Mary Wilson
HUM 3320 Fall 2009
Visitation Assignment
As a college student, the quest for excellent cuisine is always an arduous one, especially in consideration of the usual student budget. Eating out is a luxury usually left as a reward for a hefty paycheck or a parental visit. However, rather than settle for unfulfilling meals (ramen, macaroni and cheese, pre-made pasta sauce), I instead took up the knife and cutting board in pursuit of culinary excellence. That being said, I grew up as a fairly picky eater, and despite my mom's Filipino background, tended to gravitate towards predictable American style food. As I've grown older, my appreciation for the different tastes, smells, and textures of various foods has become more inticing. Developing my own cooking skills has fostered my sincerest interest in learning ever more about the culinary arts. However, despite my exploration of various foods from various countries, before this assignment I had not yet deeply ventured into the realm of Meditteranean food. I felt that because of my limited understanding of this cuisine, it would be both exciting and fulfilling to explore something quite new.
In terms of how I was able to make contact, I was already acquainted with a local Meditteranean restaurant by word of mouth. The Falafel Cafe is actually located across the street from the University of Central Florida, in the same plaza as the original CB&S Bookstore. The cafe itself is of modest size, there is patio seating, with a comfortable indoor space as well. Once inside, my dining partner and I were promptly seated, and well cared for throughout the duration of our visit. The interior of the restaurant is relaxed, the lighting sets the perfect ambiance, the Middle Eastern music resonates with the theme, and large farmed art work lines the walls.
The food itself was exceptional, albeit a delightful change from the normal fare that I've become accustomed to. The menu contains a bakery section, in addition to the usual appetizers, sandwiches, and entrees. My partner and I started with a pair of spinach pies, which were brought out surprisingly quickly. According to the menu, these pies consist of spinach and onion, seasoned with lemon juice and sumac (this flowering plant is used to add a lemony flavor), and baked inside a crust. Despite going into the experience with as open of a mind as possible, I found the flavor a little off putting. Although I enjoy both lemons and spinach immensely, I found the mixture of both a bit disconcerting. The lemon juice adds a tangy flavor that one does not typically experience in many savory foods. For the appetizer, we were able to decide on the Baba Ghanoush, a sauce which consists of eggplant, tahini sauce, garlic and lemon juice pureed to a creamy texture. The sauce is eaten with lebanese bread, which is esentially a pita bread, standard fare. Once again, the lemon juice added an interesting zip, something once again removed from the realm of my previous dining experiences. As both my partner and I cook, it was very interesting to see which ingredients were used consistently throughout the meal.
While still waiting on our entrees, my lentil soup and my partner's house salad arrived. The lentil soup, seasoned with Lebanese spices, reminded me of a nuttier and more flavorful version of a split pea soup. The soup was both hearty and once again, the flavors were different from anything I had savored before. The salad was exceptional, crisp and tossed with a house dressing; one of the main elements of the dressing was parsley, neither of us diners had seem parsley used as such before, and it took us both a moment to identify its flavor correctly. Finally, both of our entrees arrived- I had decided upon the Kebab platter which consisted of lamb, chicken, and kofta (a Meditteranean version of ground beef), served on a bed of vegetables with rice, while my partner had chosen a vegetarian option, the Falafel (patties made of chickpeas and deep fried) platter. The portions were exceptionally large on both sides, allowing us each to test from both entrees.
My partner's entree was amazing, despite the lack of meat within the little fried patties, they were exceptionally flavorful, meaty, and satisfying. Such food is a testament to the fact that Vegetarians also enjoy wonderful meals, despite any lack of meat. In contrast, my entree, while delicious, was not quite such a new experience. The meat was well cooked, though lightly seasoned, so I was unable to really notice any new or different flavors. However, the rice, laced with vegetables, was quite flavorful compared to a simple steamed rice.
In terms of what I learned, I found that this experience reinforced the importance of receptivity and a bit of a spirit of adventure when it comes to life. If not for this visitation, I may have gone a long time without finally deciding to experience Meditteranean cuisine, and my palate would be ignorant of all the flavors involved in such. The most prominent thing that I took away from this is another perspective on cooking- there are so many flavors from so many different cuisines, that it makes gaining some of this knowledge all the more exciting. Now I'm hoping to incorporate new spices and new ingredients into my cooking. In terms of my values and beliefs, I feel that this experience actually confirmed the idea that by fearing change or fearing something new, one is simply limiting their own life experiences and understanding of the world.
