Now I've discovered Dubai, my book is in Dubai......so what's missing? 
Friends in Dubai! 
This is where BeingShe came into my life!

BeingShe is a women’s organization committed to empowering women, facilitating their transformation, and guiding them to channel their innate drive and passion. Founder Aparna Bajpai believes that every woman anywhere in the world has the ability to build her own castle, she just needs the support, recognition and empowerment to move forth. 

So after the Sharjah Bookfair (actually on my way to the airport), I stopped in at the BeingShe office to meet Aparna and her staff, to see if they would be a good fit for me!  I found there a supportive, safe environment where I could openly share my journey. 
YES!!  I wanted to be part of this community!

BeingShe has given me a kind of homebase in Dubai. Connection. Shared resources and support. The networking possibilities have been endless and have provided me with encouragement and guidance along the way. 

Aparna has especially inspired me to hold my head high and not give up.
"Be proud of who you are, get comfortable in your own skin, and share your true self with others"  

​And so, I was proud to be among the 40 women of excellence that received the BeingShe Excellence Award 2023.  A luxury ceremony at Dubai's Museum of the Future honored achievements in the arts, business, corporate,  philantrophy, wellness and media. This red carpet event also unveiled the "BeingShe Excellence Icons", a special collector's edition book showcasing all the winners!


 

​www.beingshe.com/

The first meeting I had with the U.A.E. was in 2022 at the Sharjah Bookfair.  I had no idea what I would find there, but it sure seemed interesting, so I signed up online and boarded a plane for Dubai.  My first time.

And the rest is history. I was completely overwhelmed!  I found myself in the middle of a dynamic, innovative and inspiring celebration of books!  I had previously connected with a couple booksellers that agreed to sell my book in their stalls, and I was SO grateful for their help. In short, I had the time of my life, and the networking would prove to be valuable in the future. Two days after I left, I came down with COVID!  I should have worn a mask.

Dubai is both a city and emirate (state) within the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The UAE is a nation in the Middle East situated on the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and Dubai is its largest and most populous city. Once a small fishing village, today Dubai is one of the wealthiest and most developed cities in the world!

​Out of the 3.6 million people that live in Dubai more than 90% are expatriates, making it a truly international city.  This makes a unique blend of cultures that includes more than 200 nationalities, a rich blend of traditions and experiences.  And although Arabic is the official U.A.E. language,  English is most commonly spoken in Dubai. 

In 2023, Dubai was the third most visited city in the world, making the Dubai International Airport the world's busiest ! Tourists enjoy Dubai's gorgeous beaches, extravagant shopping, year-round sunshine, and super low crime rate.  Dubai is undoubtedly one of the most unique cities in the world.


 

In Ethiopia, coffee is a way of life!  Ethiopians have been drinking coffee from the earliest times.  But they aren't the only place with a strong coffee culture. All over the globe, coffee-lovers are consuming and preparing coffee in different ways!

For instance, Italy gave the world the terms that have become universal in coffee ordering:
americano
cappuccino
espresso
latte
macchiato
mocha
latte
Italy also has some of the oldest operating cafes in the world.

The Netherlands boasts "koffie verkeert" or "coffee wrong", a cafe au lait served in a glass cup.

Vietnamese coffee is made in a personal drip pot and served with sweetened condensed milk.

In Australia, quality wins over quantity!  The Austrailian silky shiny latte makes coffee-making an art with perfectly frothed milk.  Starbucks didn't survive for long in Australia!

In India, coffee culture is a relatively new thing!  The Indians usually drank their coffee with milk so the quality of the coffee wasn't so important, as the milk masqued it's flavor.  Indains start their day with a big tumbler of strong filter coffee with boiled milk and sugar added.

In Turkey, coffee grounds are boiled and served black and bubbly in ornate cups!

Cuba has "Cortodito", a sweetened espresso with seamed milk.

Korean coffee consumption is on the rise!  Coffee didn't arrive there until 1896 when King Gojong first tried it and spread the word.  A popular coffee in Korea is called "Dalgona", a cold latte with a sweet, bitter coffee foam on top.

