Middle East Peace in a Bottle

It won't solve any religious or policy disputes, but shatta, a hot red pepper sauce used in Palestinian cuisine and having Egyptian origins, might be able to bring people together at the dinner table. I think a lot of hot sauce enthusiasts would agree that this mouth-searing condiment is fantastic. I use the Canary brand of shatta that I found at a local Middle Eastern market. It's great with hummus, pita bread, and Persian cucumbers (but any cucumbers will do).

When I had congestion problems a couple of weeks ago, I prescribed myself some shatta, and the issues cleared up. It sure tastes better than over-the-counter cold meds. Caution: It really is hot; take with a liberal amount of fluids. It's well worth the mouth and stomach burn.