Ibrahim’s shop
Lots of Lebanese (like myself) remember the days when most of the daily’s veggies and fruits were bought from a cart vendor passing by; my grandmother would lower her basket, get the merchandise (basket was reeled to the fourth floor), inspect it, then negotiate a price with the merchant...
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Guacamole
This guacamole is my son Nick’s recipe; after a lifetime spent eating Burger King’s burgers (to my great despair) he is now, at 22, a born-again vegan; could not be happier about the news, actually. This guacamole is Lebanese-inspired because instead of the usual cilantro, he used purslane (aka...
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Rosto
This dish used to be my aunt’s specialty; the key is the quality of the meat (called habra in Lebanon), it needs to be completely fat-free and without any sinews or nerves. You can use lamb (from the leg), beef (loin) or turkey or even chicken. The meat is...
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Cherry stem tea
While you are enjoying this bowl of cherries, why not keep the stems? Later on the stems will make you a mild-tasting detox tea, a laxative and excellent for the treatment of urinary tract infections and (or) bloating. You can also combine this tea with some green tea if...
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Cherry clafoutis
For years, I was told we could not grow cherries in our mountain orchard; something about the altitude, or the birds or something else was a definite hurdle; well, just a few days ago, Salah, our beloved orchard manager, said he had something to show me and produced...
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Mulberry jam
Mulberry season is in for a short while here in Lebanon. Sweet as can be (especially the purple variety), these little berries can be preserved into jams or syrups. Full of fiber too, these are the ideal fruit for breakfast. INGREDIENTS: 1 pound of mulberries 3 cups of sugar...
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Eggplant merchant in Sidon souk
He was calling out the crowd in Sidon’s ancient souk: ” Albak abyad ya aswad!” “Albak abyad ya aswad!” Eggplant is called betenjane in Arabic but in Lebanese it goes by aswad, which is black in Arabic. The rhyme can be translated into the following: Your heart is white...
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Zucchini and pita hash (Treedeh)
Zucchini (called koossa) is such a beloved vegetable in these parts that it has given rise to many dishes, some elaborate, some simple and rustic like this treedeh. In this treedeh, the pulp of the zucchini alone is used (after coring them for stuffing purposes). I say use the...
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Zaatar kaak
What goes by kaak is usually either a dry bread or roll or a biscuit, more often than not covered with sesame seeds. This kaak includes some zaatar in the batter and is savory and can be made in a jiffy in a mixer or processor. Perfect for something...
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