Of Orange Foods (and more)...

Pickled Lemon (In progress)

This seems to be an essential part of most of the recipes in this book, so I decided to try making my own! The recipe seemed easy: wash, salt, and store lemons, a few days later, add fresh lemon juice, let sit for a month. Well, I forgot to wash first, and salted and cut, and then had to wash and start over again, thinking of strange bacteria growing along with the pickling. They look beautiful in the jar in the window for now! I'm not so sure about when the "harmless" white mold starts growing.

Slada Batata Halwa (Sweet Potato Salad)

Golden sweet potatoes, slivered translucent onions, a dash of ginger crystals... This recipe was a combination of opposing tastes. I would never think to combine sweet potatoes and green olives, onions on top. But strangely enough, it worked. The flavors balanced out, the tart green olives and the soft, yielding flesh of the sweet potatoes. The lemon and the ginger brought it all together, while the cumin and the paprika worked to fill in the tapestry behind. The onions absorbed flavor and distributed it throughout. Delectable smelling in the pan, delicate on the tongue. This one gets four stars and a smiley in my book...

Simmering on the stove...

Slata Bortokal Bil Zaytoun (Orange, Olive, and Onion Salad)

I know, it's strange, to combine the fruitiness of oranges with the sweet of an onion. Especially when you add kalamata olives. But I threw them into the bowl nevertheless, the tempting picture in Arabesque assuring me it would be alright. Oranges sliced small, kalamata replacing black, and half of a red onion snowed across the top. The lemon and paprika worked well, and even the teaspoon of Aleppo pepper blended well. The taste test results were that yes, this recipe, surprisingly enough, worked. The immediate heartburn upon rising from the table, did not. But does it go into my lunch bag for the week? Yes.

Rosemary Focaccia Bread

A party given in honor of an Italian ceramicist. A party with an Italian theme. My focaccia fit in perfectly. The mashed potatoes stirred into the dough (along with the extra helping of yeast) raised it to a perfection of bready texture. That oily yet crunchy yet soft and light. But with a heaviness as well. It was perfect. The rosemary, potatoes, and garlic (with a dash of sea salt) basting the top drizzled inside and out, creating a welcoming flavor to the tongue. The warmth, moisture, and garlic (lots of garlic) made this a perfect bread. Next time, I would include some of the flavored oil and rosemary and salt on the inside of the bread as well, with the mashed potatoes. Spreading the rich flavor throughout.

The fresh rosemary and garlic in olive oil steeping....