Barbara Preparing Man'oushe with Feris

Fares has played an important role in my life. I met him because I was meant to become his apprentice. My Man'oushe book started in this small street corner bakery. Fares was generous with his time and his teachings were a must to begin my adventure. I visited over 250 bakeries throughout the country but his remains very special to me.

Majjounet Gardenia
Hazmieh
Fares Issaac: 03-304483

I would like to share with you what I wrote about him in Man'oushé: Inside the Street Corner Lebanese Bakery.

"On the same street, three shops down from the first bakery where my training started stands a small bakery owned by a man called Fares. I entered his bakery with the same scenario that I would present to each baker. He was friendly and answered all my questions. I asked him why he became a baker. He smiled. “This answer needs time.” I retorted, “I’ve got all the time you need!” 

It was raining outside and customers were scarce. Fares and I sat down in his bakery for three consecutive hours. As the story of his life unfolded before me, tears ran down my cheeks. 

Fares was born in Bayno ‘Akkar, in the extreme North of Lebanon. He comes from a poor family and is the youngest of eleven children. According to him, his mother had time and affection only for three. Fares’ father was a farmer working odd jobs that could not give his family financial stability. Life was hard. Fares’ early childhood memories are not happy ones. He quit school early. A family dispute at an early age led him to Beirut. At the age of eight, Fares found himself alone and scared at nightfall under a bridge. A woman in a nearby building offered him refuge for the night and helped him find a job in a factory.

This job didn’t last. Fares found work in a bread bakery. The owner asked him “What can you do, son?” Fares replied, “Anything at all!” This is where he learned the ropes to become a baker. 

The young boy became a man. With his savings, he took on the responsibility of opening his own bakery. He worked very hard, yet was fulfilled by his success.

On the same street, three shops down from the first bakery where my training started stands a small bakery owned by a man called Fares. I entered his bakery with the same scenario that I would present to each baker. He was friendly and answered all my questions. I asked him why he became a baker. He smiled. “This answer needs time.” I retorted, “I’ve got all the time you need!” 

It was raining outside and customers were scarce. Fares and I sat down in his bakery for three consecutive hours. As the story of his life unfolded before me, tears ran down my cheeks. 

Fares was born in Bayno ‘Akkar, in the extreme North of Lebanon. He comes from a poor family and is the youngest of eleven children. According to him, his mother had time and affection only for three. Fares’ father was a farmer working odd jobs that could not give his family financial stability. Life was hard. Fares’ early childhood memories are not happy ones. He quit school early. A family dispute at an early age led him to Beirut. At the age of eight, Fares found himself alone and scared at nightfall under a bridge. A woman in a nearby building offered him refuge for the night and helped him find a job in a factory.

This job didn’t last. Fares found work in a bread bakery. The owner asked him “What can you do, son?” Fares replied, “Anything at all!” This is where he learned the ropes to become a baker. 

The young boy became a man. With his savings, he took on the responsibility of opening his own bakery. He worked very hard, yet was fulfilled by his success."

