Bertha M. Wood

“ Among the Syrians, Armenians, Greeks, and Turks we usually find the children well nourished, with plenty of growth-promoting material and mineral matter in their diets. Milk is not given in as large quantities as it should be, and fruit is also found by them to be expensive.
The undernourished children need more milk added to their diet. Wheat is used extensively, either whole or cracked, cooked in water until nearly done; then milk is added for the last few minutes' cooking. The green-leaved vegetables are not used in cream soups, but are cooked in stock. ”

“ Because of the large amount of rice and wheat used in the preparation of the Near East foods, it is difficult to give a diet list for a diabetic patient. In prescribing low carbohydrate vegetables cooked in olive oil, and lamb and chicken cooked on skewers, one is able to feel sure no rice or wheat is used. It is frequently found that the amount of fat must be reduced. ”

“ All vegetables are first fried in a small amount of olive oil or other fat, then boiled in meat stock. Sometimes tomato is added to give more flavor. Okra is never slimy, and vegetables lose their green taste when first cooked in oil or other fat.
When these people settle in America, their dietary customs are continued to a large extent, but milk becomes a luxury and fruit less plentiful.
Many of our finest fruit stores are owned by Greeks, Armenians, or Syrians. The men are seldom laborers ”

“ Oriental food is not highly spiced or flavored, but is a very fat diet. Butter is not eaten on bread, the fat in the food preparations being sufficient.
The breakfast of these Easterners consists of black coffee and bread for the adults and goat's milk and bread for the children. In some families cracked wheat is used as a cereal, boiled with milk, and is called Bouglour. ”

“ When vegetables are prescribed, it is well to remember that the Oriental cooks them with olive oil. They are known as basdis, and are used extensively with meat or cooked in olive oil, or both. One of the best dishes for a patient with constipation is cabbage with meat, as follows:
Lohano Basdi (Kelom)
1 pound meat, fat, of beef, mutton, or lamb 3 pounds cabbage 2 dry onions, medium 2 tomatoes, ripe (or 3 to 4 tablespns. of canned) 3 cups broth (or plain water) Salt and red pepper to taste Cut the cabbage into egg-sized pieces, and the meat into one-half the size of the cabbage pieces. ”

“ In Eastern cookery not a single dish is dependent on the extravagant use of expensive and various ingredients which, when counted up, make food very expensive; but is dependent, and very much so, on the flavor of each different article used in the making. ”

“ Figs and dates are preserved in sugar with other fruits. Potatoes, squashes, onions, garlic, and other vegetables are put in pits in the ground, and at least three lambs are salted. In the Orient lamb is the principal meat used. Rice has a large share in the daily menu. The use of nuts with rice and meat adds an attractiveness to the diet. ”

“ Herissa
1 pound lamb or chicken 10 cups stock 2 tablespoons butter 3 pinches cinnamon Pepper and salt to taste
Take lamb or chicken meat without bones; boil for an hour or longer, shred into fine thready pieces with your fingers. Take the special wheat prepared for this purpose and soak in water for eight to ten hours, then boil in one-half the broth of the chicken or lamb, gradually adding the rest of the broth. During the process of boiling it is necessary to stir and pound the mixture continually with a wooden spoon. ”

“ These interesting peoples, with their love for friend and neighbor, producers of works of art, dwellers in God's out-of-doors, taking shelter only when occasion demands, have much to give to any country. ”

“ Okra Stew (Greek)
3⁄4 quart okra (fresh) 11⁄2 cups tomato (canned) 1 small onion 3⁄4 cup lamb (cut in small pieces) 1⁄2 teaspoon salt 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper 4 tablespoons olive oil 1⁄4 cup water 1⁄2 lemon Put meat in hot oil and fry until nearly cooked, adding onion, chopped fine. Have whole okra cleaned, washed, sprinkled with salt, and dried in the sun for half an hour. Wash the salt away and add to the meat, together with the tomato, water, lemon, salt, and pepper. Cover well and cook over a rather slow fire. ”

“ These people practically live outof-doors, working in the fields or harvesting their supplies, until late in November. Then they change their occupations to different lines of craft work. Many of their most interesting pieces of copper and brass are tooled and etched during the winter months. ”

“ Let stand over night. Make into balls. Mix cornstarch and flour, and put on board. Roll balls out thin. Put into pan and cover with melted butter, chopped nuts, and sugar or honey. Add another layer of dough, then one of nuts—pistachio, walnuts, or pinto, etc. Cut in pieces, diamond shaped. Bake. Serve with syrup.
Patlijan-Boereg (Armenian)
1 medium eggplant 4 sprigs parsley 1 lemon 3 eggs 1⁄2 pound hard white grated cheese Salt to taste 1 cup olive oil Slice the eggplant round or lengthwise, one-quarter inch thick. ”