Food Inc - Official Trailer

This is absolutely incredible! I watched the movie last night. Two important authors: Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation) and Michael Pollan (In Defense of Food) commented on the food industry in the USA for the film. How did men become so out of touch with what he / she puts in his mouth. I hope that this movie, among others, is making a difference. What can one person do? In Lebanon, organic farming is new but it will become important.

At the end of the movie, the following words are written to give you the essence of the movie.

Hungry for Change? I highly recommend that you visit this website takepart.com/foodinc

You can vote to change this system 3 times a day.
Buy from companies that treat workers, animals and the environment with respect.
When you go to the supermarket, choose foods that are in season.
Buy foods that are organic.
Know what is in your food.
Read labels.
Know what you buy.
The average meal travels 1500 miles from the farm to the supermarket.
Buy foods that are grown locally.
Shop at farmers' markets.
Plant a garden (even a small one).
Cook a meal with your family and eat together.
Everyone has a right to healthy food.
Ask your school board to provide healthy school lunches.
Ask your government to do something .... (ha!)
If you say grace, ask for food that will keep us and the planet healthy.
You can change the world with every bite.

More from the website, in other words - to reinforce the above:

  Stop drinking sodas and other sweetened beverages.

You can lose 25 lbs in a year by replacing one 20 oz soda a day with a no calorie beverage (preferably water).

Eat at home instead of eating out.

Children consume almost twice (1.8 times) as many calories when eating food prepared outside the home.

Bring food labeling into the 21st Century.

Half of the leading chain restaurants provide no nutritional information to their customers.

Tell schools to stop selling sodas, junk food, and sports drinks.

Over the last two decades, rates of obesity have tripled in children and adolescents aged 6 to 19 years.

Meatless Mondays—Go without meat one day a week.

An estimated 70% of all antibiotics used in the United States are given to farm animals.

Buy organic or sustainable food with little or no pesticides.

According to the EPA, over 1 billion pounds of pesticides are used each year in the U.S.

Protect family farms; visit your local farmer's market.

Farmer's markets allow farmers to keep 80 to 90 cents of each dollar spent by the consumer.

Make a point to know where your food comes from—READ LABELS.

The average meal travels 1500 miles from the farm to your dinner plate.

Tell Congress that food safety is important to you.

Each year, contaminated food causes millions of illnesses and thousands of deaths in the U.S.

Demand job protections for farm workers and food processors, ensuring fair wages and other protections.

Food for Thought from Michael Pollan:

"Don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food."
— Michael Pollan

"When chickens get to live like chickens, they'll taste like chickens, too."
— Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals) 

"Shake the hand that feeds you."
— Michael Pollan (In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto)

"Daily, our eating turns nature into culture, transforming the body of the world into our bodies and minds."
— Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals) 

Now that I know how supermarket meat is made, I regard eating it as a somewhat risky proposition. I know how those animals live and what's on their hides when they go to slaughter, so I don't buy industrial meat.
Michael Pollan

People in Slow Food understand that food is an environmental issue.
Michael Pollan

When you go to the grocery store, you find that the cheapest calories are the ones that are going to make you the fattest - the added sugars and fats in processed foods.
Michael Pollan

Creating the Perfect Lebanese Pantry

I got the idea of registering all Lebanese pantry items from this blog writer who writes the essential elements to creating the perfect pantry, American style. I've posted on Facebook for my friends to answer, which items would be important to them. I will post the answers later.

Amal Harb's organized pantry

• Josette Noujaim Debs el rumman can't live without!

  Friday at 7:25pm ·
• Anne Valluy zaatar!!can be used in so many dishes .

  Friday at 7:48pm ·
• Michelle Moussan Those for baking...whole grain flour (or a variety), yeast, salt, vanilla, baking soda and baking powder. Rose and orange blossom waters.

  Friday at 10:25pm ·
• Fouad Kassab pomegranate molasses, allspice, salt, grape and carob molasses, tahini, egg noodles, burghul, dried chickpeas and beans, qawarma, ghee, sumac, sesame seeds, pine nuts, raisins, cinnamon quills, Saturday at 11:31am ·
• Sylvie De Clerck Hanna debs el remeen ,kechek, haal, habbet el barakeh ... belle journee et bises a tous. Saturday at 12:10pm ·

Eating & Baking Laham bi Ajin at Ichkhanian Bakery

Text taken from the book Man’oushé : Inside the Street Corner Lebanese Bakery.

