Phoenician Gourmet

Kitchen Towels for Sale

2010-05-25T11:25:00.005-04:00

Hello dear friends , the Farmer's Market Season Started last week. I want to appologize from all of you my dear friends, for not visiting so often and checking your amazing recipes and mouth watering photos...I even don't have the time to do new posting, though I am taking lots of photos. Today my post is not about a new recipe but about a talented friend who does weaving at home, and creates

Homemade Yogurt and Shankleesh

2010-05-18T22:07:00.004-04:00

I promised you in an earlier posting about a homemade yogurt recipe, also from the same recipe we can make a mezza platter which we all enjoy- Shankleesh - you can serve it as a mezza platter or as side dish, or even for lunch. Homemade Yogurt is a healthy source of protein, calcium, magnesium, and other essential vitamins, whose active bacterial cultures aid in digestion. You can make yogurt

Bread Painting

2010-05-14T14:53:00.007-04:00

Bread is becoming a big passion to me; I always search for new recipes, and bread techniques, to improve my skills. Artisan Breads are one of my favourite, I love toasted crunchy bread... I prepared my Artisan bread dough yesterday and let it rest in the fridge overnight, and this afternoon I used the dough to do some sandwich breads and an asparagus pie which I will post later. Couple of days

Pickled Eggplant & Green Pepper in Olive Oil - Makdous Batinjan wa Fleifleh

2010-05-13T22:19:00.008-04:00

Makdous Batinjan - Eggplant cured in olive oilthe stuffing is garlic , walnuts and hot chili pepperMakdous in Olive oil is specialty of Baalback and the Bekaa Rejion.1- boil the water 2- add the eggplant and cover with a towel to avoid turning them dark3- boil for couple of minutes only4- make sure a bowl of ice water is ready5- move the eggplant from hot to ice water to stop cooking6- when cool

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-08T13:49:00.004-04:00

A WONDERFUL MOTHER. GOD made a wonderful mother, A mother who never grows old; He made her smile of the sunshine, And He molded her heart of pure gold; In her eyes He placed bright shining stars, In her cheeks, fair roses you see; God made a wonderful mother, And He gave that dear mother to me. ~Pat O'Reilly~ Ladies don't forgot our cross cultural cooking competition http://

My thanks to you

2010-05-07T00:21:00.011-04:00

I want to take the chance to thank all my good friends who inspired me through their food and recipes Mary of One Perfect Bite, Angie of Angie’s Recipes and Isabelle of Les Gourmandises d’Isa. Also I like to add my thanks to the authors of the Artisan Bread in five minutes a day for their recipes. Here are some of the baking photos I made for the Shows. French Puff Breads & Flat

Walima April Challenge Representing the Syrian Cuisine

2010-05-04T22:45:00.017-04:00

Hello my friends, and dear readers, very sorry for being away from you and my blog. Sometimes things happened against our will, and because we are only human sometimes an extra doze of excitement can move the balance and shake the foundation. Lately I was faced with some challenges, which were not either fair or legal, and I am trying to solve them in a wise and civilized way. Unfortunately I

cross-cultural-cooking-competition

2010-04-21T20:17:00.014-04:00

True friendship is perhaps the only relation that survives the trials and tribulations of time and remains unconditional. A unique blend of affection, loyalty, love, respect, trust and loads of fun is perhaps what describes the true meaning of friendship. Similar interests, mutual respect and strong attachment with each other are what friends share between each other. These are just the general

Baalback Special Cookies - Baalback Kaak Krass

2010-04-13T14:41:00.014-04:00

Dear friendsI will be away from the blogsphere for couple of weeks.... I will be in my kitchen testing new recipes and preparing for two big events I am participating in as a food vendor. Next week we are celebrating the Maple Syrup Festival in Powassan , a near by town twenty minutes from North Bay.. It’s a full day event….this festival attracts more than 6000 visitors every year…. We are

Lebanese BBQ Chicken with Homemade Garlic Sauce - The Ultimate

2010-04-10T10:39:00.014-04:00

I love BBQ, we are used to having BBQ every Saturday since we were kids, my dad was a general contractor and he enjoyed a Mezza dinner every Saturday evening. My mom will prepare all the food, to accompany a Mezza dinner, and when my dad arrives everything will be ready for the BBQ, we used to put a big table outside on

Ham Braid with Leftover Ham - A New Way for Croque Monsieur

2010-04-08T13:15:00.016-04:00

A Croque-Monsieur is a hot ham and cheese (typically emmental or gruyère) grilled sandwich. It originated in France as a fast-food snack served in cafés and bars. More elaborate versions come coated in a Mornay or Béchamel sauce. The emergence of the Croque-monsieur (and variations) is mirrored by growth in popular fast-foods in other countries.

