Cuisine



Click on the Mezze table and see the menu at the Abu Faysal restaurant in Nicosia		You can't go wrong with this cookbook if you want to try Lebanese cooking

Lebanese food combines the sophistication and subtleties of European cuisines with the exotic ingredients of the Middle and Far East. Its focus is on herbs, spices and the freshness of ingredients - much of what the Lebanese eat is dictated by the seasons.

Coffee is a big deal in Lebanon. It is served throughout the day, at home and in the public cafes. Lebanese coffee is strong, thick and often flavored with cardamom. It is also usually heavily sweetened. When guests arrive at one's home, they are invariably persuaded to stay for a coffee, no matter how short their visit.

Not a meal is eaten in Lebanon that does not include bread. It may be seasoned with zahtar and olive oil for breakfast, and utilized both as a foodstuff and eating utensil for virtually every meal or snack.

The national dish of Lebanon is kibbeh, an emulsified paste of lamb and burgul wheat - a sort of Lebanese paté. Kibbeh can take on many forms, the most famous being kibbeh nayee which is somewhat like steak tartar. Two other common forms of the food are kibbeh bil-saneeya (baked kibbeh) and kibbeh rass (fried kibbeh), Baked kibbeh is layered in a pan with its stuffing and drizzled with olive oil, while fried kibbeh is shaped into miniature hollowed out footballs and then stuffed before being fried. Both of these cooked kibbeh are often served with refreshing yogurt sauce. Kibbeh-making is an arduous task and usually reserved for holidays, festivals or Sunday dinner.

While one may not think of Lebanon as a particularly well-known wine region, there are a few palatable wines. From the Bekaa Valley, for example, you'll find Ksara and Château Kefraya. Ksara is a full-bodied red and its winery, founded by Jesuit priests, is the largest in the Middle East. Château Kefraya produces a light and pleasant rosé. And from the Mount Lebanon region is Château Musar has the rich-fullness of classic Bordeaux.

The entire Mediterranean rim is known for their anise-flavored liqueurs. In the South of France there is Pastis, in Italy you'll find Sambuca, in Greece Ouzo, and there is Arak - the national drink of Lebanon. Interestingly, these anise-flavored liqueurs came into existence around the turn of the century as a substitute when the infamous beverage Absinthe became illegal. Absinthe was a bitter, anise-flavored liqueur that was popular with writers, painters and other freethinking types during the mid-to-late 1800's. It was originally produced to treat malaria. However, the essential flavoring came from the bitter root of the wormwood plant and was reputed to have narcotic properties with disastrous side effects. When absinthe became illegal, manufacturers substituted anise for the wormwood, to supply the demand, and a number of close imitations were produced including Pernod, Sambuca, Ouzo and Arak