what i woke up to this morning at 1000 nights camp, sharqiyah sands. had breakfast at the camp. my favorite thing? mandazi, a form of fried bread that originated on the swahili coast. tastes like a sour cream doughnut.
dinner at the camp last night was also incredible. some of my favorite desserts:
omani halwa – like habshi halwa but smoother and more gelatinous. i bought some and got to taste many different kinds, made with figs, brown sugar, honey, milk, dhofari frankincense, tahini, dates, or cardamom. decided on halwa with walnuts.
um ali – pastry (bread or puff pastry) divided into pieces and blended with pistachios, coconut flakes, raisins and sugar. milk or cream poured over the mixture, which is then sprinkled with cinnamon and baked in the oven until the surface is golden brown. tastes like shahi tukray but much lighter and fluffier. simply heavenly.
mahalabiya – eastern milk pudding, slightly sweetened and flavored with rose or orange water. like firni but smoother and more milky. served in tiny narrow glasses.
more about food later.
