In a few hours, it will be July 2nd. This is the National Anisette Day (https://shorturl.at/Ec0hs), which honours “liqueur derived from aniseed.
Aniseed originates “from the anis herb” that gives it “its licorice or fennel flavour“. But what is Arak? It is a traditional STRONG anise-based spirit, or liquor, commonly drunk in Lebanon and other Middle Eastern countries. Of note, one must dilute it with water and ice before drinking it. It traditionally goes hand in hand with the delicious Lebanese food.
When she was about three years old, Bambi used to enjoy telling her mom that she had tooth pain just to get a drop of “Arak“, on a piece of cotton, to put on the so-called painful area. It is incredible how much we can remain true to ourselves, while changing, after fifty years of aging. Indeed, at her age now, Bambi adores the taste of fennel in food, especially when cooked by her spouse :). Yet, she is not much into Arak or alcohol drinking anymore. For instance, she recently spent about a month in Beirut. She did not have a drop of Arak or any other alcoholic drink.
Similarly, a few years ago, she travelled for work to Scotland and from there visited Beirut to see her family. Her brother-in-law asked her if she enjoyed drinking whisky while in Edinburgh. When she said she did not taste the latter, he was quite amused. For him, it was like going to Rome and omitting to visit the Vatican. Anyhow, she still enjoys spending time with family members or friends while they drink Arak and have a good time. She can even laugh, and feel drunk, by proxy :).
Talking about fun moments, as per its title and as a reminder, this post is mainly meant to share Zahle’s Arak song, which Bambi likes a lot; stay tuned please!
In the short video found on YouTube, the men singing the Arak song are a group of Lebanese-American tourists visiting their home city, Zahle. They seem to have much fun singing together its Arak song :), which lyrics are about the following: the significance of Zahle to them, how much they enjoy Arak, how they forget their worries and how the 2 dollars in their pocket start being perceived as $2 million dollars when they drink, etc.
Before sharing the short, joyful song, please let’s take the time to appreciate the beauty of Zahle, as captured on the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)’s website (https://shorturl.at/B2IQf). Of note, since 2013, Zahle is a UNESCO-protected city in the category of “creative gastronomy”.
From the same UNESCO website, Zahle is described as follows: “Zahlé, with a population of approximately 150,000 inhabitants is celebrated in Lebanon and throughout the region for its pleasant climate and traditional cuisine. The capital and largest city of the Beqaa Governorate in Lebanon, Zahlé is proud of its celebrated gastronomy as well as of the fifty poets and writers born in the city over the past century. Known as the “Bride of the Beqaa”, and the “Neighbor of the Gorge”, due to its geographical location and natural beauty, Zahlé is also known as the “City of Wine and Poetry”. Zahlé´s culture has long revolved around its grapes, wine and arak, the distilled anise-flavored drink that has traditionally been served in cafés at any time of the day. Zahlé´s most important cultural event is the Festival of the Vine, traditionally held each September, during which concerts, plays, poetry readings and artistic exhibitions are organized daily over the course of several weeks” (https://shorturl.at/B2IQf).
Following Zahle’s picture, if you wish, you can enjoy an 8-minute-long YouTube English video about Château Ksara, a winery located near Zahle.
As you have guessed, this post ends with the Arak song. Long live vacation time and group singing. Long live Lebanon’s Zahle and its Arak :)!
