A mother of three, Elissar is married to Chawki, a farmer both in practice and at heart, a true lover of mother earth. Elissar and her husband have several orchards in which they mainly plant tomato jabaliye, olives and figs.
Akkoub kebbeh (Gundelia) one of Elissar’s specialties
In season, her husband will be glad to take you fig-picking after a delightful breakfast at Elissar’s balcony. Her delicious Tlameh bi bayd is one of the many local dishes that Elissar would serve you for breakfast. She is equally skilled for making mouneh and especially dried figs and tomato paste, all products from her land, cultivated with much care and love by her husband.
Noha, a charming lady from Ein Zebde, is the owner of Ein Zebde’s Bed and Breakfast. Always attentive to your every need, she will make sure you feel at home in no time.
[quote]Nested at the heart of the lovely village of Ein Zebde and facing the municipality, Ein Zebde’s Bed and Breakfast accommodates up to 9 persons. Surrounded by a small garden, this old house is endowed with a precious oak ceiling that adds to its coziness and charm[/quote]
Its terrace, shaded by a vine tree, is the perfect spot to lay down for a relaxing afternoon nap in late summer, while Noha, the owner, prepares Kishk and Mulberry Syrup.
Noha’s table is always rich with traditional food made with love
One of the main highlights of this B&B is Noha’s fabulous cuisine! Her cooking techniques and recipes are all inherited from her late mother. Ask Noha for the local dish “Mansoufeh” and before long, you will be coming back for more 🙂
Ein Zebde’s specialty, the potato kebbeh, is highlighted on Noha’s menu
At Noha’s Bed and Breakfast, you will experience the essence of a home in the village.
Lina never thought that one day, she would become a food producer. After many years in kinder-garden teaching, she found herself without a job and found the answer to her income generation in the lands of her parents. Her first product ever? Mulberry syrup. 10 years now into mouneh making, Lina is well known for the quality of her products in neighbouring villages. For some, she is the “Kaak” lady, for others she is the Queen of Pumpkin Jam. For us, she is a great host, an amazing food producer but most importantly the symbol of perseverance, a woman entrepreneur who never flinch in front of life challenges, always ready for adventures and trying new things.
The colorful table at Lina’s house
At her Table d’hôte, you can enjoy a meal full of fresh ingredients collected in her garden and in her land, and with baladi products all made by her. In season, you can also participate in mouneh making, preparing tomato paste, mulberry syrup, pumpkin jam and more. On harsh winter nights, have dinner at Lina’s house while making milk cookies (Kaak bi Haleeb) on wood fire.
At Lina’s table d’hote, learn how to prepare “kaak b haleeb”
Meet her husband, Josef Haddad, and pick “Jabaliye” tomatoes with him in the green plains of Kherbet Qanafar.
Many of those who visit the Shouf Cedar Biosphere Reserve and walk its trails have had a meal or sleep over at El Achkar Guesthouse. This marvellous old house, hidden in a small street in Khreibet el Shouf, covered with green leaves is the perfect place for a weekend recluse, away from the daily noises of the city.
Salim, the owner of the guesthouse, explains how ecotourism changed his life. Originally working his constructor, Salim was approached by ecotourism specialists 10 years ago with the idea of hosting people in his house. After getting a fund from USAID, he renovated the house and equipped to be able to receive 20 people. Currently he operates as a full time Bed and Breakfast and his residence is listed as one of LMT guesthouses.
Salim preparing the backyard garden to receive his guests
His mother, a witty lady with an amazing sense of humour, is the main food orchestrator behind the scenes.
Forming part of the food trail, Salim and his mom will serve you seasonal menus highlighting traditional specialties from the Shouf.
Omayshe served with roasted onions
Omayshe with grilled onions, Mansoufet el Shouf and Tomato Kebbeh are few of the dishes that you can enjoy for breakfast, lunch and dinner at Table d’hôte Salim El Achkar.
A mother of two, originally from the capital Beirut, Raymonda got married, moved to Kherbet Qanafar in West Bekaa and became a kindergarden teacher since. Creative by nature, she found in food and moune making a space for exercising her skill and in the garden surrounding her house, the place to care for her fruits.
Raymonda and her husband are most known in West Bekaa for distilling alcohol, making Arak and homemade wine. Along with Lebanon’s traditional drink, Raymonda collects mulberry from her backyards and makes her line of mulberry products: mulberry syrup, jam and compote. Watching Raymonda at work and listening to her story with mouneh making is a fascinating experience. she says it best with her own words ” I am in constant competition with myself to innovate. I work with all my senses”.
“Bumble bee”! There is no better word to describe May’s vivacious character. Full of energy, an entrepreneur by nature, and simply a joyful person to be around, May has been working in food for as long as she can remember.
Training as a butcher with her father in her village Mrosti, May decided to open a mini-market after the closing of the butcher shop.
Today, she is known for her Saj bread making, her fatayer and Mana’ish. May will also take you to collect wild edible plants in the Wild, from which she will make amazing fatayer, a highlight on seasonality!
A mother of four, Bassima has been preparing mouneh for more than 20 years “the way my mother taught me”. With pride showing in her eyes and voice, Bassima explains that her mouneh is made of fresh products cultivated in her land or collects it herself in the wild.
Her star products are tomato paste made of locally grown tomatoes know as banadoura jabaliyeh.
Also, ask her for her exceptional apple jams and jelly, deliciously flavored with geranium leaves. You will most probably get a chance to try it as part of her desserts.
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