Training Days at the Lebanese Restaurant

Did you know I trained in a Lebanese restaurant in Beirut for 1 year and 1/2? It was in 2003. Sarah, my youngest child went to school that year. I called the principal crying telling her that she had stolen my child because the school had decided to change the school schedule and children were to come at 3:00 instead of 1:30. You could say I had a little depression. Did the principal understand me? I doubt it, she said that she changed the schedule to satisfy working mothers... and what about mothers who quit their careers to become 100% moms and chose to be only that ... What about them? What would my life be about... without children until 3:00.- Who would eat lunch with me? Who would have a nap with me? I was so alone...

I had to do something with my life? Restaurant ideas kept popping up in my brain... no way... with three kids... I knew what the restaurant deal was about... slavery... although it was so exciting... I felt so at home there... but, I chose to be a mom now..so why don't I just go to a restaurant during the day when the kids are at school... great idea! In search of my training, I wound up in a French restaurant for a year, then an Italian for a few months (as it was closing up), and finally I wound up where I was destined to be, in a Lebanese restaurant... It brought back familiar flavors, feelings, food situations, and the "this is home" gratification I was searching for... My depression ended and my learning started... I jotted down every single thing you can imagine. Everyone mocked me, "Why are you wasting your time?" the cooks would say... "Go home and relax!" No one understood why this housewife was busting her back... learning the ropes, while cutting onions, cleaning livers, jotting every single step and smelling like food in this busy kitchen... It was heaven for me!

So now I have this booklet full of interesting Lebanese recipes. I'd like to share them with you... Sometimes I'll just let you in on a secret and skip the recipe... Sometimes I'll let you know only about what happened while discussing with a certain chef... because trust me it's never boring in a kitchen... Chefs are like major artists who go CRAZY often... scream at you for no reason... make you cry... regret it then make you taste something to ask forgiveness... There are definitely lessons of life in the kitchen, that's why I love it so much... The food, the heat, the pressure, the friendships, the "je ne sais quoi"... I'll share it all with you ... step by step... be patient, there's a lot to tell...

Julie & Julia

Last weekend I dragged my whole family to see the movie Julie & Julia. This movie was sort of a mirror of my life... Ok, I don't live on top of a pizzeria ... I don't work in a cubicle... but I do have the same feelings as Julie and it's like ... keep walking...keep walking... although sometimes it's quite hard... many obstacles along the way... like everyone you may say... yes, tis true...tis true... So the movie is fantastic... I especially loved the interpretation of Julia Child acted by Meryl Streep. What an actress! I felt I was right there with Julia Child in Paris. I understood when her teacher told her she would never be able to cook professionally. I remember people putting me down as I tried to make something of myself, with the responsibility of managing a household with three children. Julie's husband was the one who encouraged her to start her blog. My husband's encouragement and sometimes wise (but harsh) words have always guided me along the way. It's not easy living with a frantic cookbook writer/photographer. Mostly the movie makes you dream. It makes you understand that everyone's life can be special and achievements can be aspired, it just takes determination, hard work, ambition. Not easy in our current lifestyle where everything is fast, and busy, and no one has time for anything except making money. But still some do achieve their dreams and the movies shows that with two determined women who wanted to make something out of their lives. Julia Child has always been an inspiration to me, to many I presume. I have three of her books (biographies) that I bought on a trip to Canada years ago. I cherish these books as if they were a treasure. I have not read the book of Julie, but I intend to purchase it as soon as I see it in Lebanese bookshops. Everyone should see this movie, children alike (not toddlers of course) but children over 10. I think the lesson is one that they don't teach in school, so it's worthwhile. As for me, my work is not easy as I am taking full responsibility of the work I do, the rewards are many yet the dream is not fully achieved... This tale, this movie gave me a ray of hope ... a push... + I have decided to write more often on my blog...or should I say blogs because now I am the proud owner of three blogs: My Culinary Journey through Lebanon, Man'oushe: The Lebanese Thyme Pie, and Mouneh: Exploring the Lebanese Pantry. My subjects deal with food from my country... I'm proud of Lebanon's culinary heritage. My aim is to keep it living... to slow down the global tendencies towards fast junk food and rely on local flavors. I'm not the only one ... There are many who feel the same way, each one is doing it his way... Unfortunately, in Lebanon, individualism is a character trait and team work is a long forgotten dream...Will we ever learn? I doubt it, look at our political mumble jumble... a reflection of the Lebanese society... But it won't stop me from dreaming... because without dreams... there is no life... So Julie, Julia ... thanks for the dream!



Watch the trailer !

You can google for reviews of the film...

PS: I found the book at Librairie Antoine, made my day... !

The Mouneh blog

Ok, so i have blog mania! I have created a blog solely for the purpose of mouneh related articles...here goes,

http://mounehexploringthelebanesepantry.blogspot.com/

This is the title of my next book which will be out in 2010, I promise. It's been tough, but now everything is falling to place and I am finalizing the writing and working on the layout with Mirna, the graphic designer... Looking pretty good!

I'll let you have a sneak peak...! soon... keep posted...

