I finally got around to posting all the food related pictures from my trip on my flickr account. For those who just joined, I just got back from a month-long research project in Syria, Lebanon and Italy where I got to experience firsthand different cultural dining experiences and explore flavors that were out of this world!!

I recently got back from my culinary journey around Syria, Lebanon and Italy and cannot wait to share with you guys all the great food ideas I picked up while I was gone. I got to visit 11 Mediterranean cities in the course of a month, and not to mention, eat the best food of my life!!

Here are a few neat pictures from my trip. Later this week I’ll be posting a lot more food pictures that I took while I was abroad – stay tuned!!

For the past few months I’ve been coordinating a research project through Cornell University to study food and culture in the Middle East and Italy. Luckily my proposal went through and I will be traveling around Syria and Italy this winter to conduct my gourmet research!

My flight leaves in a couple of weeks and I will try to post as often as possible! Stay tuned and Happy Holidays!!

Middle Eastern spreads are plentiful, but very few have been able to jump the cultural divide into restaurants and homes in the States. In the Middle East, families, neighbors and even strangers gather around these homemade delicacies to talk for hours about absolutely anything.

Hummus is by far the most recognized Middle Eastern spread, but you don’t need to look far to find plenty of others that are just as tasty (or tastier!). Baba Ganoush is a traditional spread that uses charred eggplants to create a rich smoky pulp that is out-of-this-world delicious. For maximal fire-roasted goodness, roast the eggplants over an open flame. For those of us, however, who are only granted this luxury 2 weeks out of the year (if we’re lucky), we must turn to other alternatives. When it’s subzero outside I use my broiler or grill pan and find that both deliver a comprable fire-roasted flavor.

Baba ganoush literally translates into father who spoils (with an over-caring and positive connotation) in case you were wondering. This is a family recipe that was given to me by my grandmother who grew up in Aleppo, Syria (one of the greatest culinary centers of the Middle East). In this region of Syria pomegranates are abundant and bursting with flavor, so it isn’t surprising that a pomegranate version of this tasty spread evolved. Not only does the pomegranate add a more subtle citrus bite, but it also balances the bitterness of the seeds in the eggplant with its natural sweetness.

I’ve had The Muppets song stuck in my head for days now and cannot help the fact that it plays itself whenever I try to sneak in a thought. Granted it could be worse… perhaps Michael Bolton? Anyway, I digress. This entry is dedicated more to a delicious spread called Muhammara than to my random quirks. For my family, Muhammara is like the ketchup that is served alongside most of our meals. We eat it with toasted pita bread, as an accompaniment to meaty swordfish and even as an extraordinary condiment for sandwiches. No one can deny Muhammara’s versatility, but what keeps me coming back for more is how easy it is to prepare.

*Special thanks to Marilyn Rivchin and Emily Schneider who filmed the video.