Braiding onions
Moallem Philippe, as he is called (moallem in Arabic means “master” or “teacher”) is a Lebanese farmer who is helping us out with our orchard; a seasoned farmer with over 50 years of expertise in mountain agriculture, I asked him what he was up to: ” I am going...
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Potato salad
Two people in the last 24 hours have had a similar answer to my question: What is the appeal of Lebanon for you? A 24-year old Dutch man answered: “I love the warmth of the people; and I enjoy watching the crazy driving“. A 50 year-old French man said:...
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Turkish coffee
Whoever thinks that money is an essential ingredient for happiness has not met Elie, the owner of REEL, internet café in Deir el-Qamar, Lebanon. I have always known Elie as a rather quiet, serious person; one night, I noticed a small coffee machine and asked him about it; his...
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Red Pepper and cheese flatbread
For every Lebanese expat, there is always the fond recollection of buying a kaak from a cart vendor, having him fill it up with zaataror picon cheese and savoring its crunchy, sesame-laden goodness on the go. Ever-enterprising Lebanese have now commercialized this street food and one can stop at...
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Broad beans in basil dressing
Here is the breakdown of our mountain residence household by nationality: mom and dad, Lebanese (2); cousins, Danish (6); moi, son and daughter, American (3); son’s buddy and co-worker, Dutch (1); staff, Filippino (3); gardener, Egyptian (1); brother, wife and kids, French/Lebanese (4). As a result of this convoluted...
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Bulgur pilaf with zucchini and green beans(Madfoonet bel koossa)
I left the house today at 2PM; I knew that Elie, owner of the internet café closes shop till 5PM due to lunch and siesta. I got in the car and drove the winding mountain roads, hoping for a lit internet sign somewhere. I am now sitting in a...
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Fig balls
In the summer when we trade the noise of Beirut for mountain noise, here is what we get: A rooster announcing his activity several times during the day starting at 5 AM; coyotes howling plaintively in the valley at 11 PM nightly; daily fireworks for reasons ranging from the...
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Rice pudding with geranium leaves (Muazzabeh)
Geraniums are very popular in Lebanon; even the most modest home will adorn its doorsteps or balcony with a pot filled with these cheerful flowers; as a kid, I would secretly pluck the petals of our potted geraniums with a girlfriend: the idea was to blot them onto...
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Wild Zaatar salad
Wild zaatar, aka zaatar barrey or wild, is a variety of zaatar (oregano) found on the Lebanese countryside; not to be confused with the zaatar mix sold in stores as a dry spice mixture; this zaatar is eaten with chopped onions and olive oil as a mezze item; pungent...
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