Falafel is, perhaps, the original street gourmet food of the Middle East. While its origins remain shrouded, the inimitably vague finger of academia has pointed to it being first made in Egypt, perhaps as a meat-substitute during Lent.
For those of you who don’t know, though I expect many of you do, baba ghanoush is a dip of Levantine origin made using charred aubergine (eggplant). In its traditional form it contains ingredients similar to hummus, though this version diverges from the norm just a smidge. To be perfectly honest, as one must, I prefer hummus to the more traditional versions of baba ghanoush. However, spices like cumin and coriander seem to work exceptionally well with aubergine, a fruit I’m not particularly fond of, and serve to bring it well and truly to life.
Last week I embarked on my fifth attendance of a rather exquisite classical music festival somewhat obviously called Musicfest. I hadn’t intended on going, but as I found a job three days before it started which wouldn’t commence until the week after it finished, how could I say no? This has been the reason for my absence from the lovely e-folds of wordpress – if I was missed I am truly sorry. Basically what this festival entails is practising one’s instrument with particular vigour and enthusiasm every day, all day, for a week, and then performing at the end of it. As such, I’ve not had any opportunity for healthy, cheap or tasty food. This saddens me, so I no longer drink alcohol and I have reverted to the whole “my body is my temple” sort of attitude – although I would say that calling this body a temple is a rather unapt description.