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 Food & Drink

Lebanese-American woman sells ma’amoul to help Beirut after explosion

A Lebanese American woman from Chicago is selling ma’amoul to raise money for Lebanese charities following the explosion on Aug. 4 in Beirut, reported the ABC lifestyle program Localish.

Dani Abboud planned to visit Beirut this year, but had to cancel her trip due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After seeing coverage of the Beirut explosion, she wanted to do something to help her motherland.

WATCH: Chicago Woman Selling Ma’amoul to Help Lebanon

“Ma’amoul is kind of like a cookie traditionally eaten around religious holidays,” Abboud told Localish. “I learned how to make it this past Easter. Getting to give people something as simple as these little cookies makes me feel like I’m giving a better glimpse as to what Lebanese culture is.”

The Beirut explosion rocked the city’s port, causing over 200 deaths, 6,500 injuries, and $15 billion in property damage. Countries all over the world have been sending aid to assist Lebanon in the aftermath.

“For so many people in America and around the world, the only image they ever see of the Middle East is destruction or a war zone or a bombing, and it’s just not like that,” Abboud said.


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My heart is broken over the tragedy in Beirut. My heart is broken over the decades of political corruption, and the undermining western intervention. My heart is broken that, for many people in the world, this is the only view of Lebanon they ever see. My heart is also broken because I can’t be there to help. So, with my limited resources and geography, I have decided to bake. I’m making ma’amoul (a traditional Lebanese sweet) to raise money for the groups actually on the ground, helping the people of Lebanon. Chicago folks, if you send me a receipt showing at least a $10 donation to one of the charities in the link in my bio, I will give you 5 pieces of ma’amoul (first batch is vegan and has a date filling). DM me to coordinate, feel free to share. I don’t have much money, I don’t have much power, but I love my country and my people enough to bake until my fingers fall off, if need be.

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Abboud has raised more than $500 from ma’amoul sales, which she plans to send to charities in Beirut. To learn more about her fundraising efforts, visit her Instagram page.

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Man caught on camera stealing shawarma from Beirut restaurant

A likely-hungry thief was caught on camera swiping an entire skewer of shawarma from a restaurant in Beirut.

Surveillance video circulating on Twitter shows the unidentified man enter the Estez Restaurant in the Zalka neighborhood of Beirut, grab a rack of shawarma and take off.

WATCH: Man caught on camera stealing shawarma from Beirut restaurant:

“Look what hunger has done to people,” the restaurant owner said in the video. “Look at where we have ended up in this country.”

A screen capture from surveillance video shows a man stealing a skewer of shawarma from a restaurant in Beirut. (Screen capture/Twitter video)
A screen capture from surveillance video shows a man stealing a skewer of shawarma from a restaurant in Beirut. (Screen capture/Twitter video)

It is unclear if security forces or the restaurant intends to take legal action against the man. Meanwhile, many social media users have come to the defense of the man in wake of the deteriorating financial situation in the Mediterranean country.

Lebanon’s economic crisis has sparked a currency devaluation, restrictions on withdrawals and a serious threat to the country’s banking systems.

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 Food & Drink

Lebanese bakery named ‘We’re Dough’ introduces Texans to mana’eesh

A sign that says, “How you doughin,” welcomes Texans to Houston’s newest Lebanese bakery, serving saj-baked mana’eesh, kaak, fakhar eggs and more.

The bakery ‘We’re Dough’ celebrated its grand opening on Feb 2 at its location at 6437 Westheimer Road, about ten miles from downtown Houston.

A sign that reads, "How you Doughin?" welcomes customers to Houston's newest Lebanese bakery. (Facebook/We're Dough Bakery)
A sign that reads, “How you Doughin?” welcomes customers to Houston’s newest Lebanese bakery. (Facebook/We’re Dough Bakery)

According to Texas lifestyle blogger BethieLife, ‘We’re Dough’ will serve “breakfast, lunch and dinner complete with thin breads topped with a wide variety of ingredients including various cheeses, meats, vegetables as well as sweet breads topped with nutella and various candies.”

'We're Dough' brands itself as a Lebanese bakery. (Facebook/We're Dough Bakery)
‘We’re Dough’ brands itself as a Lebanese bakery. (Facebook/We’re Dough Bakery)

“Clearly we have the most #instagramable bakery in Houston,” ‘We’re Dough’ said on Facebook. “Are you ready?”

‘We’re Dough’ will be open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 12 a.m., according to Eater Houston, which recently profiled the new bakery.