Another person with determination and strength whom I met while I visited different bakeries in Lebanon is Mrs. Coharik Ichkhanian. Her face inspires trust and wisdom. I met Mrs. Ichkhanian at her bakery on an early morning and asked her to talk to me about her famous Armenian meat pies. The discussion took another turn, and before I knew it, we were discussing memories of a lifetime.

“I am the youngest of five children. My parents were Armenians living in Syria. I did not finish my schooling because at the time, it was not appropriate for a woman to be educated. My husband and I met through relatives and married in Beirut in 1975, just after the war began.”  In the year 1984, Coharik’s husband died at the age 44, leaving her with three young children. She started working at the bakery in 1985. Business was at its best during the war. The bakery was full of clients. People had to eat. “Food was a therapy for all.” In the neighborhood, she has become the food expert, the reference. Coharik personally goes to the market to handpick the ingredients that will make her distinct meat pies. She explains that they have a unique taste; unchanged since the bakery opened. When I asked her why she didn’t make any other kind of pies, she answered: “The other recipes are not Armenian!” Coharik generously shared her life stories and her precious recipes with me. "

Can you taste it?

I hope this sign still exists after the fire, nostalgia!

A lovely photo of Coharik taken by Raymond Yazbeck

Sylva Konialian commented on your link.

Sylva wrote: "This brought me right back home as I was born and lived for the first 24 years of my life in the apartment just above the bakery before leaving to Canada. I knew Cohariks in laws and late husband very well. This was touching."

"I will be very happy to share. I might not remember everything but of course for one we bought all our bread from them and like you showed yesterday we took our prepared meat for the lehmajoun and they cooked it for us. Especially during Easter time, My mom use to take all the cookies and Easter breads and so were many ladies of the area and prepared the doughs into cookies and the bakery would cook it for us. One special moment that will stay with me for the rest of my life and I will pass it on to my kids is the day I obtained my Visa to come to Canada, I was so happy. I came running to my Mom to give her the good news and she was baking the Easter bread that day in the bakery. I was young and adventurous of course wanting to go to a new country and escape from the civil war in Lebanon. when I told my Mom the good news she smiled and i saw almost tears and the pain in her eyes. that meant for her being separated from me. i was her first born. those moments are still vivid in my memory. Of course my Mom is no longer with us she passed away this past December......"

Chez Nada Saber , The Making of Bitter Orange Jam

Nada Saber and her husband started making mouneh and selling local traditional foods when their children encouraged them to sell their foods many years ago in a village fair. Instantly, they well received by customers! This paved the future to a small successful  family business. You can find them every week at the farmers' market, Souk el Tayeb, now located opposite the Beirut Souks in the open air tent area. I absolutely love the bitter orange product range and stock up every year. I suggest you do the same.

Mezza at Fadel's with French TV Spokeswoman Julie Andrieu

Last summer, when I was "en plein" with the book, I was asked to have lunch with Julie Andrieu, French
TV spokeswoman for a TV show called " Fourchette et sac à dos".

She was on a Gastronomic tour for the show in Lebanon. My eldest children were preparing for their exams, so I took Sarah, the youngest with me. We arrived to Naas, a beautiful village in Bikfaya to a restaurant called Fadel. Apparently, the restaurant is reputed for its extensive mezza. I arrived early to discuss with the chef and owner before we started our meal and the actual shooting. I wanted to be sure that I had the exact list of menu items that were going to be served for our lunch. The team arrived but was a bit disappointed that our table was not full of people, as a mezza lunch should be. Cherine Yazbeck, the organizer, immediately called up friends (Joumana Rayak and her family with Joumana Jamhouri) she had seen on the road up and they accepted to join us for lunch. Very typical! It's the Lebanese way of life... So our table was now filled with hungry people ready for a Sunday mezza with Julie Andrieu. We sat down with Julie and the plates of mezza started to arrive slowly, but surely... I particularly liked the bite-size tabbouleh served in large basil leaves.The menu consisted of the following: a vegetable and pickle platter, hummus (chickpea dip), foul medammas (fava beans), moutabbal (eggplant dip), a rocca salad, a thyme salad, shankleesh (spicy local cheese), artichoke, tabbouleh, labneh - with and without garlic (strained yogurt), local white cheese, fried potatoes with a spicy sauce, balila (whole chickpea with cumin), raw liver, kebbeh nayeh (raw kebbeh), sujuk (dried spiced meat sausages), makanek (meat sausages cooked in lemon), an omelet with wild asparagus, and finally an assortment of grilled meats. We drank glasses of arak which made the ambiance very convivial. I was really impressed by Julie's professionalism and her natural way of animating the show. The staff who worked with her were very professional too and they joined us after the shoot to eat. It was a nice experience and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to introduce to Julie all these interesting dishes from our country.

