Bread Movement

With graceful motion of the hands, paper-thin bread is made in Lebanon

Bread and anything that has to do with the subject is very important to me. I am making bread on a weekly basis for my family, not only because I think it tastes better but because the essential food of my children needs to be baked by their mother, I believe ... Their is a certain engergy that transcends into the dough making it nourishing both to the body and to the soul.

During the last Terra Madre, I met founder of the Bread Movement Nadezhda Savova. Bread Movement was founded in Bulgaria in 2009. It is associated with the Slow Food International Movement and Terra Madre Network.I highly suggest you visit the link provided above and read all about it. The great thing about all this is that Nadezhda will be visiting Lebanon in June. Bread and bread-making in Lebanon is indeed quintessential, we will have to celebrate its existence, somehow...Does anyone have any ideas to propose to Nadezhda? Ideas are welcomed. Let's open a Bread House in Lebanon.

I quote from the website:
"The movement inspires people from around the world to join and make the first step toward sustainable, responsible lifestyle: making one’s own bread, and making it collectively as a leisure entertainment! "

"Workshops with different religious groups and immigrant communities, as in Cape Town with Muslims, Catholics, Protestants, African animists, and atheists, showed the unifying and peace-building power, not in inter-religious “dialogue” but inter-religious “making” the most basic and universal human sustenance for life! Bread as a symbol and as a tactile experience also embraces spiritual and religious values, and communities within the BREAD Movement are encouraged to think how to inter-weave the community ecology with local spiritual practices, so sustainability would have strong roots in people’s hearts and minds as much as in their local soil."

The site goes on to say, Why BREAD?

I quote ...

• Bread is universally present and loved around the world (even rice and corn-based cultures have rice and corn breads), consumed by people without division of economic status, age, gender, ethnicity, religion, education,etc: therefore, bread is a universal experience and a universal language to unite and educate
• Can be made by anyone, from child to grandparent, and is at the same time the most entertaining cooking activity
• When people share food, they are very much likely to establish peace and cooperation
• Creating, not passively consuming, bread and art inspires the confidence that there are creative solutions to any problem, and that problems are not as grave as imagined
• Tactile and taste experiences (bread-making stimulates all five senses!) develop particular parts of the brain, as studied by psychologists, which makes one perceive the world differently and ask deeper, critical questions: “Where does food come from and why? How do I treat my body, and what other food – intellectual and spiritual – do I need for a meaningful life?”

 Their motto is " grain by grain, one bread at a time"

Because I have been photographing this subject for years in Lebanon, here is a glimpse as to what bread means to us as Lebanese, it's the common denominator in our diversified country ... 

photo Raymond Yazbeck

photo Raymond Yazbeck

 

A Cheese Shop in Beirut

I was browsing through the Commerce du Levant which I think everyone should purchase this month because they have a special on Beirut restaurants, cafes and bars prepared by Hodema, a hospitality consulting service firm based in Beirut and in major Arab cities. I am dying to go and see this place, especially now that I am working on my new book dealing with dairy products—cheese included of course. Please if anyone has been to the shop and would like to comment, please do so! Here is the article, as written in the magazine (in French).

Boutique

Fromages alléchants

Muriel Rozelier, Mai 2011

Lorsqu’on est épris de tome de brebis, de Saint-Nectaire ou, pire, d’un Munster fondant… les adresses de qualité à Beyrouth se comptent sur les doigts de la main. D’où notre chapeau bas à ce nouveau “comptoir” ouvert dans la descente de l’hôtel Alexandre, qui propose quelque 85 sortes de fromage à des prix raisonnables. Ce printemps, sa boutique s’étoffe d’une terrasse pour offrir à ses clients la possibilité de grignoter sur le pouce une assiette fromages et vins. « Il suffit de composer son assiette, de choisir sa boisson au comptoir. On pèse le tout. On ajoute cinq dollars pour le service, sans autre surcharge. »
Jean, Charles, rue Adib Ishak, Achrafié, ouvert de 9h à 19h en semaine, jusqu’à 20h les week-ends, Tél. : 70/324253

