Spicing things up… part 1

Here at Warda, Southgate’s favourite Lebanese restaurant, we pride ourselves on using the best and freshest ingredients available to give our customers an authentic experience of Lebanese cuisine. This can make our menu look a bit daunting to people not familiar with some of the ingredients we use, so we thought it would be useful to introduce you to some of the more exotic ingredients we use in our recipes.

Allspice: Allspice is made from the dried berries of a tree which was originally a native of Central America and the West Indies, but is now found all over the world and particularly in warm climates. Allspice takes its name from its flavour, which is thought to resemble several other common spices (such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves) mixed together.

Ashta: Ashta is a milky ingredient similar to clotted cream, but flavoured with rose water and orange blossom water. It can be eaten on its own or used as an ingredient or dessert topping.

Bulgur wheat: Bulgur wheat is wholegrain wheat which has been parboiled and then dried. It is often used as an ingredient in salads and adds a pleasant crunch and subtle nutty flavour to dishes.

Coriander: Coriander is used all over the world and comes in two forms. The leaves can be used in salads or added to sauces immediately before serving and add a lemony and slightly bitter flavour, while the seeds can be ground to make a subtle, citrusy spice.

Check back in a couple of weeks for the second part of our introduction to the ingredients we use in our dishes

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allspice

http://www.mamaslebanesekitchen.com/vegetarian/ashta-recipe-clotted-cream-rose-water/#sthash.AIwINNrg.dpbs

Dabke

Lebanese dancing

 

In the last Warda blog we talked about belly dancing and the incredible performances of our resident dancer Dinah, but belly dancing is traditionally a woman’s dancing style. The kind of traditional Lebanese dancing performed by men is very different, but just as impressive!

Traditionally men and women would not have danced together, though mixed dancing is now viewed in a far more relaxed way. The most common dancing style – dabke – is performed by several men in a line or a circle and is cooperative in that everyone performs the same steps, like British country dancing or American line-dancing.

The dance is led by a lawweeh, who will set the pace and demonstrate the moves. In some dances he will also perform a more complicated solo dance. The lawweeh may be a professional dancer or someone who simply dances well, and the other dancers will take their lead from him.

Common steps in the dabke involve synchronised jumping and stamping the feet. In many dances the performers will link hands, which means there are very few arm movements. Dabke is all about footwork, and this creates a strong and primal rhythm, complementing the music.

The main instrument the dancers perform to is the drum – dabke is a very percussive dancing style. Tambourines are often used as well, while the melody is typically created with an oud (a stringed instrument like a guitar but with a deeper and richer tone), a mijwiz (similar to a clarinet) and a singer.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dabke

Belly dancing at Warda

Belly dancing at Warda

 

What could be better than enjoying traditional Levantine cuisine, expertly cooked, in comfortable surroundings? Well, nothing! Unless there was entertainment as well, of course. Here at Warda we provide the best food and most tasteful décor in Southgate, and we are also pleased to bring you traditional Middle-Eastern belly dancing, provided by our very beautiful and talented resident dancer, Dinah.

Belly dancing is the name of the exotic style of dancing which has been traditional in the Middle East for as long as records have existed. The term ‘belly dancing’ is actually a misnomer resulting from the French term ‘danse du ventre’, which might be better translated as ‘dancing with the abdomen’. However, even this oversimplifies this stunning form of improvised interpretive dance, which makes use of a variety of dance moves, including flowing, undulating arm movements, swaying or twitching the hips, and the move most widely associated with belly dancing: the shimmy, in which the dancer rapidly shakes her stomach and hips.

There is a huge variety of belly-dancing costumes, and each region has its own alternative. Most dancers wear a tight top or bra which leaves the stomach exposed, though in some countries exposing the stomach is taboo or even illegal, and a longer vest is worn instead. A long skirt or harem pants are often worn, with scarves with coins attached tied around the waist, which rattle and clink pleasingly during the dance. Some dancers also use finger cymbals (zils) or wave scarves in the air around them to accompany their dancing.

Belly dancing shows at Warda usually take place on Friday and Saturday evenings on selected weekends and it is always being announced in advance when and what time the show starts, it can be also booked for parties or special occasions. Please contact the restaurant for more information.

It’s party time at Warda!

Finally, December is  here and we’re allowed to talk about Christmas!

 

Given that around one-third of Lebanon’s population is Christian, it will come as no surprise that Christmas is a big deal there. With its culture of hospitality, Lebanon goes in for Christmas in a big way, with lots of parties, family gatherings and, of course, food.

 

The food is a little different, based more closely on traditional mezze dishes, and rather than a Christmas tree, the focus of decorating the home for Christmas is a manger scene. In the run-up to Christmas, Lebanese children will grow shoots from lentil, chickpea or bean seeds on pieces of cotton wool and use these to decorate the nativity scene. They wait with excitement not for Father Christmas or Santa Claus, but for Papa Noël or Baba Noël (a reminder of the country’s French heritage), and traditional Christmas treats are nuts or dates, and particularly sugared almonds.

 

If you are planning a Christmas party for work or a group of friends and can’t stand the thought of yet another dingy pub spread with dry turkey and overcooked sprouts, why not put Lebanese hospitality to the test with something a little more lively. Groups dine from £15 per person when eating from our set menu, or if you want something special we can arrange a menu to suit your budget. Your guests will also benefit from our extensive wine list or you could treat them to one of our exquisite cocktails. In addition to this, one of London’s best belly dancers, Dina, will be performing live every Friday and Saturday night at 8.30 between now and Christmas.

 

We are also taking bookings for our New Year’s Eve celebration – a three-course Lebanese meal followed by Baklawa and mint tea or coffee, a live DJ, and live belly dancing and magic shows, along with a party which is sure to go on long into the night. Places are strictly limited, so book now!

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Lebanese hospitality

The staff of Warda are very proud of the hospitality we offer the people of Southgate and the surrounding area, and why shouldn’t we be – there have been people in Lebanon for over seven thousand years, and the country is famous for the care and attention it shows its guests. We have quite a reputation to live up to!

 

In Lebanon it is considered an honour and a privilege to have a guest in your home, and how a person takes care of his guests says a lot about who he is, so if you have the good fortune to find yourself the guest of a Lebanese person you can expect to be offered every comfort. It is likely you will be offered a drink as soon as you arrive, and it is considered rude to refuse. It is also likely that you will be encouraged to try a little (or a lot!) of every dish on the table, of which there will be quite a few (see our previous blog), and you may be pressed to have second and even third helpings. You should also be prepared to be asked several times whether you would like some more to eat or drink. Even if you initially refuse, it is likely you will be asked again as your host wants to do his utmost to make sure you are comfortable and have had sufficient, so it’s a good idea to pace yourself. This is one of the reasons why meals in Lebanon are never casual affairs, and can go on for several hours.

 

We know things won’t be exactly the same in a restaurant – for example, we don’t expect you to bring us gifts or sweets, and no one likes a pushy waiter, but at Warda you can be guaranteed a warm welcome, a relaxed meal, good food and plenty of it!

Sources:

http://www.maroniteacademy.org/maroniteacademy/5.culture-language.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanon

http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/lebanon.html