Foto Friday – Cappadocia, Turkey
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NAME THAT COUNTRY Episode 72
This beautiful mosaic is from the floor of the so-called Villa of Dionysus among the ruins of Tzipori (aka Sepphoris). Tizpori was a wealthy, cosmopolitan center of trade in the northern region of our mystery country. The local Roman client king Herod Antipas invested heavily in the city in the early decades of the Common Era. The population of prosperous, Hellenized Jews refused to participate in revolts against Roman occupation, thereby avoiding the destruction suffered by many other Jewish cities and towns. The city attracted Jewish scholars from devastated towns and became a center of Jewish study. Its most notable resident was the Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi, the editor of the Mishna, a collection of commentaries on the Torah and the 2nd most important book in Judaism after the Torah. Remains at the site include a Roman theater, early Christian churches, a Crusader fort and a huge collection of 3rd-6th-century mosaics.
Can you name that country?
See below for answers.
Delphi: Center of the World
Delphi, Greece
Delphi is a 2.5 – 3 hour drive northwest of Athens on the slopes of Mt.Parnassus, a really stunning spot. The ancient Greeks believed it to be the center of the world. According to legend, Apollo killed the Python that guarded the Omphalos, or navel of the earth, and thereafter, the site was dedicated to the god. The Delphic Oracle was a priestess known as the Pythia, who channeled the words of Apollo for seekers of wisdom from near and far. Delphi was also known for the Pythian Games, similar to the original Olympic Games.
The extensive remains are mostly from the 6th-century BCE and are scattered on several terraced levels right down the side of the mountain. The small museum holds artifacts found at the site. The modern town of Delphi is right there, with lots of hotels, restaurants and shops. Staying a night instead of doing the roundtrip to Athens in one day is a good option. There are motor coach tours either way.
These Ya’lla tours to Greece include visits to Delphi: Scholar’s Classical, Scirocco, Aegean Highlights, Ultimate Greece, and Aeolos.
Foto Friday – Cappadocia, Turkey
NAME THAT COUNTRY Episode 71
This Bent Pyramid at Dahshur is a precursor to its famous cousins just up the road. Construction began with an incline of 52 degrees and then changed about midway up to a more cautious 43-degree incline. The reason for the change is not known for sure.
To continue at the original angle would have required a taller, heavier structure. Perhaps materials and manpower were running short. Perhaps the architect decided the lower levels would not support the height needed to maintain the sharper incline. Another theory is that the decision to reduce the angle was influenced by the collapse of the pyramid at Meidum, a slightly earlier attempt at a smooth-sided pyramid. In any case, the Bent Pyramid gives an intriguing glimpse into the development of architecture and engineering in our mystery country over 4,500 years ago.
Can you name that country?
See below for answers.
Artist Corner – Damian Aquiles
Cuban artist Damian Aquiles is best known for his walking man figures cut from scrap metal and arranged in various evocative groupings, but his art takes many forms.
Damian works mainly with recycled metal from old car parts, water tanks, and paint cans, time-worn, battered materials, which add character and depth to his compositions.
Visitors are welcomed into the home-gallery Damian shares with his American wife Pamela Ruiz and their son. The couple spent years acquiring and restoring their villa in the Vedado neighborhood of Havana. Today the villa is a gathering place for art, artists and art-lovers.
Book a Ya’lla tour to Cuba and visit the home/gallery of Damian Aquiles in person.
Foto Friday – Cubans
NAME THAT COUNTRY Episode 70
The Temple of Hephaestus is located within the area of the agora, the ancient cultural and political center of the city that is today the capital of our mystery country. Hephaestus was the god of fire, metal working, the art of sculpture and other crafts. Archaeological evidence places a number of blacksmith and pottery workshops in the near vicinity of his temple. The temple was built in the mid-5th-century BCE, a golden age of social and cultural innovation and productivity, and today is one of the most complete Doric temples standing anywhere.
Can you name that country?
See below for answers.
Shakshuka: Breakfast the Israeli Way
Here’s my attempt at Ottolenghi’s Shakshuka recipe. It’s not as pretty as his but tasted divine.
Shakshuka is a North African dish eaten all over the Middle East and is a special favorite in Israel. It’s commonly eaten for breakfast but is delicious anytime, anywhere. One of many variations is to sprinkle with feta cheese, which I plan to try next time.
This recipe is from Yotam Ottolenghi’s fabulous vegetarian cookbook Plenty.
Check out all of his cookbooks (not all vegetarian) here. Ottolenghi grew up in Israel and is credited by many with starting the recent Middle Eastern/Mediterranean-food renaissance (in the U.K. and U.S. at least), heavy on vegetables, legumes and grains. He runs the restaurants Ottolenghi and Nopi in London.
½ tsp cumin seeds
¾ cup light olive oil or vegetable oil
2 large onions sliced
2 red bell peppers, cut into ¾-inch strips
2 yellow peppers, cut into ¾-inch stips
4 tsp muscovado sugar
2 bay leaves
6 thyme sprigs, leaves picked and chopped
2 tbsp parsley
2 tbsp chopped cilantro, plus extra to garnish
6 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
½ tsp saffron threads
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt and black pepper to taste
Up to 1 1/8 cups water
8 eggs
In a very large pan dry-roast the cumin seeds on high heat for 2 minutes. Add the oil and onions and saute for 5 minutes. Add the peppers, sugar and herbs and continue cooking on high heat for 5-10 minutes to get a nice color.
Add the tomatoes, saffron, cayenne and salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. During the cooking keep adding water so that the mix has a pasta sauce consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning. It should be potent and flavorful. (You can prepare this mix well in advance.)
Remove the bay leaves, then divide the pepper mix among four deep frying pans, each large enough to take a generous individual portion. Place them on medium heat to warm up, then make two gaps in the pepper mix in each pan and carefully break an egg into each gap. Sprinkle with salt and cover the pans with lids. Cook on a very (!) gentle heat for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the eggs are just set. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.
Eat with thick, crusty bread.
Visit Israel with Ya’lla Tours and enjoy Shakshuka at Yotam Ottolenghi’s favorite –
Dr. Shakshuka in Jaffa/Tel Aviv.
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