Onion Flowers

2010-04-06T21:25:00.007-04:00

This is a wonderful side dish, to accompany a roast, a ham or a turkey dinner. If you like the onion blossom at the Outback Restaurant… you will love these onions... Simple to prepare, elegant on your plate, and most of all no frying.Feel free to substitute or change an ingredient you like. Add your touch.I made these

Strawberry Shortbread Cake

2010-04-05T12:42:00.010-04:00

We were having Easter Dinner at my inlaws, I decided on baking a light dessert, because we are having a big dinner, Turkey a l’orange a specialty of my father in law, he cooks it low and slow with basting a special mix of orange juice, homemade maple syrup (still boiling the sap) and some spice blend, also were having homemade lasagne, and I baked a smoked orange roast ham, Mediterranean Salad,

Hot Cross Buns

2010-04-04T00:37:00.013-04:00

why do you seek the living among the dead?He is not here! but is RisenLuke 24: 5-6May you rejoice in His triumph! Happy Easter every one...A hot cross bun, or cross-bun, is a type of sweet spiced bun made with currants or raisins and leavened with yeast. It has a cross marked on the top which might be effected in one of a variety of ways including: pastry, flour and water mixture, rice paper,

Cake Lollipops - A nice project to do with kids

2010-04-02T23:58:00.016-04:00

This is a big seller at the market , unfortunately I don’t have the time to do it every week, as it takes some time to assemble and I work alone, specially if I have some catering orders , I try to avoid wasting time on several projects. They are cute edible bouquets of cake lollipops, with different flavours…Sometimes I

Yellow Lentil Soup and Lentil Kibbee

2010-04-02T12:22:00.010-04:00

Today April 02nd, is Good Friday in the Christian Church:Jesus came to earth,To show us how to live,How to put others first,How to love and how to give.Then He set about His work,That God sent Him to do;He took our punishment on Himself;He made us clean and new.He could have saved Himself,Calling angels from above,But He

Welcome to North Bay - Ontario

2010-04-01T13:56:00.002-04:00

We are lucky that we live five minutes walking from Trout Lake, and our drinking water comes from the lake, icy cold specially now when the lakes are melting. I heard that Trout Lake is open for visitors only, no boat sailing yet, as the lake is not 100% defrosted. North Bay is a beautiful City in the Summer, blessed with several lakes, even on our lot there is a small lake which runs all the

A New Award

2010-04-01T11:57:00.003-04:00

I got this wonderful Award from my friend Nadjibellah from Saveurs et Gourmandises. I am really thankful for sharing the award with me and in return I like to share this award with:Heather of Azure Island DesignsMary of one perfect biteAngie of Angie's RecipesKhadija of moroccan cuisines maricaineJoumana of taste of beirutMaggie of hommus w tabbouli

Walima March Challenge - Representing the Tunisian Cuisine

2010-03-31T23:54:00.011-04:00

Tunisia, officially the Tunisian Republic (الجمهورية التونسية‎ al-Jumhūriyya at-Tunisiyya), is the northernmost country in Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its size is almost 165,000 km² with an estimated population of just over 10.3 million. Its name is derived from the capital Tunis located in the north-east.

Orange Tian - The Daring Bakers Challenge

2010-03-30T11:02:00.013-04:00

The 2010 March Daring Baker’s challenge was hosted by Jennifer of Chocolate Shavings. She chose Orange Tian as the challenge for this month, a dessert based on a recipe from Alain Ducasse’s Cooking School in Paris.Note: There are quite a few steps to making this dessert; however a lot of them can be made in advance. The

Leek Pie

2010-03-25T23:29:00.012-04:00

Leek Health BenefitsA good source of dietary Fiber , leeks also contain goodly amounts of folic acid, calcium, potassium, and vitamin C. Easier to digest than standard onions, leeks have laxative, antiseptic, diuretic, and anti-arthritic properties. The leek, Allium porrum, is a member of the onion family, but the flavour

Puttanesca Sauce

2010-03-24T11:45:00.005-04:00

LADIES OF THE EVENINGPuttanesca sauce, most often employed for pasta, originated in Naples. It is made from tomatoes, black olives, capers, anchovies, onions, garlic, and herbs, usually oregano and parsley but sometimes also basil. It is an easy sauce, briefly cooked, and is very fragrant and spicy. Puttanesca translates

Lebanese Potato Salad

2010-03-22T23:13:00.006-04:00

Today I am presenting to you a delicious, vegetarian potato salad very simple to prepare and only needs couple of ingredients which is found in your pantry. This salad is excellent served at room temperature, or as a side dish, great for outdoors BBQ Parties, healthy refreshing and nutritious. An excellent Vegan dish.ingredients:1 pound baby potatoes1 cup cleaned and chopped Italian parsley1/2

Assyrian Kbeybatt or the Kubebeh

2010-03-20T15:46:00.007-04:00

You will be amazed from the information you get tracing a word you read some where and then the word, takes it to another world where you discover million things hidden through time and what interest you, is from a small search you end up in a big encyclopaedia of information you never thought that it will be available for you online.

