1st Day at Horeca

The first day of my 4-days at Horeca was certainly interesting. Chef Richard El Khoury is definitely very fun to be around. He is simply a riot. He loves to entertain, talk, and share his knowledge with passer byes. Chef Richard and I hosted two guests last night: Keyrouz Bakery and Boutros Bakery. Chef Bechara Rahal of Keyrouz Bakery made some very remarkable recipes including a sweet sushi a la Libanaise.This creation is a sandwich wrap glazed with honey, curd cheese (ashta), and a sheet of dried fruit (fig, apple, apricot). The crowds really loved the taste of the wrap / sushi. Chef Bechara also discussed an old recipe for bread called mishtah revived with different flavors including dried tomatoes, garbanzo beans, glazed fennel seeds, and my favorite, rose petal. What is interesting about the rose petal mishtah is that the petals have been soaked in water overnight and this scented and perfumed water has been used to make the bread. This insight, for me, made the night all worth while. It gave me many ideas for further testing.


I took a break to visit the stands in the halls which displayed many products, machinery, and looked around to see the various competitions taking place. The place was certainly full of life and animated.

The next guess was Mr. Boutros, of Boutros Bakery. They are specialized in producing paper-thin bread, better known as marquq. A full demonstration of the bread making process was showcased. The bread was very delicious. Suddenly, I hear the sound of a big explosion - I frantically tried to jump above the counter, the hose of the gas bottle attached to the saj exploded and started a small fire. It was very scary but thank God nothing happened. The man who was working on the saj got a mild burn on his hand, all the hairs of his arm burnt off. I stood there shaking for a bit. Chef Richard joked and laughed and all was forgotten. Oh, I forgot to mention that at a certain period, when walking around, I tasted Jean-Paul Khoury's new white wine. It relaxed me at bit so back at the stand, Chef Richard and I sang a duet, "It's Now or Never" - Elvis song.... Definitely weird but so much fun! I am looking forward to tonight because we have very interesting guests coming: Le Phonecien restaurant and Semsom. They will demonstrate their mezze-making skills. Hope to see you all there!

Horeca - Atelelier Gourmand - Today's Focus is on BREAD

Cooking Classes @Tawlet

Producers, cooks and chefs offer a 2 hours cooking class at Tawlet every day, from Monday to Thursday, from 4 to 6 pm … enjoy a hands on cooking class, and finish by tasting what you prepared !

Classes’ themes depend on the producer of the day … and so must be tailored and booked in advance.
Choose between “101 Lebanese cuisine” (tabouleh, moutabal, kebbeh) – “all about kebbeh” with Suzanne Doueihy, “Chouf mountain food” with Siham Ghanem (hrisseh & co), “southern taste” with Oum Ali (frikeh & co), “forgotten west Beqaa” with Jamileh Nohra (zenkol, reshta & co) and any other theme that can be tailor made.

Join us on Tuesday, April 27, 2010 for a class with Suzanne from Zghorta-Ehden, Suzanne will be teaching you how to make Kebbet batata, Kebbeh nayeh, Kebbeh bassalyieh, Mjadret fassolia, and Mehsheh selee' aatee'

Classes from 4 to 6 pm – for 40 $ per person
Tawlet – 01 448 129 – www.tawlet.com
Beirut, sector 79
naher street, n˚ 12 (Jisr el hadid)
Chalhoub building, n˚ 22 - Ground floor
facing Spoiler Center, dead end street at the corner of Maher flower shop
left side, corner bldg

Horeca 2010 - Atelier Gourmand

I have been invited by Hospitality Services to take part in its Atelier Gourmand. I will be animating the Atelier with Chef Richard, a new culinary friend, who has a Cooking TV show on NBN. This event is held in conjunction with HORECA 2010, one of the largest exhibitions that gathers professionals from the hospitality industry in the Middle East, from Tues. April 27 to Fri. April 30 2010 at BIEL in Beirut - Lebanon.

The theme of the 2010 Atelier Gourmand will be the Culinary Treasures of Lebanon, preserving yet reinventing traditional dishes for today's palate.

This event, spread over 48 m2 in Hall 3, is a “must attend” for leading chefs, corporate menu decision-makers and professionals.

8 Chefs from the most renowned establishments in town (restaurants, hotels, patisseries and bakeries) will demonstrate from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. over the 4 days.

Day 1: Lebanese breads from all over the region

Day 2: Reinvented Lebanese cuisine: Cold Mezza, Hot Mezza, Main Course, and Cheese

Day 3: Mouneh (my favorite subject these days)

Day 4: Lebanese desert

I am very excited to live through this event while discovering new recipes from our "terroir". Please come and join us, it will be very interesting and also lots of fun!

 For more information on the fair, visit their website: HORECA 2010

Alice Waters

I met Alice Waters a few years ago in Puebla Mexico at a Slow Food event. I had heard of her vaguely before my trip and read her profile hours before heading to the airport. I was captured by the essence of her work. One night, as we were treated to a lavish dinner, I came up to her and handed her my book. I told her that I came from Beirut and would like to give her a token of my appreciation. When one meets Alice, you are immediately mesmerized by her charm, her smile, and her way of speaking. I walked back to my table. The next day, running to a conference, I bumped into her again. I asked her what she thought of my book, no words came out of her mouth, she simply came up to me and gave me a huge hug, then she said, "I really loved it!" Since then, I have become a fervent follower of Alice and her work. She has left a trace, both in my heart and in my mind. I intend to use her experience as a base to work on tracing my own path, the journey I am actually living each day in Lebanon. I intend to make a difference in my country for our children - for the future generation who will become the parents of tomorrow. I intend to feed many spiritually and physically in the process.

