Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, has one of the most amazing souks in the Middle East: a warren of stone streets lined with perfume shops, shoemakers, cafes, and countless souvenir hawkers. There is an amazing restaurant in the middle of the souk – Dar el Jeld – and if I hadn’t been working so hard, for such long hours, I would have … Read More
Quick Snack: Cereal… with a Treat
Presented nearly without comment…. Methinks many people in this unnamed hotel in Antakya, Turkey, are NOT eating cereal. These flakes must be several years old. This bug is slightly newer, but had a very nice life in the plastic tube of breakfast-y goodness. Perhaps he ate himself to death. Thankfully, I saw him before I ate him. But there may … Read More
Kebab (of course!) and Baked Hummus in Adana
As our plane made its late-night descent into the Turkish town of Adana, I turned toward my seatmate, a young airplane mechanic who grew up here, in the Southern part of the country. “What’s the one thing I’ve got to eat while I’m in town?” I asked. “Adana Kebab, of course!” He replied. “It’s the best in the whole country. … Read More
Quick Snack: A Russian Samovar at the Ukrainian Frontlines
The front lines of the conflict in Eastern Ukraine are bleak, particularly in February. The areas around Debaltsevo, hotly contested between Ukrainian troops and separatists/Russian forces, are rolling hills of frosty farmland, now sallow and muddy. The Ukrainians are hunkered down in [redacted], taking shelter where they can and using makeshift stoves, the local coal supply and generators for heat. … Read More
Quick Snack: Noshing at Putin’s Press Conference
Every year, Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a press conference for international media at a government building in Moscow. The media arrive early for security screening and to set up their equipment. As President Putin tends to answer questions for hours (this year it was 3, but has been as long as 5), a buffet brunch is set out for … Read More