When Middle Eastern Cuisine meets Chinese Techniques

2010-03-19T09:22:00.013-04:00

Since I posted the Lebanese Street Kaak Bi Semsem, I wanted to do an additional posting for the Date Stars Bread, which is very popular in Lebanon, its a sweet bread stuffed with dates and cut in the shape of a star, for the sweet tooth in us. You find these stars in every bakery in Lebanon, small to a multi stories ... You can buy them from the bakery when you purchase your pita bread, also the

Hokkaido Milky Buns and new Bread Technique

2010-03-17T16:11:00.018-04:00

As you know I am always in search of new bread recipes and more new techniques and when I saw Angie’s recipe for Hokkaido Milky Buns, I knew immediately that I have to try this recipe and the new technique, which is called Tangzhong Starter, which is cooked roux starter.The Tangzhong Starter is a mixture of one part flour

Daoud Bacha Stew or Kabab Hindi and some cookies

2010-03-16T11:57:00.012-04:00

Oatmeal Cranberry Coconut and Walnut Cookies Melting Moments with citrus flavour I got the recipe for the Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies from my friend Rosa from Rosa YummyYums Oatmeal Coconut Cranberry Walnut Cookies Ingredients 2 1/3 Cups All purpose flour 2 Tsp Baking powder 1 1/2 Tsp Baking soda 1 Tsp Ground cinnamon 1/5 Tsp Ground cloves A pinch Ground nutmeg 1/2 Tsp Sea salt 3 1/2 Cups

Alsace Onion Tart

2010-03-14T21:20:00.006-04:00

In the Alsace region, conviviality and good-nature are the ingredients for a great, friendly evening. That is why it is not surprising that Alsatian people like both good food and good wine! Indeed the Alsace region of France is one of the country's smallest regions but it boasts mouth-watering specialties. This French North-East region – that shares borders with Germany – perpetuates the

Lebanese Mloukhieh - Jews Mallow Stew

2010-03-11T15:07:00.022-05:00

Fresh Mloukhieh LeavesCorchorus is a genus plant of about 40-100 species of flowering plants in the family Malvaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions throughout the world. Different common names are used in different contexts, with jute applying to the fibre produced from the plant, and Mallow-Leaves Mulukhiyah (with many similar transliterations from Arabic: ملوخية‎) applied to the

Lady’s Wrist and Mortadella

2010-03-06T22:00:00.007-05:00

Lady’s wrist or Lebanese Mortadella is a savoury dish prepared either with beef, lamb or a combination of the two or from chicken… in This recipe we are using beef.For the Meat:700 gm of roast beef½ head of garlic (if you like garlic you can add more)2 green peppers cleaned and sliced1 tsp of freshly ground black pepper1

How to prepare Clarified Butter

2010-03-05T13:11:00.003-05:00

Clarified Butter is commonly used in Middle Eastern and North African Cuisines and they call it Samen Baladi. Its widely used in Indian Cuisines where it is called Ghee. The French call it Buerre Noisette. Clarified Butter has a higher smoking point, tastier with nutty flavour, last longer and its lactose free. Clarifying butter is as simple as melting butter and letting the milk solids settle

Walima February Challenge - Representing the Saudi Cuisine

2010-03-04T21:58:00.011-05:00

Saudi Arabia, the third-largest country in Asia, constitutes about four-fifths of the Arabian Peninsula. The other countries that share the peninsula—Yemen, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait—are all much smaller in area. A narrow plain runs along the Red Sea coast. The Hijaz Mountains (Al Hijaz) rise sharply from the sea. At least one-third of the total area is sandy desert.

TIH-RUH-MEE-SOO - The Daring Bakers Challenge

2010-02-28T14:39:00.013-05:00

Tiramisu - Heaven in your mouth.. Also known as "Tuscan Trifle," the dessert was initially created in Siena, in the northwestern Italian province of Tuscany. The occasion was a visit by Grand Duke Cosimo de'Medici III, in whose honor the concoction was dubbed zuppa del duca (the "duke's soup"). The erstwhile duke brought the dessert back with him to Florence. In the 19th Century, zuppa del duca

Nia's Birthday Cake

2010-02-27T13:08:00.011-05:00

As I shared in my previous posting, that we were celebrating seven birthdays in the family. We choose Valentine Day February 14th, for the big celebration, as my sister in law lives with her family in Mississauga which is the next big city after Toronto, and they are part of the celebration party. Mississauga is almost four hours driving to North Bay.

H2OPE FOR HAITI & A Double Chocolate Cake

2010-02-23T01:00:00.040-05:00

It’s been snowing since last night; the ground is covered with snow… I was sitting on a bar stool in the kitchen, waiting for the coffee and looking outside at the falling snow , I felt happy to see the white powder again, funny for someone who hates the winter cold snowy season, I felt happy to see the snow… We didnt

Home made Sourdough Starter

2010-02-22T11:07:00.006-05:00

Many Readers wrote, and ask if I can share a simple recipe for preparing a sourdough starter at home. I am going to post two recipes one for the raisin method, which I use because I like the wine smell … and the second using fresh juice starter. Two friends from the Walima Cooking Club use the Juice method… I am planning to try this method soon, and share the photos with you later...

