Passport to Local
Syria-sly Delicious by Emily Smith
in Jordan and Palestine. And
you must go to
the sweets that typically
Syria,” my clos-
feature nuts—baklava, bird’s
est friend, Ala’, said with
nests, shredded ballorieh
a dreamy smile. “The best
and toasted mabroomeh—
food in the world is there.”
were studded with pinkand-green pistachios.
It was 2010, and I’d been living in Jordan for some
Syrians have adopted
months, studying Arabic
certain European flavors
at a small university in the
and fashions, but they have
desert. Ala’ and I ate lunch
also
on campus every day, and
immune to globalization’s
he forever reminisced about
homogeneity. In other Ara-
his home country.
bic-speaking countries, En-
remained
somewhat
“You know,” he said, “when-
glish and French are used
ever I visit my family there, I
for educational instruction.
always come back a little fat.”
In Syria, however, students
Given the amount of food
learn either (or both) of
I was served in Jordan, this
these languages, but all ed-
wasn’t difficult to believe.
ucation—from kindergarten
A “light” meal in the Levant
to medical school—is con-
typically included a stack of
ducted in Arabic. Further-
fresh bread, cucumber and
more, U.S. sanctions have
tomato salad, an array of
prevented certain American
dips and spreads like hum-
mainstays (McDonald’s, Star-
mus, baba ghanoush and
bucks, Apple, Coca-Cola)
ful (stewed fava beans), tiny
from saturating daily life.
bowls of salt, hot chili and
One
za’atar (a blend of thyme,
an-brand cola and black-mar-
sumac and, sesame, among
ket iPhones, but overall, the
other countless variations),
country feels refreshingly
find
Canadi-
different from our own.
a plate of olive oil, falafel and french fries. Everything was served family-style with no individ-
might
In the coastal port of Latakia, where old men in tweed suits sat along cobblestone streets and sipped tiny cups of Arabic coffee, Eu-
ual plates or silverware. When I finally made it to Syria, the first thing I discovered was
ropean cuisines mixed with the Middle Eastern offerings. Pizza and
that the cultural dishes and portions were similar to those found in
pasta parlors sat beside shawarma (spit-roasted meats) stands, and
Jordan, yet with their own unique flavors and shapes. Baba ghanoush,
traditional French pastries like pain au chocolat glistened alongside
for example, was sprinkled with fresh pomegranate arils—an ingre-
za’atar-stuffed croissants. All were tempting but, at that time, my
dient difficult to find in more arid regions. Falafel were fried in the
friends and I were looking for a heartier breakfast and locals directed
shape of mini-doughnuts as opposed to the disks or fingers common
us to their favorite spot.
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Photography of sha’ebiyyat bil fostuq (a type of baklawa) by Jacob Arem
“I
f you like this food,