Jordan is located in the region we in the U.S. consider the Levant. This region is comprised of Jordan, Syria, Palestine, and Lebanon. Together they share a similar natural environment, history, a dialect of Arabic, and many of the bases of their cuisine. In the U.S., it would be very difficult to find a Jordanian restaurant specifically, but there are quite a few restaurants that specialize in Levantine food. Despite all of their similarities, Jordan does have its own national dishes that are different from its neighbors: Mansaf and Maqluba. As I am beginning my journey, I have already gotten to try so many amazing dishes, and even took a cooking class to learn to make Maqluba!
My first day in the country started by trying shawarma, which has thin slices of chicken or lamb inside a flatbread wrap with a variety of vegetables. Shawarma is one of my favorite foods that I have tried.
Traditionally in Jordanian culture, lunch is the most important meal of the day. Lunch is served later in the day here, with most restaurants having lunch hours from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and with many people waiting until they get home from work to eat lunch. Because of this, breakfast is heavier than in the US.
