I am married to a man whose ancestors were the first Middle Eastern settlers in the Indianapolis area. When I married him, I don't know that I'd ever tried hummus, nor would I have been able to feel secure in my pronunciation ordering a gyro at a state fair (is it "guy-ro", "yee-ro", "gee-ro"?). Five years later, I love anything and everything Mediterranean. Chad's family is Lebanese, and when that side of the family gets together, there will inevitably be at least three dishes that would never have been in my family meals growing up. But how can you go wrong with briny, salty, crunchy flavor bombs in your mouth? You can't. That's my opinion. For me, Memorial Day is the quintessential holiday. No gifts are needed or desired, so you can celebrate without selfishly wondering if you're going to get something, and financially wondering how to pay for it. It's not Thanksgiving, which I also love, but frequently feel eaters' remorse for; it's not the fourth of July, which is also one of … [Read more...]