The Colour of Life

Green is the color of life, of spring and of new beginnings. In a never-ending cycle, spring brings warmth and new growth, year after year. In our part of the world, Adonis, the gorgeous lover of Astarte (Aphrodite) is a symbol and a hero of spring. But in his version, spring is announced by a red flower, anemones, and not by green!

It is said that the beautiful young man was wounded to death by a wild boar, when hunting. Astarte heard the cry of her dying lover, and came running through the woods. By then, roses were only white, but thorns wounded the goddess feet, and her blood colored the white roses red! And when she found her lover, she spilled his blood in the soil, and red anemones flowers sprouted – that will the first spring flower, to announce the new season every year!

Back to green, it takes all shapes and forms in Lebanon. Our green produce falls into three basic categories: wild or domesticated, and unripe!

Wild greens can be found throughout Lebanon, in the mountains, riversides and valleys. We have a large variety of indigenous herbs and plants: wild mint (good to distill), wild leek (perfect for an omelet), jarjir (wild watercress), khebayzeh (perfect to cook as a mouloukhyieh), hendbeh barryieh (wild dandelion). All these delights from Mother nature say that the first taste of spring has arrived!

The first to plants to sprout in home gardens are often the ingredients for Tabouleh, our much loved national salad: parsley, mint, green onions and tomatoes. This salad has all the colours of our flag: red, white and green.

The Arabic word akhdar means unripe. Young almonds are tender to eat whole, and have a soft creamy heart. Janerik are small sour green plums. Green peas tender and sweet fresh from the pod, fava beans, green chick peas are all delicious as a snack anytime throughout the day but especially with drinks before dinner. Even apples are eaten well before they ripen, their crunchy, green, sour taste is enhanced by a slight dash of salt, like all these unripe treats they are of the served with a small bowl of sea salt on the side for dipping.

Sharab el hosrom is the juice of unripe grapes that has been boiled. This juice is a delicious alternative to anywhere you would add lemon juice. Salad dressing made with sharab el hosrom is a true flavour of spring.

Homeida are wild sorrel flowers. The stalk of the flower is eaten. Children love to pick the sorrel flower and delight in this green treat, as they do so they are reminded warmer days are ahead.
 
If green had a season, it would be spring. A taste, it would be sour! And summer will be sweet and hot!