OMAN-Jewel on the Arabian Peninsula

This week we are studying Oman. To be precise, the Sultanate of Oman. Oman is a 1,000 mile long coastal plain at the southeast tip of the Arabian Peninsula lying on the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. It is roughly the size of Kansas. The capital of Oman is Muscat.

Oman has a population of just 3,418,038, making it the 134th most populated country in the world. The nationality, referred to as Omanis, is made up of Arabs, Baluchis, South Asians (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi) and Africans. Most of the population follows the Islamic faith, with a small percentage practicing Hinduism. 75% of the population is Ibadhi Muslim while 25% follows other denominations (including Sunni Muslim, Shia Muslim and Hinduism). The official language of Oman is Arabic, followed by English, Baluchi, Urdu, and Indian dialects.

               
                                        

Oman has a monarchy government. The monarch has two significant duties: he is the chief of state and head of government. The current Sultan and Prime Minister (2009) is QABOOS bin Said al-Said He has held the position of Sultan since June 23, 1970 when he overthrew his father. He has also been the Prime Minister since June 23, 1972.

Compared to the world, Oman spends the most money on military activities - 11.4% of it's GDP on four military branches.

 

                                              

 

 

  

 Summer winds often become heavy sandstorms and dust storms. Oman also experiences periodic droughts. Other environmental issues include beach pollution stemming from oil spills and limited natural fresh water resources.

Oman relies heavily on its oil resources, which are diminishing. Hence, the economy is currently being transformed so that the oil sector contributes 9% to the GDP by 2020. Oman is seeking private foreign investors and planning to develop its gas, metal, petrochemicals and international transhipment industries.

Domestic workers and laborers are often mistreated and become victims of trafficking. Mistreatment of domestic workers consists of defaulting of wages, limits on traveling, custody of passports, and abuse. Oman was rated as a Tier 3 country for the second year in a row for failing to implement laws that punish trafficking offenses. Oman still lacks victim protection services and a methodical process to identify trafficking victims.

 

                                              

Forts and Castles are Oman's most striking cultural landmarks and, together with its towers and city walls, they have historically been used as defensive bastions or look-out points.   The Portuguese occupied Muscat, the capital of Oman for a 140 year period between 1508-1648. They arrived a decade after Vasco de Gama discovered the seaway to India. In need of an outpost to protect their sea lanes, the Europeans built up and fortified the city, where remnants of their colonial architectural style still remain. Rebellious tribes drove out the Portuguese, but were pushed out themselves a century later in 1741 by the leader of a Yemeni tribe. A brief Persian invasion a few years later was the final time Oman would be ruled by a foreign power.          Omani cuisine is a mixture of several staples of Asian foods. Dishes are often based around chicken, fish, and lamb, as well as the staple of rice. Most Omani dishes tend to contain a rich mixture of spices, herbs, and marinades. While Omani food varies within different regions of Oman, most dishes across the country have a staple of curry, cooked meat, rice, and vegetables. Soups are also common and are usually made from chicken, lamb, and vegetables such as smoked eggplant. The main meal is usually eaten in the middle of the day, while dinner is lighter.                                           Cuisine from all over the world can be found in Oman, including Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern, and other international tastes. Fast food chains are rising in popularity due to convenience and their family oriented style.   The Omani people are well known for their hospitality and offers of refreshment. To be invited into someone's home will mean coffee (kahwa), a strong, bitter drink flavored with cardamom, and dates or halwa, a sticky sweet gelatinous substance which is made from brown sugar, eggs, honey and spices. It can be flavored with many different ingredients, such as nuts, rosewater or even chocolate.   More substantial meals often have rice as the main ingredient, together with cooked meats. The main daily meal is usually eaten at midday, while the evening meal is lighter. This week we will cook a very traditional Omani dish called Maqbous.                                                                It is also sometimes called kabsa. It is a dish made  from a mixture of spices, basmati rice meat and vegetables. There are many kinds of kabsa and each kind has a uniqueness about it. The spices used in kabsa are largely responsible for its taste; these are generally black pepper, cloves, cardamom, saffron, cinnamon, black lime, bay leaves and nutmeg. The main ingredient that accompanies the spices is the meat, such as chicken, goat, lamb, camel, or sometimes beef, fish, and shrimp. The spices, rice and meat may be augmented with almonds, pine nuts, and onions.                                                               We will serve this with a popular beverage  in Oman called Laban. It consists of Yogurt(or buttermilk, ground cumin, crushed red pepper, salt, and a hint of lemon or lime and sprinkled with cardamom and pistachio nuts.  Sounds so refreshing and reminds me very much of my beloved Indian beverage, Salted Lassi.  I can't wait to get cooking!