Casting a Light on Lebanon's Traditional Fast Food

Casting a light on Lebanon's traditional fast food Barbara Abdeni Massaad discusses the gestation of 'Man'oushe' By Matthew Mosley Daily Star staff Friday, June 12, 2009 Interview BEIRUT: "Nobody ever says 'no' to me," says writer and photographer Barbara Abdeni Massaad. "I'm not sure why." Chatting with Massaad over coffee and cake in her kitchen, which in recent years has doubled as a laboratory for the writer's culinary adventures, the reason soon becomes pretty clear. Massaad is possessed of an iron will. Her account of the gestation of her cookbook "Man'oushe" (aka "Manqousheh") provides a case in point. "I decided I wanted [photographer] Raymond Yazbeck to take the pictures," Massaad says, "but he had his own projects going on. He said he was too busy. So I turned up the next day and asked, 'When are we going to start?'" Massad's steely determination is about to bring her to the international stage. "Man'oushe" has already been awarded the special jury prize of the Gourmand Cookbook Awards, a kind of culinary Oscars. In Paris on July 1 the tome will go head-to-head against all the other notable cookbooks of the world in competition for top prize. Massaad and family are flying out for the ceremony in the Comedie-Francaise. Although the main subject of "Man'oushe" is of course the titular breakfast flatbread - which in its classic form is adorned with a mixture of olive oil, zaatar and sesame seeds - the luscious photography that dominates Massaad's book broadens its ambit into a snapshot of a country and its inhabitants. "We didn't just go to Achrafieh and take photos there," she says. "Food is our common denominator. I travelled all over the country, and I discovered a side to Lebanon that many people don't see even when they've lived here their whole lives. This is a portrait of Lebanon through man'oushe." Despite winning over Yazbeck, who produced "The Stone," a book documenting Lebanon's stone houses, Massaad ended up taking the majority of the photographs herself. "I had such an exact idea of what I wanted," she explains. "Raymond encouraged me to have a go myself. We travelled the country together, both working on our own projects, and I learned so much from him. When does that ever happen - the chance to learn the ropes from such an incredible photographer?" The resulting images form a compelling cross-section of Lebanese society. From hip city-slickers at Zaatar w Zeit to a Druze farmer, hoe in hand and sporting a spectacular walrus moustache, the reader encounters an array of dough-munching characters. For the second edition, which has just been released, Massaad and her associates worked extensively on the calibration of the photographs to give the images an exceptional lustre. The red of a Barbar chef's apron almost socks the reader in the eye. Although the varied faces are the big draw of the book, foodstuffs are lovingly captured as well. A man'oushe zaatar sits on a board surrounded by its traditional accompaniments - olives, tomato, onion, mint - sombre and luminous as a Spanish still life. A hand grasps a head of spinach, the red of the chipped nail varnish reflected in stains at the base of the plant. Massaad might have genetics to thank for her skills with the camera. Her father George, a celebrated photographer, snapped stars such as Sabbah before the family left for America in the early 1980s. Massaad attended high-school there, her passion for food inflamed at the age of 15 when her father opened a Lebanese restaurant in Florida. An 18-year-old Massaad returned to Lebanon with her family at the end of the 1980’s, quickly finding herself married, going on to produce three children. Cooking became a form of therapy for the young mother. "The kitchen provided me with an escape," she writes in "Man'oushe." "Over time my focus became dough making. I find that making dough is very gratifying." Bread-making is no mere hobby for the author, however. Before starting on her book, Massaad marched into her local furn (bakery) and demanded to work alongside them, learning man'oushe-making from the masters. "[S]liding the pies from the wooden board into the gas-fired oven requires real skill," she writes. "I practiced doing it with a mocking baker over my shoulder. Not an easy task." After this baptism of fire, Massaad felt ready to embark on her culinary tour of Lebanon. "I wanted to live through this journey and document it," she says. "The photography and the writing happened at the same time. "People were so kind. There are great differences within the Lebanese, but this difference is what makes us so special." Massaad speaks of receiving incredible hospitality all the way from Nabatiyeh to Ehden. "You have to get out there and discover these places," she exorts. "These experiences don't come to you by themselves." As well as documenting Massaad's journey from motherhood to man'oushe-making, the book offers step-by-step guides to making every variety of bread-based snack, from spinach fatayer (the triangle-shaped turnovers) to a type of spicy red pepper flatbread beloved of the Armenian community. "Of course, most people who live here just go to the local bakery," Massaad says. "But many Lebanese people living abroad use the recipes - you can make any of them in a household oven. I feel very glad to have recorded these food traditions for the generations to come." The author is excited about the upcoming ceremony. Whereas most cookbook-competitors are allocated a sole two seats in the Comedie-Francaise, Massaad demanded places for her children as well. Like many before him, Edouard Cointreau, president of the awards, found Massaad impossible to turn down. "These are the lessons of life we pass on to our children," says Massaad. "It's not all 'This is the time you should go to bed.' No, it's that if you are determined and persistent, you can achieve your dreams. So many people laughed at me about my plan to make a man'oushe cookbook. Now I'm travelling to Paris to represent Lebanon." It looks like Massaad's steely determination is to be handed down to a new generation. "Man'oushe" is self-published but widely available in discerning bookstores in Beirut.

Book Idea for Man'oushe

Food…glorious food! We’re always discussing it, enjoying it, and making a big part of our lives (except for those few who completely ignore it). “I don’t know about you, but personally I don’t trust them!”

