"A similar purpose when they cook: to keep their heritage alive."
October 30, 2023 12:15 PM Subscribe
"There is no singular Palestinian cuisine. Palestinian food spans our entire geography, from the mountains of the Galilee to the valleys of the south, from the coast of Yaffa all the way to the West Bank."
"The concept of a national cuisine is a by-product of the nation-state, or in the case of Palestine, its lack thereof," and so Palestinian cuisine is a diasporic one: "Since after the Nakba, Palestinians fled to nearby countries as well as overseas, and their cuisine began to gather divergent influences, from Lebanese and Jordanian to Greek and even American."
In Gaza, residents are reliant on support from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which surely impacts Gaza's modern foodways, and there are specific Gazan dishes that don't typically cross the checkpoints and barricades. Co-authors Laila El-Haddad and Maggie Schmitt published "The Gaza Kitchen" in 2013, documenting a diverse refugee cuisine that draws on the broader Palestinian food heritage, but is "distinct from other Palestinian or Levantine cuisines in its generous use of hot peppers, cumin, and dill, and sour fruits like pomegranate, tamarind and plums" . . . "and relies heavily on fish and on poor-man's ingredients like mustard greens and garbanzos." Israeli restrictions on fishing zones and the import of boat parts in recent decades have dramatically impacted access to seafood and have doubtless altered modern Gazan food.
Prior to the Israeli attack on Gaza these last few weeks, their food system has already been "stretched . . . to the breaking point," not just due to soil conditions, access to water, and seawater contamination, but also because large agricultural areas became "access restricted areas" after Israeli occupation ended in 2006. "Those who stray too close to these areas risk being shot and their equipment confiscated or destroyed." Today, Gazans are three weeks into a total blockade of food and water, and of course are in a state of new diaspora, an internal displacement within their previous internal displacement.
Those events are discussed here and here on MetaFilter. My hope with this post was to put the spotlight on Palestinian and specifically Gazan culture.
A bonus link: Yotam Ottolenghi in conversation with Laila El-Haddad and Maggie Schmitt, discussing his book, "Jerusalem," in context with "The Gaza Kitchen." "The two books describe two different worlds—there's Gaza, food-insecure and isolated, and Jerusalem, relatively rich and cosmopolitan—but these two worlds are only a two-hour drive apart. Inevitably, they touch on the same issues, shared histories, and, often, shared recipes." Lots of interesting discussion, for example dill and the "geographical culinary mystery" of how it came to prominence in Palestinian food.
"The concept of a national cuisine is a by-product of the nation-state, or in the case of Palestine, its lack thereof," and so Palestinian cuisine is a diasporic one: "Since after the Nakba, Palestinians fled to nearby countries as well as overseas, and their cuisine began to gather divergent influences, from Lebanese and Jordanian to Greek and even American."
In Gaza, residents are reliant on support from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which surely impacts Gaza's modern foodways, and there are specific Gazan dishes that don't typically cross the checkpoints and barricades. Co-authors Laila El-Haddad and Maggie Schmitt published "The Gaza Kitchen" in 2013, documenting a diverse refugee cuisine that draws on the broader Palestinian food heritage, but is "distinct from other Palestinian or Levantine cuisines in its generous use of hot peppers, cumin, and dill, and sour fruits like pomegranate, tamarind and plums" . . . "and relies heavily on fish and on poor-man's ingredients like mustard greens and garbanzos." Israeli restrictions on fishing zones and the import of boat parts in recent decades have dramatically impacted access to seafood and have doubtless altered modern Gazan food.
Prior to the Israeli attack on Gaza these last few weeks, their food system has already been "stretched . . . to the breaking point," not just due to soil conditions, access to water, and seawater contamination, but also because large agricultural areas became "access restricted areas" after Israeli occupation ended in 2006. "Those who stray too close to these areas risk being shot and their equipment confiscated or destroyed." Today, Gazans are three weeks into a total blockade of food and water, and of course are in a state of new diaspora, an internal displacement within their previous internal displacement.
Those events are discussed here and here on MetaFilter. My hope with this post was to put the spotlight on Palestinian and specifically Gazan culture.
A bonus link: Yotam Ottolenghi in conversation with Laila El-Haddad and Maggie Schmitt, discussing his book, "Jerusalem," in context with "The Gaza Kitchen." "The two books describe two different worlds—there's Gaza, food-insecure and isolated, and Jerusalem, relatively rich and cosmopolitan—but these two worlds are only a two-hour drive apart. Inevitably, they touch on the same issues, shared histories, and, often, shared recipes." Lots of interesting discussion, for example dill and the "geographical culinary mystery" of how it came to prominence in Palestinian food.
Great post! I didn't realise that za'atar was a kind of leaf. I have only ever had za'atar made from thyme, and I only ever buy the the ones made in Palestine. The others tend to have wheat in to bulk it out.
posted by asok at 4:11 PM on October 30, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by asok at 4:11 PM on October 30, 2023 [3 favorites]
Mod note: One removed. Let's keep the focus on Palestinian cultural and culinary aspects, please.
posted by taz (staff) at 12:19 AM on October 31, 2023
posted by taz (staff) at 12:19 AM on October 31, 2023
Middle Eats also did a recent episode on za'atar with a nod to the current situation in Gaza.
Maklouba is also one of my favorite Palestinian dishes but I have not attempted it yet.
posted by toastyk at 11:42 AM on October 31, 2023 [1 favorite]
Maklouba is also one of my favorite Palestinian dishes but I have not attempted it yet.
posted by toastyk at 11:42 AM on October 31, 2023 [1 favorite]
OMG, lamb maklouba is divine!
There used to be an amazing Palestinian restaurant in Watertown (Massachusetts) named Sepal. For several years, they catered Yom Kippur break-fasts for a local shul.
After that closed, the owners opened a couple limited-menu fast-casual-style eateries in Cambridge, but it looks like those are now gone as well.
And now I'm hungry. :/
posted by cheshyre at 3:08 PM on October 31, 2023 [3 favorites]
There used to be an amazing Palestinian restaurant in Watertown (Massachusetts) named Sepal. For several years, they catered Yom Kippur break-fasts for a local shul.
After that closed, the owners opened a couple limited-menu fast-casual-style eateries in Cambridge, but it looks like those are now gone as well.
And now I'm hungry. :/
posted by cheshyre at 3:08 PM on October 31, 2023 [3 favorites]
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