Thanks to Nancy Kress’s blog, I just found out today, March 4th, is National Pound Cake Day. Who knew? Well, apparently lots of people. I haven’t found out who invented this day based on one of my favorite foods … but thanks!
Wonder if there’s a National Kibbey Nayye Day?
-the Centaur
P.S. In researching this article, I was amazed at the bugs that crawled out from the rocks I turned over. When looking for National Kibbeh Day I found this lovely bit of prejudice by the prolific Hytham Hammer on the Urban Dictionary:
kibbeh / kibbe
minced meat dish with almonds.
the damn Lebbos think that’s a ‘national’ dish..well, fuck that. It’s origins are North African… and yeah, it’s taste-o!
Ok, Hytham, thanks for writing the entry. But let’s clear up a few things:
- I don’t know what dish you’re referring to, but kibbey as made in Lebanon does not contain almonds. In Syria they sometimes put pine nuts in it, but in Lebanon a more typical recipe is: meat (lamb or mutton, or top round beef), bur’ghul (crushed wheat), minced onions, salt, black pepper, cumin, cinnamon. Occasionally people add minced red peppers, allspice or mixed spice, and when I make it I do try those from time to time. No almonds, unless you are talking about stuffed kibbey balls, which can contain almonds – in the filling, not in the kibbey, and saying kibbey requires almonds is like saying pizza requires anchovies just because you liked your mom’s anchovy calzones.
- “Lebbos”?
- Look, I don’t care if the dish originated on Mars, it’s still the national dish of Lebanon in that we eat it raw more than just about anyone else. More generally, EVERYONE in the Middle East region has their own version of what EVERYONE ELSE eats, relabeled with their own names – good luck figuring out who invented what. If you paid attention to the cuisine of the region rather than practicing some form of “my guys are the best” cultural imperialism, you’d find that out immediately.
- On the note of “my guys are the best” cultural imperialism, I reject it in all its forms. Send me your recipe – if it’s better, it’s better!
- Yes, it is tasty!
Hoy. Suprises, surprises.
