For over 24 years, the ladies of Ein Zebde, West Bekaa have gathered to prepare Potato Kebbeh for the village annual rural dinner, organized to raise funds for the construction of St Joseph church (Mar Youssef). This annual dinner is organized during the celebration of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Eid el Saleeb - on September 14) which always begins with a mass. [caption id="attachment_2926" align="alignnone" width="900"] The ladies making the potato kebbeh. Picture ©Vera Bou Monsef[/caption] For the first dinner, about 24 years ago, the ladies made 40 potato kebbeh, and today as the number of volunteers has increased, their joint efforts ended up with making more than 3000 kebbeh! [caption id="attachment_2928" align="alignnone" width="900"] Grilling the kebbeh[/caption] This beautiful tradition has evolved over the years and this year's celebration which was held on Saturday September 10, 2017 started with celebrating mass followed by a dinner and a musical party that attracted visitors from nearby villages. [caption id="attachment_2929" align="alignnone" width="900"] Different types of pastries are on the menu as well![/caption] There is no doubt that Potato Kebbeh was the highlight of the dinner, but other delicious items were also on the menu such as vegetarian pastries (fatayer), meat kebbeh, mini-pizzas, meat pies (sfiha), mana'eesh on saj etc. [caption id="attachment_2930" align="alignnone" width="900"] Fatayer, sfiha, pizza and kebbeh![/caption] Celebrations continued until early morning lights on the beats of dabkeh. [caption id="attachment_2931" align="alignnone" width="900"] Dabkeh and music![/caption]