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Hi! Kifak? Ça va?
Grew up in Beirut in the sixties and seventies. Had a Teta (grand-mother) at home who was in charge of the cooking. Family was francophone. Dad had grown up in Egypt, to a Lebanese father and an Italian-Croatian mother. Mom was from Beirut and Sidon. Started this blog because after 30 years of living in the US, my passion for my country of origin is unabated. Love its nature, its people, its cuisine. Proud of the Lebanese people, their achievements and their courage. Interested in their complex and rich history.
Studied pastry arts in Dallas; fascinated with cooking and baking as a creative outlet.
I want to dig into traditional Lebanese cuisine, especially rural recipes that are being rediscovered. Show how healthy and delicious and varied it is.
I also want to dedicate my blog to my téta, Sitt Nabiha Aftimos Zabbat.
I currently divide my time between Dallas, Texas and Beirut, Lebanon.
I can be reached either through Facebook, Twitter or at joumana_accad@yahoo.com
Joumana
74 Comments
Hello Joumana. You met my sister, Barbara, recently–she came to your home to cook with you and D Mays. Later, she enthused to me, the family cook, how great an afternoon it was and how much I would have loved it. She gave the address for this blog, and I expect to try your recipes. I hope to meet you one day (I live in NYC).
Hi Debbie! I had a great time too! Wished you were here! I really want to share the wonders of Lebanese cuisine; I feel that it is not sufficiently known and in some cases even misrepresented. Hence the blog. I hope that when you visit Texas we can meet and cook together!
hello joum on vient de se lever de table chez vous a clemenceau avec michel salwa et marcel
et nous nous sommes penches marcel et moi avec delectation sur ton blog qui nous met l’eau a la bouche des que l’on tombe sur la page de garde. bisous Anne marie
Quel plaisir de te lire! j’ai l’intention de parler de toi (avec photos) l’ete prochain, si tu me es d’accord! Bisous Joumana
Joumana, This is fun to read even if you don’t cook! You have combined the history of Lebanese cooking, family memories and receipes and nutrition. I love “one of the top ten” Well done!!!!
Marhaba Joumana, proud of you b’cause you’re proud of your roots,that what we taught our children.
sahtain to everyone who cooks and eats lebanese food .IT’S THE BEST.
Marhaba Joumana,
I am Lebanese too, living in North Bay, a small town in Northern Ontario. Recently I started a Lebanese Food Blog , and later this year I organized an Arabic Cooking Club “walima”
I am sending you an invitation to join us and be a member of the team.
You can read more about Walima in my blog, we are a small group of talented cooks from the Middle East. the Motto of th group is supporting and helping each others, at the same time we will do monthly cooking challenges.
the first challenge will start begining of May…and the posting on the 30th of the month..
Looking forward to hear from you.
All the best …
p.s.: if you need any help or recipes, let me know!!
Hi Joumana, I am a Singaporean married to a Lebanese. Over the period of 10 years of marriage, I had never attempted making any Lebanese food partly due to the unavailability of some of the ingredients (in Singapore) and also not knowing what exactly is Lebanese food. My mother-in-law bought me a Lebanese recipe book but I’ve never tried any of those recipes as I dont know what it should look and taste like. I must admit the only Lebanese recipe I had ever tried making is Tabbouleh and Hummus. However eversince hubby and I moved and live in the United Arab Emirates, I tried several fantastic Lebanese restaurants n it was delightful. I began searching for recipes and make it myself..and to tell you frankly I’m so happy to have found your site, its so friendly and simply fabulous. I will make Mussakhan tomorrow and inshallah it will turn out how it should be. Love your site and shookran jazillan for all your recipes and help.
Marhaba Hasie
Your comment made my day! My brother lives in Singapore with his wife and kids and all I know is his wife makes a very good mujaddara. Do you know that dish? it is a very simple dish of lentils, yummy and good for you! (lots of iron). I am so glad you are finding my site useful! Thanks so much for your visits! Come again!
Joumana, this is fantastic and I’m so impressed! Not to mention that I get hungry just looking at the photos. How about a recipe for Bata b’lahmeh?
Jean, I would love to comply with your request, but unfortunately, I have no idea what Bata b’lahmeh is!!! Please clarify and I will see if I can deliver!
