Holy Land Deli

Holy Land Deli in Minneapolis.

Bet you didn’t think you’d see an Arabic sign on a site like this, didja?

The simple fact is that I’m an equal opportunity grazer and in Holy Land Deli I’ve found the best food of its kind in the three continents I’ve stalked about on.

The owners have brought this place from a little storefront just down the road from the current location to a major shopping and eating establishment with two locations. They are also a thriving commercial bakery and producer of hummus and other Middle Eastern treats. Unless I misjudge their business acumen they will be growing much larger in the future.

My wife and I first found the Holy Land Deli over 20 years ago and it’s been fun to watch them grow. If you’ve never had Arab food you’re missing out on something special. I’ve eaten in Arab restaurants in a lot of places (including in Arab countries) and nothing I’ve had anywhere else beats Holy Land for sheer variety of everyday meals cooked with great ingredients and beautiful presentation.

Years ago it was a challenge for the “uninitiated” to order in most Arab restaurants. Who knew what “Fool Maddamas” was, or even what those little green golf balls were (Falafel.) But with Holy Land you can go to the picture laden menu or sample the wares by getting the buffet. I’d recommend the buffet for the newcomer. There is bound to be something there that you will absolutely love.

Once you have the lay of the land, treat yourself (and 3-6 of your friends) to a Sheik’s platter. It is an assortment of dishes that represent some of the best offerings in the restaurant. Most Arab food is “finger food” and you will soon find a new joy in stuffing a piece of pita bread with rice, hummus, curried chicken in yogurt, and small bits of salad.

Make sure you have a pot of Arab Tea with your dinner. The proper way to serve that is to fill the bottom 1/8 of your glass with sugar. Add tea to within an inch of the top and stir. If all the sugar dissolves you don’t have enough sugar. Add sugar until it no longer dissolves and then add a bit more tea. Sounds crazy, eh? But that’s the way to drink it like a regular.

Holy Land is located in both the Midtown Global Market (a smaller version, but still very good) and the home base at 2513 Central Avenue NE, Minneapolis. Both locations have fresh meat and groceries, but the location on Central has a much bigger selection. I can spend a lot of money there if I’m not careful. You will find teas, fruit juices, spices, honey, cookies and different kinds of rice that you simply won’t find anywhere else in the upper Midwest.

Now, what if you aren’t here in Minnesota? It behooves you to make a trip. This place is world class.

I’m being stalked. By children.

I had a blessing today. I was at a new venue for a public appearance and things were a little slow. I was passing the time waiting for my next child to appear when the door opened and four familiar faces came in out of the cold.

At home with friends.

I recognized them immediately: they had taken their pictures with me at Midtown Global Market last year. What a happy coincidence that they were here at my new stop! But I was wrong: they’d sought me out.

It is very humbling to have people enjoy what you do to the extent that they check your website and search for your next appearance. It means a lot to me, and I am truly honored by the fact, that they wanted their girls Christmas photo to be with me, and not another Santa. They came today because with the flu going around they didn’t want to risk the children being sick when the time came to visit at “the usual place.”

It made me smile. And this has been a tough week for me on a personal level. I’ll go into that later in the week. But those four smiles and the general glee of little ones eating french fries with maple syrup (I may have to try it myself) and coming to see me made my day a lot brighter.

And, since you all do basically the same thing as that family, let me thank you for stopping by today and making my day brighter as a writer. (Yeah, it rhymes but it didn’t have to…just happened.) I am blessed to have you here.

The traditional Thanksgiving Guacamole is ready.

Thanksgiving is gone, Santa kicks it into high gear tomorrow. But the day just passed needs to be discussed a bit. First, the guacamole:

thanksguacamole

My wife and I have done a lot of things over the years to celebrate Thanksgiving. One of the best is being welcomed into the homes of our friends Bob and Pat. We’ve spent the last two years with them and their families eating turkey and all the trimmings. But more than the food is the fact that we’ve been accepted into their lives for a special day. And, lest I forget, Christmas as well.

Friends like this surpass any expectations I had as a youth. They remind me that kindness and grace come in all political and economic stripes. They are Godly people with good hearts and I love them dearly.

So, before even the first day of the “new year” for giving thanks has come and gone, I have the first item on my list to be thankful for – Thanksgiving with the Kohl family.

Thanksgiving a quarter century ago.

This morning dawned with a wonderful warm November morning greeting my bleary eyes. It’s almost 50 degrees and I’m safe in my home in Saint Paul, Minnesota. 25 years ago today I was at sea on the U.S.S. Coral Sea some 4600 miles from my place of birth. All things considered, I’ll take Saint Paul. But the story of why I was in France and who I was with is important to me and I’d like to tell you that tale this morning. So go grab that second cup of coffee and make yourself comfortable. The tale continues below the fold. Continue reading