Barbara in Barouk Helwe w Morra

This is how a community of folks from the Shouf make something exceptional with food. I have always been very much impressed by their mouneh production. When I started my mouneh book, I was very much influenced by the wide range of products available at the reserve. Rizkallah, a charming man, whose job is to coordinate the whole process was kind enough to introduce me to some of his food producers. The area is really special and I respect very much the fact that it is being protected from man's bulldozers. Thank you! This trip was magical, the bread-making exceptional. The ritual, very enlightening - and I always say we can perpetuate it all over the country in every household. Start with purchasing a saj and the rest will come easily. Let us keep these traditions alive, for the sake our children.
 

Barbara with Habib Honey on Helwe w Morra

I hope you enjoy this report, it was so much fun to shoot it. Maurice and his wife are wonderful people who make an honest living working very hard. Maurice is passionate about his work. It currently shows. I have visited Maurice and his bees many times during my journey. It is an amazing experience. His story is featured in the Mouneh book with information concerning honey and the yearly Lebanese honey calendar. In a nutshell, honey is the mouneh of the bees and we are profiting from all their hard work. Instead of sugar, I add a teaspoon of honey everyday in my morning coffee - it makes it so much more special. You can visit Maurice and his family every Saturday at Souk el Tayeb in Downtown and every Tuesday at the Earth Market in Hamra, opposite of Bread Republic.

Bees feed off these beautiful scented orange blossoms

Roula Sidnawi, every week works very hard to make the show happen

Simply incredible

This baby goat took me for her mom

The LBC crew wearing the protection gear

Roula

In action!

International Museum Day

The University of Balamand cordially invites you to the celebration
of the International Museum Day (IMD 2011) at the Permanent Ethnographic Exhibition,
Goat House - Main Campus - Al Kura, on May 18th 2011, at 4:30 p.m.
Theme of the International Museum Day:

Museum and Memory
4: 30 p.m. Visit of the Photo Exhibition Dr. Houda Kassatly

5: 30 p.m. Signing of books
by
Dr. Houda Kassatly
Mrs. Barbara Massaad
Mrs. Noor Majdalani

6: 00 p.m. Concert by Soprano Ghada Ghanem accompanied by her Oriental
Chamber Music Orchestra who will be performing o ld forgotten
songs from our musical oriental heritage.

7:00 p.m. Reception

Today in Zghorta ...

Simply amazing

I'm so lucky to be able to meet so many wonderful people

A family of seven children, here are a few

Suzanne Doueihey and I with the hmarr!

Barbara at Tawleh with Souna Tikidjian Helwe w Morra

Barbara "l'humeur du chef" helwe w morra

I met Jad El Hajj at Tawleh when he worked as a manager there. He helped me to organize a party for my friends that was long overdue. You see I never found a place that I could identify myself to, thus never had a party outside my home in a public place. When Tawleh opened, I called my husband the same day and told him, "I found the place!". Since then, Jad has moved on to fulfill his long life dream of opening his own restaurant. The concept of the restaurant is special as he "the chef" cooks given his mood, changing the menu every day. All the best to you Jad!

ACDI/VOCA Launches First-Ever Lebanese Cheese Festival

I attended this cheese festival a while back, actually as I was watching the video I saw myself walking around for a split second. This event took place in 2007, how time flies. I am starting my new research presently dealing with this exact topic. Usually when you write a book, you spend months trying to find the right cover. So let me tell you ladies and gents, I found it! Does that mean that this book will be easier on me? I hope so, but I really hope that the journey takes me to the root of my secret dream - that of discovering the riches of being a shepherdess. Sound crazy, it's not - just picture it, being in nature seeing your "babies" feed on nature's offerings, milking the herd to make delicious dairy products. A cycle is born instantly, as nature intended... I can't wait to live through this experience - one step at a time.

