Cultural Food Presentation:

Lebanese CuisineNadine Brown-Winter: 0978213

Caitlin Gepp: 8798222Sophie Gunn: 8580324

Lebanon

• Location: surrounded by Syria, Israel and the Mediterranean Sea.

• Population: Approximately 4 million (July 2012) with 87% living in urban regions.

• Official language is Arabic• 2 main religions: Muslim-60%, Christian-39%• 17 Religious sects recognised within the

Muslim and Christian denominations

Lebanese culture

• Lebanon was under Arab power from the 8th Century until the end of World War I

• The French took control from this time until Lebanon gained independence in 1943

• Both introduced different cultures and beliefs to Lebanon

• ‘Eating in Lebanon is tied to family’ and ‘people almost never eat alone’ (Arwiche 2013)

• This is common amongst both the Muslim and Christian populations of Lebanon

Lebanon and Australia

• 74 thousand Lebanese-born residents in Australia

• 350 thousand claim Lebanese ancestry• Three main waves of Lebanese migration

between 1880 and 1975• The Lebanese population within Australia are

most concentrated within the states of NSW and Victoria.

Influences on the Lebanese Diet: Location

• Small Mediterranean Country of only 10,452km²• Rugged terrain with very few rivers means only 30% of

land mass can support crop production.• Typical Mediterranean climate: mild to cool, wet

winters & hot, dry summers.• Not uncommon for Lebanese families to grow their

own fruit, vegetables and herbs.• Location of Lebanon has meant that its diet has been

influenced by many surrounding countries and cultures over time.

Influences on the Lebanese Diet: Culture & Religion

• Eating together as a family is very important in Lebanese culture• Religion has a major impact on how food is prepared as well as what

food can/can’t be eaten and when.• It is vital to acknowledge these religious influences which include:

Recognising appropriate food and beverages Serving a selection of meat and vegetarian foods on separate trays Providing a variety of non-alcoholic beverages If religion is Islamic then foods need to be Halal Islamic tradition does not allow for consumption of alcohol During Ramadam, Muslims do not eat or drink from break of dawn to sunset During Lent, Christians eat meatless dishes Checking individual requirements as some Muslim persons follow a vegetarian diet

• Antiochian Orthodox religion provides a fasting calendar which details food items that are to be abstained from and when.

Food Laws in Lebanon

• With 60% of religious people in Lebanon being Muslim, Halal food laws and regulations are very important in the Lebanese culture

• The laws of Halal are revealed in the Quran from God to Muhammad for all the people.

• Halal foods are those that are free from any component that Muslims are prohibited from consuming.

• These laws are intended to advance wellness• Halal means permissible and lawful. It applies not only to meat

and poultry, but also to other food products, cosmetics, and personal care products

(Riaz, Chaundry. 2004).

Food Laws in Lebanon• The following food products are not

considered to be Halal and therefore are Haram (unlawful) and unacceptable for Muslims to consume:

Carrion or dead animals Flowing or congealed blood Swine, including all by-products Animals slaughtered without pronouncing

the name of God on them Animals killed in a manner that prevents

their blood from being fully drained from their body

Animals slaughtered while pronouncing a name other than God

Intoxicants of all types, including alcohol and drugs

Carnivorous animals with fangs, such as lions, dogs, wolves, or tigers

Birds with sharp claws (birds of prey), such as falcons, eagles, owls, or vultures

Land animals such as frogs or snakes

• The rules of Halal food not only applies for Muslims living in Lebanon but is also relevant to Lebanese people who are part of the Islamic religion living in Australia or anywhere else in the world.

Meal Traditions• The tradition of coming

together as a family during meal times in the Lebanese culture is extremely important whether the families are part of Christian or Islamic religion.

• This tradition remains strong in the Lebanese culture today in contrast to the Australian culture where family meals are becoming less common.

Types of foods Traditional to Lebanon

Breads, cereals, rice, pasta, noodles• Burgal (cooked wheat)• Dried chickpeas• Fava beans• Fasolia beans• Dry yeast• Flour• rice

Fruit• Lemon• Melon• Strawberry• Pineapple• Apple• Pear• Banana• Orange• Pomegranate

Vegetables, legumes• Cauliflower• Tomato• Eggplant• Potato• Zucchini• Onion• Garlic• Lebanese cucumber• Broccoli

Meat, fish ,poultry, eggs, nuts, legumes

• Chicken• Beef• Lamb• Pistachio• Pecans• Almond• egg

Milk, cheese, yoghurt & alternatives

• Ackawi (white cheese)• Tzatziki (cucumber and yoghurt)• Shanklish (aged cheese balls)• Plain yoghurt• Whole milk• Butter