Mankousheh or Oregano Bread

2010-02-17T13:38:00.016-05:00

The Humble Mankousheh Out of the OvenReady for the OvenAsh Wednesday, in the Western Christian Calendar, is the first day of Lent and occurs forty-six days (forty days not counting Sundays) before Easter.For the first day of Lent I want to offer a simple recipe from the Lebanese Kitchen which is easy to prepare , tasty, full of nutritious ingredients, an energy booster. It's a breakfast staple,

Lebanese Chicken Provencal & BloggerAid Culinary Olympic 2010

2010-02-15T15:10:00.017-05:00

BACFF is hosting an event to promote both our sport (food) and our mission (to be actively promoting the alleviation of world hunger). We invite you to participate and represent your country. Here’s how:1. beginning today and ending on February 28th at midnight, please submit a recipe that represents your country to blogs4famine (at) gmail (dot) com. Let's show some national pride in our

Happy Valentine from my Kitchen to Yours

2010-02-11T11:39:00.040-05:00

Some words and quotes about love :Love is not finding someone to live with; it’s finding someone you can't live without. - Rafael OrtizYou may conquer with the sword, but you are conquered by a kiss. - Daniel HeinsiusIf music be the food of love, play on. - ShakespeareIt's never too late to fall in love. - Sandy WilsonTo

Valentine Dinner at home

2010-02-09T23:18:00.017-05:00

Lebanese Nouille Most of us have plans to celebrate valentine day with something special, some will go to fancy restaurants, some will buy expensive jewelry , and some prefer to cook a nice dinner and enjoy a quite romantic evening ... If you are one of many who like to prepare a nice romantic dinner at home, this is a great meal for you and your loved one.This meal is great for a family dinner,

Apples Apples Apples - An apple a day keeps the doctor away

2010-02-04T12:26:00.008-05:00

Who said eating a cake is fattening. This is a healthy way to eat an apple cake and enjoy the full flavour without feeling guilty:Ingredients:1 cup homemade apple butter or good quality jar (I use my own)1 cup of sugar1/4 cup of butter3 eggs3 cups cake flour or all purpose1 cup raisin1 cup chopped nuts2 tsp baking sodaDash of salt1 tsp cinnamon1 tsp spice mix: nutmeg, cloves, cardamom (or use one

Sheish Barak Yuksuk - A Tribute to my Grandparents

2010-02-02T13:34:00.015-05:00

My posting is only intended to honour my ancestors, their heritage and the cuisine of the Assyrian Orthodox Church…I am not preaching or talking politics, or discriminating any one. The Syriac Orthodox Church is one of the most ancient Christian Churches tracing its roots to the Church of Antioch. The disciples were first

Walima January Challenge Representing the Omani Cuisine

2010-01-31T23:08:00.013-05:00

Oman is a 1,000-mile-long (1,700 km) coastal plain at the southeast tip of the Arabian Peninsula lying on the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. The country is the size of Kansas. A vast gravel desert plain covers most of central Oman, with mountain ranges along the north (Al Hajar Mountains) and southeast coast, where the

Bread Dough - Three flavours - part 3

2010-01-29T16:34:00.017-05:00

For someone who does her own bread, and everything from scratch, I always in search for the best of the best, either in baking or cooking, and sometimes the keeper recipe, is not good any more . Test is part of the job, playing with the ingredients and the formula to take it to the higher level.One of the things I am always trying are bread recipes, for sandwiches. My husband works in

Bread Dough - Three flavours - part 2

2010-01-29T09:36:00.013-05:00

Delicious Raisin Bread II Good morning dear readers... I started this posting late last night , by the time I finished part I, I was freezing from cold, the temperature was -28C.This morning still -27C below zero, It's a good time for a nice warm cinnamon and raisin bread to fill the house with amazing aroma , at the same time warm your house.I bet when you try my recipe, you will keep it as a

Bread Dough - Three flavours

2010-01-28T22:02:00.015-05:00

Sunflower Sourdough Bread IDuring the time when I was preparing the flower roses for the "cookies for peace event", I made my sourdough and let it rest. When I baked the cookies, I was thinking about a flower bread , and how I can create a flower with a yeast dough.I came with the idea of doing a sunflower bread made with three layers and when it rise it will turn to a nice flower shape....I have

The Winter Olympic Games are coming to BC - Nanaimo Bars Challenge

2010-01-27T14:58:00.017-05:00

The January Daring Bakers Challenge was hosted by Lauren of Celiac Teen. Lauren Choose Gluten Free Graham Wafers and Nanaimo Bars for the challenge. She based her sources on 101 cookbook and http://www.nanaimo.ca/It was a very nice challenge as I like to do everything from scratch.. though I didn't do the gluten free wafers, I used my own recipe for the wafers. Its an amazing recipe with

Apple Dumpling with Caramel Sauce - My Way

2010-01-22T14:04:00.021-05:00

I am sharing with you a simple and elegant dessert, for apple dumpling, which I like to serve when I have a dinner party, or friends visiting . The recipe consists of sable dough and apples, where you can prepare the apples, stuff them, wrap them with the dough and leave them in the fridge until you are ready to eat, put them in the oven and let the aroma fill the house and every one will hurry

Best Ever Roast Turkey with Gravy

2010-01-11T20:55:00.012-05:00

The Lebanese are famous for using alcohol either to soak their meat or to cook it in. from chicken, lamb, beef or turkey. Our famous leg of lamb which is marinated in red wine and herbs over night, then roasted in the oven, to end up on the table, yummy, juicy and tasty. Our Shawarma is marinated in red wine and spices for at least 24 hours before its cooked over a bed of charcoals or in the oven

Dayem Dayem - Merry Christmas to All - Happy Epiphany

2010-01-07T11:35:00.011-05:00

Epiphany is a Christian feast day which celebrates the revelation of God made man in the person of Jesus Christ. It falls on 6 January or, in many countries, on the Sunday that falls between 2 January and 8 January. Since the Julian Calendar, which is followed by some Eastern Churches, is at present 13 days behind the Gregorian Calendar and the revised Julian Calendar, 6 January in that calendar