Prix de la Littérature Gastronomique

Lebanon has clearly proven to be active this year! 

Winners of 2010:

« Congumelos do campo até à mesa », Maria de Lourdes Modesto & J.L. Baptista-Ferreira, Ed. Verbo
Liban
« Mouneh »,  Barbara Abdeni Massaad
« Récits et recettes », Walid Mouzannar, Ed. L'Orient le Jour"
"La cuisine libanaise du terroir" Chérine Yazbeck
Royaume Uni"Nutmeg and Custard", Marcus Wareing, Bantam Press
Syrie"La grande cuisine arabe du Moyen-Age", Lilia Zaouali, Ed. Officina Libraria

Cooking from the Heart said with "Heart"

I found this wonderful  website called Cooking from the Heart tonight and instantly recognized the lovely woman who insisted on buying my Mouneh dummy at the Salone del Gusto. She wrote a touching opinion about Mouneh, "Mouneh by Barbara Abdeni Massaad. Those who know me also know I’m a sucker for a good food book. So whilst perusing the stalls at Salone del Gusto in October I came across Mouneh on a stall from Lebanon, after instantly falling in love with the book I tried to purchase it only to be told it was to be released in November and this was an advance copy. After writing down the name I searched for it on the internet and came across the website This book has stayed beside my bed now for weeks and I wax lyrically about it to anyone who’ll listen. It is a truly original work from which the author conveys cooking from her culinary roots that is near and dear to her heart. Another reason to buy the book is that each copy sold will contribute to an Arabic version being produced which means the people of Lebanon will have a record of their own food culture, which as with most traditional foods is being diluted or lost. So buy two copies as they make great gifts."
Rodney Dunn of The Agrarian Kitchen

Baking Bread at Home on a Rainy Day

This episode is special to me. That day, we were suppose to go in search of pine nuts with a producer, but it was raining heavily. I called LBC and told them to simply come over my house. I needed to bake a batch of bread anyway, so I thought why not on TV? They accepted gladly! I invited my friend Cooka, who had shown interest in  baking bread when I first discussed the process with a group of friends. Within the hour, she was at my house. It is very special for me to share my recipes with friends, it's like giving of myself to them. When they bake it at home, it's like a part of me becomes theirs. I am looking forward to eating bread at Cooka's! It is so special also to bake your own bread for your family because it's an essential part of their diet. You feel proud! Many of the viewers asked me for the recipe so I have decided to post it on my blog, Good luck!

For a loaf of bread:

1 cup of wholewheat flour
1/2 cup of cake flour (extra)
1 1/2 cups of regular flour (zero)
1 teaspoon of yeast
1 teaspoon of salt
About 1 1/4 water (tepid, hot will kill the yeast)
1 tablespoon of virgin olive oil (optional)

Mix all the ingredients together. Make sure the yeast never meets the salt while you are adding the ingredients. The dough will not rise! The water comes at the end. Watch the video above ... Leave to rest in a draft-free area for 1 1/2 hours or more, depending on the weather. When it is cold, you need more time. Shape the dough into the loaf you would like to see and eat. Leave to rest for another 1/2 hour or 1 hour. Bake into a very hot oven (200° C) for about 25-30 minutes. You may lower the fire eventually, if you feel it's too  hot! Enjoy, enjoy!!!

Al Nahar Writes...

