Cedar honey
Just like any other natural product, there is honey and then there is honey. This one aptly called Cedar honey comes from bees pollinating in one of the Cedar tree Reserves in Lebanon from two thousand-year old trees and more than 550 types of plants and herbs. This honey can...
Read More »
Armenian cuisine by Aline Kamakian, Barbara Drieskens
This coffee-table book was on display at the local bookstore and it sparked my interest immediately, especially after I realized that the author was also co-owner of one of the finest Armenian restaurants in Beirut, Mayrig. What I liked about the book: It is a cookbook with a soul;...
Read More »
Wild herbs in Lebanon
The list of wild herbs is long in Lebanon and this post is just a start. Here Asma, a wonderful Kurdish/Lebanese lady is holding a bunch of wild sage picked up in a forest clearing in a mountain 40 minutes from Beirut. Sage (wild or cultivated) is a great...
Read More »
Stuffed grape leaves
This time of year, grape leaves are perfect: tender, smallish and shiny. They can be used to stuff, can be frozen to use later in the year, or eaten fresh with tabbouleh salad. Here is a classic example that only requires fresh veggies, fresh herbs, fresh grape leaves (for...
Read More »
Armenian tahini galette (Tahinov hatz)
This Armenian specialty is a crispy, flaky, sweet bread that is slathered with tahini and doused in sugar prior to baking. You can make it at home like I did or buy it fresh in the Armenian district (Bourj Hamoud) in Beirut. Click here for the recipe. Bourj Hamoud...
Read More »
Fish in papillote
Even a die-hard cooking aficionado needs a respite; that’s why this technique of cooking fish is so great; first of all, it won’t smell up the kitchen, it takes just minutes to put together, and the results are always superlative. A perfect way to end the workweek. All you...
Read More »
Olives stuffed with cheese
Or how to eat olives and cheese in one bite! Pick a strong goat cheese to offset the pungent taste of the olives; get some pitted olives and a decorating bag with a tiny tube and you can get this fancy appetizer ready in no time! Photo taken from...
Read More »
Soapwort meringue (Natef)
Congratulations to those of you who knew what these roots were! Called shilsh al-halawa or soapwort or Bois de Panama roots , these are used to make natef. Natef is a type of meringue, similar in texture to marshmallow fluff, that is served alongside a semolina and pistachio pastry...
Read More »
Mysterious ingredient in the Lebanese pastry kitchen
Anybody care to guess what this is? And what it is used for?
