Planet Food - Lebanon - Travel Documentary

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Lebanese Cuisine ( المطبخ اللبناني‎) includes an abundance of starches, whole grain, fruits, vegetables, fresh fish and seafood; animal fats are consumed sparingly. Poultry is eaten more often than red meat. When red meat is eaten it is usually lamb on the coast, and goat meat in the mountain regions. It also includes copious amounts of garlic and olive oil, often seasoned by lemon juice. Olive oil, herbs, garlic and lemon are typical flavors found in the Lebanese diet. The traditional alcoholic Arak (عرق), an anise-flavored liqueur, which is the Lebanese national drink and is usually served with a traditional convivial Lebanese meal. Another historic and traditional drink in Lebanon is the wine (نبيذ). However, in Lebanon some desserts are specifically prepared on special occasions: the meghli, for instance that is served to celebrate a newborn baby in the family. The Lebanese cuisine is an ancient one and part of the Levantine cuisine, which include the Egyptian cuisine and Syrian cuisine, etc. Many dishes in the Lebanese cuisine can be traced back to thousands of years to Roman, and to the roots and origins of the Lebanese civilization, that is the Phoenicians. For most of its recent past, Lebanon has been ruled by foreign powers that have influenced the types of food the Lebanese ate. 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 (1914–1918), France took control of Lebanon until 1943, when the country achieved its independence. This time, the French introduced foods such as flan, a caramel custard dessert dating back to the 16th century AD, and buttery croissants.