Orange Cake with a Twist

2010-01-05T13:25:00.007-05:00

I guess every one has his favourite recipe for an orange cake. Mine is a very simple recipe , was my late Aunt Juliette favourite cake... Every time I like to do a simple cake with lots of flavours I return to this recipe , also it became a hit at the North Bay Farmer's Market (the customers were used to lemon cake flavour and not to the orange)This time I made the cake and played with the recipe

Walima Challenge - Representing the Moroccan Cuisne

2010-01-04T23:54:00.011-05:00

Hello every one, Happy New year to all my friends and readers, hoping that this year will bring us all peace, joy and prosperity.December Walima Challenge is Representing the Moroccan Cuisines and its hosted by our two lovely and talented friends Touria from http://cuisnetouria.e-monsite.com/accueil.html and Sabah from http://www.sousoukitchen.blogspot.com/Morocco or the Kingdom of Morocco (Al

2009-12-26T17:07:00.004-05:00

Wishes you all a Joyful Merry Christmas and a Peaceful, Successful and Healthy New year. Jesus is Born Hallelujah

New Awards

2009-12-10T13:28:00.008-05:00

I am happy and honored to receive this Award from two lovely ladies : my friend Heni http://www.simplicitybythesea.blogspot.com/ and from my friend Joumana http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/I already spoke about myself and the things I like, but if I can add one wish:"find a treasure with lots of money, to buy food and water and help the hungry people around the world , and bring beautiful smiles to

Phoenician Gourmet: A Flower Cookies - For Peace

2009-12-07T16:23:00.001-05:00

Phoenician Gourmet: A Flower Cookies - For Peace

A Flower Cookies - For Peace

2009-12-07T15:11:00.013-05:00

Our friend Rosa of rosas-yummy-yums.blogspot.com is organizing an event called "Pastries For Peace" . Hoping that one day the Muslims and the Jewish will live in peace and harmony.Anybody can participate. The the deadline is extended till the 15th of December 2009. Just send your links to grandchampatgmxdotch.Flower CookiesI saw this recipe at Mona Saboni's blog http://www.l2ma.com/ Mona is a

Walima November Challenge Representing the Lebanese Cuisine

2009-12-06T22:36:00.009-05:00

Lebnan, Le-b-nan that means the White Mountain, once called "The pearl of the middle East,” is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea, Israel, and Syria. At one time or another Phoenicians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Arabs, European Crusaders, Ottomans, and French all ruled and had influence over the land and its cuisine. The Cuisine of this Ancient Land is diverse and steeped in

Late Posting - Daring Bakers Challenge for November

2009-12-06T11:30:00.010-05:00

Some of you were wondering where is she hiding....I was very busy last month, preparing and baking for couple of Christmas Craft Shows in town and area, after the shows I packed my suitcase and went to Toronto, on a business trip, it was successful, fun and I got to meet many interesting people and attending couple of Craft & Food Shows, also did some shopping for ingredients I cannot find in my

Key Lime Pie

2009-11-06T10:33:00.008-05:00

One of the dessert that I enjoyed eating when I was living in Orlando is the Key Lime Pie.Every year around Oct I look forward to see this unique lime fruit on the shelves of my local store , and if I am lucky , I grab couple of bags, and promise myself with a good treat.the recipe of this pie is not from a book or online source, but its my own testing and twist to it.I hope you give it a try and

Walima October Challenge - Representing the Kuwaiti Cuisine

2009-11-02T10:19:00.006-05:00

The Walima October Challenge is representing the Kuwaiti Cuisine.The State of Kuwait (Arabic: دولة الكويت‎, pronounced [Dawlat Alkuwayt]) is a sovereign Arab emirate bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south and Iraq to the north and west. The greatest distance from north to south is 200 km (120 mi) and from east to west 170 km (110 mi). The name is a diminutive of an Arabic word meaning "fortress

October Daring Bakers Challenge - My first recipe challenge part I

2009-10-29T15:08:00.015-04:00

According to some writings, the macaroon recipe appeared in the Middle East (Syria, Lebanon ..) in the 15Th century under the name "Louzieh"Derived from " Luz "which means almond.Since the 12Th century, when Venice was the only Italian City to trade with the Levant, it allowed foreign merchant among them the Levantines and the Jews to reside near but not in the city and open warehouses and

Walima Challenge - Representing the Jordanian Cuisine

2009-10-19T16:21:00.016-04:00

Jordan (Arabic: الأردنّ‎ al-'Urdunn), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern part of the Syrian Desert down to the Gulf of Aqaba. It shares borders with Syria to the north, Iraq to the north-east, the West Bank and Israel to the west, and Saudi Arabia to the east and south. It shares control of the Dead Sea with Israel, and the

Two new Cooking Challenges in September - New Electric Meter and a damaged computer

2009-10-07T23:47:00.015-04:00

Hello every one.... I bet you were wondering where I was hiding all this time...and not posting anything since three weeks. I am sorry I was not able to post any of my recipes, I had lots to share, and many photos of all my summer baking, canning and preserves. My computer broke down couple of weeks ago. When I was cooking Lebanese pumpkin jam recipe for the market, an employee from the City came

A New Award

2009-09-14T14:06:00.009-04:00

I received the Kreative Award from Our Creative friend LisaMichele.I am very honored and thankful to Lisa who thought that I deserve this award with twelve other bloggers. Now it's my turn to pass this award to thirteen bloggers who deserve this award but first I need to tell 7 things about me, (This is a requirement that comes with this award prior to passing it on) 1- I am very sensible, warm

The September Challenge was posted in the Walima Blog and the Walima Arabia giving the chance for blogger and non blogger to cook with us.

