Paris, the East, and the Sixth of the World, a city that does not resemble others; many descriptions can be considered short of describing the captivating spirit of Lebanon, which contains a mixture of dialects, languages, smells, colors, vitality, fun and love of life flowing in the eyes of its inhabitants. One of the most important tourist destinations.

But Lebanese food is also worth it. In light of the recent food tourism boom and tours dedicated to food lovers and exploration, Lebanon is witnessing a great boom for this type of tourism. Dr. Anthony Rahayel, owner of the blog "No garlic No onion" and the owner of the idea of ​​the food market festival:

“In my tours of the food markets in Europe, I discovered that what we do in Beirut and the general Lebanese areas is at the required level, sometimes even better. These markets were newly created in these countries, but in Lebanon we are one of the first to whom street food is important. Known for its manoushe types, as well as the falafel and shawarma sandwich for hundreds of years, it was our first to carry our heritage dishes to a market and put them in the proper framework and highlight the features, especially as the blood of new culinary enthusiasts provided a noticeable update in those dishes and its basic ingredients with Preserving its identity Mechanism. "(1)

We have already highlighted the tourism tourism in Morocco, and today we offer a tour of the streets and streets of Lebanon, between restaurants, cafes and food carts that flow from the delicious scents that call you to taste for yourself and hear the good Lebanese phrase "Sahtin".

Lebanese cuisine .. a distinct geography and rich history

Lebanese cuisine resembles the people of Lebanon. Lebanon is located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, and is characterized by great climate diversity and diversity of soil nature, which allows the cultivation of many different crops of vegetables, fruits and nuts, as well as olives, where the proportion of olive groves and fruits about 45% of the area of ​​agricultural land, and is characterized by vineyards Extended, which has made the wine industry one of the booming industries in Lebanon, Lebanese wine occupies a leading position globally. (2)

Lebanese cuisine is also characterized by the diversity of its tributaries as a result of the influences of various cultures and civilizations that have passed through its territory, Lebanon has always been thanks to its distinct geographical location an important commercial center for thousands of years, from which to start commercial missions, passed by merchants and travelers from different parts of the earth carrying with them spices and dried fruits, From Asia and the Far East countries, the use of mint was known, while cumin from Egypt, all of these influences were integrated into Lebanese cuisine, although retained its distinctive origins.

In addition to the ancient origins of the Shami cuisine, whose roots extend to the Phoenicians, the Lebanese cuisine was greatly influenced by the Ottoman cuisine.The Ottoman presence in Lebanon continued for more than four hundred years from 1516 to 1918, and many traditions of the Ottoman cuisine, such as the use of olive oil and cardamom, and dependence on lamb Food like vegetables stuffed with rice, as well as some sweets such as baklava and heavy dark Turkish coffee.

After the defeat of the Ottomans in the First World War came the role of French cuisine, and although the French occupation lasted only until 1946, it left a significant impact in Lebanese cuisine, especially in pastries and sweets such as croissants and cream custard caramel. After the genocide of Armenians in World War I, hundreds of thousands of Armenians moved to Lebanon, and with them the cooking methods and recipes inherited hundreds of years ago, and some modifications to Lebanese recipes. (3) (4)

Lebanese cuisine is considered healthy because it relies mainly on healthy ingredients such as fresh vegetables, olive oil, spices and herbs such as peppermint, parsley, thyme, garlic, nutmeg and cinnamon, and less heavy sauces or complex cooking methods. Lebanese also rely mainly on bread and eat it with almost every meal. The composition of Lebanese dishes varies to include fruits, vegetables, rice and meat, and is often used for lamb and poultry. (5)

The Lebanese table is also characterized by "mezat" dishes, and the Lebanese mezze is a major corner of the table, and an essential part of the Lebanese dining experience, and many types to reach more than a hundred species.

The mezze is served as a side dish or sometimes eaten as a main course, ranging from hot and cold mezes. Types of hot mezes include dishes such as fried kebbeh, cheese and spinach pies, samosa, chicken liver with pomegranate or sour molasses, sausage or fried sausage, potato cubes marinated with coriander and garlic, kofta and shish kebab, and fried and grilled chicken wings.