Always the Sun

Not food related, soul related - a philosophy, sung by someone else that I can relate to. Why? I don't know. We have a "hamseen" today in Lebanon, so this just might be appropriate and related to this hot vague (in my mind)... Enjoy!

Your darkness grows
In fields of loneliness
Every breath
As cold as ice
Where lies are true painted black
Searching for some light to lead you back

Always the sun
After all
Always the sun
Like a wailing wall
Give me hope
Show some meaning

Always the sun
To strike a chord
Always the sun
To turn the world
Always

Your darkness grows
In fields of loneliness
Every breath
As cold as ice
Where lies are true painted black
Searching for some light to lead you back

Always the sun
After all
Always the sun
Like a wailing wall
Give me hope
Show some meaning

Always the sun
To strike a chord
Always the sun
To turn the world
Always

Orange Blossom Jam in Zakroun

I had such a great time with Joseph and his family! They are one of a kind and I wish them all the happiness. I was very touched by their generosity. The story of Joseph and his jam is included in the Mouneh book.

Striking a pose with Joseph

The beauty of Zakroun untouched by men

Joseph absolutely hates TV interviews

The hospitality of the Menhen family

Meeting my friend, the goat

Notice the beehive next to Dory's head

 Look closely at the beehive

Onion Bed

Sitting on a bed of onions - on the way to Zahleh

Magdousheh in the Spring

Text taken from Mouneh - Preserving Foods for the Lebanese Pantry (2010 edition): 

In spring time, it is an enriching experience to walk through a grove of orange trees blossoming with white flowers and bursting with fragrance. I’ve had many occasions to experience this romantic stroll throughout my journey. When you see, touch and smell these flowers you have the impression that they are declaring the coming of spring.

 Magdousheh, a small town about 50 km (31 mi) south of Beirut, is reputed for its orange groves and its annual orange blossom water production. It is situated at an altitude of about 300 m (984 ft) above sea level. The town overlooks the Mediterranean Sea with its prominent pilgrimage site—home of the church of Our Lady of Mantara. On one of my visits I was accompanied by Oussama Amioun, a local resident and producer. We walked through the whole town meeting with people and discussing the year’s orange blossom yield.  During the season, villagers scatter through the groves and private gardens working simultaneously to harvest their prized orange blossom flowers. A faint perfume accompanies you as you walk through the streets. There is a certain ambiance unseen elsewhere in Lebanon at that particular moment. The tiny white flowers are laid out, scattered on empty large white bags. Distillers of different sizes and shapes are washed and set up carefully to ensure a proper yearly production. Farmers and producers of Magdousheh pride themselves on a superior quality of distilled orange blossom water. They insist that the trees should not be irrigated during the hot summer months. In fact, it is this hearty resistance which makes the flowers superior, thereby resulting in a higher quality product.  

Traditionally, most households in Lebanon made their annual production of orange blossom water at home using a family alembic. Today, it is not unusual to find families gathered at a town center where the communal karakeh is set up with large bags of orange blossom flowers. Production is mainly reserved to villagers who keep the traditional distillation process alive.  

Mr. Hannah

The pride of a farmer

Let's try!

The smell of orange blossom simply takes you away

Together we stand

In town, flowers for sale

Oussama Amioun

Taking a break

First seller as you enter the town

International Prize of the Gastronomique Literature

A great evening hosted by the Lebanese Academy of Gastronomy at Chez Sophie.

