Lebanon is located west of the Mediterranean and just south of Israel. During its heyday, Beirut, the capital of Lebanon was often referred to as the Paris of the Middle East. Today however, Lebanon is known mainly for being one of the largest construction sites in the world.
Like all Mediterranean diets, Lebanese food consists mainly of:
* Starches
* Vegetables
* Seafood
* Poultry
* Fruits
Red meat is also an ingredient of Lebanese food, though this is mostly lamb. Very little use is made of animal fats in Lebanese cooking, which depends heavily on olive oil instead. Most Lebanese foods are heavily flavored with spices and herbs such as mint, oregano, garlic, parsley, nutmeg and cinnamon. The Lebanese always use fresh ingredients and they almost never eat leftover food.
Dishes are typically grilled, baked or sauted in olive oil and food preparation (especially of meat and poultry dishes) is often time consuming, requiring hours of cooking. Luckily, it is easy to cook Lebanese food using slow cooker recipes and a crock-pot. This will save the cook a lot of time.
The national dish in Lebanon is kibbeh, which is an emulsified paste composed of lamb and Bulgar wheat. Often referred to as the "pate" of Lebanon, the process of making kibbeh is laborious and painstaking. The lamb has to be ground about two to three times for the emulsification process to occur.
The three forms of Kibbeh include:
* Raw kibbeh, which is the most recognized form. It is similar to steak tartar.
* Kibbeh bil-saneeya, which is a baked kibbeh
* Kibbeh rass, which is a fried form of kibbeh
Bread is the most important staple food in Lebanese cuisine. In fact, the Arabic word for bread is "esh", which is also the word for 'life' or 'living'.
As in every culture, the Lebanese celebrate special occasions, including religious holidays, by preparing sumptuous meals to share with friends and family. Lebanese Christians usually serve sugarcoated almonds at Christmas, followed by a meal consisting of a turkey or chicken dish. Dessert is often a French Christmas cake in the shape of a Yule log.
For a true Lebanese experience, you have to accompany the meal with one of their renowned wines. Ksara is the most popular wine followed by Chateau Kefraya, and Chateau Musar, which are better known in the west.
Lebanon's national drink, however, is not wine but Arak. This clear, unsweetened beverage has an anise flavor and high alcohol content. Arak, known as the "milk of lions" in the Middle East, is essentially the same drink as the Greek ouzo, the Turkish raki or the Spanish anisado.
Another part of the Lebanese culinary culture is the Mezze, which would also be known as an appetizer. This is a manner in which food is served and it can be eaten before the meal or at the end.
For dessert, the Lebanese will have either fresh fruit or a pastry. Baklava is the most popular Lebanese pastry. It is rich and sweet, stuffed with pistachio nuts and raisins and soaked in heavy rose-water syrup. Along with dessert, the Lebanese serve a strong, thick coffee, sweetened to taste and sometimes flavored with cardamom.
Like all Mediterranean diets, Lebanese food consists mainly of:
* Starches
* Vegetables
* Seafood
* Poultry
* Fruits
Red meat is also an ingredient of Lebanese food, though this is mostly lamb. Very little use is made of animal fats in Lebanese cooking, which depends heavily on olive oil instead. Most Lebanese foods are heavily flavored with spices and herbs such as mint, oregano, garlic, parsley, nutmeg and cinnamon. The Lebanese always use fresh ingredients and they almost never eat leftover food.
Dishes are typically grilled, baked or sauted in olive oil and food preparation (especially of meat and poultry dishes) is often time consuming, requiring hours of cooking. Luckily, it is easy to cook Lebanese food using slow cooker recipes and a crock-pot. This will save the cook a lot of time.
The national dish in Lebanon is kibbeh, which is an emulsified paste composed of lamb and Bulgar wheat. Often referred to as the "pate" of Lebanon, the process of making kibbeh is laborious and painstaking. The lamb has to be ground about two to three times for the emulsification process to occur.
The three forms of Kibbeh include:
* Raw kibbeh, which is the most recognized form. It is similar to steak tartar.
* Kibbeh bil-saneeya, which is a baked kibbeh
* Kibbeh rass, which is a fried form of kibbeh
Bread is the most important staple food in Lebanese cuisine. In fact, the Arabic word for bread is "esh", which is also the word for 'life' or 'living'.
As in every culture, the Lebanese celebrate special occasions, including religious holidays, by preparing sumptuous meals to share with friends and family. Lebanese Christians usually serve sugarcoated almonds at Christmas, followed by a meal consisting of a turkey or chicken dish. Dessert is often a French Christmas cake in the shape of a Yule log.
For a true Lebanese experience, you have to accompany the meal with one of their renowned wines. Ksara is the most popular wine followed by Chateau Kefraya, and Chateau Musar, which are better known in the west.
Lebanon's national drink, however, is not wine but Arak. This clear, unsweetened beverage has an anise flavor and high alcohol content. Arak, known as the "milk of lions" in the Middle East, is essentially the same drink as the Greek ouzo, the Turkish raki or the Spanish anisado.
Another part of the Lebanese culinary culture is the Mezze, which would also be known as an appetizer. This is a manner in which food is served and it can be eaten before the meal or at the end.
For dessert, the Lebanese will have either fresh fruit or a pastry. Baklava is the most popular Lebanese pastry. It is rich and sweet, stuffed with pistachio nuts and raisins and soaked in heavy rose-water syrup. Along with dessert, the Lebanese serve a strong, thick coffee, sweetened to taste and sometimes flavored with cardamom.
About the Author:
Michelle is surely an accomplished publisher whose specialty is writing about quick, yet yummy, home cooking. Her articles generally stress the advantages of crock pot recipes just like slow cooker recipes, which is among her favorites.
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