calling out the Egyptians...

[Bosco 1]

My husband had is last day of ESOL class yesterday. The had a little party with each student bringing a dish from their respective country.

An Egyptian woman brought in a dish that he really enjoyed. At first I thought he was talking about koushari, but it sounds more like it was pasta and cheese. Any guesses? I tried calling some family friends in Egypt but no answer

I can't remember much more about what he said was in the dish and rather than call and ask, I would like to surprise him. He is out doing volunteer work this morning, than off to mosque, and I would like to have a nice late lunch prepared.

Thanks in advance,

Rebecca

[UmmSqueakster 54]

I might say bashamel, although that doesn't have cheese in it. It's got a flour paste that makes it kinda gooy.

http://www.am-food.com/default.asp?action=article&id=102

http://eccao.monisys.ca/bashamel.htm

I'll see if DH knows of any pasta and cheese dish.

[Bosco 1]

I might say bashamel, although that doesn't have cheese in it. It's got a flour paste that makes it kinda gooy.

http://www.am-food.com/default.asp?action=article&id=102

http://eccao.monisys.ca/bashamel.htm

I'll see if DH knows of any pasta and cheese dish.

Rahma,

Thank you so much . I am pretty sure this is what it was and he probably said cheese as a way to describe the goo Thanks for the links too!

Rebecca

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Hmmm, the pretty picture link works and then doesn't work. Now I see it, now I don't. I'm loosing my mind

When my husband makes it, he uses rice instead of macaroni, and we add a lot of vegetables to it (any kind you like). It makes a substantial and filling dish. Mmmm. A lot of middle eastern groccery stores will sell a sauce mix that makes it relatively easy to make.

One thing I've noticed, at least with my husband, is that cheese and pasta didn't go together. The first time I made spaghetti and put cheese on the top, he was weirded out. Apparently, cheese is more of a dessert. But, he doesn't like brie *shock* He's an odd one

Edited April 28, 2006 by rahma

[Bosco 1]

Do you have the hot/cold issues too is or that more of a Moroccan issue? You don't drink cold beverages with hot food, or hot beverages with cold?

The pretty picture link worked just fine for me

Rebecca

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Do you have the hot/cold issues too is or that more of a Moroccan issue? You don't drink cold beverages with hot food, or hot beverages with cold?

We actually have the issue of you can't drink when you eat. Apparently it will make you fat and sick Now, my entire life, I've had a glass of milk or water with a meal and I've never gotten sick from it (fat is another issue, but I attribute that to pizza and cheesecake).

Men are strange creatures, but we gotta love em

[Together4ever 1]

Do you have the hot/cold issues too is or that more of a Moroccan issue? You don't drink cold beverages with hot food, or hot beverages with cold?

We actually have the issue of you can't drink when you eat. Apparently it will make you fat and sick Now, my entire life, I've had a glass of milk or water with a meal and I've never gotten sick from it (fat is another issue, but I attribute that to pizza and cheesecake).

Men are strange creatures, but we gotta love em

I went through this too with Mohammed. It really weirded him, but then he started drinking when I did. He said the exact same things in the beginning.

[MrsAmera 41]

Yea Youssef doesn't drink and eat a lot either but I can't handle it I have to do them together. My big pet peeve right now is sharing. Now when I have a Diet Coke with lunch or dinner I want MY diet Coke. If he wants one he is welcome to have one but why does he have to drink mine with me? GAWD!! Seriously it makes me soooooo crazy. He says "but it tastes better when we share" I think it tastes just fine alone. I'm not big on sharing and he has to share everything. I can't even eat a candy bar alone, or if he's eating something he has to give me some. This REALLY gets me when it's something I don't like or don't want. When I say no he says "Afak, afak, come on just choya, afak" NO NO NO I don't want it!!!! Ok done ranting! haha

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Do you have the hot/cold issues too is or that more of a Moroccan issue? You don't drink cold beverages with hot food, or hot beverages with cold?

We actually have the issue of you can't drink when you eat. Apparently it will make you fat and sick Now, my entire life, I've had a glass of milk or water with a meal and I've never gotten sick from it (fat is another issue, but I attribute that to pizza and cheesecake).

Men are strange creatures, but we gotta love em

I went through this too with Mohammed. It really weirded him, but then he started drinking when I did. He said the exact same things in the beginning.

Must be an Egyptian thing. He'll have a Mountain Dew with a movie, tea in the evening, but drinking with a meal, well, that's blasphemey

Edited April 28, 2006 by rahma

[Jenn! 918]

One thing I've noticed, at least with my husband, is that cheese and pasta didn't go together. The first time I made spaghetti and put cheese on the top, he was weirded out. Apparently, cheese is more of a dessert. But, he doesn't like brie *shock* He's an odd one

My husband puts grated cheese on EVERYTHING. I had to stop him before he smothered his teriyaki rice last night with it!

