They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. When I made the move from Michigan to Chicago for work last year, my heart grew fonder for my family, sure. But what seriously surprised me was how much I missed the Lebanese food I grew up taking for granted. Gone were the days of coming home on the weekends to a busy kitchen and a steaming bowl of my mom's lemony, soul-warming lentil chard soup. I missed leaving to Ann Arbor every Sunday evening with a plastic container (or 4, "for all of your friends!"-- thanks Mom) filled with spicy, crunchy, satisfying kibbe or slow-cooked zesty grapeleaves. Those were memories I couldn't stand missing.
So let's cut to the chase-- I took it into my own hands to try to recreate the tastes I still recall from eating my mom's food. No restaurant, Lebanese or not, offers the types of dishes I'm referring to (NO, falafel and shawarma places DO NOT count, thank you). And I love that cuisine so much that even after all of the excursions to the greatest restaurants all over the country, I still come home and love to cook with the Lebanese Mediterranean flavors I grew up with. I do it with a modern flair, though, that I have acquired from my time exploring great restaurants that sample the Mediterranean in bits and pieces.
I have also been agonizing to get my mother to give me her recipes without saying "it's easy" or "dash of this, splash of that... whatever you've got in the fridge". I'm convinced that the recipes she's got in her head are invaluable, to me and to the poor souls who've never had a chance to taste them.
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In typical Lebanese fashion, we welcome with open arms any questions and suggestions that you may have. We both hope that you find value in reading our stories and recipes, whether it be through inspiration to embrace your own background or through the education on the real homestyle Lebanese cuisine and culture.
So let's cut to the chase-- I took it into my own hands to try to recreate the tastes I still recall from eating my mom's food. No restaurant, Lebanese or not, offers the types of dishes I'm referring to (NO, falafel and shawarma places DO NOT count, thank you). And I love that cuisine so much that even after all of the excursions to the greatest restaurants all over the country, I still come home and love to cook with the Lebanese Mediterranean flavors I grew up with. I do it with a modern flair, though, that I have acquired from my time exploring great restaurants that sample the Mediterranean in bits and pieces.
I have also been agonizing to get my mother to give me her recipes without saying "it's easy" or "dash of this, splash of that... whatever you've got in the fridge". I'm convinced that the recipes she's got in her head are invaluable, to me and to the poor souls who've never had a chance to taste them.
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Lebanon is about the crossroads between East and West...
So here we have it: this site is meant to be a love letter to the Mediterranean Lebanese food culture, both more modern (my take) and traditional (my mom's take). We'll share our creations in our respective kitchens both to benefit each other and to give you all a chance to get a real taste for Lebanese food.
...and food is the common thread that weaves all Lebanese people together
In typical Lebanese fashion, we welcome with open arms any questions and suggestions that you may have. We both hope that you find value in reading our stories and recipes, whether it be through inspiration to embrace your own background or through the education on the real homestyle Lebanese cuisine and culture.
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