For those who read Arabic, this text was written yesterday in Al Nahar newspaper:

"حرصا على التراث

بربارة في "حلوة ومرة" على شاشة LBC تقدم أسبوعياً تقريراً مصوراً تجول من خلاله المناطق اللبنانية لإطلاع المشاهد على بعض المأكولات والطبخات اللبنانية المنسية. ومن خلال طريقة التصوير العفوية والغنية بالحياة ينتقل المشاهد إلى بساطة تلك الأيام. تفاجئنا بربارة في "حلوة ومرة" كل أسبوع بزياراتها الجميلة التي تعرّفنا من خلالها الى أطيب المأكولات اللبنانية التي يتم طبخها مباشرة على الهواء... وفي ذلك خدمة كبيرة للمطبخ اللبناني إذ إن بعض الطبخات اللبنانية  القديمة بدأت تندثر

HELWE W MOURRA

--"

 

Earth and co. at Souk el Tayeb

Earth and co. is Nelly and Oum Ali - two wonderful women who have proved that friendship and business can go a long way. I have learned a lot from both women who, against all odds, have continued to make their small business flourish. They are always among the food producers at Souk el Tayeb and the Slow Food Earth Market in Hamra. Come and join them, you will be amazed!

Ayadina - Amal Harb

Amal Harb is a darling woman who has helped me a lot to discover the basis of mouneh-making. I started the mouneh adventure in her workshop where she patiently taught me all the details to pickling and jam production, among many other lessons... life included. It was a real pleasure to visit her again lately and to shoot this document with her. Her food is truly made with tender loving care and lots of creativity. She remains forever in my heart. Thanks my dear Amal...

Mayrig Restaurant

I have a weakness for Armenian food, guess it must be in the blood as my grandmother was Armenian. I posted this video of an Armenian restaurant in Beirut called Mayrig - meaning little mother in Armenian. I am going to visit them soon and make my LBC reportage on their story and their FOOD! I have a lot to learn and I think we, as Lebanese, can gain a lot from their way of cooking. I will write more on the subject in a few weeks ...

Carlo Petrini: It's a Way of Life

If you want to listen to Carlo Petrini's words, based on the Slow Food philosophy of which he is the founder, watch this amazing series of documents posted on You Tube where he explains how man has slowly but surely destroyed our planet. I agree with everything that he says and listening to him makes me even more convinced of going back to the country and living as a farmer...

Lots of people ask me why I have not opened my restaurant yet, and what Carlo said about his friend the cook is exactly how I feel presently... I have three children to raise ... There is a time for everything... My time will come...

It is not so important where we stand, but the direction in which we are moving. Goethe.

He states, "Something has to change in our philosophy of life... WHEN DID MAN DETACH HIMSELF FROM NATURE...You have to listen to the breath of life...Eating is an agricultural act..."

In Qsaybeh with a Carob Molasses Producer

Bassam and I walking through the forest

Paper-thin bread in the making

 This week I went to Qsaybeh, the home of Bassam Naimeh, the carob molasses producer. The LBC team showed up in the morning at my house, this time with a new crew. We introduced ourselves and drove to our destination. The cameraman filmed the road up the village filled with pine forests as he sat on the hood of the car. We arrived to greed Bassam who had been working since early morning on his carob molasses production. He produces about 50 tons per year, yet he complained that this year the financial output was poor compared to the past. He went through the whole process with us and explained each procedure carefully. Hours later, we went to visit two lovely women who were baking bread on the saj. We had a delicious breakfast made of man'oushe and discussed Bassam's life. We strolled through the forest as the team filmed us from afar. Bassam offered each one of us a jar of carob molasses among other treats to take home. He gave me two bottles of wine, produced in his workshop. It is always a treat to visit him. He remains one of my favorite encounters during my mouneh research. Bassam suffers from a genetic skin disorder. I wish I could make a difference in his life, at least to bring him some sort of happiness. He will be rewarded for his generosity and kindness one day. I know it!

The sound man

Show business is fun!

In Kfar Katra with Maysoon and Walid

Roula, the film director, with the cameraman

Last week, I went to visit Maysoon and Walid Nasreddine of Coara in their village with the LBC crew. Their story is featured in the Mouneh book. It is always special to spend time with them. They have a food philosophy which condemns the eating of animal products while favoring consumption of lots of vegetarian foods, including beans and tofu. We started the day with a visit to a local organic farm where we met up with Roula Fares, an organic food specialist. Walid and Maysoon purchase their fruits and vegetables from this farm to make their products which they sell at the Souk el Tayeb Farmers' Market. We walked through the estate and sat on the edge of the land discussing Maysoon and Walid's life. We drove to their house contemplating the majestic scenery of the area then went home for a full demonstration on how to make tofu. We tasted different types of mouajanet (pastries) filled with seaweed and other toppings. Once again, the day was a success! Here is a glimpse...

