I know everyone is divided about the whole Syrian refugee issue. Should we help, should we take them in and give them protection from the violent 1% in their countries. What about crime rates in the counties where they have already relocated? What about bombs? How much will it cost us? We all know that there is no such thing as unbiased reporting in the media, it’s all about the sensationalism and fluff. The media helps indoctrinate us in the mindset of hating anyone our governments decided to go to war with. Hatred blocks most higher-reasoning so we don’t question the sometimes highly questionable decisions our leaders make.
I think we’re missing the greater question we should
be asking when it comes to the idea of mass immigration. It’s not really
a question of religious differences, here in the USA we like the world
to believe we practice free speech and religious choice. I think the big
question we should all be asking ourselves as we make the monumental
decision of acceptance is:
How is their food?
Really in
the end the major byproduct of immigration that people will continue to
care about after all the media hyperbole is over with is the number of
new and different restaurants that will open up in our neighborhoods. So
why has no one focused on this major issue? In a country with arguably
the highest percentage of obese citizens I would think this would be a
paramount topic.
Syrian food is Mediterranean. You find
Hummus, meze salads, Kebabs, flat bread pizzas, Falafels, Mahmoul
cookies. Typically there is not nearly enough steak on the menu but the
food does have a wonderful way of layering spice to improve the overall
flavor of the dish. Unlike some counties that will charge you a premium
for spices like saffron then pour on the hot peppers until the back of
your eyeballs burn and you can taste nothing but the smoke coming from
your own burning tongue, Syrian chefs believe that every individual
flavor or spice added to the food should be present in the taste of the
dish and add to its overall presentation.
While the
traditionally use more oil than is seen in many other Mediterranean
countries it’s a lighter oil and the look and presentation of the dish
is typically cleaner than the look of say a Greek sampler platter. All
in all Syrian food is good, and may give our more common Greek
restaurants a run for their money. While the Italians have the pasta and
pizza market cornered I think a few Syrian restaurants would be a
welcome addition to my area.
You’ll find options such as :
Dolma: fruits, meats, and/or vegetables with rice stuffed in grape leaves, but sometimes also served in peppers or tomatoes
Kebab: numerous styles exist, but usually with a base of roasted lamb or chicken and vegetables in pita bread
Kibbeh: minced lamb and bulgur, although further ingredients widely vary as every city has their own version
Mezze: sampling of numerous dishes, generally including small plates up to grilled meats
So I suggest the next time we’re all worried about the influx of
people from another country, instead of a debate, let’s have a tasting
instead.