FSR magazine April 2018

ShakShuka iS
perhapS the
moSt iconic of
iSraeli diSheS.
Michael Persico
It’s troublesome, because people say, ‘I can get hummus and
lentil soup at this place down the street for very cheap.’ And
I’m like, ‘Well, yeah, but I go looking for the best chickpeas,
the best tahini, and best red lentils I can find.’”
Demirdjian’s family hails from the Adana region of Turkey,
near the Syrian border. It’s an area Armenian communities
called home for thousands of years as part of the
Ottoman Empire, until the Turkish-Armenian conflict of
the late 19th century resulted in the deportation and massacre
of roughly 1.5 million Armenians in 1918. Now just
50,000–70,000 Armenian Turks remain, and many call
Istanbul home.
Sayat Nova’s interpretation of Armenian cuisine thus
betrays strong Levant influences. Cracked wheat tabbouleh
salad is juicier than its herb-centric Lebanese sibling,
thanks to a heavy dose of tomato and lemon juice. And
everything from delicate lamb, beef, and chicken kebabs to
lamb-stuffed grape leaves is tinged with peppery spice. “That
comes from being in the middle of spice trade routes for centuries,”
Demirdjian says of being at the crossroads of western
Asia, the eastern Mediterranean, and northeast Africa.
Even 48 years after Sayat Nova opened, Chicagoland
restaurants billing themselves as Armenian remain scarce;
Demirdjian could only recall fast-casual Siunik in north
suburb Glenview and full-service Ararat in Mundelein, Illinois.
But that doesn’t mean there isn’t Armenian cooking
happening in the countless Middle Eastern–labeled spots
throughout the area.
“If you’re trying to sell something that’s relatively
unknown, if you describe it as Middle Eastern food, you’re
covering a bigger area,” he says. “It’s a get-them-in-the-door
kind of thing. Even in L.A., where there are a ton of Armenians,
they call their restaurants Middle Eastern. I never
did. I didn’t want to.”
Lightening up
Lebanese cuisine has long enjoyed a fairly high profile stateside,
which Philippe Massoud, executive chef and CEO of
ilili in New York, attributes to widespread Lebanese diaspora,
resulting both from catastrophe and exploration. The
19th century saw especially strong concentrations of Lebanese
people migrating to North and South America.
Lebanon was under control of the Ottoman Empire until
World War I, after which it was colonized by the French and
saw American troops in the 1950s and ’80s, though it’s been
formally independent since 1943.
To understand Lebanese cuisine, one has to understand,
beyond the nation’s contentious political and cultural history,
its geography and agriculture. Lebanon is one of the
few countries in the region that has four seasons, abundant
water, and a multitude of microclimates. “Things are
greener and there’s a lot of citrus, so flavors and ingredients
are allowed to have their natural presence on plate rather
than being over-seasoned or over-pickled,” Massoud says.
Side dishes
that entice
Broccoli Rabe &
White Bean
At Blount,we take side dishes
seriously, and not just because
your diners do. Combining
innovative culinary R&D
with fresh, locally sourced
ingredients, we create
delectable dishes like the
Broccoli Rabe & White Bean
and countless others. Then we
support you like no one else
in the business, bringing you
easy solutions, phenomenal
convenienceand a commitment
to your success that never
ever quits.
To learn more about the
sides your customers will
be asking for, contact
Blount at 800-274-2526.
WWW.BLOUNTFINEFOODS.COM
VISIT US AT THE NRA
MAY 20-22
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FOODNEWSFEED.cOm aPril 2018 51