But the fact remains that food is a major part of our lives. Thing is: I’ve noticed that we tend to neglect its history, its origin, and the fundamental story behind each bite we take. Of course, one shouldn’t dwell on a long history before grabbing that delicious comfort food that we cherish so much, but I have to say that we have to educate ourselves on the food tradition of our country, Lebanon – (which by the way is very rich!).

I am always asked, “How did you come up with the idea for your book Man’oushé?” and what is funny is that some tell me, “Why didn’t I think of it myself?” Sometimes we take a food so much for granted that we neglect to see its importance in our society and how this food is very much part of who we are. Of course, the man’oushé is very much a part of who we are as Lebanese. I dare someone to tell me the contrary.

Returning to our question, “how did I come up with the idea of Man’oushé?” No it was not the mere fact that it was a glorious revelation behind a genius…actually it was a romantic dream that developed into a logic and simple idea. My dream was to visit Italy and make a thorough research of the pizza. This dream I had was mainly because I love to make pizza and wanted to know everything and anything about it…We as humans tend to see that grass is always greener on the other side…Italy was my green pasture!

I woke one morning early and a very logical idea came to mind, “Hey, why are you always seeking the impossible (IMPOSSIBLE because of my role as a mother, wife, and housewife – can’t just pack up and go to Italy – could I?) Think about what you have in Lebanon! In Lebanon, we have very important bread, spread with a mixture of thyme that is grown in the wild throughout our mountains. The people of our country are very interesting and make a wonderful subject and all this is out there for me to discover. So that is how one traditional food became a book. A book I cherish because I feel it’s my gift to Lebanon. Everyone needs to leave a trace in their homeland; I guess that’s my way.

Different types of za'tar

Sometimes people get confused with the different types of za'tar. Here I'm going explain the differences to you:

Defining za'tar: a local spice / herb typical of the region, but also called like this to describe a mixture made with sesame seeds, sumac, and salt

One type of za'tar is the Origanum Syriacum - this is the one used to make manakish. The Origanum Syriacum has fragrant broad cotton-like leaves with white flowers. It is a short shrub that reaches a height of about 30 cm (12 inches). It is a perenial plant that can grow from seeds, provided you know how to acquire them. I have a bag at home which i keep for my "dream farm" project (another subject). The plant grows naturally in hilltops and mountains all around Lebanon. Bees feed on the flowering plant and produce a tangy spicy honey. Quite delicious!

I suggest you buy or pick the za'tar yourself and make the mixture. Choose sesame seeds that are locally grown (find them at your local farmer's market - Souk el Tayeb at Saifi Village or The Slow Food Earth Market in Hamra). Don't buy the Chinese kind which is loaded with preservatives. Toast the seeds if you use the za'tar to dip bread in or leave them raw for man'oushe making. Do the same with the sumac, make sure it is pure. Use salt from the village of Enfeh. Grind it yourself to make a fine powder. When the mixture is done, you will have a product made that is 100% Lebanese! That's important ...

Another type of zaa'tar is the Thymus Vulgaris - this type is used raw in salads, to garnish dairy products such as labneh (strained yogurt) and fresh local cheeses (baladi), olives, in vegetarian pies,or is simply pickled. The Thymus Vulgaris has narrow, long thin smooth leaves.

I hope all this makes sense to you now...but like i always say ... a picture is worth a thousand words... let me show you ... see the difference?

Man'oushe in Belmore Sydney

I found this article today - So Proud! There are so many Lebanese immigrants in Australia, it was a sure thing that they would bring their culinary habits from their home country - Lebanon.


September 20, 2009
Lebanese Pizza at Belmore Lebanese Bakery

So you thought the Italians had the market cornered on pizza, right? Think again. Lebanon’s developed their own brand of pizza known as Man’oushe, and it’s bound to send fans of the thin and crispy crust wild.
Belmore Lebanese Bakery is one of the local eateries luring pizza fans away from their favourite Italian joints.

It’s been run by the same family for 21 years, and they really know their stuff. The Man’oushe is cooked in a large brick oven, which dominates the restaurant.

There are no menus, but you can pick your pies of choice by pointing to the displays in the counter. I’ve got to tell you, the meat pizza with lamb, onion, spices and pepper is a billion times better than anything you’ll get at Dominoes.

