A Lovely Dinner with Friends

     We had our friends Al and Laura over last night for a little catching up.  I couldn't help myself, my fingers had to do some exploratory walking through Yotam Ottolenghi's amazing cookbook, Jerusalem.  This book is a feast for the eyes, mind and stomach, as it details some of the cross-cultural forces that create this city's food culture.  The photos make me want to buy a plane ticket.  And the recipes, wow.  I have been reading about this cookbook on other blogs, and have been seeing similar accolades.       
     Not one to shy away from the challenge of providing a meal of untested recipes to my friends (I always pre-warn them that they will be test bunnies), I created an entire menu out of his book.  Wellll, I did monkey with some things, but, with the exception of the the dessert, it was all amazing.  
Our menu started with Hummus and veggies.  WOW. I have never had such silky hummus.  We then had a main course of Kofta b'siniyah, these amazing spiced meatballs with a lemon tahini sauce, a chopped tomato and cucumber salad, and another salad with almonds, dates and feta.  Rounded it out with Greek pitas with Israeli Baharat, thanks to World Spice.  
     The finishing touch was a cardamom rice pudding, which needed a bit more tinkering, to match my tastes anyway, but was accompanied by this beautiful box of chocolates which our neighbor Robb gave us for Valentine's.  Thanks, Robb.  The entire thing is edible, putting Bryce into spasms of anticipatory joy.  I understand it is courtesy of the culinary program at South Seattle Community College.  Another wow.  Laura and I are talking about high tea up there.  See where things go??  
                       

Hummus

Chocolate box of heaven