Dol-WHAT? Tin roof! Rusted!

[thebitterguy]

Why is it no one in the UNIVERSE seems to call these the same thing we do in my family! We don't even use the same word as either the Turks or the Egyptians!

It is, by the way, my favourite food in the world. When I go to my parents, there's usually a pot of them on for dinner. They are my "ignore my burning fingers" food. The version most preferred in ACB is grape leaves stuffed with rice, lamb and spices.

In fact, the only time I have ever contemplated doing violence to a friend was when mr_weasel ate too many of the ones I brought back with me from home once. So close he was to my wrath. I nearly took a nap right there in his living room.

Comments

[anidada.livejournal.com]

Oh, I love those. *drool*

[thebitterguy]

They are quite good, but I've never had any as good as my mum's. The leaves are perfectly snug on the rice and lamb after they've been cooking.

Exacting attention to detail, that's my ma'm.

[tfbretz.livejournal.com]

Down here, we call them Dolmas or Dolmades. What do y'all call them?

Also, they are evidence of all that is good and right with the world.

[thebitterguy]

To be honest, I've never known how to spell it. We call it Mashi, with the last syllable sounding like something that would be zji if spelled phoenetically.

[heron61.livejournal.com]

What did you call them?

Regardless of what they are called, they are delicious - a plate of them (filled as you said with rice, lamb, and spices) drizzled with egg & lemon sauce is an absolutely wonderful dinner.

[thebitterguy]

The name we use seems to be a sort of made up family name; I never really learned how to spell it, but it's pronounced mashi, with the last syllable sounding like it might be typed zji phonetically.

We put my mom's jujuk (tzatziki) on it. She always had mint leaves growing in the backyard, so they were always either fresh or dried out in the kitchen.

[optimussven.livejournal.com]

Well at least you call cacık by it's right name. ;-)

[thebitterguy]

Times I wish I'd been less of a stubborn punk and taken the time to learn the language. At least I could stop writin' stuff phonetically all the time.

[viktor-haag.livejournal.com]

I must ashamedly admit that the only word I know for them is "stuffed grape leaves". Thanks for giving me the skinny, Senor Bitter Guy!

(BTW, when you say "either the Turks or the Egyptians" I suppose we can infer that your family is neither Turkish nor Egyptian -- so can we inquire what cultural background you have?)

[thebitterguy]

My background is, in fact, both Turkish and Egyptian.

[electricland.livejournal.com]

ooooh, I love those. I call 'em "stuffed vine leaves" or (on the basis of Greek restaurant menus) "dolmades".

I third or fourth the question -- what do you call 'em?

[indefatigable42.livejournal.com]

Mmm. I've gotten the cold veggie ones from the little falafel restaurant on campus at York. They just have herbed rice in them, and I think maybe there were onions too. I don't remember there being a name on them other than just 'stuffed grape leaves'.

[optimussven.livejournal.com]

hmmm...well Wikipedia (unsurprisingly) is wrong about the Turks. Dolma in Turkish is not used to refer to stuffed grape leaves. The word(s) is actuall yaprak sarması, or more shortly, sarma. dolma is the word used to refer to stuffed peppers/tomatoes/and the like.

[thebitterguy]

Hmmm. The last two syllables of sarması looks close to the name I'm familiar with.

[redeem147.livejournal.com]

My friend's mom made them (she was Greek) and they called them dolmades (I called them yummy grape leaves). Hers were similar to cabbage rolls, with rice and meat stuffing.

[mr-weasel.livejournal.com]

In fact, the only time I have ever contemplated doing violence to a friend was when mr_weasel ate too many of the ones I brought back with me from home once. So close he was to my wrath. I nearly took a nap right there in his living room.

I'm never going to live this down, am I? You could always look at it as a huge compliment to your mom. They were amazing.

[thebitterguy]

Well, it's not like it's an all purpose anecdote. It just was very appropriate to this discussion.