Lebanese Cuisine
Lebanese cuisine follows the Mediterranean tradition of an abundance of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, starches, fresh fish and seafood, with sparing use of animal fats. Red meat often takes a backseat to poultry, and comes more readily in the form of lamb or goat. Olive oil, herbs, garlic and lemon are typical flavors found in the Lebanese diet. Well known savory dishes include Baba ghanouj, a dip made of char-grilled eggplant; Falafel, small deep-fried patties made of highly spiced ground chickpeas; and Shawarma, a sandwich with marinated meat skewered and cooked on big rods. An important ingredient in Lebanese dishes is Hummus, a dip or spread made of blended chickpeas, sesame tahini, lemon juice, and garlic, and typically eaten with pita bread. A well known dessert is Baklava, which is made of layered filo pastry filled with nuts and steeped in attar syrup or honey. Many dishes in the Lebanese cuisine can be traced back thousands of years to eras of Roman and Phoenician rule. More recently, Lebanese cuisine was influenced by the different foreign civilizations that held power. From 1516 to 1918, the Ottoman Turks controlled Lebanon and introduced a variety of foods that have become staples in the Lebanese diet, such as cooking with lamb. After the Ottomans were defeated in World War I, France took control of Lebanon until 1943, when the country achieved its independence. The French introduced foods such as flan, a caramel custard dessert dating back to the 16th century AD, and croissants. One of the most famous aspects of Lebanese cuisine abroad is that of mezze: similar to Spanish tapas, Lebanese mezze is an array of small dishes placed before the guests creating an array of colors, flavors, textures and aromas. This style of serving food is less a part of family life than it is of entertaining and cafés. Mezze may be as simple as raw or pickled vegetables, hummus, baba ghanouj and bread, or it may become an entire meal consisting of grilled marinated seafood, skewered meats, a variety of cooked and raw salads and an arrangement of desserts.
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