Here enclosed was the Menu (in French):

Apertitif
Bellini a la pèche blanche
 En Amuse Bouche

Fritos de grenouille / Spuma de pomme de terre / Jus corsé
Vin blanc de Bourgogne
Domaine Chevrot, 2008, Chardonnay, Bio
 En Entrées

Salade d'asperges vertes et blanches / Copeaux de manchego / Jambon Bellot

Vinaigrette à la truffe noire

Ou

Emietté de tourteau aux agrumes / Carpaccio de Saint Jacques

En Primi Piatti

Raviole de joue de boeuf / Foie gras
Vin rouge du Languedoc
Puech Noble, Domaine Puech Noble
Producteur R. Rostaing 2007, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache, Bio  
En Poisson

Filet de daurade à la vapeur / Pousses d'épinards / Mousseline de topinambours

Crème de palourdes

Ou

En Viande

Souris d'agneau confit / Mousseline de purée de pomme de terre

En Dessert

Café gourmand

Best part of life is sharing happiness with the one you love

The winners!

Friendship!

A snapshot in the kitchen with Sophie

Goat Song

Animals sense who love them - I love this photo!

4th Day Horeca 2011

Ok, so I have to admit that this was my favorite day! I was so excited that I spoke during the whole evening (in a microphone, in Arabic). Today's guests were Souk el Tayeb's food producers from all over Lebanon. It was amazing because each producer prepared Kebbeh according to the their region. Georgina El Bayeh, from Kferdleos in the North, prepared Kebbeh Erras. They were excellent. She stuffed them with a bit of fat mixed with chopped green pepper, and dried mint. Zeinab Kashmar, from Hallousiyeh, prepared Frakeh which is Kebbeh prepared on a piece of marble. This is raw kebbeh with burghul mixed with Southern spices including cumin, rose petals, marjoram, etc ...(I will develop this story later on my TV show). She beat the raw meat for one hour constantly to show how the Kebbeh was made in yesterdays. It was amazing! And the taste... Sona Takijian, from Borj Hammoud Beirut, prepared Vospov Kefteh. This is Kebbeh made with boiled lentil mixed with burghul. Suzanne Doueihy, from Zgharta in the North, made us her famous Kebbeh Nayeh bil Jorn. I've never tasted a better Kebbeh in my life! She also brought trays of Kebbeh bil Saniyeh: Kebbeh Basaliyeh, Kebbeh bi Zeit, and Kebbeh bi Labneh. Last but not least, Nada Saber, from Kherbet Anafar in the Bekaa made us Kebbet Batata. She also brought with her Kebbet Raheb and Kebbet Lakteen.She gave me some to take home after the show to share with my family. We fed hundreds of people and that is what it's all about. Sharing, feeding, teaching, and making others happy! I was glad that the workshop was a success this year.

Sona feeding everyone her delicious lentil kebbeh.

Suzanne working on her kebbeh bil jurn.

Happiness is sharing food with everyone!

3rd Day Horeca 2011

On the third day, I arrived a bit late because of traffic. It was really exasperating. Our first guest was to be Chef Karim Haidar, apparently he stormed out of the stand because he was not satisfied with the organization. I never got to meet him !!! I was disappointed because I would have liked to hear about his stories concerning  the introduction of Lebanese foods and flavors in Parisian restaurants. Maybe one day!

The day was not a total disappointment, on the contrary.  I met a lovely woman, who is a US-trained chef. Her name is Reem Azoury. She owns a small restaurant in Washington DC. She presented the audience with a conference based on adapting Lebanese Cuisine to International Tastes, mostly American. The presentation was really interesting and made a lot of sense. It brought me back to our family restaurant and how we introduced Lebanese flavors to South Florida. I've asked Reem to send me a copy of her presentation. I will post the highlights when I get it.  

2nd Day Horeca 2011

The focus of the second day of the workshop was on a specific ingredient,tahini. Tahini is a paste of ground sesame seeds. Our sponsor, Al Kanater, offered tahini and halawa to all those passing by. Our first guest was no other than Top Chef host Chef Joe Barza.Joe presented the making of fish kafta. The dish consists of ground fish mixed with spices, parsley, coriander (fresh and dry), diced onions, and salt. The mix was spread on a platter filled with fresh tomato sauce. Slices of potatoes were spread on the fish layer.The whole was topped with a tarrator sauce made with tahini, lemon juice, water, and salt. About 20 minutes later, everyone had a taste of this delicious creation signed Joe Barza.