2009-09-02T11:03:00.005-04:00

We are representing the Jordanian Cuisine with National Dishes from the Hachemite Kingdom of Jordan.Again any one can participate, and cook with us. For non bloggers if they are interested to post their photos with us, please email me before the 30th of the month .

Walima Fourth Challenge - Representing the Iraqi Cuisine

2009-09-01T00:31:00.010-04:00

Iraqi cuisine or Mesopotamian cuisine is Iraq's traditional cuisine developed since antiquity in Mesopotamia (Sumer,Akkad, Babylonia , Assyria). It is considered one of the oldest kitchens. As Baghdad became the centre of the Abbasid Caliphate during the Islamic Golden Age, Muslims and other scholars from many parts of the world came to visit, live and study in Iraq, which gave the Iraqi cuisine

Brioche with Pastry Cream

2009-08-20T00:02:00.009-04:00

Brioche is one of the dough that I love making , its simple and delicious, and you can flavour it any way you want....the first time I saw this recipe in an Italian Food Blog I wanted to make it, but the author used two kinds of dough the Brioche and the puff pastry, and in between was a layer of Pastry Cream then the two dough were rolled and cut into round disks the photos attached to the

Walima monthly challenge

2009-08-11T12:17:00.006-04:00

Dear Readers, bloggers and non bloggers....We are opening the door for a chance to join us and learn about the Arabic Food, and Middle Eastern Cuisine... You can now cook with us and even post your food photos as well.We do monthly Challenges, we are going by Latin alphabetical order and choosing two recipes from every Arab country, one savoury and one dessert, we choose which one to cook , you

Fresh Fruit cakes - Upside down Plum Cake

2009-08-10T15:22:00.006-04:00

During the Summer Season, I like to take advantage from the fresh fruits I can find in the market , I like to eating them fresh, and more enjoy baking them and highlighting their wonderful flavours.Upside down fruit cake is one of our favourit cakes in the Summer and Plums are one of the fruits I really enjoy caramelizing and baking them. Specially if accompanied with Frangipan or toasted Almond

Baba Au Rum

2009-08-10T14:10:00.010-04:00

The original form of the baba was similar to the babka, a tall cylindrical yeast cake. The name means 'old woman' or 'grandmother' in the Slavic languages, and has nothing to do with Ali Baba; babka is a diminutive of the same word.The modern version "Baba au Rhum" (Rum Baba), with dried fruit and soaking in rum, was invented in rue Montorgueil (Paris, France) in 1835 or before, both in name and

Our Ships landed in Egypt this month. Walima July Challenge

2009-07-28T21:57:00.006-04:00

the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa , with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia. Covering an area of about 1,010,000 square kilometers (390,000 sq mi), Egypt is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northeast, the Red Sea to the east, Sudan to the south and Libya to the west.Egypt is one of the most

It's cookie time - July Daring Bakers Challenge

2009-07-28T20:04:00.007-04:00

This was a true fun challenge, when you get to play with your food, if you have children , this will be a nice project to do with them... what can be better than digging your fingers in chocolates,and licking them one by one...... of course the Mallow Cookies...The July Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Nicole at Sweet Tooth. She chose Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies and Milan Cookies

Healthy information for the body & Soul

2009-07-26T21:55:00.004-04:00

... DRINK WATER ON EMPTY STOMACH It is popular in Japan today to drink water immediately after waking up every morning. Furthermore, scientific tests have proven a its value. We publish below a description of use of water for our readers. For old and serious diseases as well as modern illnesses the water treatment had been found successful by a Japanese med ical society as a 100% cure for the

Healthy Fruits for the Body & Soul

2009-07-26T20:30:00.006-04:00

KNOW ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF HAVING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES :Fruit Apples protects your heart, Prevents constipation, Block diarrhea, proves capacity joints, lung cushionsApricots Combats cancer, Controls blood pressure, Saves ur eyesight, Shields against alzheimer's , Slow aging processArtichokes Aids digestion,Lower cholesterol, Protects your heart, Stabilizes blood sugar, Guards against

Healthy Juices - are good for the Body and Soul

2009-07-26T20:15:00.005-04:00

Here are some healthy , delicious Juice recipes for your smartness & physical fitness. Prevention is better than cure.HEALTHY JUICESCarrot + Ginger + Apple - Boost and cleanse our system.Apple + Cucumber + Celery - Prevent cancer, reduce cholesterol, and eliminate stomach upset and headache.Tomato + Carrot + Apple - Improve skin complexion and eliminate bad

New Award/ Nouveau Prix

2009-07-09T18:45:00.018-04:00

Hello my friendsI am very honored to receive this award from my friend Sabah of : http://www.sousoukitchen.blogspot.com/and very happy to share this prize award with the other ladies. Congratulation every one.Rules for this award:1- show the prize2- put the URL of the person who offered it to you3- Reward 6 sites or blogs which you admire4- inform the concerned persons5- paste the rules of the