Hi Joumana, I’m so pleased to know your brother lives in Singapore with his family. I hope my country makes me proud by having him n family feel at home. Inshallah. I will try making Mujadarra soon as its full of iron (I need that due to my anaemia). Also, I was trying to find recipe for Molokhia, I found several versions and mostly its all Egyptian recipes. I like it the Levant country way simply cos hubby is pro-Lebanese way
. Any possibility for that? I was reading about Lebanese breakfast on your site and I remembered the look on hubby’s face when I served him Singaporean breakfast which is the complete opposite of healthy Lebanese way. Fresh labneh, mint leaves, cucumber, olives and tomatoes are simply the best way to start the day for good health. I loved it 
Take care and definitely I will keep coming back sneaking for new recipes from you 
Hasie
Thank you so much for your kind comments! My brother and his family are family are very happy in Singapore. He works all over Asia and he and his wife started learning Mandarin Chinese and are really into it! Last time I saw my brother, a year ago, he had brought back green teas and was showing all of us in Lebanon how to prepare it and drink it ( I had inadvertently thrown the pot with the wet leaves). Anyway, I am planning to make molokhia this coming thursday with my Egyptian friend, so we will be comparing our methods. She grows hers in her backyard but her leaves are not big enough yet so we are going to try and find it at the Asian market where they sell it fresh. I wish I knew how they call it in Chinese and which Asian culture uses it! Take good care!
Hi Joumana,
Sorry, I meant Batata bi’lahmeh, the stewed potato dish with garlic, cilantro and lamb meat
Hi Jean
Since I have not posted this dish yet, I am going to suggest Mag’s blog:
hommuswtabbouli.blogspot.com/
She posted this recipe just a few days ago.
Hi Joumana. Your comment on my blog lead me to your website. I love it and especially the images. Keep it up , i can’t wait to read more from you. But now i have to go make myself something delicious to eat.J’ai eu l’eau a la bouche
Cheers!
Merci ya Carla!
I just came across your site looking for recipes. I don’t know how I didn’t find it before. I love it and it’s already bookmarked.
I’m fasting this Ramadan and I’m lookng for authentic recipes that remind me of home. Your recipes are mouth watering and some of them are new to me (Apricot Pudding..mmmmm).
Thank you for a great blog! I’ll be visiting it often
Hi Ghawiya and Ramadan Kareem
So happy you visited my site. Hope you won’t be disappointed!
Joumana
Hi Joumana,
I came by your blog by chance when I was looking for fatayer sbanekh recipe and what a jem it is. You remind me so much of home and the yummy Lebanese food that my Mom used to prepare. I live in North Texas too, in Plano actually. I like that you mention where to get some of the ingredients that are not readily available at wholefoods or other markets. As to molokhia, what is it called at the asian markets? Is there one in patricular you can recommend?
Thanks for a great blog!!
Regards,
Dana
Hi Dana,
Thanks for your kind comments. You made my day!
As for molokhia, I found it near my house, fresh, in early Spring, at a supermarket called ” Hong-Kong Market”. I remember it being called Jew or Jute Mallow. Also, any vietnamese market will carry it, they call it rau day
. Filipino markets also carry it and call it saluyot
I also need to tell you that the recipe I posted is my Egyptian Coptic friend’s. It does not include the cilantro, which in Lebanon is heresy. I liked it because it tastes very fresh and light. Feel free to add the cilantro of course!!
Happy cooking! Joumana.
Hi Joumana,
I will be looking for it this weekend and I will be making it with lots of kizbara
I also found your reference of Pheonicia bakery for markouk bread. I will be stopping there tomorrow and maybe I will try your msakhan recipe.
Thanks a lot and have a wonderful weekend ful of yummy aromas and tantalizing recipes.
Dana-
Dana
If you don’t find Phoenicia Bakery (it is kind of tucked in on Campbell Road) they also sell the markouk bread at Sara Bakery on Spring Valley and Sherman in Richardson.
Hope you find the fresh molookhia I am not sure if it is still available fresh! Happy cooking!
Hello, Marhaba!
I just came across your blog and wanted to tell you what a nice job you have done…It is wonderful to find people that share the joy of cooking (especially Lebanese foods). I being of the same ancestry have enjoyed the wonderful foods all my life.
thanks….
Marhaba Fredrick!
Thanks so much for visiting and I am very touched by the compliment!
