Sarah Saltzman's Falafel Experience

On my recent trip to Israel, I was searching for an indigenous food that tasted deliciously. Suddenly, I came across a restaurant called "Falafels and More"! I thought to myself, "What is falafel?" I decided to ask the chef, and sure enough, he told me the ingredients and how to prepare it. Falafels are essentially ground up mushy chickpeas, which came from the Old World to the New World. The strong flavored and distinctive onions that are put into the dish came from the Old World to the New World as well. Some people add flavorful and tasty garlic, which came from the Old World to the New World, to their falafel to make it delicious. Falafel is rolled into round balls that are placed into pita bread. The primary ingredient in pita bread is wheat, which originated in the Old World (southern Europe) and was brought to the New World by settlers. Falafel is usually eaten in the Middle Eastern region of the world (primarily in Israel); however it diffused to the Americas during the Columbian Exchange. Brackish salt is also required to add to the chickpeas, and that ingredient came from the oceans; therefore it did not get transferred from the Old World to the New World or from the New World to the Old World. Once the falafel is cooked, it is very appetizing.

Chickpeas originated from the Middle East, specifically in Turkey, and they were later domesticated in Africa and India. They were later transferred to the Americas, where they are currently cultivated in Washington, Montana, Idaho, and California. Several historians declare that onions originated in Central Asia; however the exact country that they were first domesticated in is unknown. Several other historians declare that they were grown in Georgia, West Pakistan, Iran, and India. Onions diffused to Ancient Egypt, China, India, Greece, and Rome. They were also eaten by the Israelites. They were brought to the New World when the Pilgrims traveled to the New World on the Mayflower. Garlic originated in Central Asia, and it was used by the Ancient Egyptians, the Indus River Valley civilization, the Chinese, and the Greeks. The French, Portuguese, and Spanish were credited with diffusing it to the New World.

 

Sarah Saltzman's Falafel Experience

On my recent trip to Israel, I was searching for an indigenous food that tasted deliciously. Suddenly, I came across a restaurant called "Falafels and More"! I thought to myself, "What is falafel?" I decided to ask the chef, and sure enough, he told me the ingredients and how to prepare it. Falafels are essentially ground up mushy chickpeas, which came from the Old World to the New World. The strong flavored and distinctive onions that are put into the dish came from the Old World to the New World as well. Some people add flavorful and tasty garlic, which came from the Old World to the New World, to their falafel to make it delicious. Falafel is rolled into round balls that are placed into pita bread. The primary ingredient in pita bread is wheat, which originated in the Old World (southern Europe) and was brought to the New World by settlers. Falafel is usually eaten in the Middle Eastern region of the world (primarily in Israel); however it diffused to the Americas during the Columbian Exchange. Brackish salt is also required to add to the chickpeas, and that ingredient came from the oceans; therefore it did not get transferred from the Old World to the New World or from the New World to the Old World. Once the falafel is cooked, it tastes very appetizing.

Chickpeas originated from the Middle East, specifically in Turkey, and they were later domesticated in Africa and India. They were later transferred to the Americas, where they are currently cultivated in Washington, Montana, Idaho, and California. Several historians declare that onions originated in Central Asia; however the exact country that they were first domesticated in is unknown. Several other historians declare that they were grown in Georgia, West Pakistan, Iran, and India. Onions diffused to Ancient Egypt, China, India, Greece, and Rome. They were also eaten by the Israelites. They were brought to the New World when the Pilgrims traveled to the New World on the Mayflower. Garlic originated in Central Asia, and it was used by the Ancient Egyptians, the Indus River Valley civilization, the Chinese, and the Greeks. The French, Portuguese, and Spanish were credited with diffusing it to the New World.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 3/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons flour
• Oil for frying (canola or vegetable)

Sarah Saltzman's Falafel Experience

Sarah Saltzman's Falafel Experience

My Trip to Ching Chang Chong Rice Hut by Alexander Pekala

My Trip to Ching Chang Chong Rice Hut

            Last weekend I took a delightful trip down to my local Asian restaurant, fittingly called the Ching Chang Chong Rice Hut.  When I walked in the door I was happily greeted by a plump Chinese man named Mao Zedong. He then showed me my table which was oddly placed inside a Mongol yurt. I awkwardly sat inside where I was greeted by a beautiful Chinese woman. Maybe it was because of her tiny, foot bounded feet, but something about her attracted me. Softly she stated, "Welcome to the Ching Chang Chong Rice Hut. I am your waitress, Wu."