NORWAY-Dinner is Ready Plus Fun Facts

Our Norwegian Feast is complete! What a delicious meal it was! The Salmon was fresh, flaky, and beautifully accented by the butter and fresh herbs in traditional Norwegian Cream Sauce. The potatoes equally delightful. I have prepared potatoes similar to these before roasted with butter, paprika and herbs, but never with the addition of Jarlsberg Chees sprinkled on top. So yummy! The creamed vegetables paired beautifully with our fish and potatoes. Here are the recipes we used this week:

 

http://www.salmonfromnorway.com/Recipes/USA/Foil-Baked-Norwegian-Salmon-with-Potatoes,-Apples-and-Shallots

 

http://www.sofn.com/norwegian_culture/showRecipe.jsp?document=HasselbackPotatoes.html

 

http://www.yummly.com/recipes/norwegian-salmon

Here are some fun and interesting facts about Norway:

• Norway is often described as the "Land of the Midnight Sun", because during the summer months of late May through to late July the sun never completely drops below the horizon in northern Arctic Circle areas of the country and other areas have around 20 hours of sunlight a day. However, it is then the opposite in winter.

                                     

• Norwegian, the spoken language of Norway has two official written forms, Bokmål Norwegian and Nynorsk Norwegian.

• Norway shares a border with Russia, Finland and Sweden.

                                              

                                                           

• The capital and largest city in Norway is Oslo.
• Norway has a population of 5.08 million people as of July 2013.

 

• The Sami are an indigenous people of northern Scandinavia who have been living in the northern territories for over 10,000 years. They are known for their colorful clothes and herding of reindeer.
• Norway is home to a number of Arctic animals such as reindeer, wolverines, polar bear, the puffin bird and the Arctic fox.
 

• The national day of Norway is officially called 'Norwegian Constitution Day'. It is celebrated on May 17th to commemorate Norway's constitution of 1814.

                                

• Norway is home to the world's longest road tunnel, with a length of 24.5 km's (15.3 miles) the tunnel has become a tourist attraction in itself.

• The troll plays a significant part in Norwegian and Scandinavian folklore. The troll is an ugly, messy, nasty creature that lives in caves or forests and will turn to stone if sunlight hits them. There are even a few areas in Norway that have been named after the troll.

                                       

• Football (soccer) has the highest participation level of any sport in Norway. The winter sports of biathlon and cross-country skiing are the most eagerly followed.
• Norway is the most successful nation in the world at the Winter Olympics. The country has collected the most medals of any country over the games history.
                          
                            

                                                         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NORWAY-Land of the Midnight Sun

                                                            

This week we are learning about the "Jewel of the North", Norway. This Scandinavian country has also been  called the Land of the Midnight Sun.  Norskes call their land "The Blue Meadow" for Norway is certainly a land of the sea. Norway claims the heritage of early Norse seafarers, raiders, colonizers, explorers, and merchants for whom the "Viking Age"  was named.

                                            

 

 Norway boasts over 450,00 fresh water lakes, most a result of glacial erosion. Inland Norway is so mountainous having less than 4% tillable land, with three fourths of the population lives within sight of the coast. With its elongated shape, this nation has one of the longest and most rugged coastlines in the world. It is dotted with more than 45,000 islands scattered throughout.

                                                      

Home to  wild untouched nature, glacier capped mountains, magnificent man made and natural wonders, its raw beauty attracts visitors from all over the world.

                                                   

 

 Norway has long been a nation of seafarers, explorers, and colonizers. By A.D. 1000 the Vikings had settled in Iceland, the Faroe Islands, and Greenland. They also established many communities in France, Ireland, Scotland, and parts of England. More and more evidence points to the fact that Leif Ericson, a Norseman born in the Viking colony of Iceland, voyaged to North America during the year 100. He called the new land "Vinland" since it had so many grape vines. Norse scholars have long claimed that there were Norse settlements on the East Coast of North America and as far inland as Minnesota and North Dakota as early as the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.

                                                

 

Norway has a lot to be proud of. Not only a rich history, but also a global leader in many areas.