Joumana,
Do you find yourself cooking Lebanese cuisines daily? What are some of your most favorite dishes? I have not had the time to read all of the post on your site…..overall do you feel there is more interest over a few recipes than many?
If so, can you ponder as to why this is so?
Fredrick
Fredrick
I have only been blogging for a year. I saw that you are in the business of making Lebanese products, I gather baklava? Where are you selling your products? I can tell you that the posts that get the most attention are the ones that show easy recipes. I got a lot of visits for a review I did on Chef Ramzi’s book The Culinary Heritage of Lebanon. And yes, I do cook Lebanese food daily and I like all the Lebanese dishes, especially sheikh el-mehche, mehche malfoof, all the fatteh, all the lentil dishes like mujaddara, and I am addicted to zaatar, I eat it every day!
Joumana,
I am new to the blogging world and am reading blogs to learn what conversations are being discussed particularly regarding Mediterranean foods. You are correct with regards to the food business, I am in the process of launching a food company to produce Traditional Lebanese Cuisines (products will be sold in the freezer section of grocery stores). My web site is being updated for complete interaction with customers. Let me know if you would like to link your site to bring you some readers.
I am familiar with Chef Ramzi as well as his popularity and the products he is sells in Lebanon. The dishes you mention are wonderful and a few of them are in my product line. They will show up on my web site as I get closer to launching the company in the next moth.
Bravo! I wish you the utmost success! Where are you going to be launching? In the US or Europe or Australia? I think that there is such a wealth in Lebanese cuisine, most of it yet unknown to the public at large. When I did my post on freekeh ( roasted green wheat) I found an Australian company who is marketing it and wanting to expand the line into bars and such. Sure I would love to have my site linked and vice-versa. I can’t wait to try your products!
Thank you very much for your kind words. I am in Austin, TX, so we will begin here in the US and expand as distributors come on board.As I build my web site and other social media outlets such as facebook, myspace etc.I will start posting info for when and where we will be launching products and plan to involve fans/future customers in conversation for opinions, ideas, etc.
I seek out companies as you found in Australia to learn more about them and see what is going on i the world.
I will let you know when we launch our first product etc. Email me if you like so that I may inform you about the web site link. As I expand my social media search (blogs etc) I need a way to link them all together or I will forget where they are and not get back to communicate often. I will let you know when and where product will be available for you to taste.
Perfect! Thank you!
Hi there!
Have a good girlfriend here, living locally, who is from Lebanon and I am still drooling just remembering that dinner at their house! Anyhow, thank you and nice to meet you! Do write to me if you have the time, so we could meet properly.
I just wanted to check out your blog, and also say hello and thank you for all the lovely comments you left me on my blog! I adore Lebanese food by the way.
All the best,
N
Thank you so much for visiting my blog and leaving your lovely comments
I am so so happy you found me and now I know about your blog. I really love Lebanese food and now with your recipes I can finally start cooking those amazing dishes. I love your website, the content and the photos. I will be visiting often. Thank you again ….
Thanks for leaving the comments on my blog — it led me to discover yours! My father-in-law grew up in Beirut and through that side of the family I’ve discovered a love for Armenian/Lebanese/Middle-Eastern dishes! You have great photos, looking forward to following your posts.
Hi Joumana,
Merci pour ton commentaire rigolo sur mon blog, je suis ravie de voir un vrai blog de cuisine libainaise,ce qui est assez rare en francais, il me semble…en tout cas tu m’as donne beaucoup d’envies a travers tes recettes
A Bientot
Ilham.M
Hi Joumana!
I looked for a snaynyeh recipe and came across your bolg!
I live in Dubai with no family around and I just miss my mom’s cooking so terribly! Unfortunately she;s not around anymore to chat with me and teach me some of her great recipes. I now have a beautiful baby girl and her first tooth started emerging!
I just want to thank you for sharing all these wonderful recipes with us and to congratulate you for the great job!
I will try the snaynyeh tomorrow nshallah and will share it with my neighbours (who are also waiting for their little one’s first tooth!)
I was wondering if you have any recipe for a sayyadyeh with 3e2deh safra (turmeric). It seems that my husband’s mom use to prepare it like that and I have never tasted a sayyadyeh except like the one in your blog.
Thanks a lot Joumana and hope to see you in Dubai!
Hi Mona!
So glad that you found my blog, because I found you too! A real live Lebanese expat like myself! I do have a recipe for sayyadyeh with turmeric and I will send it to you via your e-mail directly tonight. Take care and I wish you and your little family a wonderful holiday season!
Thanks a lot Joumana! You’re a star!
Look forward to your mail.
Wishing you too happy and warm holidays with your family and all your loved ones!
J’ai trouvé la réponse! En plus tu as même un visage…:) Alors pour les produits japonais, suivant où tu es aux Etats-Unis (Dallas?), à mon avis tu dois pouvoir trouver dans des commerces spécialisés. Sinon il y a des sites de ventes par correspondance en Europe, l’équivalent doit bien exister aux States! Bonnes fêtes
Joumana, I just now got around to reading your bio. I grew up in Texas and still have family there. Maybe we’ll have to team up for a dinner or something on my next visit
I agree, the cuisines of certain countries and regions are under or mis-represented. So glad you’re adding your voice and viewpoint to the conversation.
Best wishes for a happy and productive 2010!
Bria
Hi Joumana,
What a delightful blog, just found you via Kano’s Syrian Foodie in London, one of my favourite blogs. I can relate to your motivation in starting this, being Brazilian of Japanese and Italian parents and living in the UK for nearly 20 years, I am passionate about the food my Japanese grandmother used to cook for us, and all the hearty Brazilian and Italian dishes of my childhood. I am lucky to live in London where one can find nearly every cuisine under the sun, London is a foodie’s paradise.
Luiz @ The London Foodie
Joumana…Nice to meet you too.I grew up in Libya so I am quite acquainted with the Arabic dishes….my most cherished was ofcourse the Baklava. Can you please guide me how I can subscribe to your blog. In the meantime, happy blogging and I love your dishes….
Mar7aba Joumana…. wow wa akhiran a great and wonderful website on traditional lebanese food
I love it !!!! I’m Ghinwa from California , and I’m in love with your blog, because I’m lebanese, born in ras beirut ( hamra) , my whole family are from beirut, and when i saw ur post on kibbe aranbiyeh , dibs, and mofataka, I went nuts!!!! I love all your feed back stories about you, your teta, your brother and your old friends…ahhhh so lovely you bring back memories to the time I was living in beirut. Please keep on writing stories about your old times in lebanon with your teta and your other amazing family. How about a category just for that ..you can call it hikayat zaman lol 
This website rules!! where else can one find a website like this that has mofataka, dibs,semsimiyeh, samke harra, lebanese smoothie, the biscuit and chocolate log , and many more? Only on your great blog.. I ‘m so happy I found you blog, 3anjad I have dreams about it lol.Ya3tiki alf 3afyi. and thank you for the memories… oh and when I will be in beirut ( very soon) I will make sure to go to Hajj Makari’s shop and stuff my face with that yellow goodness 
Keep it up
Ghinwa Itani
Hi Joumana, If I understood right, your mother is Croatian?!? Me (partly) to. Govoris li hrvatski? I would be happy seeing you visiting my blog!
Maja
If you love cake decorating, please check out my website. I have a book that has beautiful and easy to make cake and cookie designs.
Your website is really interesting with yummy recipes…
I’m doing a Bloggers Face-OFF and was wondering if you would like to take part of it !
Hi Joumana,
I recently came across your blog while I was searching the web for some Lebanese recipe. It brought tears to my eyes, in good way
I am Lebanese who moved to live permanently in New Zealand 2 years ago however I want to preserve my link to Lebanon and pass my heritage to my baby daughter. What better than the smell, color and taste of our food to keep us attached to the memory of what used to be once the most magnificent place on earth.
Looking forward to your posts.
Dear Joumana,
i do love your your blog. I’m a german journalist writing for the biggest foodmagazine here. In November I will visit Beirut to discover the culinary sides of the city. It would be a pleasure for me to talk to you, to invite you in your favorite restaurant. Do hope you have time for me and that you would like to meet me too.
If so, just send me a mail.
Looking forward to hear from you, Claudia
love this website… gems of traditional recipes!!!! great idea for foodies and cooks!
En plus tu es jolie ! Je vis à Paris mais j’ai travaillé à la “libaneese bank” et “Al Saoudi Bank” (après les banques ont fusionné) et ensuite avec deux grands noms du Liban. Tout le monde s’est un peu éparpillé à travers le monde, domage. J’en garde un excellent souvenir.
Tu comprends comment ton blog me fait chaud au coeur !