Here is a collection of artwork depicting the Ethiopian buna coffee ceremony.  I regret that I can't give credit to the artists as I don't know their sources.  
​Enjoy!

Teff is the main ingredient for preparing injera, the popular Ethiopian fermented flatbread.  It is a healthy wheat alternative that is high in resistant starch, a newly-discovered type of dietary fiber that can benefit blood sugar, colon health and weight loss.

Teff is an ancient species of grass native to Ethiopian/Eritrea, that is cultivated for it's edible seed and usually made into flour.  These seeds are about the size of a poppy seed but are packed full of fiber and calcium. 

Most Teff is grown in Eastern Africa, but the State of Idaho produces some of the best quality Teff in the world! 

 Teff Seed Bread
Author: Chef Christina Murray
Serves: 2 loaves
 
Ingredients

• 2 cups unsalted sunflower seeds (see note)
• ½ cup unsalted pistachios (see note)
• 2 cups gluten-free oats
• 2 cups hemp hearts
• ½ cup chia seeds
• ½ cup roasted sesame seeds
• ½ cup Maskal Teff® ivory flour
• ½ cup Maskal Teff® brown flour
• 2 tablespoons golden flaxseed, ground
• 2 ¼ teaspoons salt (see note)
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 2 ½ cup water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread sunflower seeds and pistachios evenly on a baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes or until golden and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, hemp hearts, chia seed, sesame seeds, teff flours, and golden flax. Add cooled, toasted sunflower seeds and pistachios and salt.
3. In a separate container mix together olive oil, maple syrup, and water.
4. Gradually drizzle the liquid over the dry ingredients. Gently fold until well combined.
5. Divide between 2 parchment-lined loaf pans, and place both on a baking sheet.
6. Bake for 30 minutes and then gently flip loaves out onto the baking sheet.
7. Bake for another 25-35 minutes or until golden brown. Best stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator or freezer, for optimal freshness.

lick here to edit.

​A jebena is the elegant Ethiopian/Eritrean coffee pot that makes and serves coffee in the traditional buna  ceremony (in Eritrea it's bun).
The Jebena is usually made out of clay, wide-bottomed with a long, narrow neck and a handle where the neck connects with the base.  
The Ethiopian jebena has a pouring spout while the Eritrean variety pours from the opening on the top.
When the coffee boils up through the jebena's neck, it is poured in and out of another container to cool it. The liquid is then poured back into the jebena until it bubbles up. 
 When the coffee is poured, a strainer, often made of horsehair, is put inside the neck to keep the coffee grounds from escaping. 
The result is dark, somewhat bitter, piping hot coffee.  And, remember, jebena buna is never drunk alone! 

Injera and Wat

Ethiopian cuisine is best known for the sourdough flatbread called injera. Injera is about 20 inches in diameter and made from fermented teff flour. Teff is called the world's smallest grain and is unique to Ethiopia. No Gluten !!  

But what is injera without wat?  Wat is the hot, spicy stew that is served on top of the injera.  There are lots of different varieties of wat: chicken, beef, lamb, vegetarian, lentils or ground split peas. If you order the restaurant's variety plate, you'll be sure to get a few kinds. Eat it with your fingers by tearing off a piece of injera and dipping it in the wat.​

Shiro:
Shiro might look like slop, but it's amazing!  Made with chickpea or bean puree', it's a vegetarians delight.  With added onion, garlic, and whatever spices are used in that region,  this simple dish  comes alive.

Gomen Kitfo:
For another vegetarian delicacy, gomen kitfo is made from collard greens that are boiled, dried, and then chopped and served with butter, chili peppers, and spices.

Tibs:
 There are many varieties of this dish depending on the type and size of cuts of meat used, but it's basically meat and vegetables saute'ed together.  Like in many Ethiopian dishes, the main spice used in tibs is berbere, a combination of powered chili pepper, cumin, coriander, and cardamon.
​