COLD DARK ROOM

[JoesMum]

Time to celebrate and partake in another holiday tradition in our home.

Eid il-Burbara or Saint Barbara's Day (Arabic: عيد البربارة‎), is a holiday annually celebrated on December 4 (Gregorian calendar), December 17 (Julian calendar), among Middle Eastern Christians in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine and Turkey (Hatay Province). ] It is celebrated in honour of the Christian Saint and Martyr Saint Barbara. The general belief among Lebanese Christians is that Saint Barbara disguised herself as many different characters to elude the Romans who were persecuting her.

The traditional food made on this feast is Burbara, a bowl of boiled wheat grains, pomegranate seeds, raisins, anise and sugar.

A common practice in Lebanon on Eid il-Burbara finds its source in the story of Saint Barbara who, it was believed was miraculously saved from persecution while fleeing: She ran through freshly planted wheat fields, which grew instantly to cover her path.

This miracle is celebrated symbolically by planting wheat seeds (or chick peas, barley grains, beans, lentils, etc.) in cotton wool on Saint Barbara’s feast day. The seeds germinate and grow up to around 6 inches in time for Christmas, when the shoots are used to decorate the nativity scene usually placed below the Christmas tree.


Here is a pix of wifey’s home-made burbara that we’ll have for a morning special treat.

View attachment 258809

Here’s the recipe - https://www.askchefdennis.com/burbara-middle-eastern-wheat-berry-porridge-with-dish-away/

I am so glad TFO food is zero calorie. That’s yummy

 

[Yvonne G]

Hey everyone. Just checking in to let you all know I'm doing ok.

I've been wondering about you. Glad to hear you're ok.

 

[Momof4]

She is a really good girl. She has Crohn's like I do and we met on a support website for Crohn's and UC. We have been dating for about a month and so far everything seems to be going well. I'm hoping things continue going well because I really like this girl. Her name is Sarah by the way LOL. View attachment 258772

Sarah is so pretty!!!!
Does she know about your CDR family here?
I hope you stick around more!

 

[Moozillion]

Time to celebrate and partake in another holiday tradition in our home.

Eid il-Burbara or Saint Barbara's Day (Arabic: عيد البربارة‎), is a holiday annually celebrated on December 4 (Gregorian calendar), December 17 (Julian calendar), among Middle Eastern Christians in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine and Turkey (Hatay Province). ] It is celebrated in honour of the Christian Saint and Martyr Saint Barbara. The general belief among Lebanese Christians is that Saint Barbara disguised herself as many different characters to elude the Romans who were persecuting her.

The traditional food made on this feast is Burbara, a bowl of boiled wheat grains, pomegranate seeds, raisins, anise and sugar.

A common practice in Lebanon on Eid il-Burbara finds its source in the story of Saint Barbara who, it was believed was miraculously saved from persecution while fleeing: She ran through freshly planted wheat fields, which grew instantly to cover her path.

This miracle is celebrated symbolically by planting wheat seeds (or chick peas, barley grains, beans, lentils, etc.) in cotton wool on Saint Barbara’s feast day. The seeds germinate and grow up to around 6 inches in time for Christmas, when the shoots are used to decorate the nativity scene usually placed below the Christmas tree.


Here is a pix of wifey’s home-made burbara that we’ll have for a morning special treat.

View attachment 258809

Here’s the recipe - https://www.askchefdennis.com/burbara-middle-eastern-wheat-berry-porridge-with-dish-away/

I LOVE learning (and eating!) cuisine from a range of cultures!
I just printed out this recipe and will be definitely giving it a try!!!!
THANK YOU!!!!!

 

[Moozillion]

Oh, MY!!!! I just received a PACKAGE from a mysterious person who may or may not live in Texas!
As much as I would LOOOOOVE to open it now, I will be a GOOD T.O.R.T.O.I.S.E. participant and WAIT until Christmas day to open it!
My personal postal inspector, Monty, is checking it out...probably checking for anything edible...




I guess it passed inspection!!!

 

[Maro2Bear]

I LOVE learning (and eating!) cuisine from a range of cultures!
I just printed out this recipe and will be definitely giving it a try!!!!
THANK YOU!!!!!

It’s quite tasty and, if you minimize the sugar, quite satsfying in small portions. Nuts, grain, spices, and the pomegranate adds a nice burst of freshness. Tastes best when made the night before, all the nuts and wheat soak in the flavors. Then eaten warmed in the morning.

 

[JoesMum]

Oh, MY!!!! I just received a PACKAGE from a mysterious person who may or may not live in Texas!
As much as I would LOOOOOVE to open it now, I will be a GOOD T.O.R.T.O.I.S.E. participant and WAIT until Christmas day to open it!
My personal postal inspector, Monty, is checking it out...probably checking for anything edible...

View attachment 258810


I guess it passed inspection!!!

View attachment 258811

Don't forget that you define when TORTOISE opening day is this year. Normally, it's done a few days before Christmas as the day itself is too chaotic for most people

How long can you hold out? Although yours is only the second TORTOISE to arrive so far, I think

 

[Kristoff]

That sounds so funny: I have 3 Russians in the oven right now .....
Don`t let that Lena hear, she is Russian. @Kristoff

And here I was thinking of visiting you in the new year.
!!!!

 

[Kristoff]

Oh, MY!!!! I just received a PACKAGE from a mysterious person who may or may not live in Texas!
As much as I would LOOOOOVE to open it now, I will be a GOOD T.O.R.T.O.I.S.E. participant and WAIT until Christmas day to open it!
My personal postal inspector, Monty, is checking it out...probably checking for anything edible...

