Comments on: Holy Food! http://www.saltshaker.net/20060207/holy-food Casting a little flavor (and a few aspersions) on the world of food, drink, and life Sat, 05 Jul 2008 03:45:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: dan http://www.saltshaker.net/20060207/holy-food#comment-107161 dan Wed, 09 Apr 2008 12:19:19 +0000 http://www.saltshaker.net/20060207/holy-food#comment-107161 I just happened to be looking back at this writeup today, and noted my coffee ground fortune. I'm afraid that not one part of it came true... and I was so looking forward to that trip... unless you count the start of the journey that is now Casa SaltShaker, which we launched in late April of 2006. Other than that, I didn't take a trip until mid-June, when I went back for a visit to New York, didn't find myself (and still haven't) in plant-filled rooms with 5-6 other people, nor have anything that seems out to destroy my happiness occur, only to save myself by bolting out the door. Darn. I just happened to be looking back at this writeup today, and noted my coffee ground fortune. I’m afraid that not one part of it came true… and I was so looking forward to that trip… unless you count the start of the journey that is now Casa SaltShaker, which we launched in late April of 2006. Other than that, I didn’t take a trip until mid-June, when I went back for a visit to New York, didn’t find myself (and still haven’t) in plant-filled rooms with 5-6 other people, nor have anything that seems out to destroy my happiness occur, only to save myself by bolting out the door.

Darn.

]]> By: dan http://www.saltshaker.net/20060207/holy-food#comment-65261 dan Fri, 31 Aug 2007 18:27:28 +0000 http://www.saltshaker.net/20060207/holy-food#comment-65261 It's possible, it was certainly a mix of ground seeds and herbs. It didn't taste like what I think of as za'atar, but it could just be the Armenian, or even that particular village's or chef's version of it. Thanks for the other info on the word origins, good stuff! It’s possible, it was certainly a mix of ground seeds and herbs. It didn’t taste like what I think of as za’atar, but it could just be the Armenian, or even that particular village’s or chef’s version of it. Thanks for the other info on the word origins, good stuff!

]]> By: Sila http://www.saltshaker.net/20060207/holy-food#comment-65258 Sila Fri, 31 Aug 2007 14:28:24 +0000 http://www.saltshaker.net/20060207/holy-food#comment-65258 I was wondering if "sajtar" is just a version of a spice mixture known as zaatar or similar names in the middle east. The reason what made me think of is actually the word "yayic", which was used to describe what you know as tzatziki. I am from Turkey and having lived together with Armenians for centuries, we have a lot in common in the culinary department, especially things from the east of tUrkey, where Armenians were settled, and while tzatziki is called cacik in Turkish (just the same word actually but the Turkish pronounciation), "yayik" is an old Turkish word, which is the wooden container traditionally used to make butter, buttermilk and yoghurt drink (similar to lassi). With similar exchagne of words - food stuff, I htought sajtar might just be zaatar (or zahter in Turkish), a spice mixture of thyme, sumac, sesame and other ingredients (which can sometimes include weird additions like dried watermelon seeds!). I was wondering if “sajtar” is just a version of a spice mixture known as zaatar or similar names in the middle east. The reason what made me think of is actually the word “yayic”, which was used to describe what you know as tzatziki. I am from Turkey and having lived together with Armenians for centuries, we have a lot in common in the culinary department, especially things from the east of tUrkey, where Armenians were settled, and while tzatziki is called cacik in Turkish (just the same word actually but the Turkish pronounciation), “yayik” is an old Turkish word, which is the wooden container traditionally used to make butter, buttermilk and yoghurt drink (similar to lassi). With similar exchagne of words - food stuff, I htought sajtar might just be zaatar (or zahter in Turkish), a spice mixture of thyme, sumac, sesame and other ingredients (which can sometimes include weird additions like dried watermelon seeds!).

]]> By: SaltShaker » Blog Archive » Scheherezade at the Buffet Counter http://www.saltshaker.net/20060207/holy-food#comment-304 SaltShaker » Blog Archive » Scheherezade at the Buffet Counter Tue, 04 Apr 2006 13:48:42 +0000 http://www.saltshaker.net/20060207/holy-food#comment-304 [...] Once you get past that the restaurant is a buffet in a catering hall (which is what the building basically is, a multi-story catering hall called Club Sirio-Libanes de Buenos Aires)… No, once you accept that you’re eating at the buffet in a catering hall, the food, as long as you’re a bit selective on the cold side of things, is pretty good. The service is amiable if a bit inattentive, especially given that there were three waiters for a grand total of four tables of people. The winelist is impressive given the setting, and whether by dint of intent or just what they happened to pull out of a bin, the bottle of Finca Morera Cabernet Franc we had was a 2001, which meant it had actually mellowed nicely and was not only quite good, but quite ready to drink. The ambiance, if they turned down the lights, and you squint a bit, could go back to being sort of Arabian Nights-ish. They supposedly have belly-dancers some nights, and coffee-mancers on others. The price is fair for an all you can eat buffet - 30 pesos on weeknights, 35 on weekends. Who knows? I might even take the class. [...] [...] Once you get past that the restaurant is a buffet in a catering hall (which is what the building basically is, a multi-story catering hall called Club Sirio-Libanes de Buenos Aires)… No, once you accept that you’re eating at the buffet in a catering hall, the food, as long as you’re a bit selective on the cold side of things, is pretty good. The service is amiable if a bit inattentive, especially given that there were three waiters for a grand total of four tables of people. The winelist is impressive given the setting, and whether by dint of intent or just what they happened to pull out of a bin, the bottle of Finca Morera Cabernet Franc we had was a 2001, which meant it had actually mellowed nicely and was not only quite good, but quite ready to drink. The ambiance, if they turned down the lights, and you squint a bit, could go back to being sort of Arabian Nights-ish. They supposedly have belly-dancers some nights, and coffee-mancers on others. The price is fair for an all you can eat buffet - 30 pesos on weeknights, 35 on weekends. Who knows? I might even take the class. [...]

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