It maintains a welfare model with universal health care and a comprehensive social security system.  The petroleum industry accounts for around a quarter of the country's gross domestic product. The country has the fourth-highest per capita income in the world on the World Bank and IMF lists. On a per-capita basis, it is the world's largest producer of oil and natural gas outside the Middle East. From 2001 to 2006, and then again from 2009 to 2012, Norway had the highest Human Development Index ranking in the world.  From 2010 to 2012, Norway was classified as the most democratic country by the Democracy Index.

 

                                        

Norwegian   cuisine is very diverse ranging from Hearty Lamb and Pork Dishes to open faced sandwiches, brown cheese, smoked fish, as well as delicious breads and desserts. However, it is fair to say that the heart of the cuisine centers on fish . So this week we will prepare the fish so highly regarded as the best in the world that Norskes can be very proud of, Norwegian Salmon of course. We will prepare Herb Baked Norwegian Salmon in a traditional Cream Sauce with Butter and  Herbs in Foil. We will serve this with Creamed vegetables and Hasselback Poteter (Roasted Potatoes with Butter, Herbs, Paprika,  and grated Jarlsberg Cheese.

Recipes: http://www.norway-hei.com/baked-salmon.html

THE NETHERLANDS-Kom met me mee naar Nederland!

This week we learned about beautiful Netherlands! I was surprised at how much there was that I did not know about this neat nation. Living in The Woodlands, Texas we have made many Dutch friends. Most of who work in the Petroleum Industry, Dutch Royal Shell being one of the largest employers.

Officially known as the Kingdom of the Netherlands, consisting of twelve provinces in western Europe and three islands in the Caribbean. The Netherlands is often mistakenly referred to as "Holland", which in strict usage, refers only to North and South Holland, two of its 12 provinces.

While many people associate the Netherlands with Tulips, Liberal Government, Windmills, and Wooden Shoes, there is so much more to this fascinating country! For one thing did you know that The Netherlands has more than  4,000 km of navigable canals, rivers and lakes.

 

 

 Vincent Willem Van Gogh (1853 - 1890) famed for his post-Impressionist work and far-reaching influence on 20th century art was Dutch. In addition to his world-famous vase of sunflowers and starry night, he produced more than 2,000 paintings in just over 10 years with most of his best-known works in his final 2 years.
 

 

This week we cooked three traditional Dutch dishes. Our first dish, pannenkoeken, was something my six year old fell in love with at a recent Girl Scout party. This Dutch pancake is made of flour, sometimes buckwheat, eggs, milk, and salt. The recipe I used called for cinnamon which I love. It is thinner than American Pancakes and much bigger, usually filled with sweet or savory ingredients, rolled up and  eaten by hand. I added semi-sweet chocolate, powdered sugar, and fresh strawberries. They were divine!

                                                            

                                                                  

                                                       

 

Our second dish was a common fish served in The Netherlands, called  Lekkerbek met Ravigotesaus (Plaice with Ravigote Sauce). We could not find Plaice, so we used the most common fish used instead in The Netherlands,  fresh Cod. It was delicious! The sauce called for mustard, chives, tarragon, capers, parsley, white pepper, and vinegar. The fish was flaky, meaty and paired beautifully with the tangy sour sauce.

 

                                                   

 

 

Our last dish is called Saucijzenbroodges. It is a savory meat pie with Minced Pork inside a flaky crust made of puff pastry. It was very tasty and good!

 

 

Here are the recipes we used this week:

http://dutchfood.about.com/od/mainmeals/r/Lekkerbek-Met-Ravigotesaus.htm

http://www.crazydutchfoodie.blogspot.nl/2013/07/dutch-pancakes-budget-easy-dinner-for.html

http://www.thedutchtable.com/2010/02/saucijzenbroodjes-dutch-sausage-rolls.html

 

Here are some fun facts we learned about The Netherlands this week:
 
The Dutch are the world experts on keeping back water from the sea and rivers turning Netherlands into an Atlantis. The US government turned to the Dutch for help during the hurricane Katrina disaster.

70% of the world's bacon comes from Netherlands.
 The Dutch are the tallest in the world with an average height of 184 cm for men and 170 cm for women. Some believe its the combined result of DNA and dairy.The Schiphol Airport is actually 4.5 m below sea level.

It is only logical that the Van Gogh Museum and the Kröller-Müller Museum house the largest Van Gogh collections in the world.

 For 4 evenings in a row during May and June since 1909, thousands of Dutch school children and their parents walk 5 or 10 km at a time through streets in huge processions called the avondvierdaagse, or 'evening four-day marches' while slurping on half-cut lemons and sweets on strings around their necks.

 75% of the world's flower bulb production comes from Netherlands.

It was one of the six founding members of the European Union.

