Over the last weeks, our dear sister, Teresa, has been putting a series of searching questions to Andrew, Haya, Sameer & Sunny, with the intention of sharing a little bit more about us with you. We thought the best place to start was Haya, so here is her set of answers for you to enjoy. Enjoy!
Sweet or Savoury?
Savoury, sour and umami!
If you could have dinner with three people (dead or alive) who would they be and why?
My grandma. I’m told that my cooking style & a bunch of interests are very similar. I would love to get a bunch of recipes and tips and tricks from here. I would also love to have lived the way she lived: fully self-sufficient, growing her own food, preserving it & making deliciousness out of it.
Anthony Bourdain. I’d like to talk about all his adventures & all that he has seen & also to ask him the difficult question: “why did you commit suicide?”
Amy Winehouse. It feels like she’s my soul sister & looks like a very fun & eccentric human to have some laughs with & joke around.
What is your favourite dish to cook?
Dumplings, all kinds of dumplings: Shoshabarak – the arabic dumplings in yogurt; Gyoza – the asian dumplings; any dumplings! Playing around with dough and the activity of making dumplings is very festive, I also love monotonous activities.
If you could only eat one dish for the rest of your life what would it be and why?
Taboun bread with labaneh, arugula, green olives & a lot of olive oil. Every bite could be completely different depending on what you include in the bite. It’s very basic yet very complex with every combination. It’s just very close to my roots & I feel I can never get bored of it.
What is your favourite drink to make?
My cup of coffee in the morning.
What is your favourite drink to drink?
Non alcoholic – Shanenah. It gives me a very big boost of energy.
Alcoholic – Araq over a mezzeh spread.
What do you enjoy most about being part of the vicarage and sons team in Amman?
The freedom & the chance of exploring daring ideas & pushing the boundaries. I love getting the chance to get into the heart & taste buds of people from the different parts of the world around our communal table.
It’s approaching summer so can you share a summer recipe/cocktail recipe with our followers for them to try at home?
Fermented Armenian Cucumbers:
- 4 cups water
- 4 Tablespoons salt
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 Tablespoon vinegar
- 2 kg armenian cucumbers or normal small cucumbers
- Vine leaves
Dissolve the salt & sugar in warm water. Let it cool & add in the vinegar. Pack a clean jar with armenian cucumbers. Pour over the brine. Could also add – coriander seeds, black peppercorn, mustard seeds, garlic. Top with vine leaves. Close the jar & let it ferment burping it every couple of days. Enjoy after a week or two.
Or
Watermelon & Nabulsi cheese:
Boil Nabulsi white cheese with mistika for 5 minutes, cut a cool watermelon, enjoy this combination with a fresh bunch of mint or tarragon.
What is your most memorable moment of vicarage and sons events so far?
The freakouts before every service, where Andrew comes and calms me down. Our staff meals after serving the main course in the kitchen with a quick feedback on the dishes that we served. The negroni after every service in celebration of the team, the food the service & the space.