Please take the time to view Alice's video. You can follow her work on Facebook on the Alice Waters fan page!

http://money.cnn.com/video/smallbusiness/2009/08/24/sbiz_hwgs_alice_waters.smb/

A photo I took of Alice the night we all ate and danced in Mexico - What an unforgettable evening!

"To me, food is the one central thing about human experience which can open up both our senses and our consciences to our place in the world. Consider this: Eating is something we all have in common. It’s something we all have to do every day and it’s something we can all share. Food and nourishment are right at the point where human rights and the environment intersect. Everyone should have the right to wholesome, affordable food." 

  "What could be a more delicious revolution than to start committing our best resources to teaching this to children?—by feeding them and giving them pleasure; by teaching them how to grow food responsibly; and by teaching them how to cook it and eat it, together, around the table? When you start to open up a child’s senses—when you invite children to engage, physically, with gardening and food—there is a set of values that is instilled effortlessly, that just washes over them, as part of the process of offering good food to other people. Children become so rapt—so enraptured, even—by being engaged in learning in a sensual, kinesthetic way. And food seduces you by its very nature—the sme smell of baking, for example: It makes you hungry! Who could
resist the aroma of fresh bread, or the smell of warm tortillas coming off the comál?"

Quote of the Day

Do not follow where the path may lead,go instead where there is no path and leave a trail ... Thanks Sami! I think Emerson would like this...

Michael Pollan - Farmer in Chief

Let us eat food that is organic, local, pasture-based, and humane…

Take the time to read this article, it's very interesting! It makes me wonder how we are ever going to regulate our food system in Lebanon. Who will be the Michael Pollan in our country? How will we educate farmers and producers to use the right system to provide good quality foods for our citizens. We don't hear about resolutions that have been taken to resolve the existing problems. The planet earth is going through many natural disasters lately, is this a warning from Mother nature? What can one person do, that another can follow, that another can learn from, that another can carry out, that another can initiate? I think we are taking many things for granted... the human race has destroyed the planet with their greed,  while  looking down on the animal kingdom (who by the way has never participated in this destruction) ... What can one person do?

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/magazine/12policy-t.html?_r=2&em

Green Olives

A producer's skilled gestures, expertly crushing the flesh of  fresh green olives to preserve them in brine through a process transcended through generations....

Labneh Cheese Balls

 Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words!

This is Sawsam Shaaban, small-market producer at Souk el Tayeb. She is making labneh cheese balls in her home... The detailed recipe will be included in the Mouneh book starting with making one's yogurt, then details will follow on how to make labneh, and finally how to preserve the cheese balls in oil.

I'm Back!!!

Hello to all my readers, I'm back! I had internet connection problems and now it's all settled.... For good... I'm so happy to be able to write on my BLOG... Today I will be delving in the world of figs - to write all the recipes for mouneh dealing with figs. I decided to take the time to write on my Blog (before I enter the fig maze!!!) Why did I write maze, because my dear readers, writing these recipes is like deciphering an unsolved mystery. It might sound easy to you, but when you are trying to write a book (professionally, of course) you have so many details that are lurking to haunt you... OK, I won't bore you with all my anxieties... No one should know about them... The book comes out, everyone says, "Mabrouk!" meaning congratulations in Arabic and that's that... No one knows what you go through to get that perfect photo, that perfect recipe, that perfect encounter with a producer or a farmer, that muse to keep you going... Am I babbling again!

STOP....

Today, I heard a speech which really touched me... I have posted it for everyone to hear. Look down below...Take 5 minutes of your time to listen to each word that woman has to say. It is very inspiring. My friend Georgia who lives in Montreal sent me the link this morning. It certainly hit home! I can relate to what she is saying.. I can relate to wanting something so much, to look for it inside of you, and to reach for your goal. Of course it doesn't happen easily, does anything in life? But the basic idea is that if you can dream, you have the chance to achieve that dream... if you really set your mind and soul on the goal...

Two days ago I found a bird in the middle of  the street. It was not hurt. It did not move. I picked it up, held it, caressed it ... He clung to me as if he was on a branch. I was so amazed. I could not take him home, for my cat Tchu-Tchu would have gone wild. I gave the bird to my friend. The bird relentlessly let go of my hand. I felt that this certainly must symbolize something... Was God trying to communicate to me through this bird... I told my friend who held the bird, "Today will be different"... Something will come out of this... I am not a superstitious person. I don't believe in that, but I believe that nature speaks to us all the time...and indeed hours later, I was told that my colleague and very good friend was hospitalized. He clung to his life... He's OK now....Thank God!  The same day an enthusiastic foreign man coming from a neighboring country calls to tell me that we are destined to meet, that we should meet ASAP. His journey in Lebanon had led him to me... to my book... to my work.... He envisages a mutual collaboration... for he has interesting FOOD related projects too...Will my food visions travel borders? Who's to say...Many things to think about...

I shall go back to my figs now!!!! 

I wanted to share this photo -This is a farmer selling figs on the side of the road in Abdine - a charming tiny village, where I am told my ancestors originally came from.... thus, came about my maiden name Abdeni...

JK Rowling: The fringe benefits of failure | Video on TED.com

JK Rowling: The fringe benefits of failure | Video on TED.com