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...

Lebanese "Forn" Around the World

I have been told that many have taken my book and have used it as a base to start the operation of a Lebanese bakery... I've heard of one in Australia, in an Indonesian island, in Paris...do you know of any bakeries around the world baking Lebanese pies? Share them with us so we can create a network and learn from each other. Post the address of a Lebanese Bakery next to you, wherever you may be!

It all Starts with Za'tar

Ok, Are you interested in making your own "khaltet al- za’tar", meaning wild thyme mixture?

Here is how... ENJOY!
*recipe taken from the book...

There are several steps to follow:

Picking
Wild thyme is found on hilltops and mountains all over Lebanon. The plant is distinctive and should not be difficult to find. Let your nose be your guide. The za’tar plant gives off a strong and very fragrant smell. Take sharp scissors or shears and cut the plant without touching the roots.
Drying
It is preferable not to dry the za’tar in direct sunlight for too long. This will burn the leaves.
Selecting
Select the za’tar, take out the stems and clean from debris.
Grinding
In the past, the za’tar was reduced to a fine powder by grinding the dried plant with the hands. It was then pounded in a stone mortar. Today, it is easier to take the za’tar to a mill and have it grinded to a fine powder.
Mixing
Blend the ground za’tar, the sumac, the sesame seeds, and the salt together.
Storing
Store the za’tar mixture in airtight containers with a couple of bay leaves to keep out insects. It should stay fresh for a year.

MIXTURE FOR MAN'OUSHÉ
1 kg (2lb 2oz - 7 ½ cups) of ground za’tar
225g (½ lb - 1½ cups) of sesame seeds (uncooked)
400g (1 ½ lb - 3 cups) of ground sumac
50g (2oz - ½ cup) of salt


MIXTURE FOR DIPPING
1kg (2lb - 7 ½ cups) of ground za’tar
225g (½ lb- 1½ cups) of sesame seeds (toasted)
400g (1½ lb - 3 cups) of ground sumac
50g (2oz - ½ cup) of salt

So now all you have to do is add some oil to the mixture. For baking man'oushe, use a mixture of olive and vegetable oil so as to keep the pie light. For dipping, use the best olive oil you can find.

When you try it, send your comments I would love to hear about your experiences.

Where do you find the best man'oushe?

You'd be surprised how many times I have been asked the question, so let me give you an idea of the response:

The best man'oushe I've ever tasted is the one i made myself with homemade dough and a topping made with the za'tar I picked myself, dried, ground, and mixed with the right amount of sesame seeds, sumac, and salt. Does it sound cliche, well it's the truth...the feeling is unbeatable... try it!

Which kind of pie do i prefer? the laham bi ajin found in Bourj Hamoud with an extra serving of red pepper paste...and you?

I invite you to tell your story!

I created this blog because i want to have people share their stories, from all over the world pertaining to our favorite national pie - the man'oushe!

Since I've published my book in Dec. 2005 I've been hearing and getting all types of stories related to the topic. I want to publish them so each one of you can live through this amazing adventure.

It all started with a "romantic dream" ... one day I'll go to Italy and write about the pizza and photograph all these wonderful people and this beautiful country...

WAIT A MINUTE.. Lebanon, my country!!! the grass is greener on the other side always... NO, but is it? Italians are now coming to Lebanon for inspiration... Get a grip...a book on your country, capturing the foods of your land, capturing the amazing people that live in this tiny country, to document its contrast... indeed Lebanon is full of contrast... capture it before we all become cloned to what the rest of the world is becoming... ARE YOU READY?

Welcome to the Man'oushe BLOG!

What is a Man'oushe?

The man’oushé is the quintessential Lebanese breakfast. Derived from the Arabic word na’sh which refers to the way the finger tips of the baker “engraves” the dough, the man’oushé is indeed engraved upon our collective memories as Lebanese. The smell of the man’oushé bi-za‘tar in the morning catapults a Lebanese person back in time to a lively childhood birthday party, breakfast on the go with classmates before an exam, or a cozy morning spent tête-à-tête with a loved one. In such a way, the man’oushé is indeed engraved upon our collective memories as Lebanese.

Satisfying and tasty, it is truly a classless commodity. Tiny bakeries across the country sell this disc of dough pressed flat and baked with a topping of wild thyme, sumac, sesame seeds, salt and oil. One can find a man’oushé literally anywhere, from the poorest neighborhoods to the most affluent of Beirut’s suburbs. Inexpensive and delicious, it is one of Lebanon’s common denominators.

From Barbara Abdeni Massaad's, Man'oushe: Inside the Street Corner Lebanese Bakery.