A Day At Home

A cloudy day, a lazy day, what's better to do than stay at home...and eat.

A ritual at home is to start the day with a banana. My mother says it is filled with calcium and good for the stomach.

Those bananas come fresh from the shores of Lebanon, are smaller and mushier than the ones we have in North America, and have one of the sweetest banana tastes I tried.

But can I survive on a banana?

After a banana or two, my father walks in with breakfast.

A Markouk Bread is a big bread that is over 2 feet in diameter made on something called Saj and is difficult to find in North America. It is best fresh and warm off the Saj, but I won't have that luxury today.

My father's proposed breakfast for me is a Markouk and Labneh (thickened yogurt) sandwich with fresh cucumbers. Now how healthier could one be in the morning.

After this, I think I will stay away from snacking till lunch time.

I am glad I've stayed away from snacks given an overweight pot of Mehshi Warak (stuffed grapevines) appearing on the stove.

But first, a typical appetizer - a large lemon eaten raw. Delicious.

The Mehshi was amazing.

More amazing than the taste is the perfect rolls where every roll is the same length and width.

Along with it, home made yogurt with fresh cucumbers and mint.

A 3 hours naps was now in order.

After which I woke up thirsty right in time for the only ice cream I enjoy, clotted cream and mastic Lebanese ice cream.

The ultimate white and creamy.

By now it is clear there will be no dinner; but there is always a place for a "Kaisse".

Time to stop eating and smell the flowers (even though those flowers have edible sour stems that I love).