It’s this time of the month when we dispatch “The Box” but this one is different; It’s February! This month is special. It’s the month of cats, the shortest of the year and surely the month of love and lovers. Having only 28 days, it is the only month of the year that can pass without a single full moon. This last happened in 1999 and will next happen in 2018. So, being an unconventional month, we gave this box a theme calling it the Sweets Box. Known to have a diversification of products from salty to sweet, this box is more focused on energizing items. Ouwaymat and Mouchabbak, pomegranate jelly, apple jam, apple juice, corn flakes cookies, dates rolls, chocolate halawa and heart shaped chocolates will surely give you a sweet rush.
This month’s box has been distributed on the 3rd of February to 150 food aficionados. It contains items from 15 different producers from 15 different villages in Lebanon supporting more than 50 families which produced a total of 2,700 products. You might have invested in $75 to get this box which will give you in return products with a market value of $135.
The mouthwatering content of The Box of February:
1- Ouwaymat and Mouchabbak from Mouhammad Nassab Sweets, Saida +961-3-796574
Simply the best, yes, the finest Ouwaymat and Moushabbak I’ve ever tasted. Adequately sweet, extremely crunchy, rich and flavorful, those are not close to the commercial version sold on the streets. Nassau is a specialized shop selling those sweets exclusively. Try them for yourself. Ouwaymaat are small balls of dough, the size of a walnut, deep-fried to a golden browned crisp and then soaked in sugar syrup. Similar to its shape, Mchabbak means interconnected. It is the children’s most favorite treat. Those treats are mainly made of flour. LBP12,000
2- Apple jam with sesame from Les Delices de Claudine
I’m so happy with this golden colored jam; It has a fresh apple flavor, a chunky texture, and a light, unexpected hint of mistake and explosions of sesame. You definitely won’t feel like you’re eating apple pie filling. It’s so delicious and versatile that I made it into our love box. LBP5,000
3- Freshly squeezed pasteurized apple juice from Kfardebian, Keserwan, +961-3-845257
Freshly squeezed Lebanese mountain apples; grown 1,500m over sea level. 100% natural with no preservatives, additives or colorants. (refrigerate) LBP6,000
4- Distilled Sage Water (As3een) from Jana el bastion ladies cooperative, Bater, Al Shouf+961-70-918513
This product comes from sage that naturally grows in the wild regions of Lebanon and has been used as a traditional herbal remedy for stomach pain and indigestion for decades. Recent studies have shown it has important antioxidant, antimicrobial, antifungal and antiseptic properties. LBP8,000
5- Fleur de Sel, Atayeb el Rif cooperative. Anfeh, North Lebanon. Hafez Jreij +961-3-540215
Fleur de Sel, also known as “Table Salt” is one of the finest salts being hand harvested directly from sea water. Fleur de Sel is not only natural and free of any additives, but contains more mineral complexities than other common salts. This product is hand harvested by workers who scrape only the top layer of salt before it sinks to the bottom of large salt pans. LBP8,000
6- Cooked lamb meat preserved in their fat (Kawarma), Jana al Ayadi ladies cooperative, Deir le Ahmar, Bekaa +961-3-116958
Kawarma is a traditional Lebanese meal, made of lamb meat naturally preserved in lamb fat (Liyye). This technique originated by our ancestors in high mountains to be able to preserve the meat from summer till the winter season. Kawarma is a nutritious food and is best enjoyed when cooked with fried eggs and “Keshek”. LBP30,000
7- Olive Oil Soap, Atelier Georges Ibrahim, Kfarakka, Koura +961-71-008794
Traditional soap made of 100% olive oil following traditional methods. Olive oil soaps smoothly clean the skin without stripping the natural oils; so the skin does not end up dry at the end of the day. Olive oil soaps greatly moisturize the skin and are less likely to cause allergic reactions. LBP2,000
8- Bay laurel leaves, (ghar), Rural Delights Cooperative, +961-3-335854
The Bay Leaf (Botanically: family of Lauraceae, in the genus; Laurus) is a very well-known culinary leaf spices. Wilted and dried leaves can be stored for months and give off pleasant and sweet aroma when added to dishes. Bay leaves are healthy and are a significantly rich source of Vitamin C, Vitamin A and Folic Acid. Bay leaves are recommended to be added to your soups or dishes as Chicken/meat, rice, roasted potatoes…etc. LBP5,000
9- Corn Flakes cakes, Vissa, Aley, +961-76-716252