Walima Second Challenge Representing the Bahraini Cuisine

2009-07-01T14:54:00.007-04:00

The Kingdom of Bahrain (Arabicمملكة البحرين‎, Mamlakat al-Baḥrayn, literally: Kingdom of the Two Seas) is an Arabic Island Country in the Persian Gulf ruled by the Al Khalifa Royal Family. Saudi Arabia lies to the west and is connected to Bahrain by the King Fahd Causeway, which officially opened on 25 November 1986. Qatar is to the southeast across the Gulf of Bahrain. The planned Qatar-Bahrain

Bakewell Tart - June Daring Bakers Challenge

2009-06-29T10:31:00.019-04:00

A customer at the North Bay Farmer’s Market gave me two frozen bags of Sour Cherries, she said use them in your baking, also they make good jam. She will have fresh fruits soon, and if I need more she can pick me fresh ones when they are ready.Sour Cherry is not a popular fruit in Lebanon, I know that we use the nut inside the seeds for our baking, and it’s called Mahleb, and it’s available in

Sfeeha Baalbakieh - Meat Pastries from Baalback

2009-06-16T18:47:00.016-04:00

Baalbek (Arabic: بعلبك‎) is a town in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon, altitude 1,170 m (3,850 ft), situated east of the Litani River. It is famous for its exquisitely detailed yet monumentally scaled temple ruins of the Roman period, when Baalbek, known as Heliopolis was one of the largest sanctuaries in the Empire. It is Lebanon's greatest Roman treasure, and it can be counted among the wonders of

Finally the big mystery is solved and the secret is revealed.... Tried and True Levain Chocolate Chips Cookies

2009-06-02T13:46:00.017-04:00

Some of you know that I am a vendor at the local farmer's markets, I always prepare and freeze my cookie doughs and sweet bread doughs , this save lots of time, and makes everything ready for baking on the last day.I wanted to try a nice chocolate chips recipe that I can sell at the market, and remains crunchy and tender and keeps its texture for days to come...I tried several options, even I

Walima First Challenge - Representing the Algerian Cuisne

2009-05-31T12:30:00.011-04:00

Algerian cuisine features cooking styles and dishes derived from traditional Arab, Amazigh, Turkish, and French cuisines. Additional influences of Jewish,Spanish Berber,and Italian cuisines are also found. The Cuisine is flavorful, often featuring a blend of traditional Mediterranean spices and chili peppers. Couscous is a staple of the diet, often served with stews and other fare.We are proud to

Dandelion and Caramelized Onions - Hindbeh maa basal Mhamar

2009-05-28T08:48:00.008-04:00

Ingredients:1-bunch of dandelion2-2 large size onions sliced half moon3-olive oilsalt and pepper Clean and cut the dandelion Wash several times until the water is clear Steam in little water until they cooked and become tender. Cool, then Squeeze from all the bitter juice . Slice the onions and start cooking them in couple spoons of olive oil to caramelized, and start getting the golden color,

Dandelion and Caramelized Onions

2009-05-28T08:48:00.000-04:00

Apple strudel

2009-05-26T23:30:00.014-04:00

Apple Strudel A strudel is a type of sweet or savoury layered pastry with a filling inside, that gained popularity in the 18th century through the Habsburg Empire (1278-1780). Austrian cuisine was formed and influenced by the cuisines of many different peoples (Turkish, Swiss, Alsacian, French, Dutch, Italian, German, Bohemian-Moravian, Hungarian, Polish, Croatian, Slovenian, Slovakian,

The Yeast Went Wild

2009-05-12T10:47:00.015-04:00

My Sourdough Starter ExperienceI usually make my sourdough starter from mixing flour and water, and let it ferment for 24-48 hours. I wanted to experiment with different techniques giving my starter a new flavour and aroma, and after a good research I made my starter with Raisin water instead to get the wine smell and flavour. You can of course do the starter with 1 cup flour and 3/4 cup of water

Honey & Cinnamon Health Benefits

2009-05-06T10:07:00.005-04:00

Facts on honey and cinnamon It is found that a mixture of honey and cinnamon cures most Diseases. Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Scientists of today also accept honey as a 'Ram Ban' (very effective) medicine for all kinds of diseases. Honey can be used without any side Effects for any kind of diseases. Today's science says that even though honey is sweet, if taken in the

Cheese cakes extravaganza

2009-04-27T14:35:00.011-04:00

Pina Colada and Chocolate cheese CakesMy friend asked me couple of weeks ago, if I can bake her a special cream cheese cake.She knew that I've been waiting for a special occasion to try Anna Olson's Caramelized Banana Cheese Cake with Caramel Topping, the cake requires at least 2 pounds of cream cheese, it's way too much for two persons to eat...It needs big group in a special occasion!!!She

Lebanese Street Bread - Kaak Bi Semsum - Simit Bread

2009-04-23T23:12:00.010-04:00

Lebanese Kaak Bi SemsemRound Shape Kaak similar to Turkish Simit As promised Here I am posting the recipe for the famous Lebanese/Middle Eastern Street Bread, which is sold by Street Vendors through out the region.the secret to a good Kaak, is a good dough, I use a wild starter in my dough and let it rest then knead it once again, after it double in size for the second time, you divide the dough

