INTERNATIONAL: MEZE: MIXED ETHNIC DINNER AT OUR HOME: Mezze and Poutine

We had a meze party at OUR house and added a poutine.

SEE PHOTOS BELOW

·     FIRST WE HAD THE:   Mezze (meze, mezzeh, etc.) platter (Greek, Cypriot, Israeli, Lebanese, Turkish, Balkans*, Iranian, Palestinian, Palestinian territories, Jordanese and Syrian, etc.)  Most of the items were purchased at the super market but the items below marked "homemade" were just that:

o   Tzatziki (homemade)

o   Artichoke Bruschetta

o   Mixed Olive Salad

o   Boars Head Prosciutto

o   Boars Head Genoa Salami

o   Halved Hard Boiled Eggs (homemade)

o   Zesty Greek Couscous Salad (homemade)

o   Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

o   Parmesan & Garlic Herb Chips

o   Mini Baguette Crisps – roasted garlic

o   Pita quarters (home cut but not homemade)

*The Balkan region is mostly inhabited by Slavic ethnic Groups (Bulgarians, Macedonians, Serbs, Croats, Gorani, Montenegrins, Bosniaks, Bunjevci), also by Romanians, Greeks, Turks, Albanians, and other ethnic groups which present minorities in certain countries like Romani people (Gypsies), Aromanians, Ashkali, etc.

LINK TO WIKI on mezze or meze

THEN WE HAD (homemade prepared by my nephew Mark)

Poutine from Quebec, Canada (recipe founded there in the 1950’s). It is popular all over Canada and parts of Northern US now French Fries with gravy and cheese curds (We used Colby jack in place of cheese curds and beef gravy instead of the traditional chicken gravy.)

LINK TO Poutine from WIKI

Want to know more about poutine?  Click on this LINK

We served Ouzo, Wines and Beers, also.

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen in Greensboro NC and Poutine

What we had:

Hot Ham and Havarti Sandwich 

with spicy brown mustard and Creole mayonnaise,

served with hand-cut fries

My photos

Other People’s Poutine (pronounced poo teen)

our fries + cheese curds + brown gravy = sublime

(Didn't know what Poutine was so googled it at restaurant: is from Quebec, Canada)

Also had: Collard Greens (best in Greensboro) and

Creamy Grits

Here is WIKI link:

LINK TO Wiki on Poutine

The portions were large. My friend said the Hot Ham and Havarti Sandwich was very good but that there were too many fries on the plate.

The Poutine was great but the portion was large enough for two people (one plate) if you want sides.  I took a doggie bag home.

The service was excellent, too, as always. 

LINK TO Lucky 32 lunch menu

LINK TO website with great photos and clickable links

After doing research on poutine I found out there is more than one poutine recipe.

LINK TO Huffington Post 10 poutine recipes with slide show

LINK TO Poutine recipe from Emeril Lagasse

NOTE:  About the cheese curds. If you can't find them and I bet you can't, one source said use small chunks or thick slices cut up of mozzarella or other white cheese. However, I believe what I had at Lucky 32 was a mild to sharp cheddar and I think if I made this that is what I would use as I could really taste the cheese & I think that a white cheese would be too bland.  Just my opinion.  The yellow cheese juxtaposed with the gravy and the potatoes.  I would put more sliced green onion tops on top of the dish.