Middle Eastern Food Festival

Month of the Food Festivals. That is what I'm going to call September. First up was the Middle Eastern Food Festival this past weekend. I have never had Middle Eastern cuisine. I've never really had a reason or an occasion to have it. However, I've been feeling really adventurous lately when it comes to food, so I thought "Why not?" The festival turned out to be a great choice! It turned out to be a great night, with some great friends, and some really good (for the most part) food! 

There was dancing...

There was food...

I indulged and got the largest combo, so that I could try a few bites of everything! "The Nile" included Kibbe (ground steak with cracked wheat, onions, pine nuts, and spices),  rolled grape leaves (ground beef mixed with rice and spices, rolled in grape leaves and cooked in water and lemon juice), rice, green beans (simmered with crushed tomatoes, butter, spices, onion and garlic), arabic salad, pita bread, a spinach pie (spinach, onions, lemon juice, olive oil and spices wrapped in fresh yeast dough and baked), and hummus. So much food. I didn't come close to finishing, but what I did have was delicious! Ironically, even though I turn my nose (and my tastebuds) in aversion to pine nuts, the Kibbe was my favorite! That was until dessert, of course.

There was dessert...

I ended up sharing dessert with my friend Linda. We, my friends Jenn, Alyssa, Linda and myself, made sure to indulge in both a piece of authentic walnut Baklava and a Zalabieh (or arabic donut- not pictured), which could be compared to the American funnel cake!

This girl had never had Baklava! I'm glad I could be there for her first time trying the super sweet confection! 

This weekend I'm going Greek! No, I'm not rushing into the Greek System, I'm just going to the Greek Food Festival! Stay tuned.