Dates
The market stalls in Beirut are offering dates this time of year; all kinds of dates. Some are imported from the Gulf countries, some are local. I love to start my day with a few dates in the morning. What about you? To enjoy dates when fresh but still...
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Halvah toffee (Tabtab al-janna)
If you are a fan of halvah, you will like this candy. While halvah is nearly impossible to make in a home kitchen, this is not. Only three ingredients required: Sugar, tahini and flour. Flavored with cardamom. INGREDIENTS: 1 1/2 cups of sugar 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour 1/2...
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The healthiest fruit in the world
These are jujube fruits; they taste like apples and they are so full of nutrients and vitamins this title is well-deserved, (albeit emphatic). Available in fruit stalls here in Lebanon, they can also be found in the US and elsewhere in organic markets, Middle-Eastern stores, Chinese and other...
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Eggplant stems stew
The stems are the most delicious part of the eggplant, yet they get discarded; this stew does not! Throw in the stems (after washing them) in the pot and let them cook alongside the veggies and meat (if using). You will be rewarded with tender, full of silky meat...
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Lebanese garden
This is what you could be seeing if you took a (very quick) tour of a garden in a Lebanese mountain village this time of year. The photos were taken at sunset, people were hunting nearby (even though they are supposed to be at least 500 meters away), so...
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Desert rose (Rose des sables)
Growing up I was fascinated with a beautiful rock that was on display on a glass shelf at home; my mother had brought it back from one of her trips; it had fine pointed edges and it was called rose des sables (desert rose). It looked like a...
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Buckwheat crêpe
I am spending a few days in the South of France and the landscape around us is eerily similar to Lebanon’s. Everywhere you turn there are hills covered in greenery and then there is the seascape far away. One thing that surprised me is to find buckwheat crêpe offered...
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Socca
I am in Nice for a few days visiting my friend Anne-Marie and of course I had to have socca. Socca is this fluffy light savory thin pancake made with chickpea flour, water and olive oil and eaten as a street food in the old part of Nice...
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Purslane turnovers (Fatayer bel-bakleh)
Fatayer as they are called here belong to the category of savory pastries and can be found at every corner bakery in Beirut and throughout Lebanon. Their taste and quality varies, of course. You can make them with store-bought dough, even frozen biscuit dough in a can; or you...
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