Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-14
SYRIAN DELICACIES
DISHES TO PLEASE NOSE AS WELL
AS PALATE
S:-eets and Stews Largely Of Nut
ton-Butter That Will
Keep.


From the New York Sun.
American tourists in lower Washington
street. especially II they be OF the feminine
gender. often stop before the windows oil
the queer little Syrian groceries and con-
fectioners' shops to speculate on the quaint
eatables displayed for sale and to wonder
IL they are pleasant to the taste. Certain
desirable things. both good and cheap. can
be found there by the initiated.
Among these are pistachio nuts, used In
certain species of dainty American cook
cry and the oil from which is familiar
In the color and fiavoring of fine ice creams.
Great bags of the delicate little bright green
nuts can be found in every Syrian grocery.
where they sell for from 30 to 30 cents
pound. The Syrians are inordinately fond
of them.
them in the CONNECTION of almost all their
sweets and desserts and employ them in
the stuffing of their chickens and turkeys
and almost every other meat dish which
demands stuffing. and these are myriad in
the Syrian cuisine. Joseph's brothers, 1t
may perhaps be remembered by some who
read sold him to a band of 1ShmaeliteS
going down into Egypt to trade. The Eng
lish version says they had load of ''spic-
cry. balm and myrrh, but the Syrian YER
sion has 1t that the camels were laden with
pistachio nuts.
Grape Syrup.
A curious sweet found in all Syrian gro
ceries is called by them 'dibs enab," grape
syrup 1t is the Syrian substitute for New
Orleans molasses though much thicker and
of a pretty golden brown color.
The grapes are boiled. the stems and skiing
being SKINNED off as they rise to the top.
and the liquid when boiled to the proper
point Is poured into jars and then whip
ped with sticks. thickening in the process.
try hnth in
dibs enab from the grapes of his own vine
yard. That which comes here. Is factory
made and imported In tin cans, selling for
Il cents a pound
1t Is eaten on bread, often In place of
butter and forms the favorite cold lunch
of a Syrian child. The Syrian mother es-
teens it highly In, this capacity. believing
that 1t has all the health-giving properties
of the fresh grapes and really furnishes
useful tonic in the shape of an agreeable
sweet.
Helaway-accent on the second syllable
Is another half sweet. half food which is
often handed out to the Syrian child TO
flavor his dry bread for luncheon 1t Is
sort of solid preserve which comes in boxes
and Is cut out in chunks like candy. 1t
Is made of an herb resembling string beans
or lentils.
Turkish delight is called rahat ell helkoom
by the Syrians. Its recipe has been copied
into the books of the occidental confec-
TONERS but it's true home is Damascus. 1t
is made of almonds. pistachio nuts and
sugar and favored with rose water.
Roast Peas and Sugar.
The Syrians like the Italians, eat roast
peas as Americans do peanuts. but they
use sugar on them. having a sweet tooth
in the matter of their daily food which is
lacking among the folk from the boot Of
Italy.
One may buy imported Syrian butter in
tin cans at 40 cents pound.
1T is not like the American butter; 1t
will keep for years" said the brown-eyed
little Syrian woman. who was giving the
information, earnestly. and the American
customer had not the heart to tell her this
did not present itself in the light of
recomme ndation.
BY reason of the cost Little Syria must
consume the despised American butter. but
the housewives like to their own but
ter. which they call by a name pronounced
exactly like salmon for cooking.
Great bags OF crushed wheat are kept in
the Syrian grocery, that being a staple of
the Syrian cuisine. The housewives make
many dishes of 1t. A standard one is nj
felfel.
For this they fry the lamb or mutton
then add Spanish peas. which have soaked
overnight. then boiling water. and when 1t
boils up. the crushed wheat They let this
boil gently as one would rice and when
it Is done 1t is dry and fluffy like rice.
A still more favored crushed wheat dish
Is harisse. For this they boil lamb bones.
then put crushed wheat in the broth. flavor
IL with salt, pepper and cinnamon and let
it simmer slowly. 1t comes out dish
somewhat on the order OF rice buildings.
save for the meat flavor
This is the Jewish Passover dish In Syria.
All old-fashioned families in Syria are de-
voted to 1t. and Syrian housewives in New
York have not forgotten the recipe.