Fade To Black

And why do I have a feeling that in Lebanon we are heading towards this bleak black pit too.... Today we are experiencing a suffocating sand storm, isn't that how we all feel today with the garbage crisis, political crisis, economic crisis, refugee crisis, civic crisis .... Nature today is depicting how Lebanese are feeling today living in Lebanon. Will we have a wave of Lebanese refugees soon in Europe and the United States? ... I wouldn't be surprised at all...
 

Helwa Ya Baladi - Dalida (Cover by Lina Sleibi) حلوة يا بلدي - لينا صليبي

This songs speaks to me... What happened to Lebanon? I don't recognize it anymore. It breaks my heart.

Albert ... Bocusse... Lyon

Bon voyage my boy ... Till we meet again around a table and share memories and stories of food. Fly like an eagle and learn from the best . Make the world your oyster, yet always stay true to your roots. — with Albert Massaad at Taylor's Port Cellars.
 

Website Soup for Syria

Soup for Syria The website is up and running. It explains it all. Take a few minutes to read it.

Tina and I eating soup for Fitr / filming for Al Hura

photo credit Mustafa Assi

"soup for syria" cookbook to help syrian refugees in lebanon ".حساء من ...

 This is a report that was made by Alhura TV to introduce our book project Soup for Syria. I invite you to watch it. Cristina and I cooked soup for an Iftar during Ramandan at Aya's family tent.

Meatless Monday

I will be making open faced sandwiches with my homemade bread, spread with goat cheese and toppings that will leave you perplexed... salty / sweet depending on your mood. Come, it's great fun!

I'm Cooking Indian ...

So I'm cooking Indian next week at Motto. 

why?

Because I love Indian food / people / spices / colors... and I feel inspired. And guess, what by coincidence a friend of mine who works as a chef in India (cooks Lebanese) will help.Also, a friend from the USA, cookbook writer Beth Howard who is going on a world tour will be here to share this event.

At the Taj Mahal on my visit

Lots happening in Beirut these days! All good!

Here is the announcement...

Mótto is moving! Summer garden pop-up.

Mótto is moving from Monday to a summer garden pop-up at Makan, a new cultural space. Makan is 500m away (map below), and has a large, quiet garden where we'll be serving all our usual great food:
Nimal’s Lebanese and Sri Lankan lunch buffet 12-4pm

Dinner among the bamboos from 8pm (M-W Nimal's Sri Lankan, Th-S Barbara's Indian)
Saturday brunch 12-4
Afternoon cakes

While you enjoy great food in our garden, we will renovate the Madrid Street restaurant - which will be closed for the works. We'll be back 'home' in a couple of weeks.

Here's the map:

Here's the menu: