As I mentioned in earlier posts about Christmas baking in Germany, cookie baking is a kind of national sport in German homes. The more you bake the merrier is the Advent season, and the happier is your family! These scrumptious chocolate cookies have all the ingredients for a melt-in-the mouth tasting experience. Flavoured with cinnamon,…
COCONUT BUTTER COOKIES
Baking cookies for Christmas is a German affair. A tradition passed on from generations to the next, baking a wide assortment of delectable cookies is each family’s pride. Recipes are shared and passed on from generations to the next. With no German ancestry myself except for my husband’s family, I was fascinated by my mother-in-law’s…
FRENCH SABLÉ COOKIES
The classic among all cookies, sablé is a melt in the mouth affair with apricot jam tucked in between two crumbly, buttery cookies. Everybody loves sablé. These scrumptious cookies are baked all year round and not only at Christmas. They are a life saviour anytime I need an easy dessert for a dinner party. The…
SALIKAH ON SAINT BARBARA DAY
Saint Barbara’s Day (Eid el Burbara in Arabic) on the 4th of December marks the beginning of Christmas season for Christians in the Middle East. On the eve of the 3rd of December, we prepare Salika. Also known as kamih or kamhieh, it is a porridge made of hulled wheat grains cooked in water with…
THE ULTIMATE CREAMY POTATO SOUP
The first potato soup I have ever tasted was at my in-laws’ in Germany many years ago. I was pleasantly surprised by its distinctive flavour that was new to me. My mother in-law had added some green vegetable paste to the potatoes in the pressure cooker, which she always used to save energy. Learning new…
AUTHENTIC GERMAN LEBKUCHEN
Lebkuchen is “the cookie” of the Advent Season in Germany. The German Christmas is unimaginable without it. The soft, moist and spicy sweet cookie with a cake-like texture bursts with heartwarming flavours. Filled with ground nuts, marzipan, and candied orange and lemon peel, and flavoured with a mixture of warm spices like cinnamon, cloves, coriander,…
BAALBEK AND ANJAR (UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES)
Our two days’ trip to Anjar and Baalbek archaeological sites (both UNESCO World Heritage) was again one of the highlights of my visit to Lebanon in August 2019. Anjar archeological site Accompanied by my daughter, my brother and his family we first drove to Anjar. Anjar is a city in the Bekaa Valley with a…
FATAYER BI JIBNEH (SAVOURY CHEESE PIES)
Those savoury cheese pies are simply scrumptious and easy to make. The dough is soft and malleable, and the filling is creamy and stretchy. I usually prepare them for breakfast or serve them as a starter with Lebanese Mezze during lunches or dinners. In this recipe I am using the same recipe of “Mankoushet Abou-Kamel”…
FORÊT NOIRE (JUICY BLACK FOREST CAKE)
This glorious and indulgent Forêt Noire belongs to my culinary traditions rituals. The same way I cherish Maamoul (Semolina cookies) for Easter, cookies and Bûche de Noël for Christmas, I can’t imagine my Birthday without this juicy fruity creamy cake for a cosy teatime with my friends. Everyone always looks forward to my special day…
CREAMY PUMPKIN SOUP
Pumpkin soup is one of my favourite soups all year round. It is easy to make and delicious. Although one can use any kind of squash or pumpkin to make this soup, I prefer Hokkaido. I love its delicate sweet and slightly nutty flavour. Not only that, but it is also very rich in vitamins,…
