Iftars

On the third day in Abu Dhabi, the holy month of Ramadan started. This month, marked with a new moon cycle, starts a month of fasting from sunrise to sunset. During the daylight hours nothing should consumed, drank or smoked. There is no eating, no drinking water and no chewing gum in public. People generally wake up around 3 Am to eat some food and then continue on to not eat anything until sundown. When the sun officially sets, the IFTAR begins. Iftar is the Arabic word for the feast after the breaking of the nightly Ramadan fast. We have been very fortunate that MASDAR has provided us with Iftar buffets for the first week so we can truly experience the event. After we arrive to the restaurant, we have to wait carefully until the evening prayer begins. As all of you probably know me, waiting to eat at dinner time is nothing I can do easily, especially when there are loads of foods and deserts just waiting for me 20 feet away. But then you realize that the students who do celebrate Ramadan can last all day without eating. Maybe it is possible to wait those extra 15 minutes…

The provided food was very very good. Some of the best hummus I have ever eaten. The basic layout of the buffets consists of the following:
- Appetizers of salads, dips, dates, hummus, and flatbread
- Main courses of various meats (lamb, chicken, beef) with spiced rices
- Lots of fresh fish (since we are right on the coast of the Persian Gulf)
- Kebobs of chicken, lamb and beef
- Deserts consisting of egg custard, cakes, and many others I have a hard time naming

Below we have a common Iftar plate consisting of bread, rice, slow cooked veggies, veal in the middle and pigeon. Yes, I ate Pigeon.........

From Downtown Abu Dhabi

I must say, I was very satisfied by all of these buffets. I honestly think I gained a few pounds over the week.