            I then placed an order for their finest fried rice, which I had heard was outstanding. Moments later I was looking at a steaming hot plate of golden brown rice. It smelt amazing. Before I could start to eat it my waitress Wu blurted out, "This is our signature fried rice, Ching of the Chong Fried Chang Rice. It was prepared with only the finest ingredients: rice, eggs, butter, oil, chicken, onions, carrots, and spices. All of these ingredients were originally from our home land China in the Old World, and then traveled by means of European explorers. "Ummm, okay…" I said, thoroughly confused. After this brief and unasked for history lesson, I dove into a world of flavors. The texture of the rice was like the tiny feet of my ethereal waitress: warm and soft and beautiful. Speaking of feet, this dish knocked the socks off mine. I'm not kidding. My socks were literally on the floor. When Wu came back to my table, she saw my wrinkled feet and unclipped toenails. She was so ashamed she kicked me out of Ching Chang Chong Rice Hut. I only had one bite of the fried rice, but it was really good. So good. Almost as good as some nice bound Chinese feet.

Jew-licious: The Food Tales of Mandy Peskin

            As many people know, last night marked the first night of the Jewish holiday, Chanukkah, or in twenty first century terms, Thanksgivvukah. For all of my awesome followers, here is a neat piece of trivia about me. Chanukkah has never been my particularly favorite holiday, but I do admit, I have always loved the food.

 Every year, Jewish families across the world indulge themselves in the mouth-watering food entitled, latkes, which are incomplete without the delightful topping, applesauce. As I bite into my latkes with applesauce, flavors burst in my mouth. The crunchy outside and dry inside of fried potato complemented the moist and fruity flavors brought along by the applesauce. The latke's pleasant grains of potato melted the moment they met my tongue. Boy, if you guys have never had latkes and applesauce, I highly recommend you do so, ASAP!

            While I was eating my mother's homemade latkes, I began pondering on the question, "How on earth did scrumptious these latkes get onto my plate?!" After I ate, I spent a good hour at my computer researching the history of the individual ingredients that make up my beloved latke dish. I made some astonishing discoveries.

            The first ingredient I researched was, of course, potatoes. Surprisingly enough, potatoes were the only ingredient in my latke dish that traveled from the new to old world along the Colombian Exchange. Cool fact for all of my fellow foodies out there: conquistadors discovered potatoes while they were in Peru, and brought these starchy foods back to their homes in Europe! The olive oil and applesauce all traveled from the Europe to the Americas along the Colombian exchange.

After I finished my research, I traveled the long and dangerous trip, filled with the nose-pleasing sents of oil, back to my kitchen to sit at my empty table. While I was at my table, I decided to give myself another serving of my favorite latkes, after all, Thanksgivvukah only comes once in a lifetime, right?

Finally, I was on my last bite. As I put the remains of the once-whole potato pancake into my mouth, I realized that if it were not for the Colombian exchange, there would be no latkes! Or, if there were latkes, they would only be eaten by Americans, and they would not be eaten with applesauce! Now that I am thinking about it, almost all of the yummy foods here in America are made up of some kind of ingredient transacted in the Colombian Exchange! So, long story short, the next time you look at all of the delicious foods on your plate, think about how they really got there. The results might just surprise you!

            And with that, Peskin out! Hope you tune in next week to read about my experience tackling the southern classic, chicken and waffles!