You know what? I have decided we don't use nearly enough mint in the United States. At least, I don't. Every once in a while I will use mint flavoring to make, heh heh, mints and I have had mint tea on a rare occasion, and I have made Indian raita with mint a few times. But that's about it.
But here in Qatar? Mint is in all sorts of things, and it's fabulous! I have already waxed lyrical on my new favorite drink, lemon mint, which is basically lemonade with mint blended in, served either as a drink or a slush, but let me revisit that drink once again because it. is. AWESOME! So refreshing and delicious and always good, no matter how it's made, which is kind of amazing and also fortuitous for me because I am bound and determined to try it every time it's offered for the rest of my who knows how many years here. Just this week I tried a bottled version they sell in the grocery stores with the rest of the juices and discovered that it, too, is very yummy. (Side note: they also routinely sell kiwi lime and strawberry juices here, next to the apple and orange juices, for the same price. Love this!)
Then there are the mint sauces. Raita I have had and love, but mint sauces, with or without yogurt, paired with various meats and eaten on bread or over rice, are everywhere here and always delicious. My only complaint is that no one will ever tell me how their particular sauce is made, afraid, I guess, that I will take the recipe and never return to eat with them, but that is patently absurd, because knowing the recipe only increases my loyalty to a particular establishment's dish, silly geese!
Mint tea is also much more popular here than elsewhere, and often the mint is mixed with various other flavors that make the tea even better than mint alone.
But by far, my favorite way to eat mint so far is in za'atar, a mixture of mint, thyme, oregano, and sumac combined with sesame seeds. Added to olive oil, this spice combination makes a great dip for bread or, better yet, a topping for toasted flatbread pizza as they do here. Actually, they put zatar (like everything here, the spelling varies widely) on everything and it's all great!
We all need more mint in our lives! Come to Qatar and try it!
But here in Qatar? Mint is in all sorts of things, and it's fabulous! I have already waxed lyrical on my new favorite drink, lemon mint, which is basically lemonade with mint blended in, served either as a drink or a slush, but let me revisit that drink once again because it. is. AWESOME! So refreshing and delicious and always good, no matter how it's made, which is kind of amazing and also fortuitous for me because I am bound and determined to try it every time it's offered for the rest of my who knows how many years here. Just this week I tried a bottled version they sell in the grocery stores with the rest of the juices and discovered that it, too, is very yummy. (Side note: they also routinely sell kiwi lime and strawberry juices here, next to the apple and orange juices, for the same price. Love this!)
Then there are the mint sauces. Raita I have had and love, but mint sauces, with or without yogurt, paired with various meats and eaten on bread or over rice, are everywhere here and always delicious. My only complaint is that no one will ever tell me how their particular sauce is made, afraid, I guess, that I will take the recipe and never return to eat with them, but that is patently absurd, because knowing the recipe only increases my loyalty to a particular establishment's dish, silly geese!
Mint tea is also much more popular here than elsewhere, and often the mint is mixed with various other flavors that make the tea even better than mint alone.
But by far, my favorite way to eat mint so far is in za'atar, a mixture of mint, thyme, oregano, and sumac combined with sesame seeds. Added to olive oil, this spice combination makes a great dip for bread or, better yet, a topping for toasted flatbread pizza as they do here. Actually, they put zatar (like everything here, the spelling varies widely) on everything and it's all great!
We all need more mint in our lives! Come to Qatar and try it!
Get some recipes, I want them! SCott loves mint Glad the food is safe and yummy there!
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