Handwritten Recipe Book at the Paris Flea Market

When visiting Paris this summer with my family, an imperative and most important place to visit was the Paris Flea Market. What joy, what exhilarating feelings I get to look through all the junk and all the overly priced items better known as antiques. Of course one man's junk, nic nacs, and garbage collectibles is anther's joy! For me it's looking through treasures - lost forgotten treasures of the past. Objects are quite numerous ranging from books, personal objects, clothes, cosmetics, housewares, and so much more.

Sometimes you can spend a whole day at the flea market and come out with a few items which are very likely to collect dust in your own home. And sometimes, you find a buried treasure, for a few coins, that can change your life forever... at least, for a while.

After a long search, I fall upon a handwritten collection of recipes written by a woman - it is a notebook or booklet entitled: Cahier de Recettes a Madame de Chenest. The booklet is make up of 140 handwritten pages carefully written with detailed recipes. When the merchant shows me the the book, my first thought is what a pity that the family members of this poor woman have not inherited this valuable collection. I feel almost ashamed or embarrassed to even purchase such a personal artifact. I leave the book stand and continue my search for "fleas".

Then this re-occurring thought invades my head, "and why can't I purchase this collection of recipes carefully written with tender loving care?" I decide to walk right back to the merchant's stall and decide to purchase the recipe book He is very pleased to have found a customer, but categorically refuses to lower his price.

Was I meant to have this collection of recipes? I believe in serendipity - destiny in other words. Things don't happen like that. There is a certain purpose, I am meant to write about this collection. I am meant to cherish every single page, every single recipe, every single word that this woman has written on her booklet. I think to myself I have to try out these recipes, which of course she made to feed her own family.

Where is this woman now? Has she left this earth? Surely no one would part with such a valuable scripture. Why did she not offer this collection to her close descendants? Would they have not appreciated such a tiresome effort of jotting endless numbers of recipes on this little booklet? Was it important that it falls into my own hands?

Madame de Chenest, I will do honor to your recipe collection. I know how much time and effort it takes to write and collect recipes. I wonder how many recipes must have been part of your weekly repertoire. Which ones did you use for special occasions? Who sat at your table? Did you have any children? Were you happily married? Did you live on a farm or in the city? Did you read English? I see a piece of paper with the recipe of the traditional English Christmas Cake? I see a paper dated 1925 with a handwritten recipe, one of your friends might have given you. I'm very intrigued, again it's going through a buried treasure - I shall decipher what is written and share your treasure - wherever you may be, I write in appreciation and respect to your meticulous repertoire. Thank you!

Thought of the day

"The man who understands, he understands the earth is a foreign land ..." Slow Food Newsletter Let's preserve the earth for our future generation... it's our duty!

A New Blog : Man'oushe - The Lebanese Thyme Pie

Today I created a new blog: http://manoushe-thelebanesethymepie.blogspot.com/
Check it out! It's important to preserve our culinary heritage. This is one way! Do you have a story related to the topic, post it by all means. Let's all contribute to this man'oushe blog. I'm very excited about it.

Defining a Cuisine Trail

I found a very interesting definition of a cuisine trail...I invite you to read it... Cuisine trails are important to sustain culinary traditions; to safeguard proper techniques of production, and finally I think it is of foremost importance to protect one's local culture. Food being an important part of culture!

"A cuisine trail is a collective of thematically related regional food producers such as farmers, bakers, and cooks who work cooperatively to sell and market themselves. In some areas, food producers can apply for an official cuisine trail designation, which entitles them to assistance with marketing from government agencies, and lends an air of officialdom to the proceedings. The goal of a cuisine trail is to increase awareness of regional food producers, improve tourism revenue, and increase income from agricultural operations.
The guidelines for a cuisine trail vary, depending on who is administering the cuisine trail program. As a general rule, the participants have to be regionally close to each other, allowing visitors to reach every producer within a day or two, and they must be related to each other in some way; apple farms and cider makers, for example, or a group of breweries. Often preference is expressed for small, locally based producers, rather than big companies and members of chains.
Once a cluster of producers gets together to create a cuisine trail, they can work together to promote themselves to visitors. For example, participants might pool marketing resources to create maps, brochures, and other promotional materials. Alone, each producer couldn't hope to reach a very large audience, but with combined incomes, the producers generate more marketing clout, ensuring that their materials will be seen and heard by more people.
Producers often work cooperatively to sell goods, as well; for example, they might offer discounts to each other's establishments to visitors, encouraging visits to every stop on the cuisine trail, and they might promote other local food producers to their guests as well. Gift baskets and other packaged products along the cuisine trail often include objects from each producer along the way, allowing people to take home a memento of the cuisine trail for friends and family.
One of the benefits of cuisine trails is that they can work to preserve rare regional culinary traditions. Apple farms, for example, can afford to grow rare heritage apples when they work cooperatively, ensuring that such apples remain profitable. A cuisine trail can also be used to preserve unique food preparation techniques for future generations. Cuisine trials stress the cultural value of small, artisan producers, and they can encourage visitors to look up similar producers at home so that they can learn more about the culinary history of their regions."