The second guest was Charles Azar, Lebanon's top pastry chef. He baked "Chocolate Macaroon with Halawa". The taste was out of this world and inspired me a lot. The halawa was mixed in the hot chocolate, melting into a thick paste. With a little imagination, one can do so much to introduce local ingredients to all kinds of recipes. I was certainly impressed.

Next to the Culinary Heritage workshop stand, Horeca introduced this year Librairie Gourmande. I was able to meet Chef Andrew, a Canadian-Egyptian chef, who is redheaded like me and speaks Arabic like me too!!! He signed his new book that day. So funny... I'm sure you all have seen him on Fatafeat.

Two great Lebanese chefs

Chef Andrew

Chez Sophie - Cooking Risotto with Chef Sophie

1st day at Horeca 2011

I've come to the definitive conclusion that it's not only about the food, but about the person making the food. Yesterday the Horeca workshop started with food prepared by the restaurant Mayrig. A group of ladies came on site to prepare the recipes. I had a taste of "Pandjarov Sarma" - handpicked Swiss chard leaves stuffed with a special blend of rice, spices and tomato with olive oil, "Vospov Keufteh" - red lentil kebbeh served raw topped with fresh tomato salad, "Mante" -the traditional Armenian crispy dumpling topped with tomato soup and fresh garlic yogurt. It is equivalent to the Lebanese "Shish Barak". The whole is sprinkled with sumac.For a quick dessert, "Tahinov Hats" were carefully prepared. They are cookies made with tahini, flavored with cinnamon. Mayrig is proud to share these recipes which have been passed on from mother to daughter for generations.

The second group, headed by Jean D'arc, from Sofil Catering served an Armenian Kebbeh recipe called "Yahnili Kufta", "Patatesove Kufta" which is kebbeh made with boiled potatoes, "Manteh Roseh" - which for me was out of this world, and a delicious dessert called "Zardah" - rice pudding cooked with grape molasses. Again, I stress on the character of the person involved in the cooking. I was very much impressed by Jean D'arc's energy and talent. I admire a tough, talented woman like that - surrounded by her whole family who was rooting for her.

I learned a lot, tasted a lot...It confirmed the importance of this cuisine in our society. I will work on getting it out there!

Visit to Beyno - Cooking Meat with Vinegar

Horeca 2011

The Lebanese Culinary Heritage Workshop at Horeca:

 

I shall be hosting the workshop this year, here enclosed is the schedule:

Description	Date	Starting	Ending
Armenian cuisine workshop: Master the secrets of traditional Armenian dishes by Mayrig restaurant	29/03/2011	16:30	18:30
Armenian Cuisine Workshop: preserving and reinventing Armenian dishes by Sofil Catering	29/03/2011	18:30	20:30
Tahini workshop: Discover new recipes with Tahini by Chef Joe Barza, Consultant Joint Operations Expert	30/03/2011	16:30	18:30
Tahini workshop : Learn how to prepare Sweets with Halawe by Chef Charles Azar, exectuive pastry chef, Four Seasons Hotel	30/03/2011	18:30	20:30
Mezze workshop: discover Citrus and Sea food mezze with Chef Karim Haidar, modern Lebanese cuisine chef and consultant chef of many parisian restaurants	31/03/2011	16:30	18:30
Mezze workshop: adapting Lebanese Cuisine to International tastes"  special menu of Lebanese dishes and ingredients mixed for western tastes and palates With Reem Azoury, US-trained chef supported by  USAID and LBLI in collaboration with the federation of the Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Lebanon	31/03/2011	18:30	19:30
Kebbeh workshop: "Kan ya ma kan Kebbet Loubnan" by Souk el Tayeb.  Discover different interpretation of Kebbeh from North to South, Coast to Bekaa; from Zgharta's purest Kebbeh, to the South most fragrant " tehwishit kebbeh" to the vegeterian versions or event Armenian vospov kofte.	01/04/2011	16:30	20:30

The rich culinary heritage of Lebanon goes under the spotlight at HORECA 2011 as famous chefs and local producers highlight many classic Lebanese dishes using traditional recipes and the best locally-sourced ingredients.