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 Food & Drink

Shawarma fries offered at Lebanese restaurant in Canada

A Lebanese restaurant in Canada is turning heads with its speciality chicken shawarma fries — an appetizing poutine-style dish that combines Lebanese favorites and flavors.

The dish is served at Kabab Village Restaurant in Windsor, Ontario. The golden fries are drizzled with mayonnaise, homemade garlic sauce and chicken shawarma, according to their website.

Kabab Village was recently featured in a CBC review after the restaurant relocated from Thunder Bay, Ontario to Windsor, Ontario.

“My mom loves cooking and homemade food and she wanted to give everyone a little taste of our food back home,” owner Haidar Hatoum told CBC.

The chicken shawarma fries are among the most popular items on the menu. The dish comes as small, $5.95, medium, $9.95 and large, $12.95.

Kabab Village recently started serving a new halal chicken bacon ranch wrap with homemade ranch dressing. (Facebook/Kabab Village Restaurant)
Kabab Village recently started serving a new halal chicken bacon ranch wrap with homemade ranch dressing. (Facebook/Kabab Village Restaurant)

Kabab Village also serves other unique Lebanese-influenced dishes, such as their new halal chicken bacon ranch pita wrap.

The restaurant is located at 6124 Tecumseh Rd E. in Windsor.

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 Food & Drink

McDonald’s launches ‘McFalafel’ nuggets in Sweden

McDonald’s locations in Sweden are getting a vegan upgrade to their menu. The fast food chain announced it will now start serving bite-sized falafel nuggets in the Scandinavian nation.

The new ‘McFalafel’ meal will be part of a vegan Happy Meal which includes apples, carrots or a small order of fries. The falafel will also come with one of two dips — a yogurt sauce with herbs or a vegan pepper dip.

The falafel nuggets will be made with chickpeas, parsley, garlic and cumin, according to British online news outlet The Independent.

McDonald’s made the announcement with an Instagram post which said, “Have you heard the news? Soon we have #McFalafel on the menu.”

McDonald’s locations across the Nordic region launched the McVegan burger in 2017. The sandwich exceeded industry expectations and added the first vegan option to the McDonald’s locations in Europe.

The McVegan launched in Europe in 2017. (Instagram/McDonald's Sweden)
The McVegan launched in Europe in 2017. (Instagram/McDonald’s Sweden)

A recent poll by Animal Rights Sweden revealed that almost one in 10 Swedes now eat a plant-based diet.

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 Food & Drink

‘The Beirut’ restaurant ranked Toledo, Ohio’s best restaurant for 2018

A Lebanese restaurant in Toledo, Ohio was just ranked on the top of the Toledo Blade’s best restaurants of 2018 list.

‘The Beirut’ is located just 10 minutes from Downtown on 4082 Monroe Street, and “serves a variety of Mediterranean cuisine and a smattering of Italian fare in a casual [environment]”, the list explains.

The restaurant received a prestigious ‘5 stars’ ranking. The top honor for restaurants in the city was only given to one other establishment this year.

RELATED: Beirut’s Central Station Boutique named among ‘World’s 50 Best Bars’

The Blade described their frequent visits to the restaurant as “perfect” and said, “expect massive portions at moderate to slightly above moderate prices.”

The Beirut Restaurant was established in 1977 as a joint ownership with Labib Hajjar and Riad Abou-Arraj, according to its website.

To preview their menu or to learn more about the restaurant, click here.

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 Food & Drink

This Zgharta woman is nicknamed ‘Queen of Kibbeh.’ What’s her secret?

Zgharta woman Suzanne El Douaihy doesn’t wear a crown. But she is nicknamed the “Queen of Kibbeh” for her expertise making nearly every variety of the delicious Lebanese dish.

El Douaihy is one of 4,000 women who own a small business supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development. She receives support from the U.S. government to help her grow her kibbeh business.

“The base is the meat. The meat has to be well minced,” El Douaihy said about making the perfect kibbeh. “Its color has to be good and it has to be tender.”

WATCH: Queen of Kibbeh Shares Her Secret:

El Douaihy makes several varieties of kibbeh, including Zgharta kibbeh stuffed with lard, kibbeh balls, kibbeh layered with pine nuts and onions and chickpea kibbeh made without meat.

Suzanne El Douaihy is known for her world-famous "Zgharta kibbeh." (Facebook/US Aid Lebanon)
Suzanne El Douaihy is known for her world-famous “Zgharta kibbeh.” (Facebook/US Aid Lebanon)

“The first thing with preparing kibbeh is cleanliness; it is the most important,” she added. “You have to be timely preparing it — you cannot take your time because the meat will not wait for you.”