Cold mezze and bulgur with tomatoes, salads of fattoush and tabbouleh, stuffed with cold grape leaves, garlic labneh, chickpeas with tahina and papa ghanouj, sliced ​​cheese with thyme and monk salad, as well as kibbeh nayeh and raw al-nouda Some are simple dishes such as chickpeas, stuffed cold grape leaves, pickled vegetables or fresh chopped vegetables, and some are more complex such as grilled seafood or kofta, shish kebab, tabbouleh and merida. After eating, offer fresh fruit and dessert that comes in many varieties with dark Turkish coffee or with sweat. (6) (7)

Food markets are open festivals for food and fun

Food market: With the rise of street-eating festivals in many countries, Lebanon has been followed by the establishment of a food market under the slogan "We have gathered together." The Lebanese disagree about much, but they certainly agree when it comes to food. Eating Souk An open food and music festival that takes place all over Lebanon throughout the year, Eating Souk offers a renewed opportunity to taste different types of Lebanese food as well as other international cuisine at affordable prices. If you are visiting Lebanon, be sure to check out the dates and accommodations for your food market here. (8)

Souk El Tayeb: In downtown Beirut in the Saifi area, on Saturdays from 9 am to 2 pm, the Tayeb Souk is held weekly, a market dedicated to farmers selling their juices, jams, fresh dairy products and organic products. Established in 2004, the market is the first of its kind in Lebanon and aims to preserve Lebanon's food traditions and small farming culture, protect the interests of small farmers and producers and enable them to compete with industrial food trade and globalization.

There is also a famous restaurant known as "tables" where you can learn about the styles of cuisine in more than one Lebanese region, and the profit of the restaurant to support farmers, chefs and producers. The market is not only about displaying agricultural products, but also adopting and launching projects and festivals aimed at preserving the environment. One of the most prominent of these initiatives was the "No Nylon" initiative, which aims to reduce plastic consumption and replace cloth bags. At Souk El Tayeb you can taste fresh jams and juices, and enjoy baked goods after watching them prepare and bake fresh in front of your eyes.

Nermin Nizar, a Lebanese writer and translator interested in food and a specialized Facebook page , asked Nermin to take "We will start our day with Iftar, Manakeesh, specifically from the national ovens on Bliss Street and Falafel from Zion. The shawarma will be at the Spears branch, not Hamra branch," Nermin tells Meydan. Then we go to Um Nazih and Mounir to eat everything there and on the weekends we will have a kunafa cake in Chtaura and we will eat dairy products and from Bashir in Raouche we will try the cream and pistachio ice cream in Bourj Hammoud. Armenian, Sausage and Manti, and in Tripoli we will eat sweets, we will visit the Tayeb market in Beirut to eat and buy What I really miss in Lebanon is the vegetables and fruits, the sweetest vegetables and fruits in the world, when I was telling my son he thought it was just a nostalgia, so he went there and tasted and knew. on him". (9)

The most famous Lebanese dishes and where to eat

Manakeesh

Manakeesh is one of the most famous snacks in Lebanon, and is an ideal variety for breakfast or "Tarweeqa", which is a thin tablets of dough stuffed with different mixes such as cheese or cheese with thyme and baked and eaten hot, and is a light and economic breakfast as well. Since 2017, Lebanon has been celebrating World Engraving Day on November 2 each year.

Falafel

Falafel is definitely one of the most famous street food in Lebanon.Falafel is made from soaked beans, which is chopped with a mixture of garlic, cumin and coriander.It is then shaped into balls and fried in copious oil and served in fresh loaves of bread. It is believed that it was first known to Egyptian Copts as a vegetarian food during the days of fasting and moved to the Levant during commercial relations. One of the most famous falafel restaurants in Lebanon is Falafel Zion, which are in fact two restaurants and not a single restaurant. In 1935, the father Mustafa Zion established his restaurant in Beirut, where he is said to be the first to transfer falafel from Egypt to Lebanon after several modifications to its components. After his death, his two sons, Zuhair and Fouad, kept the restaurant and ran it together until 2007, when they split from two partners to rivals, each running his own shop, separating him from his brother and one wall and burning competition. Which is better? Customer bias of each one of them. But we think you should try it yourself and govern. (10)

