Slow Food Community - A New Strategy

Today I received this important mail from Slow Food International. This initiative opens up new challenges for Slow Food Beirut, which I am heading presently. I spoke to founder and president Carlo Petrini about this new strategy, "Slow Food is not an elitist association, it should be open to all". I agree and will do everything to spread the word.

This is a period of radical change within the Slow Food movement all around the world.

The 2017 Congress in Chengdu (China) announced our aim to revolutionize the basis of our organization, making it less formal and more inclusive. We want to involve all of the people, groups, organizations, and communities that help to spread the Slow philosophy and carry forward our global projects, including Slow Food Gardens, Presidia, the Ark of Taste, Farmer’s Markets, and global campaigns.

The recently approved proposal is to move beyond the convivium model and create another form of grassroots organization: the Slow Food Community!

The International Council in Nairobi in June 2018 launched a transitional phase that will last until the autumn of 2020, when the global Slow Food network will meet for its next Congress.

It doesn’t mean that convivia doesn’t exist anymore, but that we have 2 years to think about how concretize this transition towards a new model.

WHY ADOPT SUCH A CHANGE? WHAT IS A SLOW FOOD COMMUNITY AND HOW DOES IT WORK? HOW TO START?

A Slow Food Community is a group of people that shares the values of the international movement and commits itself, in accordance with the Founding Declaration, to pursuing Slow Food's objectives, vision, and actions.

Please start by advising other members in your area (by email, WhatsApp, Facebook, etc.) adapt and share this message with all the relevant contacts!


At Terra Madre Salone del Gusto, time will be dedicated to further explanation, brainstorming, and sharing ideas and experiences from the global network.


I’m also honored to introduce you to Barbara Massaad (en cc), Beirut convivium leader, international counselor for Slow Food in Middle East. Do not hesitate to contact her and exchange about a global strategy for the area!

We look forward to hearing from you.

Oum Ali - A Saj Story

Oum Ali, in her native village Majdalzoum, baking saj bread

This is Oum Ali! I have known her for so many years. She is a wonderful woman who has inspired me and so many others. She is a fighter and has a beautiful story to share. Watch her short film, produced by Slow Food Beirut with film maker Nay Aoun (funded by USAID). The best way to tell a story these days is through video animation. This video is very special, as it portrays a small scale food producer, who against all odds, made a name for herself in Lebanon and around the world.

I live in my bubble in Lebanon, meaning I choose to see a facet that really matters to me. I have chosen to dedicate my life's work to promote such good people because finally they represent the real Lebanon. Authentic people from different communities who share the values of good, clean and fair foods. They express themselves through sharing the foods of their ancestors to keep our culinary heritage alive.

Oum Ali, is a mother, then she is a food producer... and that has made us connect in a special way. We understand the value of family and cook to express our love. The love does not have boundaries, as food is shared to all who have a deep respect for its significance. She has a big heart and will stay hours explaining why she chooses to cook or bake in a certain way. Generosity at its best.

Throughout my journey, the meeting of such good people has made all the difference. And it is important for me to share all that I have learned or have experienced with them... for I also believe that it is by giving to others that one can find true happiness in this world.

Enjoy!

For the Love of Thyme: The Man who Cultivates Lebanon's Wild Herb

Mohammad Ali Neimeh, better known as Abu Kassem’s life revolves around zaatar, the wild thyme of Lebanon. During the Israeli occupation of South Lebanon, he needed to change the way thyme grows, out of fear he would be shot or shelled trying to get to his plants. The changes that he implemented have seen huge changes in the way that thyme is grown now in Lebanon. This is his story. 

Please watch this beautiful short film uploaded on our website www.slowfoodbeirut, generously donated by Nay Aoun.We, as Lebanese, are proud of our zaatar and Abou Cassem in an example of why. Let us know what you think and please share.

Boutique Wines and 209 Lebanese Wine

Very interesting article about 209lebanesewine and boutique wines in Lebanon. Selim Yasmine is a good friend. We have been touring wineries in Lebanon for months and have discovered many amazing varieties, including the good people who work with passion to make the wine in different regions in Lebanon. Many lessons of life were learned, including lessons in wine tasting and appreciation. We continue the tour beginning of January to reach all wineries to build a strong relationship with each and everyone of them to better promote their work and our Lebanese wine heritage. Online Distributor Spreads Boutique Lebanese Wines

Watch Maher Harb of Sept Winery: https://www.instagram.com/p/BWQE5fUDRby/?taken-by=barbaramassaad

Maher Harb and Selim Yasmine

I'm Back to Blogging ...

Did you miss me?