A Week of Baking in Photos - Part III

2009-04-20T01:07:00.006-04:00

I didn't have any Matcha powder (green Tea), I used one envelope of good quality green tea. I divided the mix intro four flavours, I wanted to experiment. I added 1 1/2 tbsp of cocoa powder to get the chocolate flavours, and I baked it in the same temperature at 325F for 18minutes... the chocolate cookies cracked. Later I discovered that chocolate macaroons are different and needs different

A week of Baking in Photos - Day II

2009-04-20T00:34:00.012-04:00

Ingredients for Apple Strudels:7- 8 sheets of phyllo1/4 cup of melted butter2 granny smith apples, peeled and chopped 2 pears, peeled and choppedcup of raisin soaked in rum1/2 cup chopped walnuts1/2 cup of bread crumbs

A Week of Baking in Photos - Day I

2009-04-20T00:07:00.008-04:00

Lebanese Street Sesame Bread - Kaak Bi Semsum the dough can be shaped into a wreath or a round and then keep to rest in a warm place for at least 5-8 hours.The secret to this bread , is resting the dough. Mall Pretzels The best Mall Pretzels you ever ate Soft Pretzels out the oven

Maamoul - Lebanese Festive Cookies

2009-04-10T21:09:00.013-04:00

Happy Easter every one Joyeuses Paques Al Massih Kam .. Hakan Kam... ( in Arabic)Koum Moran Min Kabrouh (in Aramic - though our Easter is next Week) Maamoul are Middle Eastern cookies which are traditionally served at festivals and on holidays. They make popular Ramadan or Easter treats. The dough used to make maamoul is like semolina shortbread and the cookies are filled with sweetened mixtures

Lebanese Easter Cookies

2009-04-09T20:22:00.014-04:00

"These cookies are made in my mom's home village - Baalbek, in Lebanon, a week before Easter. They are such a hit, everyone asks for the recipe.Ingredients:recipe makes around 100 cookies600 gm all purpose flour1400 gm semolina570 gm sweet butter preferable if half butter and half ghee or all clarified butter640 gm sugar½ tsp freshly ground nutmeg¾ tsp Mahleb (available at Middle Eastern stores)½

Vegetarian Stuffed Grape Leaves

2009-04-09T00:17:00.022-04:00

Stuffed Grape Leaves is one of my favourite foods, either with ground meat stuffing or with vegetables.Since we are at the last week of Lent, and we are eating vegetarian food I prepared this dish and I like to share it with you, as I know several readers love stuffed grape leaves, also this is a healthy meal for vegetarians. Its healthy full of nutrition, and the stuffing is very similar to the

Walima Cooking Club

2009-03-31T10:03:00.007-04:00

Walima .................Means Food CelebrationThe Arabic word Walima (banquet) is derived from the root word Walam, which literally means to gather and assemble. The Arabs used it for a meal or feast where people were invited and gathered to eat and celebrate for days, either for new born babies, a traveller returning home or for weddings.Later the term became exclusive for banquet celebration..

The best fish and chips stand from your own kitchen

2009-03-30T23:36:00.005-04:00

Best fish & chips mealYes you read right, the best fish and chips stand from your own kitchen…I was testing a dessert recipe which requires Citric Acid or Alum Powder to keep the batter crunchy when it’s fried and stays crunchy the next day as well.Since I don’t like to use Citric Acid in my food I was working on several flavours to find the right combination which replace the citric acid and

Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna

2009-03-26T23:32:00.011-04:00

Lasagne is a dish that has successfully transcended borders and is today made around the world, albeit with many variations from the Italian original. Even within Italy, there are many variations and each region has its own lasagne tradition. But, as Lynne explains in her introduction to the recipe - the dish should always be a “vivid expression of the ‘less is more’ philosophy of cooking. Mere

Home made Yogurt and Cheese Yogurt - Laban and Labneh

2009-03-24T00:04:00.006-04:00

Lebanese Cheese Yogurt - Labneh with fresh Lebanese mint and tomatoes from the gardenHave you noticed that the yogurt section of most grocery stores has practically taken over the dairy aisle? It’s getting harder to find more traditional dairy foods, such as cottage cheese and sour cream, amid the sea of yogurt options. But it only makes sense that a food with as many health benefits as yogurt

Levain Copycat Chocolate Chips Cookies

2009-03-19T23:37:00.007-04:00

Before I started my cooking blog, I spent several hours online searching for a good cookie recipe. I was searching for titles which read the Ultimate recipe for…. The best ever recipe for... I tried several recipes which turned normal and sometimes less than normal, I was wondering… is this what they call ultimate and the best ever??? For sure the people taste has changed.Last week I visited a

Vegetarian Pumpkin Kibbee

2009-03-18T12:49:00.004-04:00

I don’t have a real recipe to give you for this recipe, but I know that for every cup of cooked unsweetened Pumpkin you add 3/4 cup of Burghul.If you don’t want to go into the labour of peeling, cutting and boiling your pumpkin, feel free to use a can of pumpkin try with a small size Can, empty it in a glass container and warm it in the microwave to heat it to be more easy to mix with the washed