View attachment 258810


I guess it passed inspection!!!

View attachment 258811

Don't forget that you define when TORTOISE opening day is this year. Normally, it's done a few days before Christmas as the day itself is too chaotic for most people

How long can you hold out? Although yours is only the second TORTOISE to arrive so far, I think

Yaaaay! Monty thinks we should open now and leave the empty box to him. [emoji23]

About the opening date, I’ll be traveling from the 20th, so we could either (1) have the unwrapping day before then, or (2) I get an exception [emoji56], or (3) you’ll all have to wait until I’m back (beginning of the new year) to see my TORTOISE — and I’ll have to wait too. [emoji24]

Let’s see how many packages will be arriving this and next week.

 

[JoesMum]

Yaaaay! Monty thinks we should open now and leave the empty box to him. [emoji23]

About the opening date, I’ll be traveling from the 20th, so we could either (1) have the unwrapping day before then, or (2) I get an exception [emoji56], or (3) you’ll all have to wait until I’m back (beginning of the new year) to see my TORTOISE — and I’ll have to wait too. [emoji24]

Let’s see how many packages will be arriving this and next week.

The 19th sounds good

 

[Yvonne G]

Recipe time..

12 Days of Caravan-Serai Cooking

Day 3: Leblabi - Chickpea Soup

View attachment 258753

Today's recipe is a hearty soup that will warm you up on the inside with the help of a little bit of pepper! Enjoy this soup on a cold winter's day with family and friends.

Lablabi Chickpea Soup

Serves about 8

1 1/2 cups chickpeas, washed, then soaked overnight in 10 cups water, mixed with 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 hot pepper, finely chopped
4 tablespoons. finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ground caraway seeds
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
croutons

Place the chickpeas with their water in a saucepan, then bring to boil. Cover, then cook over medium heat for 1 hour or until chickpeas are soft and tender. Add remaining ingredients, except croutons, then cook over medium heat for further 10 minutes. You can use an immersion blender to make it more of a creamy texture, or serve it as more of a chunky soup. Be sure to give the soup a good stir before serving.

Serve in individual bowls with each person adding croutons to taste.

Courtesy of https://www.arabamerica.com/recipe/chickpea-soup-leblabi/

I wondered about this recipe: It says to add the chickpeas with their water. Does that mean the baking soda water you've soaked them in?

@Pearly
Ewa, all my best wishes to you ! I hope you are well again soon.

Yes, that goes double for me. It's not fun being incapacitated. Hope you're feeling better soon.

Oh, MY!!!! I just received a PACKAGE from a mysterious person who may or may not live in Texas!
As much as I would LOOOOOVE to open it now, I will be a GOOD T.O.R.T.O.I.S.E. participant and WAIT until Christmas day to open it!
My personal postal inspector, Monty, is checking it out...probably checking for anything edible...

View attachment 258810


I guess it passed inspection!!!

View attachment 258811

What a pretty kitty!

 

[CarolM]

Our hob is gas, so I can cook even in a powercut. We also have the barbecue I suppose

What's causing the power problems Carol?

They are doing maintenance on some of the stations. But basically it is extremely poor management if you break it down to the nitty gritty.

 

[CarolM]

As both Yvonne and my Mum are the same age, I suspect they're both working on theory that the radiation ain't killed 'em yet.

[emoji23] [emoji23] [emoji23]

 

[CarolM]

Hi roommates! Couldn’t catch up today, but I will. Probably. [emoji849][emoji23]
Just wanted to share with you a rather alarming announcement from daughter’s school...

ATTENTION! THE ARMY WILL BE HOSTING A MINOR DRILL AT AND AROUND OUR SCHOOL CAMPUS TOMORROW, TUESDAY 4 DECEMBER 2018.

Hope to catch up with you tomorrow. Unless I get in the crossfire... Please think of me... [emoji33][emoji33][emoji33]

Is that normal?[emoji33] [emoji33]

 

[Yvonne G]

[emoji23] [emoji23] [emoji23]

That was my mother's attitude about smoking. And she was right too. She died an old age and it wasn't from smoking.

 

[CarolM]

The white parts are now brown:

View attachment 258739

Lol. That is old. But impressive that it has lasted so long.

 

[CarolM]

Wibble

Wibble Wobble? I don't feel like a newbie anymore. [emoji12]

 

[CarolM]

I had to fuss at somebody this evening. I found a fur ball in the bearded dragon tank. Apparently Miss Pixie decided she wanted to visit. Fortunately, the bearded dragon did not seem terribly disturbed by her checking out the inside of his tank... with him in it.

[emoji33] [emoji33]

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm having a heck of a time getting my fire up to speed this a.m. Yesterday I brought up a couple wheelbarrows of wood to stack outside my door, but it had been rained on for a week or so, and it's soaked through. It's burning, but not a nice blazing fire. . . the kind that heats up the house. If you want to get warm by this fire, you have to practically stand on the woodstove (not good for the soles of your shoes).

 

[Bambam1989]

I'm having a heck of a time getting my fire up to speed this a.m. Yesterday I brought up a couple wheelbarrows of wood to stack outside my door, but it had been rained on for a week or so, and it's soaked through. It's burning, but not a nice blazing fire. . . the kind that heats up the house. If you want to get warm by this fire, you have to practically stand on the woodstove (not good for the soles of your shoes).

At least your fire is going. Hubby decided that ours would be more efficient with a "heat reclaimer" so it is now out of order while he builds one. We still have central heat but I don't like having to use the extra electric