This is a pop-up dinner fundraiser for Spreadin’ Cheese. Spreadin’ Cheese is fundraising to start an artisan cheese company in Ethiopia called “Agere Cheese”. Agere cheese is a social development project. It is social development by Ethiopians, rather than for Ethiopians. Liam & Jackie(founders of Spreadin’ Cheese) see themselves as project facilitators rather than project leaders. People are at the heart of the project. And there are so many people to meet, connections to make, stories to hear, meals to share. It is a journey of discovery, and we’re excited for you to join us.

WHAT’S FOR DIN?

A Middle Eastern Odyssey

The spread: 

Cucumber salad (Morocco, Levant, Iran)

This is the salad that seems to follow you around no matter where you go in the middle east/ North Africa, and a perfect one for summer. A simple salad of chopped cucumber, tomato, onion, olive oil, lemon and herbs.

Beet hummus (Kurdish Iraq)

A kurdish twist on the traditionally levantine staple. Creamy chickpea hummus flavored with roasted beets.

Kashk bademjan (Iran)

A delicious eggplant paste made of roasted eggplant, caramelised onion, walnuts, housemade fermented yoghurt paste (called kashk), topped with dried mint oil, fried onions and Iranian cranberries. 

Tabbouleh (Palestine/lebanon/syria) 

A classic parsley salad with onion, olive, tomatoes and lemon.

Homemade Zaatar (Palestine)

A simple mix of oregano, sumac, sesame, thyme and other spices to sprinkle on the rest of your food.

Labneh with roasted carrots (Levant)

Thiccc homemade yoghurt with garlic, herbs, and lemon. Topped with honeyed roasted carrot. 

Ghormeh Sabzi (Iran)

The dish that every Iranian says is their favorite. Lamb fried with herbs, dried limes and then stewed with beans

Stonefruit fesenjan (Iran)

Chicken and summer fruit with pomegranate, walnuts and caramelized onions, another one of the quintessential Iranian foods

Buttered rice (Iran)

One of the Iranian favorites is simply cooked long grained rice with a good dollop of butter… simply delicious. Great with the stews. 

Beghrir (Moroccan semolina pancakes)

No Middle eastern feast would be complete without bread. Here we have honeycomb-like semolina crumpets from Morocco. 

Khobz (Moroccan bread)

A crusty and fluffy boi to mop up all the extra sauces and bits and pieces.

D-Sert

Kanafeh (The version from Nablus, Palestine)

A  truly wonderful desert, perhaps my favorite of all time. This may be the last dinner, but let this be our parting gift to you. Sweet and salty cheese base with a semolina topping, with pistachio and fragrant sugar syrup.