Category Archives: Spices and Pantry items

Cedar honey

Just like any other natural product, there is honey and then there is honey. This one aptly called Cedar honey comes from bees pollinating in one of the Cedar tree Reserves in Lebanon from two thousand-year old trees and more than 550 types of plants and herbs. This honey can even be consumed by diabetics. According [...]
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Wild herbs in Lebanon

The list of wild herbs is long in Lebanon and this post is just a start. Here Asma, a wonderful Kurdish/Lebanese lady is holding a bunch of wild sage picked up in a forest clearing in a mountain 40 minutes from Beirut.  Sage (wild or cultivated) is a great remedy for digestive troubles; try it [...]
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Soapwort meringue (Natef)

Congratulations to those of you who knew what these roots were! Called shilsh al-halawa or soapwort or Bois de Panama roots , these are used to make natef. Natef is a type of meringue, similar in texture to marshmallow fluff, that is served alongside a semolina and pistachio pastry called karabij.  These roots are also [...]
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