Lebanese Cuisine

Mezzes

Lebanese hors d'�uvres, or mezzes, are the savory beginning to a traditional meal and typically include hummus (puréed garbanzo bean dip), baba ghanoush (purée of eggplant), tabbouleh (parsley and cracked wheat salad), stuffed grape leaves, fatayer (triangular pastries stuffed with meat or spinach), and lebneh (yogurt dip with garlic). Hot pita bread, small bowls of olive oil, and fresh herbs accompany these dips and salads.



Main Dishes

Main dishes follow and could include any or all of the following: kibbeh (minced lamb, bulgur wheat, onions, pine nuts prepared in different ways), half of a chicken with rice, grilled chicken or lamb on skewers, or fish served with tahini sauce.

Desserts 

Platters of fresh fruit and bowls of roasted pistachios or almonds cleanse the palate. Desserts are traditionally sweetened with honey, jam, dried fruits, or molasses, such as baklava (a phyllo dough pastry layered with honey or molasses and crushed pistachios) and maamoul (crunchy biscuits stuffed with nuts or dates).

Arak
Of course, no meal is complete without the national drink, arak. Arak is an anise-flavored liquor similar to Pastis (the French version), Sambuca (the Italian version), or Ouzo (the Greek version). It is drunk as an aperitif or with mezzes and main dishes.

Wine
Lebanon's great food culture is thought to be a major contributor to the success of its wine. After all, excellent wine is best complemented with suitably inspiring food. Although inhabitants of modern-day Lebanon have produced wine for over 4,000 years, the past decade has witnessed a rebirth in the wine's reputation, with praise from British, French and other European importers. Compared to other wine producing countries, Lebanon's production is very modest - 6 million bottles annually. Nevertheless, exports have doubled over the past decade, and Lebanon currently exports 40 percent of the wine it produces.

Wineries are primarily found in the Békaa Valley, where arid, sunny days and cool evenings create the perfect vineyard climate. Three big names in Lebanese wine are Châteaux Ksara, Kefraya, and Musar. They all produce wines that have won international acclaim in the wine press and in various competitions, and export a substantial portion of their wine to Europe, North America, and the Near East. Ksara is the oldest winery, founded in 1857 by Jesuit priests who brought vines from Europe. Kefraya is the largest winery, with vineyards that are 50 years old and a winery that is only 20 years old. Musar is located in an 18th century castle 15 miles outside of Beirut, but its grapes come from Musar vineyards in the Békaa Valley.

Other wineries include Château Fakra (Mount Lebanon), Clos St.Thomas (Békaa), Massaya (Békaa), Nakad (Békaa), and Domaine Wardy (Békaa).

Increasingly, Lebanese wineries are marketing themselves to tourists with guided tours of the wineries and vineyards, dinners, wine tasting, and special

Source http://www.lebanon-tourism.gov.lb

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