Fuel and food costs put Syria’s beloved makdous tradition out of reach

LONDON: Every fall, Syrian households would spend days preparing makdous, a preserve meant to carry the season’s abundance into winter. But after more than a decade of war and economic collapse, the pantry staple has become a delicacy. Families traditionally gather in September and October to boil and salt baby eggplants, stuff them with walnuts, garlic and chili, then submerge them in olive oil a