[Veiled Princess 1]

Yea Youssef doesn't drink and eat a lot either but I can't handle it I have to do them together. My big pet peeve right now is sharing. Now when I have a Diet Coke with lunch or dinner I want MY diet Coke. If he wants one he is welcome to have one but why does he have to drink mine with me? GAWD!! Seriously it makes me soooooo crazy. He says "but it tastes better when we share" I think it tastes just fine alone. I'm not big on sharing and he has to share everything. I can't even eat a candy bar alone, or if he's eating something he has to give me some. This REALLY gets me when it's something I don't like or don't want. When I say no he says "Afak, afak, come on just choya, afak" NO NO NO I don't want it!!!! Ok done ranting! haha

I'm thinking you don't have kids yet???? I have two from a previous marriage and OMG you can't have ANYTHING alone! I tell them all the time get your own glass!!!! Funny thing is they usually have a glass of something already fixed but they just want mine!!!! I got them to stop by telling them I'm sick (it worked when I had the flu) and they dont' want my germy bugs but now they ask me everytime they want something first "Mommy, are you sick today?" of course I dont' know why they're asking I assume they just care about me right???? NOPE! as soon as I say no i'm fine they grab my drink!!!! OK I'm sorry your husband reminded me of my kids

My husband puts grated cheese on EVERYTHING. I had to stop him before he smothered his teriyaki rice last night with it!

Me and Yousuf LOVE cheese!!!

[Together4ever 1]

Yea Youssef doesn't drink and eat a lot either but I can't handle it I have to do them together. My big pet peeve right now is sharing. Now when I have a Diet Coke with lunch or dinner I want MY diet Coke. If he wants one he is welcome to have one but why does he have to drink mine with me? GAWD!! Seriously it makes me soooooo crazy. He says "but it tastes better when we share" I think it tastes just fine alone. I'm not big on sharing and he has to share everything. I can't even eat a candy bar alone, or if he's eating something he has to give me some. This REALLY gets me when it's something I don't like or don't want. When I say no he says "Afak, afak, come on just choya, afak" NO NO NO I don't want it!!!! Ok done ranting! haha

Someone can correct me if I"m wrong, but I think this is a cultural difference. In Egypt we had one glass at dinnertime and it was passed around the table. If someone had a special goody, it was always offered for sharing. Rice was portioned out on individual plates, but the yummies to go with it came out of communal bowls. I handled all that just fine. It was the having to sleep with a gazillion other females in bed with me before we married that left me REALLY uncomfortable. LOL

[MrsAmera 41]

No I have a 2 year old so I know what it's like sometimes. He however is very "#######" about things (my son). He wants his own plate, fork everything. The only thing he'll do is want some of my food if I'm eating and he's not.

[Bosco 1]

My husband's family gave each person their own TINY glass with each meal; however, the meal was eaten from a communal plate. Depending on the food, there may be individual plates (if there was something larger than bite size, we would use the small plate to put our food down on).

If we are eating at the same time, we almost always share the same plate/dish.

Rebecca

[honeyblonde 0]

Amera, That was one thing that drove me crazy about Abdel too at first, but now I'm used to it. Last night we had dinner out with my family and we each sortof ate what we ordered because he saw that's how we do it here. I could tell all through dinner that he just wasn't comfortable with it, but out of respect for my family he only stole a couple of bites of my salad.

Since this is my fourth marriage though, I have to say I am not going to do anything to discourage Abdel from being so couple oriented. I missed that feeling of being close to someone else in my last two marriages and I wouldn't trade it for the world, even though I do really enjoy some personal space. I have found that I do get some occassionally and it's enough to satisfy my "me time" quota.

My youngest son was freaky about not touching anything someone else had eaten part of or drank out of. I think he had a teacher early on that taught him about germs. Now if I can just get him to stop grabbing so many sodas out of the fridge when he comes over to visit!

Abdel's family ate communally too, except for soup. 2 or 3 people might share a glass at a meal, or you might have your own, but you better not expect someone else to not take a sip out of it. For Abdel it seems to be a sign of how close you are to the other people and if someone refuses to eat that way it makes him feel like they don't like him or something. He understands we are different here when he's with my family, but at home we all eat together. He has finally gotten used to my oldest son dipping a dish and taking it to eat in front of his computer, but he won't let me give just my son what is left. He feels like we should let him take some up front, not just give him our leftovers. He says, "he isn't a dog!" I've tried to explain to him that my son has chosen to buy his own food and doesn't expect me to feed him, but he won't accept that. By the way, my oldest son is almost 25 so we aren't talking about a child here.

It is really interesting to hear about how different cultures do things. Thank you all for sharing. I really enjoy threads like this.