From famous Egyptian rice to delicious Lebanese Tabbouleh (Lebanese salad of tomatoes, parsley, mint, bulgur wheat, and onion) al-Wāḥa’s meals contain spices around the Arabic-speaking world and will have your mouth watering! Each day we travel virtually through music, food and area studies to a different country in the Arab world, and food is no exception! The day’s menu corresponds to the day’s theme country, and provide instances to learn the vocabulary of shared and unique foods of the region!
Counselors will sit with you at the family-style tables and will help remind you of new mealtime vocabulary, names of foods, and important Arabic phrases like “please pass the…”
Our most popular food items among past villagers include hummus, a dip or spread of cooked, mashed chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic served with pita or fresh vegetables; shawarma, a spit-cooked meat preparation of lamb, chicken or beef; falafel, a deep-fried fritter of chickpeas often served with tahini, a sauce made from ground sesame seeds; and baklava, a dessert pastry made from filo filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey. And of course we serve fresh fruits and vegetables every day. Everything served is delicious and you’ll find yourself craving it once you get home!
If you have food allergies, are vegetarian, or have other special dietary needs, just let us know. The chefs at Al-Wāḥa will be happy to provide authentic and delicious meals that suit your needs, and your counselors will be there to help you.
Before every meal, you will watch a meal presentation to help you learn more about the food you will be eating and the vocabulary for the ingredients.
Arabic Butter Cookies (Ghrybe)
Ghrybe goes great with strong, Arabic coffee.
Makes 36 cookies
1 lbs - Butter
1 cup - Sugar
1 cup - Powdered Sugar
4 cups - Cake Flour
36 count - Whole Blanched Almonds
Place the butter in a mixing bowl and beat with electric mixer for about 10 minutes until butter is white and fluffy. Add the sugars and whip thoroughly. Gradually add the flour. Continue mixing until soft dough is formed. Remove the dough and place it on a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough out into a rope about 1 ½ inches thick. Cut the rope on diagonally into 1 ½ inch pieces to make diamond shapes. Gently press an almond into the center of each diamond and place them onto a baking sheet. Bake in a 300° F oven for 12 minutes. Remove them from the oven, cool and serve.