Kibbeh

Whether you know it by opening or breaking kaf, or even knowing it as kebebah or faraqa, it is one of the most famous and oldest Lebanese dishes. Made with bulgur, minced onion, minced lamb and spices, mixed together and formed as small fried rolls served with side dishes of chickpeas, or cooked in oven with olive oil (kebbeh in Chinese). It is believed that Kubba appeared in the Levant, specifically in Aleppo, thousands of years ago, although each city has its own version of Kubba. It can also be eaten raw (kibbeh intention), in the past, the preparation of the kebbeh hammered by a wooden pestle on a piece of stone or marble, but today it is made using an electric chopper, although there are some areas where the people still prefer the traditional method of preparation. (11)

On the side, the kibbeh tablets were stacked, watched as they prepared them. Open until they are thin and empty their coffin. Then they are stuffed with two tablespoons of fried mixture that has cooled in the air: onions, spinach and pine nuts

(Rabih Jaber, Druze Belgrade tale of Hanna Jacob)

Kofta

Each Lebanese family has its own secret recipe that is passed on from generations to the kofta dish which adds to the dish and distinguishes it. Kofta is mainly made from a mixture of minced meat, onions and spices, often made in Lebanon from lamb. No one knows when kofta was started, but most researchers believe it began with the Persians thousands of years ago. The word kofta means in Persian minced meat, and is believed to have moved from the Persians to the Arabs and then spread to the rest of the Mediterranean and North Africa, Asia and India. With the spread of kofta around the world, all civilization has made appropriate adjustments. In Albania, for example, kofta is made from beef, pork or veal, and in Romania it is made from a mixture of minced pork, mashed potatoes and spices. (12)

Shawarma

From classic Lebanese food, you can find it on every street, consisting of thin slices of carefully marinated meat and slowly cooked on a vertical skewer for hours. Shawarma is mostly made from lamb, but it is also possible to use beef or chicken. Damage the steaks in specially prepared dough slices after adding lettuce, tomato, onion and pickled cucumber pieces.
If you mention the shawarma, we must mention the restaurant "Berber", which opened in the eighties and issues the list of CNN for the top five restaurants serving kebabs in the world.

Tabbouleh

It is said to belong to the Chaldeans in the third millennium BC and is derived from the root (TLL), which is the mixing of vegetables. Its development dates back to Lebanon, where it moved from the Assyrian conquests, and it is likely that the bulgur was introduced to it during the Mamluk era in the Bekaa due to the widespread cultivation of wheat in the Bekaa Valley, which is today one of the most famous Lebanese “Mezat”. (13)

Manti

It is a piece of dough stuffed with minced lamb with onions and spices and served with yogurt sauce.

Meat with dough

In Furn Eshkhanian, one of the oldest Armenian food shops in Beirut and located in west Beirut, opened in 1946 in the Zoukak el Blat neighborhood, serving a range of delicious Armenian and Lebanese dishes that reflect the common history of the two countries. One of the most popular dishes you can try is meat with dough. Despite being a classic Lebanese dish, the Eshkhanian furnace offers its distinctive Armenian version by adding distinct Armenian spices and pomegranate molasses. (14)

Qawarma with eggs

Known as a meat preservation method for winter use, especially in mountainous areas, it is usually made from lamb where the meat is separated from the fat. The meat is mixed with coarse salt and left for about 12 hours before cooking. Fry the meat after adding the spices, and in another bowl dissolve the fat and then pour over the fried meat until it is completely covered, preventing air and moisture, which can be preserved for long periods. It is rich in calories and fat. Qormah is used to make many dishes, the most famous of which Qawarma eggs.

