I’m totally into lemon mint and love a strong mixture, when I prepare it for myself I double the quantity of the lemon juice. It is perfect for hot weather when they are sipped as the crushed ice melts. It is so addictive!

Lemon Mint

 Every Lebanese knows that the best lemonade recipes are made the old-fashioned way; where lemon wedges are soaked with sugar and then kneaded instead of squeezed. But on this hot sweltering day, I opted for an easier way that is as refreshing and thirst quenching! A Falafel is essentially a deep fried fritter or patty made of ground chickepeas…better known as garbanzo beans here in the States, or fava beans or a combination of both. It is a popular street-food eaten as is or dipped in hummus or a tahini sauce. It’s crunchy on the outside from the deep frying but delicately moist and nutty with refreshing burst of fresh herbs and spices as you bite into them. Mmmmm….

Falafel

The Lebanese kitchen carries many crowns, and Fattoush salad is one of them. What distinguishes Fattoush are 2 main aspects: the number of greens and vegetables it carries, and the complex rich flavor that the pomegranate molasses and/or sumac spice engulf it with. Fattoush is the official Lebanese peasant salad, and farmers just throw in whatever spring/summer harvest they have into the bowl to build up this beauty.

Fatoush Salad

 Hot on the heels of shawarma and falafel, one of the most popularly known Lebanese street foods would have to be shish taouk (also spelled shish tawook, shish ta’uque, etc). Generously seasoned chicken, redolent with garlic and lemon, skewered and perfectly chargrilled can truly be a thing of beauty…

Shish Tawook

COCKTAILS.
Cucumber Martini
2 oz. Hendricks gin
0.75 oz. fresh lemon juice
0.75 oz simple syrup
2 cucumber slices
2 mint leaves
Cucumber wheel and small mint leaf garnish

Muddle cucumber, mint, lemon juice, and syrup. Add gin.
Shake and double strain into chilled martini coupe.
Garnish with a cucumber wheel and small mint leaf

Ginger Margarita
1 vol oz Sauza Hornitos Reposado Tequila
1.5 vol oz Ginger syrup
.5 vol oz Cointreau
1 rim ginger salt
1 lime wedge

Rim rocks glass with ginger salt and fill with ice.
Pour all liquids into a mixing glass. Shake. Strain over fresh ice.
Squeeze lime wedge and drop into glass

Recipes courtesy of Market Kitchen Le Royal Meridien Abu Dhabi