Wild IN BEIRUT
The Saturday morning organic farmers market is a feast for the eyes. Lush greens and herbs, from the homegrown to the wild await the early risers. Vegetables of every color of the spectrum, in sizes ranging from miniatures to regular, fill the stalls of farmers arriving from regions across the country.
What I quickly flocked to seemed to resemble asparagus, but a very unique variety. I have never seen wild asparagus, only the kind I usually find in supermarkets. Upon inspection and inquiry, I realized that each asparagus was a quarter of the size of a regular asparagus and three to four times the length, and looked like wild grass.
The farmer pulled one out of the bundle and presented it to me to taste. It appears this variety is eaten raw because it is so tender. Sure enough it was tender and had a green-earthy flavor to it. I soon found myself reaching for a second one.
When I asked for a recipe, stuck in my old ways, he looked at me and reiterated that it should be cooked and that it simply does not need anything. Adding that very few things can be enjoyed raw—a privilege I should revel in. So I brought a bundle home that had over 100 stalks and as appetizers we discovered their joys one-by-one with a simple vinaigrette dipping sauce of lemon juice and olive oil. I could not think of a healthier appetizer.
Rony Zibara
Editor-In-Chief and the gourmand-gourmet behind Poetry of Food; a food memoir which has been in preparation since he was a child. His earliest memories are in the kitchen with his mother cooking French and Lebanese dishes, and with his South American grandmother making Spanish dishes as the cook prepared a repertoire of salsas and sauces. Having grown up in Beirut and lived between Paris, Toronto and now New York, Rony’s food and travel experiences have always been part of his personal cuisine. An avid storyteller, he believes it’s not about the size of the catch, but about the day. It’s the experience, the setting, the people, and most importantly, the ingredients that turn the meal and the flavors into a memory. While not a professionally trained chef, Rony is a cook by all counts; his life revolves around the culinary joys of food, searching out new ingredients, new recipes, and new cultures. And while he loves the restaurant scene, he is not an obsessed follower. Rony’s food passions lie in the poetry of the everyday meal and not in the pursuit of the absolute ‘best’ or perfect meal. His extensive career in innovating and branding new products and experiences has been a great support and backdrop for his passions in food culture and is evident in the overall design and presentation of this food memoir.