Visitors to these daily cooking demonstrations will be eager to discover some of the recent innovations that have added a new dimension to this renowned cuisine. Lebanon is rightly famous for its wide range of dishes that merge Middle Eastern traditions with a touch of Western influence. With fish from the Mediterranean, good quality meat and fresh fruit and vegetables from its farmland, the country has created a rich variety of delicious fare to delight the palate.

During this year’s show, a team of talented chefs will show how new culinary developments can be used to complement traditional techniques and add a new vitality to trusted Lebanese favorites as they utilize the bounty of Lebanon’s rich culinary heritage.

Home cooks and professionals alike are sure to discover something new when they explore the Lebanese culinary heritage at HORECA 2011.

Article by Michael Karam on Lebanon

Read Marketing Lebanon is fine, but some things need fixing by Michael Karam, author of Wines of Lebanon.

"Indeed, the edgier side of Lebanese cooking appears to be very much in demand by global consumers. Anissa Helou, the London-based Lebanese-Syrian food writer and tour guide, has done wonders to spread the word through her books and blog to make the dishes of the Levant desirable. In Lebanon, Cherine Yazbek and Barbara Abdeni Massaad have written books championing rural Lebanese food and rituals, just the sort of thing that would make people swoon, from Hoxton to Tribeca."

How I Write - Time Out Beirut March 2011

Printed in Time Out Beirut March 2011.

I remember when I started writing my first book Man’oushé, I showed my husband the initial text I was scribbling. He looked puzzled and stated, “are you writing a book on the man’oushé or are you writing a biography”. He simply could not understand how my personal story was linked to this Lebanese thyme pie. He was not the only skeptical on the matter. Yet finally, years later, readers still acknowledge the fact that it’s the personal story that made my first book so special and therefore successful.  Writing about food is indeed something very personal to me. It’s about how one relates to food—its identity, how it becomes part of who I am, who prepares it, how it becomes part of a larger community, the society we live in. 

Writing is a virtual reality for me. I enter into a world where nature prevails, free from man’s superficial commodities and destructive artifacts. With the photographs I take, I paint the perfect picture of how I would like the world to be portrayed. I write the words to emphasize the image to make sure that the message has been conveyed and understood. Food and its preparation are connected to humanity, people—the best part of the specie, the chosen ones. It is linked to those who farm, cook, create, invent, process, and finally feed us. It is they that inspire me again and again to write. It is they that I want to spend time with, far from the ones who live a meaningless and shallow life.

I write to portray the lives of those who would go unnoticed among the clutters of our present heroes, who are only a deceitful fragment of our imagination. In jotting these words, I’d like to leave a small trace which could have a positive influence on the future generation, primarily the one where my children will flourish into adults. It is them who constantly stimulate me to move forward to reach out towards something more substantial and beneficial.  Everyone feels they want to change the world. When I write, I feel that I am doing just that. In my own way, I am constantly working on making things better. It has become a therapy, a simple way of life.

Happiness is Homemade

I just finished mixing three batches of dough to make homemade bread. I made three different kinds of bread today. The first batch was made with green olives. You simply cannot beat the taste of Lebanese olives, tangy with lots of zest. Unbeatable! The second batch was mixed with nigella seeds, just the right flavor for a salmon sandwich (just an idea). And last but not least, brown bread made with wholesome brown flour. It feels like home, perfect. Did I mention I just started a diet? When I start a diet, I cook and bake 24/ 7. If I could realize one tiny little wish in life, it would be to EAT as much as my heart desires and NOT get FAT! As I was mixing the dough, I told myself how lucky I was to be able to fulfill my inner joy with the mere mixing of flour, salt, and water. Why does cooking and baking make me so happy? Is it perhaps that the final product will be the element that will unite our family around a table for a good time... Or is it simply the smell and taste that I cherish the most? Whatever the case, it's nice to know that one can find happiness in the comfort of his / her own home.

