January 18, 2009
Armenian Grilled Shish Kebabs
Late summer indicates Lamajun or shish kebab; the latter made out on the backyard grill with pilaf tomato/parsley salad on the side. Summer food are always accompanied with Tahn (a yogurt drink served icy cold) or an iced tea which is more like a tea punch, mixed as it is with the freshly squeezed juices of oranges and lemons, with enough sugar to sweeten it well. Hot summer evenings might also call for cold bulghur wheat and vegetable salad called Tabbouleh; lots of fresh fruit and cheeses, special oil-cured Greek olives or, possibly, a gentle soup made from the insides of the zucchini used earlier for dolma.
By winter, shish kebab evolves into Tass kebab (that is basically a steamed version of the grilled lamb dish), with Persian Pilaf, or another sort of bulgur and vegetable dish, served piping hot, rather than the cold summer version. Fresh fruits give way to dried fruits, like dates and figs and apricots.
In the Fall, Fasoula ( a kind of lamb, tomato and green bean stew), served generally with a pilaf and the ever-present flatbread, as well as Yogurt or Greek Lemon soup, Pasterma and Eggs, and casseroles like Mousakka or Sou-Berag.
Wherever Armenians have settled, the taste and style of the cuisine never ceases to be Armenian. That is primarily a result of the unique blend of traditional spices and seasonings which thread throughout the cuisines.