The best breakfast in the world

If you want to have the best breakfast in the world you will have it in Lebanon, in a small restaurant that dates back to the 1930s. "Soussi" is a unique family restaurant located in Mar Elias and is famous for its distinctive dish of fattah consisting of layers of toasted pita bread, yogurt and pine nuts. CNN was topped the list of the best breakfast places in the world in 2013. You may be fooled by the simple, popular look of the restaurant with its simple tables and plastic chairs, but Soussi restaurant was a popular destination for many famous politicians and art, most notably the late President Rafic Hariri, the artist Ragheb Alama, and George Wassouf. , And other celebrities.

The most popular dishes you can eat are fava beans, chickpeas in kawarma, chickpeas with yogurt, pine nuts, lamb eggs and raw kofta. ( 15)

Sweetener

"Every Easter remembers a near-fictional childhood because of the long distance: his mother remembers the cakes prepared on Saturday in preparation for the end of the long fasting. Good Friday evening sees a sugar and flour that is not enough for her. While the tablets are stuffed with a date on Saturday morning, neighbors hear their way through the gendarmerie furnace. Trays. A white bedspread furnished on the floor in a house next to their house. He sees it from the window. He runs through the alley smelling the smells of flower water, milk and fine sugar scattered on walnuts and pistachios. " - Rabih Jaber: Druze Belgrade story of Hanna Mina

Hallab

For years, citrus and sugar cane were the most important agricultural crops in Tripoli, which led to the flourishing of the confectionery industry in Tripoli's houses to get rid of excess sugar. Families have mastered the confectionery industry, including the Hallab family, and grandfather Mahmoud Hallab began selling some of these sweets on a small carriage. Later, Rifaat or Alhaj Rifaat thought about developing his father's business and opened the first shop in 1881 in the hill area called Rifaat Al Hallab and Sons. After his death, his son Omar kept his father's shop, and Mahmoud founded the Milka milk production company. His own shop, named “Qasr al-Helu”, which has flourished and has become a worldwide brand, has spread its branches in a number of Arab countries. (16)

Antabli pool

In 1864, Mr. Saad Efendi Hamadeh and his brothers established a market beside the Tawila market, the Souk Al-Sayyed, after their father, Mr. Abdelfattah Agha Hamadeh, who was the ruler of Beirut at the end of Ibrahim Pasha's reign (about 1840). It became known as Ayas market, and when it was established, it made a beautiful pond with a fountain in the middle of the intersection of its four outlets, on which a dome was erected at the top.

God dome market Shad Rongqh .. sons of Hamada Al Jah and hermits

Forget about the door of the mail as .. Happy Saad Tzri dome astronomy

In 1936, a person from the Al-Antabli family took a rug on this pond to sell their juices. In 1955, Mr. Al-Antabli developed it into a circular pool around which the customers gathered for refreshments, especially the famous jalab, lemon and moon-din, and popular desserts such as Qishtliya, boiled and Qatif. This pool has become a permanent station for Beirut market pioneers, tourists and Lebanese and foreign personalities. '' (17)

Lebanese living in the 1960s and 1970s remember the pool of al-Antabli, where they used to drink drinks such as jalab, tamarind, lemonade, or a plate of sweet Qashtiliya, waiting for their turn around the pool made of cement and painted green. Gulab at Antabli is the most famous ever, it is made by mixing raisins molasses with evaporated water and special perfumes and then add ice and decorated with pine, almonds and dried grapes. Since its opening in 1936, al-Antabli has been a popular destination for the Lebanese, until the Lebanese war came and forced his companions to leave him and move elsewhere. Finally, after many years, the shop reopened in its old place in 2011, and a new pond was built with a new design consisting of two large marble jars crowned by a smaller jar. (18)

Bohsali Sweets

The history of Bohsali sweets dates back more than a century ago.In 1878, Saadeddin Bohsali (Sweets of Saad al-Din Bohsali) opened in the Burj Square, now known as the Martyrs Square, which consisted of two floors. Later, three basic branches of the next generation of the family were born in the basic store. Three groups emerged: Bohsali, Amal Bohsali and Bohsali Brothers. The fame of Bohsali sweets has reached international fame.

"They said if you travel the country, up to date, about the sweet Beirut of the most luxurious factory

Two talk sweetness about them .. Thrilling beloved and taste sweet Bohsali "(19)