 

Welcome sign at the beginning of the village

Walid showing my cousin Bernard the land

Roula Fares, organic expert discussing the art of planting organic fruit and vegetables

Can you taste the fresh lettuce?

Shooting and eating for the reportage

Lovely!

Walid producing the tofu cheese meticulously

The finished tofu wrapped in a bundle

Fern el Sabaya - A Woman's Bakery in Aamchit

I don't know if you had the chance to see Helweh wa Moorah on LBC this week. The journey led us to the bakery of the Zgheib sisters in Aamchit, Furn el Sabaya. Adorable women, all sisters, working hand in hand to create a warm atmosphere with delicious food. On the menu, their famous recipe called muwaraka and a regional recipe for man'oushe bi beyd. The muwaraka is absolutely delicious. It is dough stuffed with chopped walnuts and almonds, sugar, perfumed with orange blossom water and rose water. The skillful hands of Lorenza shapes the dough into an escargot-shaped pastry. On camera, I was able to reproduce this authentic recipe. Once finished, eating of course! We worked on the recipe for the man'oushe bi beyd. I will post these videos for you to get an idea on how to make these recipes.

A talented basket weaver, Lorenza's aunt

Lorenza and Martha Zgheib

Muwaraka, absolutely delicious!

man'oushe bi beyd ma awarma

Ramlieh in Sawsan's Kitchen : Part 1

for the continuation select .... Ramlieh Part II

I was asked by the television LBC to participate on a weekly basis to help produce a segment dealing with food traditions for a show called Helweh w Moora. I accepted their proposition, yet I feared that my Arabic may be a problem... but I always say that if you don't try, you will never know what you are missing. So here I am jumping into a world of acting! The night before I was very nervous thinking to myself, "girl what did you get yourself into?"

Khaled the cameraman

 Next morning I woke up early to fix my makeup (makeup me?!?!) yes indeed I purchased a new set of makeup especially for the TV shooting. May I say that it cost me a fortune! The team arrived on time, which left a positive impression on me. I introduced myself to the director, sound man, cameraman, and driver (who is also a student in production). I spoke to them about our subject as we drove to Ramlieh, the village of Sawsan Shabban.

The beauty of Ramlieh

I chose Sawsan to be the first contestant of my food adventures on film because I felt secured and at home in her kitchen before and needed to feel the same way during my first shooting. What happened next was magical! The team worked very professionally. I was very much at ease, and the camera did not make me nervous because I simply ignored it. Sawsan and I went through many recipes together, tasted all of them of course, and had a great time. I loved doing this kind of reportage and felt I was really made for it. Could this be the start of something wonderful?

Sweet Sawsan working diligently in her kitchen

We left Sawsan with hugs and kisses with a full stomach of course! On the way down to Beirut, we met a farmer and finished the shooting with him surrounded by a beautiful garden. In life, I cherish nature and the people that live in line with nature... It was truly a memorable day!

The farmer on the side of the road

The farmer teaching me how to plant fava beans

My 50 kg Bag of Flour

Bread-making is an act of love

A week ago, I went to Crown Flour, one of the biggest distributor of flour in Lebanon. I have been toying with this idea for a long time and finally I have made up my mind. I am going to make bread at home! Bread is an essential part of my family's diet. I think for most of us, it is the quintessential food for school lunches of our children. A thought ran through my head for quite a while, "what is exactly going into this bread that we buy in the supermarket?" God knows. I've decided that I want to know exactly what goes into our bread. I love making bread. It makes me feel great. It's a maternal act—right from the heart. "Good bread needs more than just flour, water and milk. It requires nurture and care." wrote Edward Espe Brown in his famous book The Tassajara Bread Book. He also wrote, " I do not bake to be great. I bake because it is wholesome. I feel renewed, and I am renewing the world, my friends and neighbors. Most of us bake in this way." That is exactly how I feel about baking bread.