RELATED: Anthony Bourdain visited Beirut twice — at very different times

El Douaihy was nicknamed the “Queen of Kibbeh” by late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, who told her, “I never ate kibbeh like this before.”

To order kibbeh from El Douaihy, call +961 3 946 194.

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 News

Ackawi cheese recalled in U.S. over Listeria health concerns

A brand of Ackawi cheese has been recalled in the U.S. after a routine inspection discovered positive tests for the presence of Listeria monocytogenes.

Consumers who purchased the Green Cedar Ackawi cheese bearing a “sell by” date of March 26, 2019 or later are urged not to consume the cheese, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Inspectors said the health concerns were discovered Nov. 9 during a routine inspection by the FDA and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Listeria monocytogenes can cause a serious and sometimes fatal infection that primarily affects young children, older adults, and persons with weakened immune systems.

“Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, listeriosis can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women,” the FDA said in a news release.

The recall affects Green Cedar Dairy Ackawi Cheese bearing a "sell by" date of March 26, 2019 or later, according to the FDA. (FDA provided photos)
The recall affects Green Cedar Dairy Ackawi Cheese bearing a “sell by” date of March 26, 2019 or later, according to the FDA. (FDA provided photos)

The recalled Ackawi cheese was distributed at retail locations in Dearborn and Dearborn Heights, Michigan. There have been no reports of any major health impacts as a result of consumption.

Anyone with any questions regarding the recall can contact Hussam Harb, Plant Manager at Green Cedar Dairy at 313-584-4499.

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 Food & Drink

Lebanese restaurant named among 38 best eateries in America

A Lebanese restaurant in Michigan has been named among the 38 best restaurants in America by the food network Eater.com.

For the third year in a row, Al Ameer Lebanese Restaurant in Dearborn, Michigan has been named among the best eateries in the nation.

Food critic Bill Addison traveled to 36 cities to come up with his list of America’s “essential” restaurants.

“Among Dearborn’s cache of Lebanese restaurants, this is the paragon,” Addison’s review said.

“Kahlil Ammar and Zaki Hashem’s family business includes an in-house butcher facility, so the unrivaled stuffed lamb (and also lamb liver, a traditional breakfast dish) exhibits exceptional freshness.”

Dearborn, a Detroit suburb, is home to one of the largest concentrations of Arabs outside of the Middle East. Al Ameer is one of several dozen Lebanese restaurants in the diverse city.

Al Ameer's famous stuffed lamb dish. (Eater/Bill Addison)
Al Ameer’s famous stuffed lamb dish. (Eater/Bill Addison)

In addition to the classic Lebanese favorites, Al Ameer is known for its house dishes like stuffed lamb, moujadara, grape leaves and the Al Ameer platter.

Al Ameer Restaurant is located at 12710 West Warren Avenue in Dearborn, Michigan. To visit their website, click here.

To view Addison’s full list of America’s 38 best restaurants, click here.

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 News

Lebanon opens first ‘blind-friendly’ supermarket in the Middle East

Marqet, the first blind-friendly supermarket in the Middle East opened Sept. 27 on Koraytem Main Road in Beirut, as part of a project launched by Lebanese non-profit Red Oak, a press release said.

According to a statement on the Red Oak website, this supermarket initiative coincides with their other recent projects aimed at bringing blind and visually-impaired persons to Lebanese museums.

The Youth Association of the Blind collaborated with Red Oak to train Marqet employees on how to support blind and visually-impaired shoppers during a two-day workshop, the release added.

Red Oak said employees at Marqet have been taught to support blind customers, walk them through the aisles, orientate them, showcase or describe products and help as they check out.

Marquet is Lebanon's first 'blind-friendly' supermarket. (Facebook/Red Oak)
Marquet is Lebanon’s first ‘blind-friendly’ supermarket. (Facebook/Red Oak)

According to Marqet’s website, it’s a one-stop shop for meats, fresh fruits, vegetables and many favorite brands like: La Boulangere Bio, Oslo, Royal Gourmet, Gloria Jean’s Coffees, Qi juices, Cocoa & Co. and more.

“Smell the aromas of fresh bread baking in our bakery with its organic section, run your errands supported by our friendly staff, sip a cup of coffee and let our staff handle your order or call us from the comfort of your home and we will deliver,” the site said.

Marqet is open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. everyday — including Sundays, delivery is available with no minimum order requirement and customers can find free parking.

For more information, visit: marqetlb.com or redoaklb.org.

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