I've been really busy, but all good... Part of growing, evolving, continuing my path. You work hard, you get results. You wish for things and sometimes they actually do come true (stars are aligned to meet your goals in a given time - It's always about timing!).

Today I am finally settled in our mountain house after a hectic winter. The good thing about this winter is that I met a wonderful person, Selim Yasmine, who founded a company called www.209lebanesewine.com. I called him, not knowing him, and suggested we go on a tour to visit all the wineries of Lebanon. He agreed, and the journey started. We got along very well, as we are both very passionate about the subject. Since then, it's been quite an adventure. I am learning so much, meeting amazing people and discovering the wines of my country.
So I have set another goal for myself: that is to work on educating people of my country about wine and terroir, while I learn simultaneously myself. (I don't and won't pretend to be a connoisseur, but definitely, one who appreciates the experience of wine tasting and luckily I have a developed a palate with all my food experiences and travels, so this has helped to elevate my wine tasting experience).
About books: I have published four books so far: The journey started with Manoushe! The book is doing very well. It was published in the USA with Interlink publishers (4th edition to date). It is now available in soft copy too... The Mouneh book ran out of stock in Lebanon. Not one copy is available in the market, luckily Interlink publishers will publish the book in fall 2017 in the USA. A limited amount will be sent to Lebanon so if you don't have your copy, I suggest you pre-order it as I have had so many demands for it. Funny how people suddenly want and need the book when it is not available... Good for me though! Mezze is still on sale in Lebanon, readers who understood it's message absolutely love it! And those who wanted photography with the recipes (a bowl of hummus facing the recipe) do not really have a clue as to what I was trying to do ... that's OK. You can't please everyone all the time. It's not really my aim anyway. My aim is to portray Lebanese food, my way!(does it sound pretentious?). This is what distinguishes one author from the other and each one has his / her vision of the subject. Last but certainly not least, Soup for Syria has been a great success worldwide, thanks to the unbeatable efforts of Michel Moushabeck, my publisher. The book is now published in 5 countries: US, UK, Netherlands, Italy, Germany, and in fall 2017 will be in Portugal and Turkey. All proceeds go to help relief funds to help refugees. The book has it's own life. It's like a baby that grew and flew .... This experience has helped me to grow as a person and with that become an activist for human rights.

About Slow Food: I have been an active member since 2006. It all started when a delegation of 30 Lebanese producers, farmers, food writers, university professors, restaurateurs flew to Torino to take part in the Salone del Gusto / Terra Madre exposition. It changed my life! Today I am acting president of Slow Food Beirut presently. It has not been easy, but definitely a challenge. A website was created and that's when everything fell into place. I took part in documenting the lost cheeses of the Lebanese mountain: Darfieh and Serdeleh, also know as Anbaris. I met a wonderful local film maker, Nay Aoun, who is very passionate about her work and she has generously shared her films with us dealing with food producers. Pascale Hares, Ludwig Archache, Julia Samaha and many others worked hard to develop the website (it's like working on a book!). The work on the website will continue constantly with new films, a repertoire of all farmers, producers, winemakers in different regions of Lebanon. A recipe section will be uploaded as I start my 101 Lebanese cuisine documentation with photos and videos. I have asked my friend Danny Elsoury, who worked for a few years in India as an executive chef in a Lebanese restaurant called Zizo to help me develop the recipes to share with all visitors to the website. New plans are developing for Slow Food Beirut. I will keep you posted as they evolve.
About Food Consulting: It all started when a local business man called me to ask me to consult for him to open a bakery in Beirut. I was very reluctant, as I had never done this kind of job. He insisted and would not take no for an answer. So I agreed! Today, I am so grateful to him because it opened many job opportunities for me and gave me the experience I needed to take on other jobs. Later, I went on to consult for a terrific team in Seattle, Washington for a grand project called Mamnoon. I spent a month with the family and the executive chef cooking every day. On Sunday, I would escape to the Pike Market to have clam chowder soup and visit independent bookshops. My children during this time went to a summer camp on the island of St. John. One day, a friend saw a photo on Facebook I had posted of a Lebanese restaurant in Lisbon. He called me immediately and thus started our Muito Bey adventure. I trained the kitchen crew and learned so many lessons of life in the process. Many other adventures have been developing, and this is where I think I am headed for now. I will teach what I have researched for so many years and give the best I can to make Lebanese food flourish in Lebanon and in faraway lands and make food entrepreneurs make their dream come true.

In a nutshell: It's about being inspired, inspiring others to cherish the simple things of life: family, friendship, books, food, wine, travel and much more... I hope you stick around.