White Coffee (Ahweh Bayda)
When we would have people over or if we were at somebody’s house, inevitably the question would pop up “anybody care for white coffee?” White coffee is simply a beverage that is usually offered after a meal in lieu of regular coffee, for those people who do not care...
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Flatbread with kishk (Man’ooshe bel-kishk)
The flatbread in this recipe is a specialty of the druze community in the Shouf area of Lebanon. It uses a very traditional product named keshk (or Kishk). This was prepared by Lebanese folks as part of the provisions for the winter season. What is keshk? It is simply a...
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Spiced Fish (Samke Harra)
This is a dish that hails from Tripoli, Lebanon’s Northern port city, but is loved by everyone in the country and beyond. It is a show stopping dish. It is usually reserved for special occasions. Perfect for a buffet. It can be eaten warm or at room temperature and can...
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Tahini roll (Tahinov Hatz)
There is a large Armenian community living in Lebanon. The Armenians moved to Lebanon in the beginning of last century to escape persecution and massacres. I had several Armenian friends growing up in Beirut. There are neighborhoods in the city where Armenians tend to live and go about their...
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Poached Apples in confetti jelly
There was a time when I thought my calling was in pastry arts. I baked a lot, entire cookbooks. I took classes. I even sold some of my cookies and would send dozens to my brother who was single and living in California. Now, I still love the creativity...
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Stuffed Eggplants with yogurt sauce (Sheikh al-mehshi be-laban)
In Lebanese cuisine, there is only one sheikh. The Almighty Eggplant. After sampling this recipe you will understand why. Truth be told, it deserves the title. Whether prepared with tomatoes or yoghurt sauce, it always comes out unbelievably exquisite, melting in your mouth, silken in texture, well, just plain...
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Spice Tea (Meghli chai)
In Lebanon, there is an enduring tradition. When someone bears a boy, a spice pudding calledmeghliis made and distributed to all the neighbors and relatives. When my son was born, about twenty years ago, my mother went into a frenzy cooking that pudding and produced a huge vat of...
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Bread rings with sesame seeds and mahlab (ka’ak)
These bread rings are as ubiquitous in the Lebanese food landscape as chips in the American one. They are dry and crisp, perfect for a little pick-me-up on the go. If you belong to the category of people who like to crunchcrunchcrunch when eating, then this is for you!...
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Eggs with sumak and fried potatoes (Bayd bel-sumak u batata)
In Lebanon, eggs are made a meal by and of itself. Eggs are not found in desserts, for example. Eggs are combined with different vegetables to make a country-style meal. Baked in an earthenware bowl, eaten with some pita bread , they make a glorious and simple dish. In...
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