Afghanistan: Silk Road Dining

By JULIETTE ROSSANT Super Chef recommends to readers the National Gallery of Art's new show: Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul. This exhibition is a rare chance to see works of art dating from the 3rd Century BC to the 2nd Century AD. Courageous Afghanis risked their lives to preserve these treasures of the National Museum during Taliban rule. The exhibit runs May 25 through September 7, 2008. Frederick Hiebert, curator of the National Gallery of Art's new show, talked to Super Chef about Afghani Cuisine: My Harvard Professor Louis Dupree gave a lecture called "From Whence Cometh Pasta?" You know the Afghan dish mantu? Anyone who has eaten ravioli or pasta has tried Afghan Cuisine. What is Afghani Cuisine? It's much like here in the US. We have French, Italian, and Chinese Restaurants. Afghanistan is the same. There is a lot of influence from China, India, and the West. We should not limit our conception of Afghanistan to wars of the 20th and 21st centuries but to centuries of trade between civilizations along the Silk Road. The National Gallery's cafes are serving Afghan food – the West Building's Garden Café will be Garden Café: Silk Road from May 25 through September 7th. Super Chef sampled some of the regional cuisine including: kebab degi (lamb chops, onion, and mint), created by chef Nasrullah Malang of Bamian Restaurant in Falls Church, VA tataki mashawa (seared tuna and five-bean salad) by chef Tim Elliott of Mie N Yuin Washington, DC kebab-e-murgh (chicken kebab with coriander chutney) by chef David Rogers of Restaurant Associates at the National Gallery of Art The East Building Terrace Café and the Cascade Café on the Concourse will also offer Silk Road–inspired items. But before you eat, visit the exhibition. Here are a few of Super Chef's favorite pieces: The Greeks of the ancient kingdom of Bactria in Northern Afghanistan seem to have longed for seafood, as this pair of dolphin clasps may indicate: Any modern-day chef or cook would kill for serving dishes like this one: A chef might even consider hanging up his/her toque to trade up for this shiny hat: If you are in Washington DC on Sunday, May 25, then take your children to the opening day of the exhibit. Here is the program: Film: Lost Treasures of Afghanistan 11:30 AM Concert: Tradtional Afghan Music (PDF) 1:00 PM Lecture: Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum (PDF), Kabul 2:00 PM Concert: Afghan Children's Songbook (PDF) 4:00 PM If you can't make the opening, you've got all summer to come see. Previous articles: Forest of Fontainbleau at the National Gallery of Art Food Forever: Pieter Claesz Food in Painting: Kenneth Bendiner Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging --> back to Super Chef