World of Flavors

Last night was yet another date night (yes, that is three is a week!, but now Babysitter goes back to college) and we had Middle Eastern food. A highlight is always choosing desserts, which we sampled and then saved for the kids. The pastries are never labeled, you just pick, but I'm beginning to recognize some of our favorites (the chart is from here)

• fingers, with pistachios and this incredible honey, so creamy tasting I'd have sworn there was vanilla
• flowers (or bird's nest baklava)
• maybe harissa (or namourrah), which is semolina cake soaked in syrup with almonds on top. Sis's favorite.
• baklava, of course, but as this was Middle Eastern and not Greek, it was pistachio not walnut
• Bourma, which is a phyllo rolled filled with honeyed pistachios that is then cut in disks so you can see the inside. (not pictured here)
• Mammoul with pistachios (perhaps also called kanata?). Or maybe it was Osmanlia with pistachios. It's hard to tell from pictures and several languages . . . . One had shredded phyllo on top but wasn't kataifi

But tonight's dinner was actually Swedish, because after our Middle Eastern dinner, we cruised IKEA. And, after buying nighttime reading lamps for the kids (a la Trelease's Read-Aloud Handbook) and a water pitcher for the table (a la The Family Dinner), we hit the food section: Swedish meatballs, cream gravy, lingonberries, crispbreads, Swedish cheddar-like cheese, various pickled and creamed fish in jars, Swedish pancakes, elderflower syrup, and some more desserts, including the little almond cakes and the arrack-flavored chocolate rolls. We didn't eat all of that for dinner, but much of it, calling it How to Train Your Dragon, or Viking, food (as opposed to the other Silk Road food.)

We began to brainstorm other foods from around the world we'd like to try. We've done, at home or in restaurants: Thai, Chinese, Italian, Mexican (at least Tex-Mex), Japanese, Korean, Middle Eastern, Native American (at the Museum of the American Indian), Greek, Southern/soul, BBQ, Jewish deli (plus latkes), Indian, "American home standards." The kids want to try French, and not just crepes. We are also considering Spanish, German, and New Orleans night. Mama and I love Ethiopian but think they probably aren't ready for that.

A question for you, Lambeth--what would you serve for English night? Or would it have to be tea? Maybe in honor of the upcoming royal wedding . . . .