When I bought the 50 kg bag of flour, my children declared that their mom is crazy. They joked for half an hour about my excessive way of being. I was a bit sad that they could not understand that this was for their own benefit, as they were demanding fresh bread every day. Kids don't calculate the work or preparations it takes to accomplish such a task. Later, each one went in their rooms to study. My eldest daughter came to me an hour later stating that she liked the fact that I have bought this huge bag. She said it gave her a sense of comfort,  a safety net. She emphasized that it made me even "crazier" because the bag was stored next to me in my tiny office next to the kitchen.

Making bread is an art, but it is very much a passion too. It is not a true science where you mix ingredients and have precise results. It is of putting of one's heart and soul into this dough to make bread—the symbol of life. It is experimenting with yeast, flours, testing one's patience and many other factors.In winter especially, I love baking bread because it warms my kitchen with the temperature of the oven and the smell of homemade bread takes my breath away. It's comforting to know that you can create this type of ambiance in your own home to finally eat the fruit of your labor. Experimenting with different flavors and textures gives you the power to make your own piece of art, like painting. You can do this by adding different herbs to your bread. I add flavored olive oil to the dough to give it the right flavor according to my mood. The bread feels and knows if you are happy or sad... If you don't believe me, try it for yourself. 

I will stop writing now, for I'm going to work on my  olive bread. My father-in-law gave me olives in brine that he picked from his garden. I will take out the core and mix the olives in my dough. I will mix two types of flours to give a robust feel to my bread. I might add a tablespoon of olive oil to accentuate the taste of the olives. I will leave the dough to rest, tucked in carefully in my oven, away from drafts. Hours later, because it's so cold, I will place the dough on a tray to rise again according to the shape that I desire. I'm into a great big ball of bread these days. Once risen, I will cook the bread and enjoy it with my family. I think I will make pumpkin soup tonight too. I'm getting hungry!

No Reservations - Special - Anthony Bourdain in Beirut (2/3)

h

This is the continuation ...

No Reservations - Special - Anthony Bourdain in Beirut (1/3)

Anthony Bourdain came to Beirut for the first time in 2006, I need not say what happened then! Take a look.

Anthony Bourdain - No Reservations - Back to Beirut (2/3)

OK, so I'm a big fan of Anthony Bourdain (celebrity chef, world traveler, bestselling author, and host of The Travel Channel's Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations ). I have read all his books, definitely a good read for those who have worked in a kitchen restaurant and who are nostalgic of the excess adrenaline that one gets in that environment. He depicts it like it is, crudely sometimes! My favorite remains Kitchen Confidential .My only disappointment is that I did not get to meet him while he was here. I can relate to what he is living and going through. I guess it was not part of our destiny YET! I think it's wonderful that he has a chance to make a living out of traveling around the world and telling his food stories on TV. I am presently doing it on LBC on a different level, guess it makes me lucky too... Hope to meet up with you one day, should our path cross through the channels of food.

Meet 2011 TED Prize Winner: JR

This is truly inspiring! + I love the photographer's voice, Frenchy! I wanted to post this video because I wanted to keep it forever in my archives. What one man can achieve in his passion can make a difference to a whole community, country, continent, to the whole world ...

Lebanese Wine Made with Passion

This is an article  which really touched me. Two families who followed their passion and convictions to move forward and follow a dream.

Also watch, the blessing of Le Chateau Belle Vue winery cellars Bhamdoun / Lebanon 2004 with Raven, Father Kevin, Naji and Jill Boutros [owners of Chateau Belle Vue] and friends and family. .

The love birds...

Just a Thought

GOOD EARTH

ALL GOOD FOOD STARTS WITH GOOD EARTH, I heard this phrase back when I was in Mexico during the Slow Food Congress held in Puebla in 2007... What this phrase entails is very much what the Slow Food philosophy is about. I believe that it's all about respecting the earth, the way we grow our food, and how we make it a consumable commodity. I want you to reflect on these words and think about what you ate for lunch. Basically this phrase teaches us that when the base (of anything) is solid, the outcome is secured. While our politicians are slowly tearing our country apart, I am cooking compulsively... bread (lots of it), red pepper paste, and many other foods. I'll spare you all the details. It's hard to live on daily basis knowing that tomorrow your life could change and never be the same, and you have absolutely no control over the matter. Personally, I am disgusted with everything. We have a magnificent country which is being slowly but surely torn apart, piece by piece, by hungry individualistic jerks (pardon my French). What are we leaving behind for our children, a history filled with hatred, blood and destruction?

