MUCH has been heard about the current political state of Syria but the people and culture at its heart will quite rightly take centre stage in Colchester this weekend.
A Syrian pop-up cafe will take up residence in the Firstsite gallery, serving up a range of delicious Middle Eastern delicacies from its main dish of Koushari through to mint tea and baklava.
The venture is the brainchild of Refugee Action - Colchester, which has supported ten families since they arrived in Colchester from Syria this year.
It provides small grants to refugees and asylum seekers which can support them in getting important advice or documents, a new home or a much-needed item. 
Maria Wilby, of Refugee Action, explains the idea is to showcase the talents of those from the families who have undertaken the necessary hygiene courses needed in order to run a kitchen.
“The idea is that they will be able to use that in order to work and this will give them a wonderful opportunity to work in a proper professional kitchen for the first time.
“They have been working with local chefs and now they are ready to go and not only get the experience of working in a kitchen but also earn their own money,” explains Maria.
She says Firstsite has offered a huge amount of support and the chance to work in their kitchens means they can produce a huge amount of food with the aim of serving around a thousand or more dishes over the two day period.
“Sally Shaw, director at Firstsite and Stuart Tulloch, head of programme, have been amazing. 
“And Gee Vaucher, the artist who is currently exhibiting at the gallery, invited us to have the café during her introspective as her work reflects on loss and grief and matters pertinent to the refugee crisis.”
She says the pop-up cafe is a perfect opportunity for people to learn more about Syria.
“Quite often all people are getting are these awful images of bombing and destruction on the news night after night so this is a wonderful chance to learn something new,” adds Maria.
Among the delicacies on offer are the star-shaped koushari, one of the main dishes eaten in the Syrian capital of Damascus.
Maria explains it is something eaten across the Middle East but the Syrian version is slightly different.
“A lot of people have been in touch on Facebook after hearing about the cafe, saying they can’t wait to have the koushari as they have experienced it whilst being in the Middle East but this version is a bit different and has a wonderful distinctive flavour.
“It is classic street food really and there are also soups, drinks, desserts and mezze which gives you a chance to try a lot of different flavours,” she adds.
Apricot juice leads the way for drinks on the menu, made from sun-dried apricot and a favourite in Syria and many Arab nations.
It is especially popular during the month of Ramadan to end the day’s fast and is known as ‘Amarudin’ in Arabic which literally translates as ‘Faith’s Moon’
As a starter the pop-up cafe’s menu has Syrian lentil soup, a favourite in many cuisines but with added lemon juice, cumin spice and a sprinkle of the tangy, lemony spice sumac giving it a distinctive Middle Eastern flavour.
Also on the menu is humous, vegetarian kebbeh, which is usually a meat-based deep-fried patty but has been adapted for non meat-eaters, and giant couscous.
The Syrian capital of Aleppo is famous for its pistachio trees which Maria says are often talked of among the families now living in Colchester.
“They miss hearing the soft popping sound of pistachio kernels as they ripen inside,” she explains.
So they have come up with a winter salad featuring pearls of giant couscous, roasted butternut squash, pistachio, cranberries, drizzled with a pomegranate molasses dressing and sprinkled with coriander and mint.
The Koushari, which is a combination of lentils and pasta cooked in tamarind and dressed with fresh pomegranate, fried onion, coriander, garlic, croutons and drizzled with pomegranate molasses is the main dish on offer, followed up by the pastry-based Baklava with a middle layer of nuts and topped with a rose water and cardamom syrup for dessert.
Diners can opt for individual dishes or dive into a three-course meal and drink featuring the soup, kebbeh, cous cous salad and baklava for £9.50 or a Syrian afternoon tea of two cups of tea and three pieces of baklava for £5.50.
Maria says it was important to them to keep the prices reasonable so individually the most expensive is the main course at £4 per dish.
“It really is such a great opportunity to have a wonderful Syrian meal at a very good price and to find out a bit more about the community and culture.
“We really hope it is something we will be able to do again,” she adds.
* The pop-up cafe is at Firstsite from 10.30am to 4pm on Saturday December 3 and Sunday 4.