Shukshuka: A Little Love from the Middle East

Shukshuka; A Little Love from the Middle East

Late morning, July 4th. Consumed by fatigue, dehydration and light headiness brought on by a lack of sustenance. Racked by the din of mixing mixers, a churning ice cream maker and the pumping beat of Crazy Penis, a subtle knock on the door. A peep through the peep hole revealed none other other than our man from Tel Aviv, the architect of better living, the father of two and a half, Dedy.

I opened the door, and with outreached arms he offered up the best thing to come out of the Middle East since the pizza bagel. Behold Shukshuka, a balanced mixture of tomatoes, onions, peppers, spices and herbs that is completed by a special buried surprise in the form of an egg with yoke intact. A side of houmous and a piece of perfectly grilled bread rounded out this moment of divine intervention. A simple dish, a simple gesture to savor and celebrate.

How I brought myself to share this bounty with Natasha is beyond me, but I did bite for bite. It was just enough satisfaction and energy to keep us going until our 4th of July all-American pork fest on the terrace. Just another example of our building being the gastronomic heart of Brooklyn. What a country, what a building, what a dish.