Trading hours: Open from 6:30 am. Closes 6:30 pm on weekdays, 5 pm on Saturday, and 4 pm on Sunday
Location: Belmore Lebanese Bakery
Address: 339 Burwood Road, Belmore
Public transport: The bakery is a two-minute walk from Belmore train station
Parking: Limited street parking available
Cost: Pizzas start at $2javascript:void(0)
Website: http://www.belmorelebanesebakery.com.au/

Image source: Ewan-M @ Flickr
Tags: Belmore Lebanese Bakery, Man'oushe, pizza

The Lebanese Gastronomic Academy Honors the Book Man'oushe

On July 29, 09 The Lebanese Gastronomic Academy organized a wonderful evening in the most beautiful setting. I was invited as the author of Man'oushe to receive a trophy of congratulation for a job well done especially for publishing a book on the Lebanese culinary heritage. The aim of the Lebanese Gastronomic Academy is to promote Lebanese food and its food culture all over the world... sounds a bit like what I'm doing! I was received by my dear friend Wadih Haddad, better known as DIDI, Fouad El Khazen (president of the Academie), Walid Mzanar, Mirna Boustany (the matron of the Academie), and many other special members. My husband and I enjoyed what would be our most relaxing evening this summer. Everyone congratulated me, and I was asked to make a speech. To tell you the truth it was not difficult to prepare my words because I have a great affinity to the members of the Academy who have seen me grow from kitchen prep to book writer. I thank them for their devotion and support. I'd like to share my speech with all of you (in French) oops!

THE SPPEECH:

Un grand merci a l'académie gastronomique Libanaise. Ma relation avec L'académie remonte à longtemps. Mon voyage culinaire a travers le Liban à commencé au Mistral au restaurant Français de notre cher ami Didi ! J’en garde des souvenirs mémorables. Par la même occasion, mes pensées vont vers Lucien Dahdah – Le fondateur de L’Académie et a Fawzi Ghandour qui a partager avec moi ses secrets et sa passion pour la cuisine Turque. Mon voyage à travers le Liban pour préparer le livre Man’oushé m’a fait découvrir les fantastiques richesses de la cuisine Libanaise que J’essaye de promouvoir. La renommée de la cuisine Libanaise est bien établie, Je l’ai bien vu en recevant le prix du « Special Award of the Jury » au Gourmand Cookbook Award à Paris parmi les sommités internationales de la cuisine. Vos encouragements et votre soutien me donne l’énergie nécessaire pour continuer. Merci!

I am posting a few photos of this wonderful night taken by Candice Jarjoura, who was responsible of the evening's organization. Thanks Candice!

Man'oushe - The Book

Today I'm writing to share with you the exciting news: Man'oushe has won special award of the jury in the Gourmand Cookbook Award. What is the Gourmand Cookbook Award you may ask yourself? Here is a little history:

The Gourmand World Cookbook Awards were founded in 1995 by Edouard Cointreau. In 2008, books from 102 countries participated in these prestigious awards. It is open to all languages. After Beijing and London, the annual Gourmand Awards event will be in Paris at the Comédie-Française, the historical theatre of Moliere, on Wednesday July 1, 2009. The objectives of the Awards are: To reward and honor those who “cook with words”, to help readers find the best out of the 26000 food and wine books produced every year, to help publishers with international rights to translate and distribute food and wine books, to help book retailers find the 50 food and wine books that each year should be offered to clients, to create an opportunity to access the major markets in English, Chinese, German, Spanish or French for books originated in other languages, to increase knowledge and respect for food and wine culture, which promotes peace. The winners in each language are announced in November, and compete for the Best in the World, announced in July of the following year at a gala dinner.

So in a nutshell, we are packing (because I'm taking my whole family with me, as I can't leave home without/ kinda of like Mastercard and Visa ha ha ha ) and we're off to share this wonderful journey.

Future Television is going to report on the event and I have just been informed that Noun magazine is giving me (i mean man'oushe) two pages in the culinary section... So cool! We are going to visit with the camera crew: Les Delices D'orient, Dom's - a Lebanese restaurant, and of course we will be attending the most important event - the Award Ceremony.

So I've decided to document the trip from A to Z with photo coverage of this event. Keep posted for more interesting details and photos...