Palestinian Cuisine

Palestinian cuisine consists of foods from or commonly eaten by the Arabs of historical Palestine — which includes those living in the Palestinian territories, Israel, refugee camps in nearby countries as well as by Palestinians living abroad. The cuisine is a diffusion of the cultures of civilizations that settled in Palestine, particularly during and after the Islamic era beginning with the Arab Ummayad conquest, then the eventual Persian-influenced Abbasids and ending with the coming of the Ottoman Turks. It is similar to other Levantine cuisines, including Lebanese, Syrian, and Jordanian.

Palestinians eat several times during the day, with lunch being the largest meal. Olive oil is widely used in Palestinian cuisine. Cooking styles vary by region and each type of cooking style and the ingredients used are generally based on the climate and location of the particular region and on traditions. Rice and variations of kibbee are common in the Galilee, the West Bank engages primarily in heavier meals involving the use of taboon bread, rice and meat and Gaza's inhabitants frequent fish, seafood, chili peppers and lentils. Meals are usually eaten in the household but, dining out has become prominent particularly, during parties where light meals like salads, bread dips and skewered meats are served.

The area is also home to many desserts, ranging from those made daily or regularly and those that are commonly reserved for the holidays. Most Palestinian sweets are pastries filled with either sweetened cheeses, dates or various nuts such as almonds, walnuts or pistachios. Beverages could also depend on holidays such as during Ramadan, where carob, tamarind and apricot juices are consumed at daybreak. Coffee is consumed throughout the day and liquor is not very prevalent amongst the population, however, some alcoholic beverages such as arak or beer are frequented by Christians and less conservative Muslims.

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- Scott Patton

Ala Kelly: Italian Olive Oil