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Shami and Levantine Dialect

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Dessert

Warbat: The Popular Cream-Filled Pastry of the Middle East

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Sometimes the translation of Arabic words to English doesn’t work out so well. Take the popular dessert called Warbat, pronounced warr-bot. Most people might envision a warrior bat, angry and ready to fight. In reality, warbat refers to a buttery, flaky and rich turnover filled with a mildly sweet custard. This pastry is then drizzled in fragrant lemon and rose syrup then sprinkled with pistachios. While this pastry is popular in Jordan, Lebanon, and Palestine, there are many variations sold throughout the middle east. Some contain walnuts, others pistachios, some contain a semolina-based custard, and still, others have a pure dairy custard. 

Egg or Dairy Allergy? Try Vegan Basbousa

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By: Alison Norquist / Arab America Contributing Writer Likely originating in Egypt, basbousa is a semolina cake soaked in rose water syrup. Going by many names throughout the Middle Eastern region. The sweet combination of semolina flour, butter and yogurt, and almonds or other nuts has been a Ramadan staple for centuries. This basbousa recipe, … Continued

Nehal Leheta’s “Authentic Egyptian Cooking”: A Review

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By: Alison Norquist / Contributing Writer In this 142-page cookbook by Nehal Leheta, the core of Egyptian cuisine is made accessible to readers with not just recipes but also advice on where to find specialty ingredients, swaps for them, and beautiful color photos of almost every dish. About Abou El Sid Named after the legendary … Continued

Feteer Meshaltet with Almonds and Pistachios

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It is said that feteer meshaltet, then called feteer maltoot, was served to the ancient gods. This flaky Egyptian pastry, which brings to mind the crisp shell and buttery layers of a croissant, is rumored to even be the French staple’s Arab ancestor. It can be served plain with honey, savory with cheese, or sweet with nuts.

Sidi Bou Said, the Tunisian Santorini

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By: Mariem Hamdi/ Arab America contributing writer Sidi Bou Said, Tunisia, “The promontory of the eternal sun”, is one of the most charming and breathtaking towns in the whole world. It is located north of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, on top of a cliff on a promontory overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and Gulf of … Continued

Dearborn Michigan: An Arab American Food Mecca

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By: Blanche Shaheen / Arab America Contributing Writer Stepping inside Lebon Bakery, a flood of flashbacks overcame me. The smell and sight of kunafa, or the iconic orange pastry with melted cheese and pistachios, brought back fond memories of bakeries I had visited in Palestine and Jordan. All of the women working there spoke fluent … Continued

Khajur Burfi- A Dessert Symbolizing the Arab and Indian Spice Trade

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By: Blanche Shaheen / Arab America Contributing Writer While Arab food and Indian food have distinct differences, their ancient past reveals a common thread shared by their love of spices. According to historical texts, both India and the Arab world shared a love for spices for cooking, food preservation, medical purposes, and even ointments and … Continued

The Palestinian Dessert Few Can Only Enjoy

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By: Miriam Berger Source: BBC Travel Abu al Saoud’s sweets shop smells like the Gaza that could have been. Inside the large glass doors, shiny displays and clean tables are enveloped by the warm waft of sugar and dough. It’s quiet except for the chatter of customers and the ‘clink clink’ sound of the server slicing up the … Continued

Palestinian women earn sweet money as pastry chefs

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By: Ahmad Abu Amer Translator: Pascale Menassa Source: Al- Monitor Every morning, 20 women head to work at Abu Salha Sweets, the largest sweets factory in Nablus, in the northern West Bank. Abu Faya, 24, and her fellow “halwanjiyat” (female pastry chefs) now make up half of the factory workers. Breaking with tradition in this … Continued

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