Banning Pork to Prevent Swine Flu?

This is surprising.

Gulfnews
"UAE bans import and sale of pork as a precaution against swine flu"

It's surprising because you don't catch swine flu from eating pork. Nor is the virus transmitted on pork.

It's disconcerting to hear that the medical and municipal authorities don't understand the basic scientific facts related to this issue.

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Krispy Kreme Arabic style

For those of you who wondered how to spell Krispy Kreme in Arabic :) Arabic is so much more fluid and artistic than English script. But the donuts taste the same: very good.

Biryani Muqabla: Like a West Asian "Chili Cookoff"

via GulfNews

In America, a popular culinary community event is a chili cookoff. In Dubai, it's equivalent would be a Biryani Muqabla or Biryani "preparation competition". The Mumtaz Mahal restaurant recently sponsored a muqabla in Dubai that featured 10 finalists from the area.

Biryani is a popular dish of rice, meat, yogurt, and various spices. It originates in the Middle East and the Iran, India, Pakistan region. It comes in endless varieties making it a great candidate for cooking competitions. Biryani is a fantastic meal and I highly recommend that you try some. If you're in the West you'll need to find a good Indian or Iranian resturant. I'd be surprised if you live in Dubai and you've never tried it!