The hospitality in Saudi Arabia is legendary; good thing, too, as the cultural conservatism that abounds makes it difficult for a girl like me to enjoy other food- and drink-based activities. Obviously, there are no bars (there aren’t even movie theaters!), so that’s out. Going to a restaurant is an isolating experience: the main dining […]
In many large US military installations around the world, you’ll find fully functioning chow halls, manned by hair-netted cooks dishing out mass quantities of hot, salty food. When those bases get shut down, however, it’s back to the bags: Meals Ready to Eat, or MRE’s. On my recent embed with the last US Marines in […]
Syrian food is fantastic, and as diverse as its neighbors in the Middle East: creamy hummus, fried kibbeh balls stuffed with spiced meat, rice dishes baked in phyllo dough, meatballs glazed in cherry sauce, flatbreads, baklavas, honeyed sweets, tea. Sadly, none of that was available on the frontline, where the Syrian Kurds faced off with ISIS. […]
Being invited into someone’s home when you’re on the road is always the most memorable meal of the trip. In Iraqi Kurdistan, on the road from Erbil to Kirkuk, a local leader had us over for lunch – a multi-course feast prepared by his wife and daughters, and laid out on the floormat by his […]
My friend Mukhtar whipped up this quick and delicious dish in Afghanistan, but it’s so simple it can be made anywhere around the world. Bonus: serve it in the skillet you cook it in and you’ll save time on clean-up! Spicy and light, this is perfect for lunch or a very quick dinner – serve […]