  The highest point in Netherlands, Vaalserberg, is only 323 meters above sea level. The rest of the nation is as flat as a pancake.

  Parental leave for both full-time working mothers and fathers, is up to 57 days and can be taken at any time until the child is 8 years old.

  The main square of every city has its own brightly lit Christmas tree.

The Dutch are the world's biggest coffee drinkers after the Scandinavians with an average of 140 litres of coffee a year or 3.2 cups a day.

The famous Dutch windmills were used to pump away water for hundreds of years.

  About 2/3 of Netherlands is vulnerable to flooding with 25 percent below sea level and 50 percent less than 1m above sea level.

 Fans of Victoria's Secret will be interested to know that one of the lingerie brand's Angels, Doutzen ,is Dutch and one of the world's top earning supermodels, with her own wax figure in the Amsterdam Madame Tussaud's.

 86% of the population speak English as a second language.

There are specially-designated "fietspaden" or bike paths all over the country and pedestrians cannot walk on them.

  According to The Brewers of Europe, the Netherlands exports the largest proportion of beer production of any country in the world with approximately 50%.

  Its commitment to foreign aid is 2nd among the leading 18 nations according to UNICEF.

  It has the highest population density in Europe with 487 inhabitants per square kilometer.

 About 30% of all Dutch births happen at home as a result of a large and established network of certified midwives.

MOROCCO- Dinner is Ready! Plus Fun Facts

Our Moroccan Feast is ready! Our Chicken Pastilla, 7 vegetable Couscous, and Mint Tea were divine! The chicken Pastilla was very labor intensive  but well worth it. We had to cook each layer of filling separately: spiced chicken, eggs, and almonds. What a pay off though! The Phyllo dough was light and flaky and each layer provided a contrast in flavor and texture. The chicken was savory and spicy, the eggs delicate and soft, and the almonds with orange blossom water, cinnamon, and sugar was crunchy and sweet. So divine!!! The couscous was so delicious and flavorful. It was pillowy and fluffy full of spices, my favorite being saffron. All washed down with the sweet mint infused tea was a perfect ending. My favorite by far was the chicken Pastilla but I must say I am hooked on Mint Tea!

Here are the recipes we used this week:

http://www.cookingwithalia.com/poultry/moroccan-chicken-bastilla.html

http://www.food.com/recipe/moroccan-mint-tea-55799

http://moroccanfood.about.com/od/maindishes/r/couscous_veg.htm

Here are a few fun facts we learned this week about Morocco

The official name of Morocco is the Kingdom of Morocco.

Morocco is about the same size as the state of California.

There are over 32 million people living in Morocco (32,649,130) as of July 2013.

 

The capital city of Morocco is Rabat, although the largest city is Casablanca with nearly 4 million people.

Ethnically, Moroccans are predominately of Berber (North African indigenous) and Arabic decent.

The Berber people have been living in North Africa for centuries, historically living in the mountainous areas but in more recent times moving to the cities for work.

The official languages of Morocco are Berber and Arabic. The distinctive group of Moroccan Arabic dialects are collectively called Darija. French and to a lesser extent Spanish and English are also spoken in the country.

From 1912 to 1956, Morocco was divided into French and Spanish zones. There are just two small Spanish-controlled areas still remaining today (Ceuta and Melilla).

Morocco is quite a mountainous country with the Atlas Mountains running from northeast to the southwest through the center and the Rif Mountains located in the north.

The southeast of the country is intersected by the Sahara Desert and direct to the south lies the Western Sahara. Morocco claims that the Western Sahara is part of its territory and refers to the area as its Southern Provinces, although officially this area is still a disputed territory.

The currency in Morocco is called the Dirham.

Moroccan cities commonly have mosques with beautiful towers called minarets, market areas called bazaars, old medieval sections called medinas and old fortresses called kasbahs.

Green tea with mint and sweetened with sugar is a popular beverage in Morocco.

The most famous of Moroccan dishes is couscous, other popular dishes include pastilla, tajine, and harira. Chicken is the most widely eaten meat.

There are very large concentrations of Moroccan migrants living in France (over 1 million) and Spain (over 700 thousand).

The most popular sport in Morocco is football (soccer), the Moroccan national team became the first African and Arab country to make to the 2nd round of a World Cup when they did so in 1986.

The university called al-Qarawiyin was founded in the city of Fes in 859 as a madrasa (an Arabic educational institution) and is considered by some to be the oldest university in the world.

 There are more Jews in Morocco than any other African Nation.