Essences & Syrups•Rose water•Orange blossom water•Pomegranate molasses

Fats and Oils• Olive oil

Beverages•Almaza (beer)•Arak•Ayran•Jallab•Ksara (famous wine)•Lebanese wine•Le caroubie ( non-alcoholic made from carob)•White coffee•Arabic coffee•Turkish coffee•Tahn

Condiments & Spices •Mint•Sumac (spice)•Zaatar (thyme mix)•Lebanese 7 spice•Mistika (Arabic gum)•Salt and pepper•Parsley•All spice•Garlic paste•Hummus•Labneh (dip)•Tahini paste

Labneh

Sumac

Zaatar (thyme mix)

HummusMint

Parsley

Typical Daily Eating Plan

Breakfast• Debes mixed with tahina with

pita bread• Labneh (cheese made from

yoghurt), olive oil, tomatoes, olives, mint and pita bread

Morning Break• Hummus with pita bread• Rtayer – pastry filled with

silver beet, onion, tomatoes, sumac and olive oil.

• Tahina and pita bread

Lunch• Kebabs• Falafel, lamb, chicken or

beef with hummus, tabouli or salad wrapped in Lebanese bread, pita.

Afternoon Break• Dried fruit balls• Zaatar and cheese plate• Fruit – jujubes (apple-like)

Dinner• Tabouleh • Dolmas-stuffed grape

leaves• Kibbeh- fried lamb balls• Chickpea salad• Stuffed zucchini • Fried cauliflower

Fried Cauliflower

Stuffed ZucchiniChickpea Salad

Tabouleh

Evening & Other Snacks•Baklava-pie•Sunflower seeds•Puslance turnovers (fatayer bel-bakleh)•Zaatar kaak

Comparison of diets

Mediterranean Australian

Conclusion

• Lebanon is a county of diverse geography and religion. It is essentially urbanized and its cuisine is Mediterranean.

• Lebanese- born Australians and their descendants have added their own healthy, unique flavours and ingredients to Australian cuisine whilst maintaining their individual tastes from the homeland.

• The Lebanese attitude to food is one of “family and togetherness”.• Religious rituals are followed by Muslims and Christians in relation

to meal times and types.• Australian climate and infrastructure ensures that the majority of

Lebanese food staples are available in Australia or able to be sourced via specialty food stores.

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Gazette, pp. D.1.BRE.• Consulate-General of Lebanon in Melbourne (2013). Lebanese in Australia: Facts and Figures. Retrieved from

http://www.lebaneseconsulate.com.au/lebanonOverview/facts.shtml• Countries and Their Cultures (2013)Retrieved from http://www.everyculture.com/Ja-Ma/Lebanon.html#b• Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australian Government (2013). Lebanon Country Brief. Retrieved from

http://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/lebanon/country_brief.html • Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Australian Government (2013). The Lebanon-born Community. Retrieved from http://

www.immi.gov.au/media/publications/statistics/comm-summ/textversion/lebanon.htm• Farah Naja, Lara Nasreddine, Leila Itani, Marie Claire Chamieh, Nada Adra, Abla Mehio Sibai, & Nahla Hwalla. (2011). Dietary

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• Helou, A. (1996, ). A healthy taste of lebanon: Anissa helou enthuses about the cuisine of her home country: London edition. Financial Times, pp. 15.

• Hwalla, N., & Tannous Dit El Khoury D. (2008) Wild-Type Food in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention: The Columbus Concept, Chapter 34: Lebanese Traditional Diets and Health Effects. Retrieved from http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-59745-330-1_34

• Iraqi cuisine makes its mark in lebanon's restaurants. (2011, ). Al - Shorfa• Juergensmeyer, M., & Clarke Root, W. (2007). Encyclopaedia of Global Religion. Doi: 10.4135/9781412997898• Riaz, M.N., & Chaundry, M.M.(2004). Halal Food & Production. Retrieved from http://books.google.com.au/books?

ibsn=0203490088• The Good Shepard: Australian Orthodox Mission (2013). Fasting Calendar. Retrieved from

ttp://www.australianorthodox.org.au/fasting-calendar• The World Factbook (2013)Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/• Western Australian Government (2013). Culture and Religion Information Sheet: Lebanon. Retrieved from http://

www.omi.wa.gov.au/resources/publications/cr_diversity/islam.pdf