Seek and ye shall find...

Can you smell it?

Bread Starter Lessons

Exert taken from the book Mouneh:

(For detailed recipes, buy your copy now!

Purely traditional bread making begins with a starter which can take up to a week to ferment and become established. A starter is a flour and water mixture that collects wild yeasts from the atmosphere. It is created by simply combining flour and water allowing it to ferment by airborne yeast. The starter is used to leaven breads. A small amount of the dough is then kept back and used for the next batch. With time, starters improve, so with a few attempts, your bread will develop a very distinctive flavor and texture.

To produce bread in the past, one had to harvest the wheat, separate the grain from the husk, crush the grain into flour, mix it with water, leaven the dough, and finally bake it. Peasant families, usually women, would bake on a fixed weekly schedule. The bread was baked on a convex disc (saj) in a sheltered spot or it was taken to the communal oven (forn).

For Christian villagers, the initial starter was made on the 6^th of January, Feast of the Epiphany. A small mixture of flour and water was formed into a small piece of dough. This dough was hung on a tree on the eve of the feast. Villagers believed that Christ would come late and bless the dough and everything outside including the crops and the animals. The tree would bow modestly at the moment of Christ’s benediction. The small piece of dough would be hung on various types of trees, with the exception of the fig tree. According to legend, the fig tree was shunned because Judas was said to have hung himself on this tree. This starter, called khamiret al-Massih – meaning Christ’s yeast - was then used to make bread. Before the bread was baked, a small piece of the risen dough was set aside to leaven the next batch. This process continued throughout the year and would sometimes last indefinitely.

To this day, you can still find households in Lebanon who make their homemade starter to be used throughout the year. Unfortunately, it has become a rarity mostly done in villages. There are, however, some enthusiastic bakers (like my mother and her dear friend Mrs. Marcelle Aboussouan) who believe that using one’s starter makes the whole experience of bread making a ritual worthy of safeguarding, along with other ancient baking techniques and precious cultural culinary traditions.

Bread baked on the saj

Measuring the water to make the starter

Helweh wa Moora, everyone at work!

The final step, hanging the piece of dough outside for 10 days

Massaya - An Inspiring Article

I was really touched by the story of Massaya written by Brad Haskel. There is a particular part of the story which really hit home, and I quote:

"The Tanail Estate was acquired by my parents Michel and Amal in the early 1970s. We grew up there, playing in the fields, riding horses, chasing our dogs and pets, hunting, enjoying endless festive mezze and barbeque lunches with homemade arak. In 1975 (civil war had erupted) we were forced to evacuate from the Bekaa Valley estate when shooting started. We rushed away in my mother's white Volvo... uprooted, in tears and fears, leaving our childhood memories and dreams behind. I was eight years old, and my brother Ramzi was six.

This incident never left me, neither through my years studying in Paris; where I studied architecture, nor later when I had moved to the U.S. working as an architect in LA first and then NY. Early in the 1990s as my parents were pressingly approached to sell the estate, I went back to the Bekaa, leaving my green card behind at JFK (not to be tempted to take a U-Turn back to the US) and evacuated the squatters from our estate...
I was about 27 years old at the time and guess they (the squatters) saw and felt the drive and conviction in my eyes and guts. It was either them out or me, but with my feet horizontal. I made my choice clear, and they had made theirs. In the meantime, I had built a shelter on the rooftop of the house, slept next to an AK-47 before they finally were persuaded to evacuate. This is now history."

And here I say, what if ... The Ghosn brothers inherited not only a land, but a way of life.

Please continue reading the article, it's valuable.

Women from the Bekaa baking manakish
for the Sunday lunch