Feast in the Middle East

The 46th Annual Middle Eastern Festival was held this weekend in El Paso.

My youngest accompanied me to the event and what a treat it was!

 We enjoyed cheese filled crepes with honey

 and Falafel on Pita Bread

 They sold beautiful Middle Eastern scarves, clothing and jewelry.

A friend of ours brought us back some similar scarves from her time in Iraq. 

Everything was so beautiful!

 There were baked  goodies everywhere!

I asked the ladies at the coffee table to show me how they make Turkish Coffee... it is a slow art form to them.  It was much too strong for me but so fun to learn.

 They sold pretty little coffee sets and I resisted the urge... I left them all for someone else.  LOL

 More from the coffee station

 Then there was music and dancing

 and ice cream with Baklava in it... YUM!

 and more music

 and singing

I brought Butter Bread home for my family to enjoy for tomorrow

I think this is what they call Holy Bread  but I am not sure... it has a lovely pattern on it.

I love learning about bread traditions around the world and getting to taste them as I go!

I got a Greek Sweet Bread for breakfast but my daughter and 

I broke into it while we watched My Big Fat Greek Wedding.  

It was delicious!

 I did bring a cookbook home with many of the recipes for the sweet treats and traditional Middle Eastern foods sold at the event.  I would be so bold as to say that church cookbooks are often the BEST cookbooks out there.  I am hoping this holds true for this one because I am excited to learn some new Middle Eastern recipes for our family and a client I have with my business.

They were the loveliest of congregations... such generous and warm people were there today.

I think I will make this an annual tradition for me, too.