

Pam R, a discussion during dinner turned to the subject of halal meat, at which point I was reminded of what is possibly the most important aspect of the slaughtering ritual: facing east.

Also, I regretted tonight that I didn't talk at all about my love of scotch. Maybe next time?

Edited January 1, 2008 by Verjuice (log)

[Verjuice]

And this is where it ends. Thank you so much for reading. I was totally intimidated by the idea of doing this but I sincerely enjoyed every minute of it.

I'll leave you all with my best New Year regards and a little ham and cheese, by which I mean...

Ham it up every once in a while...

And don't forget to say cheese.

[Domestic Goddess]

Verjuice, what wonderful, mouthwatering food photos. I just wanna reach into my computer monitor and just dig in. Aaaah the sausages with their glistening skin, the brik, the creamy hummus.... must go raid the fridge now.

Oh, Happy New Year to you and all your loyal blog followers (in other words my eGullet family).

ETA: that your lovely blog reflects your lovely you. Thanks for sharing and you are such a beautiful person.

Edited January 1, 2008 by Domestic Goddess (log)

[SuzySushi]

Applause!!! (where's that smilie when you need it?)

One last question from me: What is fettat hummus? Is it the same as hummus bi tahini?

[Shelby]

Bravo!

Girl, do you ever sleep?

[maher]

Applause!!! (where's that smilie when you need it?)

One last question from me: What is fettat hummus? Is it the same as hummus bi tahini?

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since our gracious host is no doubt asleep, ill take a stab at this one, hummus bi tahini is just what most people know as hummus, since in Arabic, hummus is chickpeas, hummus bi tahini is chickpeas with tahini which is the hummus dip.

fettat hummus is dish which is made mostly with hummus, but it starts with shredded pita bread, normally fried, then hummus, garlic, and pine nuts are added as well as whole chickpeas and ghee or olive oil on top. it makes for a pretty delicious and filling dish.

Verjuice, thanks for an amazing blog, your boundless energy is an inspiration!

[Marigene]

I sincerely loved every minute of your blog! Thank you, thank you, for a most interesting and informative week in your busy life!

[racheld]

Considering the Winter-closed house and all the cooking, did you awake with those glorious tresses scented with exotic spices?

This blog has just resounded with color and warmth, especially here in these Winter-drab days.

[MarketStEl]

Thank you for a most entertaining, visually appealing and multicultural blog. I need to sit at your feet for lessons in how to master the inexpensive point-and-shoot digital camera.

As for cheese, it's never enough just to say it -- one must serve it as well.

There was one question I had that appears to have gotten lost in the cracks -- the one about the cross-in-a-circle symbol that was also used by the Santa Fe railroad. Did anyone know its origins or significance? If it's too late to post a reply to this blog, please PM me.

[birder53]

This was wonderful! Thank you for sharing so much with us. That New Years Eve dinner looks so good. Very exotic! Happy 2008.

[Wein1965]

Thanks for a wonderful blog! You have a beautiful home and it's been great seeing new areas of my favorite city.

[Verjuice]

Thanks for the kind words, everyone! I am going through blog detox now and experiencing lots of separation anxiety. I got so used to photographing my food that I felt like I was cheating during breakfast.

SuzySushi, Maher is exactly right about the fettat hummus. My picture does it no justice; I should have served in a glass bowl so all the layers could appreciated, but I don't have one. It's a wonderful dish; very simple but very heavy. I used fried pita, then layered on the chickpeas, hummus, thick yogurt with garlic and mint, pine nuts and olive oil. If you are fond of the individual components, then I can't encourage you strongly enough to try it. Much greater than the sum of its parts.

MarketStEl Re: the symbol; as soon as my sources get back to me, I'll get back to you.

Racheld When I'm cooking aromatic food, I wear this black beret thing that fits all my hair in it, and it keeps it smelling more like angel kisses and peach blossoms than hot lamb fat and fried onions.

And then, as soon as possible after dinner wraps, I shower it off!

Shelby Nope! I never sleep.

Edited January 1, 2008 by Verjuice (log)

[Shelby]

Hey, you don't have to stop taking pics. Join us on the "what's for dinner, breakfast, and lunch" threads in the cooking section!

[Abra]

Now THAT was a dinner! Just the kind of food I really love. Is there any chance you'll post a couple of the recipes?

Awesome blog, truly.

