Treasured Armenian Recipes

Mar 28, 2010 No Comments by
It's one week until Easter, one of the most important holidays to Armenians.  I was lucky enough to be in Armenia for Easter in April 2000, when we went to Etchmiadzin, where the Holy See of the Armenian church is located.  Which reminds me . . . if you are looking for good vegetarian or even vegan dishes, you should start researching Armenian Lenten recipes.  They are relatively easy to prepare, nutritious, and a savory change of pace from what I often find to be either bland or just excessively complicated concoctions.
 
Well dare I gush about a site we found this morning.  I am smitten.  Written by Robyn Kalajian, a retired culinary teacher, and her husband, Doug,  Armenian Kitchen is a treasure.
 
Start with the vospov kufteh, a wonderful blend of lentils and bulgur that can stand alone as a meal.  Try the turleh, an Armenian version of ratatouille that I suspect the French poached from their Middle Eastern Cousins.  You can also learn how to fold grape leaves, and also finish your meal with a cardamom fruit salad that is to die for.
 
Perusing through the Kalajians' collection, I remember why my Armenian relatives almost all live to be octogenarians or even nonagenarians.  The foods are rich in whole grains, healthy oils, nuts, dark fruits like pomegranates, and a lot of vegetables.  Plus, the food is cooked with affection, and we all know that happy people live longer.  Reading through this site, I step back in time to my grandmother's little green house on Terrace and Effie, where she hovered over a white porcelain gas stove, preparing for a Friday night feast . . . the table was overloaded with dishes, the results of pots and pans bubbling over with love.

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Leon Kaye is the founder and editor of GreenGoPost.com and its advisory division, GGP Media. Contact him to discuss how he can work with your organization or event. His focus is making the business case for sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR). Currently he is in the United Arab Emirates exploring opportunities. He writes for San Francisco-based Triple Pundit, and now The Guardian , where he writes about waste, water, low carbon initiatives, and green building. He has also written for AIA's Architect Magazine. Leon lives in San Jose, the capital of Silicon Valley, and when he has free time, he enjoys hiking, gardening, cooking, weightlifting, and planning his next trip to one of the 50+ countries he has visited. He has an MBA from USC's Marshall School of Business and is also a proud graduate of the University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC) and Cal State-Fresno.
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