Crunchy corn flake cakes produced with an oriental touch adding pistachio and pine nuts to them. They’re so yummy indeed. LBP12,000
10- Tamer biscuit rolls, Vissa, Aley, +961-76-716252
A crunchy shortbread envelop, a tender heart of dates and a certain passion felt in every bite. We went all the way up to Aley to get them and we hope you’ll like them as much as we did. LBP15,000
11- Cinnamon cake rolls by Curly-Q, +961-1-747857
It's cylinder and it's tasty. It’s a cinnamon roll with a dozen layers one on top of the other that’s carefully baked in an innovative oven that makes unique tasty cinnamon rolls. Curli-Q is a new kind of pastry shop now open on Hamra Street. I was invited to the opening to witness the unique oven used to make this innovative pastry. I loved it. It is moist and tender with a cinnamon cover; the dough is not chewy but fresh and airy. It looks nice, special and can be shared due to its big size. Coffee, tea or hot chocolate, for a morning bite or an afternoon snack, this is something unique. The Cinnamon Curlis will surely become a hit soon. LBP14,000
12- Valentine chocolate inspirations, Le Noir Atelier du Chocolat, +961-3-039219
It’s much more than simple chocolate, It’s Le Noir, an atelier creating masterpieces made of the world finest chocolates. Pierre, with his unmatched passion, uses Valhrona chocolate to prepare his creations. For the valentine season Pierre created those heart-shaped chocolate truffles that will make your heart melt. LBP18,000
13- Valentine special edition wine, Chateau Nakad, Jdita +961-8-540191
The story of Château Nakad is first that of a family, of three generations of winemakers from the Bekaa Valley who received the passion of soil, wine and grapes as an inheritance. In 1923, during the Mandate, Joseph Nakad started treating the French contingent with his fresh and lively wines, lifting the spirits of the troops. The winery is located in the village of Jdita/Chtaura, in the Bekaa Valley, near the most fertile farmlands of the region. More importantly, it is built on the remains of wine cellars dating back to the Bronze Age. Surprise your loved one with this special edition valentine wine bottle. LBP22,500
14- Rosemary, L’Univert de Lea, Beit Chabab, +961-3-147202
Rosemary, is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple, or blue flowers, native to the Mediterranean region. It is a member of the mint family. Rosemary is used as a decorative plant in gardens where it may have pest control effects. The leaves are used to flavor various foods, such as stuffings and roast meats. LBP5,000
15- Chocolate halalawa bites, Boulevard Beirut, Ain el Mreysseh +961-1-366222
We had lunch, enjoyed their kaak and mini bites and then came dessert. Mini halawa bites coated with chocolate and dusted with pixie flakes. They are so yum that we did whatever we could to have them in our box. Four bites might not be enough… This is why we invited Boulevard Beirut to join us at Souk el Akel. See you this Thursday. (refrigerate) LBP9,500
16- Pomegranate jelly, Les Delices de Claudine, +961-3-723829
This unusual jelly few or none do in Lebanon has a variety of purposes. It can replace cranberry jelly with turkey for the holidays. It is lovely for breakfast toast and biscuits. Try it on pancakes! Rich in antioxidants, pomegranates are an excellent fruit for making jelly. Their full-bodied flavor and brilliant crimson color bring life to the breakfast or dinner table. LBP5,000
17- Homemade sausages, This Little Piggy, Aram Salkhanian, +961-76-494342
Homemade salami saucisson made of pure pork, pork fat, black and green peppercorns, garlic and salt. Other ingredients include bacterial culture and a curing agent to preserve it against spoilage. Despite it being pork it is protected by the following 4 tools: decreasing the water content (drying), a special bacteria makes it acidic (imported from Europe), the salt, and finally the curing agent. All these protect it against spoilage bacteria which is why it's safe to eat despite it being raw uncooked pork. Finally the outside white layer is also a special kind of "good" bacteria that protects it from the elements. You can peel it or enjoy it as is to enjoy the extra added flavor of the white external bacteria - earthy mushroomy flavor. (refrigerate) LBP20,000
With that we sent you a rose, wishing you a happy valentine from NoGarlicNoOnions. So now we hope you’ll enjoy the content of The Box of February and don't forget to book your next edition while quantities last. March is the spring box every mother would crave to receive.