Today, on a lighter note, I have finally figured out the subject of my next book - Not telling just yet! It will deal with a focused study dealing with traditional foods in Lebanon with romantic promenades in the best parts of the country..in the company of exceptional human beings who need to be heard... I shall do it! Please God spare our country from the ravages of war ...Food not War, I'm sure this would put a smile on any politicians face... let me at 'em!!!!!!

Looking through my files, I found the speech I made to the world deleguates in Mexico, I'd like to share it with you, I think it made an impression on everyone... I was very proud to represent my country, the Lebanon.

Good morning, my name is Barbara Massaad. I come from Beirut, Lebanon.What started as a dream has become a reality beyond expectations. Lebanon holds a great opportunity for a rich culinary journey, and thus I set out to learn about the food traditions and the people of my country, Lebanon.

Luckily, unlike the threats in developed countries, Lebanon still enjoys a very rich food tradition. There are distinct seasons and people cook according to each season. Lebanese people are still; in general, sitting down to a home cooked meal prepared with love and care, coming from a vast and rich ancestral recipe. An important characteristic trait of a Lebanese person is hospitality. The best way to show hospitality is through food. All social encounters deal with food. Complete strangers offer food to each other to create a bond to one another. In the Middle East they say, “We have shared bread and salt” meaning that we shared a meal therefore we are close friends.

Lebanese cuisine is an intricate art.  You can see women sorting parsley patiently to make our famous tabbouleh, others stuffing a variety of vegetables with meat and rice, some going to the nearest street corner bakery with a jar of mixed thyme, sesame seeds, and sumac, mixed with olive oil; that has been pressed from olives growing in their groves, to make man’oushé – the traditional Lebanese breakfast. You can see mothers pounding garlic in their wooden mortar to make humus – a chickpea dip with tahini – a rich sesame paste. The list is endless and very rich, full of flavors, colors, and textures worthy of the most finicky eaters.

Lebanese people still prepare diligently or buy from a reliable source their winter’s preserves such as:  jams, pickles, meat confits, dried fruits and herbs, dried yogurt with cracked wheat made into a fine powder which is considered by archeologists as the oldest cheese, grains, and cereals, arak – an alcoholic beverage made with anise seeds, and many other kinds of preserves. This is not done because of scarcity of ingredients, but because it is very much a part of our culture.

YET, Lebanese cuisine demands labor and time. And thus, here lies the issues: will the common threats of globalization, economic situations, mothers joining the work force, and overall culinary negligence threaten our Lebanese culinary traditions?

We, in Lebanon, are living through very difficult times, times of turmoil. We live in a conflict zone where regional and big powers dictate our livelihood.  We are struggling with no hope on the horizon; we need to focus and to put our energy on positive goals. Using the wise words of Carlo Petrini, we need to focus on the good, on the fair, and on the clean.

Our aim at Slow Food Beirut is to work on preserving, cherishing, educating, and transmitting the global Slow Food message to save our rich culinary heritage.

We will work on setting up farmer’s markets in the largest cities in Lebanon.  This will be done to incite people to meet farmers and producers, to buy from them directly, to insure quality fruits and vegetables to consumers, to raise awareness of the importance of  these farmers and producers, and last but not least to provide a continuum in our local food traditions.

We will work on defining our food traditions in order to educate and ensure future generations of the riches found in our culinary heritage. This will be done by activities targeted to schools and universities to include in their programs. We will also educate by research, by visuals including photography and filming to create publicity and talk-about.

What started as a dream has indeed become a reality. With the help of Slow Food, we can make a difference, and I am very proud to be part of this team. Thank you!

Annia's book - Day of Honey

Annia's book!

Annia Ciezadlo, a good friend of mine, is launching her book soon (to be exact, February 1 in the USA)... I will keep you posted on developments on when it reaches Lebanese soil. I have copied the link to her website to share with you this exciting news. I am also very proud to add that the photograph of the cover of the book was taken by me. We are two friends with minds who really think alike... I hope you get the chance to read this poignant memoir. Good luck to you my dear!

Annia writes:

"Day of Honey, my memoir about life (and food) during wartime, goes on sale February 1. "
 

Read the article: Day of Honey: The Unifying Sweetness of Food.