[judiu]

Lovely! Beautiful pictures (where's the envy guy? I'm just learning to use my new camera...barely) Love the "ham and cheese" shots; they should be made mandatory!

[Marya]

Following your multicultural adventure brought back student days from many years past and meals shared with Middle Eastern friends. For that, I thank you. Great blog with stunning photos and food worth searching out.

[Verjuice]

Now THAT was a dinner!  Just the kind of food I really love.  Is there any chance you'll post a couple of the recipes?

Awesome blog, truly.

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Thank you! It was your interest in Emirati food that propelled me into action. I called my father and said, "Well, what would you make if your were cooking an Emirati dish for a friend who's never tried Emirati food?". He chose fareed, but the main ingredient in fareed is an unleavened paper-thin bread, and I didn't have time to locate a saj beforehand.

So I said, "Well, how about machbous?". He wasn't keen on the idea, for the same reasons that I mentioned a few pages back. But I was feeling stubborn, and I told him I was going to make an updated and more digestible version of machbous, which he found amusing to no end.

Traditionally, machbous is made by cooking bone-in chunks of lamb (the fattier the cut, the better) down with a blend of spices called baharat (red pepper, cumin, cinnamon, ground loomi (dried lime), cloves, black pepper, ground cardamom, nutmeg, ground coriander, turmeric and saffron threads). Once the lamb is cooked, you add several cups of water, bring to a boil, add the rice, and cook the rice in the pot of boiling lamb water.

I didn't want stewed lamb, but I wanted flavor and spice. The lamb sausages, though not merguez, contained merguez seasonings. I rendered some fat from the sausages and then placed them aside. I used a couple of tablespoons of the spicy fat to coat and toast the rice before I cooked it. Then I ground my spices for baharat and made a thin paste out of them by streaming in a little ghee, which I fluffed into the rice, along with freshly grated lime peel in lieu of the loomi (dried lime) just as it was finishing.

I'll try and get a couple recipes into RecipeGullet.

[mizducky]

Thanks for the terrific blog, Verjuice! (Making a note to myself to try that fettet hummus recipe--I never met a chickpea I didn't like. )

[Pierogi]

Absolutely spectacular blog, Verjuice. I had such a blast sharing your world. Thank you for taking us along on the ride.

[Verjuice]

Thank you for the lovely words!

p.s. for those who have inquired about my teaser photo:

It's Lake Santa Cruz, only twenty minutes north of Santa Fe and one of the best kept secrets of the area.

If anyone wants driving directions, just say the word.

[doc slaughter]

what a great blog. I've just finished the best part of the first day of the new year reading it. I'm very impressed and think that I now have a whole new appreation of humus. But above all else I'm really impressed with the Scotch colletion its top shelf.

[ChefCrash]

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Thank you for a beautiful blog, I was hoping you'd write about and show photos of your last adventure in Lebanon a year ago, where you narrowly escaped a "surprise war". May be in the next blog.

I find myself compelled to stare at the photo above. It's a wonderful still life.

[Verjuice]

Thank you for a beautiful blog, I was hoping you'd write about and show photos of your last adventure in Lebanon a year ago, where you narrowly escaped a "surprise war". May be in the next blog.

I find myself compelled to stare at the photo above. It's a wonderful still life.

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Thank you, Chef.

Alas and alack, I didn't own a digital camera at the time I was in Lebanon, which I now deeply regret.

[Verjuice]

what a great blog. I've just finished the best part of the first day of the new year reading it. I'm very impressed and think that I now have a whole new appreation of humus. But above all else I'm really impressed with the Scotch colletion its top shelf.

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Thank you.

At the end of the day, I'll go for Oban, but the only ones in my collection that I really can't stand are the Ardbeg and the Highland Park. They don't do it for me at all; too peaty.

Oh- and that bottle of Glenlivet Nadurra featured earlier in the blog? A big fat no.

[dockhl]

Thank you.

At the end of the day, I'll go for Oban, but the only ones in my collection that I really can't stand are the Ardbeg and the Highland Park. They don't do it for me at all; too peaty.

Oh- and that bottle of Glenlivet Nadurra featured earlier in the blog? A big fat no.

Ever try any of the COMPASS BOX SCOTCHES ? I just bought the Asyla (OK) but am dying to try the Flaming Heart. Unfortunately, our BevMo doesn't carry it.

Wonderful blog, I haven't been to Santa Fe for way too long. It may be a project for 2008 !

Thanks ~

Kathy