What we're eating (and not eating)

About 90% of food in Jordan is imported, and this makes it a bit hard to tell whether we're eating like the locals do or not. In our neighbourhood, at least half the places to eat out serve burgers or pizza (and that's just the independent places - there's also KFC, McDonald's, Domino's, Carl's Jr ...). But I'm shopping in the local supermarkets, and not just heading for the familiar brands (Barilla pasta, Maggi & Nestle everything).

We've only eaten out a handful of times so far - a local chili burger restaurant (speciality chili mince on spaghetti ... hmmm), a shawarma (kebab) fast food place where I foolishly neglected to take photos of my dinner (it was very tasty), and Hashem, a famous falafel and hummus place downtown where it's rumoured the local royal family like to drop in for a snack late at night (maybe they don't get the plastic tablecloths though):

)

I will spare my delicate readers my photos of the meat section in the local supermarket. I have been very bravely dealing with bones in my chicken breasts, but I am not yet ready to cook lamb spleen, heart, brains, tripe, tongues or feet. They don't just butcher animals here; they completely dismantle them. I am very very grateful that the supermarket labels things in English as well as Arabic though, so at least I won't accidentally buy anything too challenging. Hearts are obvious, spleens less so. And it's clear some of these are considered desirable cuts of meat - lamb hearts are more expensive than chicken breast.

We're sampling our way through the local confectionery, though it can be hard to find amid all the imported stuff. There's something that looks and tastes exactly like Turkish delight, but is half the price:

(Yes, mastic is the flavour.)

But to really get the party started, you need these:

Yep, sugar coated chickpeas, full of nutritious goodness, a bit like peanut M&M's without the allergy risk.

It may come as a surprise to some of you that we haven't had a single taste of wine or beer since we've been here. There are bottle stores all over our neighbourhood, but they make the Huntly Cheep Liquor shop look inviting so I have not ventured inside. What we have had instead is malt beverages - 0% alcohol fizzy malt drinks with fruit flavours. They're all the rage. And just because the local kids don't get to drink Vodka Cruisers doesn't mean they have to miss out on drinking things that look like them.