<p><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Verdana', 'sans-serif'; color: #810081; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Verdana', 'sans-serif'; color: purple; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="Template1.aspx?MenuID=127"><span style="color: #0364ab; font-size: xx-small;">General Facts</span></a><span style="color: #0364ab; font-size: xx-small;"> <span style="color: #000000;">|</span> </span><a href="Template1.aspx?MenuID=123"><span style="color: #0364ab; font-size: xx-small;">Geography</span></a></span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Verdana', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: #0364ab; font-size: xx-small;"> <span style="color: #000000;">|</span> </span><a href="Template1.aspx?MenuID=125"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="color: #0364ab; font-size: xx-small;">Culture</span></span></a><span style="color: #0364ab; font-size: xx-small;"> <span style="color: #000000;">|</span> </span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #0364ab;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Verdana', 'sans-serif'; color: #810081; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: #808080; font-size: xx-small;"><strong>Syrian Food</strong></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Verdana', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;"> <span style="color: #000000;">|</span> </span></span></span><a href="Template1.aspx?MenuID=126"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Verdana', 'sans-serif'; color: #810081; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: #0364ab; font-size: xx-small;">Shopping</span></span></a><br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br /><br />The Syrian cuisine is varied and rich, in view of the fertility of Syrian lands and the abundance of their crops which enable the cook to be a master and to diversify in his choice and talent in the preparation of fresh meals made of vegetables, legumes and meats.<br /><br />The Syrian table is always decorated with the various delicious pastries famous all over the world. Travelers do not miss to take with them on their leaving the country samples of these sweets to give them as presents to their dear friends and family members. These desserts are followed by fresh or dried fruits grown in Syrian fields.<br /><br />Health concern is also cared for through the Syrian fresh and pure mineral waters gushing from mountains tops.<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Each Syrian regional cuisine is tributary from its proper specificity depending on its geographic position, the soil that composes it, its climate, its culture, its region...etc.<br /><br /><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Verdana', 'sans-serif'; color: #810081; font-size: 10pt;"><img src="../wd/Upload/Baba_Ghanoush.jpg" border="0" align="left" /></span>On the other hand, all these cuisines have a very important common denominator: it is the freshness of their ingredients.<br /><br />In fact, in Syria, growing vegetables has remained individual and seasonal, despite that some are available during the whole year (tomato, cucumber...), to the detriment of their real flavor.<br /><br />The freshness of these vegetables determines their taste and flavor. The meat, especially the lamb (many species), is tender and its taste is delicious, because the cattle pasture in the open air and eat exclusively natural grass without chemical products.<br /><br />The fruits of the season are delicious (sour cherry "washna", apricot of Damascus, pistachio of Aleppo and many others...). Delicious spices season the most delicious plates (without forgetting that Aleppo was on the silk and spices road) like the thyme, the sumac, the cumin, the famous paprika paste, etc...<br /><br />To mention the gastronomic Syrian plates, we have a great deal of choices:<br />- Meat balls with sour cherries.<br />- Stew of quinces, with or without kebbe.<br />- Dishes with hot yogurt.<br />- Kebbes assorted with spinach, hot yogurt, grenades or cabbage.<br />- Tender meat assorted with different sauces.<br />- Vegetables, which are only found in Aleppo, such as the ajjour, the caper and the akkoum.<br />- Sweets of Aleppo or of Damascus, such as the karabij, the baklava with cherries.<br /></span></span></p>