Christine Datian’s Roasted Eggplant and Lamb Omelet
Every Armenian knows that eggplant and lamb go hand-in-hand. When combined, these two ingredients create countless recipes. Christine Datian whipped together eggplant and lamb in omelet-form for a...
View ArticleRemembering Nanny, Mom, and Aunt Arpie - and - a recipe for Slow Roasted...
(Left to Right): Uncle Vartan (Walter) Vartanesian, his wife Arpie; my mom, Mary Dabbakian; maternal grandparents, Yeranuhe and Oskan Vartanesian (Photo circa early 1950s) 1950's: When we were very...
View ArticleMy Armenian cookbook collection and the film 'The Promise'
My first Armenian cookbook! I have a passion for collecting cookbooks – Armenian cookbooks, that is. The first Armenian cookbook I ever received was given to Doug and me by our Aunt Arpie and Uncle...
View ArticleBulgur, Garbanzo, and Green Bean and Salad
Christine Datian offers us her Bulgur, Garbanzo, and Green Bean Salad for a healthy, fiber-rich dish. It’s a great addition to a pot-luck meal, or as an accompaniment for a barbecue. With this...
View ArticleHye Tea Social - a 10-year tradition at St. Leon Armenian Church, NJ
My sister, Dawn, and brother-in-law, Ara, visited us in Florida last week. They brought several gifts as a way to thank us for our hospitality – specialty chocolates, 2 dozen of our favorite chorags,...
View ArticleAmericans call it okra, we call it Bamiya. I call it delicious. My wife...
Doug's Home-cooked Bamiya Okra was frequent fare at our house when I was growing up, and I loved it. I’ve since learned that I have a lot of company in many places, including the American South and...
View ArticleSpinach, Sorrel and Rice Soup
Aveluk (wild sorrel) Soup I became enamored with aveluk, wild sorrel, after having dined on aveluk soup in a restaurant in Yerevan in 2015. Aveluk grows wild on the hillsides in certain regions of...
View ArticleSpinach - Stuffed Baby Bella Mushrooms
I couldn’t resist buying an over-sized box of gorgeous baby Portobello mushrooms the other day. I figured mushrooms always cook-down in recipes, so this giant container of mushrooms certainly wouldn’t...
View ArticleIt's HOT outside! It's time to make Frozen Yogurt and Fruit Pops.
With temperatures soaring outside, it’s time to turn off the oven and focus on the freezer. It’s berry season around here so blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries are abundant,...
View ArticleAn Armenian-inspired menu for a very American Fourth of July celebration!
Clean your grills; it's time to prepare for the Fourth of July! Instead of serving the usual hamburgers and potato salad, why not celebrate America’s independence with their Armenian-inspired...
View ArticleSweet or Savory Cherry Compote
Sweet, dark cherries, and my cherry pitting tool I bought a cherry pitting tool; don’t ask me why. But since it was sitting in my kitchen drawer and I’d just bought a ton of sweet cherries, I felt...
View ArticleJust in time for summer - Christine Datian’s latest recipe from The Armenian...
Christine’s timing is impeccable! Just as I was trying to decide what recipe to post this week, she emailed me her latest recipe submission for The Armenian Mirror-Spectator and asked if I’d be able...
View ArticleGrilled Zucchini with Za’atar
Summer means it’s time for bumper crops of seasonal vegetables – zucchini, tomatoes, you name it! Here’s a quick and tasty recipe to help use an overflow of zucchini. This recipe can be made on an...
View ArticleFlorida Watermelon Slices with Balsamic Syrup, Mint Oil, and Feta Cheese
Confession: I cannot take credit for the following recipe. As a resident of Palm Beach County’s Agricultural Reserve community, I am often able to purchase locally-grown ingredients directly from the...
View ArticleOur Pot-luck Feast!
It’s time for us to leave hot, steamy Florida, for cooler surroundings in the Catskill Mountains. In order to prepare for our get-away, we started consuming frozen and refrigerated foods, and pantry...
View ArticleAnahid Krichian's Grill and Bistro - a gem in Paterson, NJ
Over the years, I’ve heard many stories about the delicious food Anahid Krichian catered to Armenian functions in north Jersey. Not only does Anahid cater, she has a very popular restaurant as well....
View ArticleLamb Shish Kebab marinated in Ararat Brandy - NOT your average kebab!
Last summer, my husband Doug and I gifted our shish kebab machine to our daughter Mandy and son-in-law Ron on the occasion of their wedding. A year has passed, and we're back in the Catskill Mts. of NY...
View ArticleChef Serge Madikians' SEREVAN restaurant, Amenia, NY
Before we left Florida for upstate NY in August, Doug did an online search for Armenian restaurants in our travel route. He came across the SEREVAN restaurant in a small town named A-M-E-N-I-A. (I...
View ArticleMontreal - a French city with a Middle Eastern twist!
After a 6-week excursion to NJ, upstate NY, and Montreal, we’re finally back in Florida. I’m relieved to report our home – and surroundings in general - escaped the worst of Hurricane Irma. Other...
View ArticleArmenian Tomato and Bulgur Soup by Christine Datian
It’s officially autumn, at least according to the calendar. Eventually the temperature will drop into a more comfortable zone. When it does, you’ll want to ward-off the chill with a nice, hot bowl of...
View Article