It's not all Greek: Middle Eastern fest puts spotlight on Lebanese yogurt

posted on: Jul 9, 2015

To the millions and millions of Greek yogurt fans out there, Julie Ann Sageer has a message.

Making Lebanese Yogurt With Julie Taboulie
TV host to demonstrate how to make labneh, or Lebanese yogurt, at the Middle Eastern Cultural Festival at St. Elias Church.
“If you like Greek yogurt, you’re going to absolutely fall in love with Lebanese yogurt,” said Sageer, better known as Julie Taboulie, a resident of Marietta near Otisco Lake and host of “Cooking with Julie Taboulie” on WCNY-TV.

The Lebanese-style yogurt is called laban, (or labneh when the whey is strained from the curds, as is done in the product most Americans know as Greek yogurt).

Sageer, as Julie Taboulie, will demonstrate how to make make laban and labneh at 3 p.m. Sunday, during the annual Middle Eastern Cultural Festival at St. Elias Orthodox Church in the town of Onondaga. The fest will also offer versions of labneh on its menu for the first time this year. (Fest details below).

“People are always surprised when I tell them how easy it is to make your own yogurt,” Sageer said. “And you can make very good yogurt.”

The Lebanese style yogurt, especially the strained labnah, has a distinctly tart or tangy character. That makes sense, because in Lebanon people often eat yogurt as a savory dish or condiment.

“In America people think sweet when they think of yogurt,” Sageer said. “But in Lebanon, it’s served savory, even for breakfast, which is really how I like it.”

The unstrained laban is often used as an ingredient in other dishes, like stews, Sageer said, while the strained version is more likely to be served as an accompaniment to mezze (appetizers).

Sageer likes to spread the labneh on a plate, and top it with herbs or spices. One of her favorites is mixed with garlic and topped with mint. It’s eaten with pita, grape leaves or other mezze.

One of the most popular ways to eat the strained labneh is as a side dish with kibbeh, the national dish of Lebanon. Kibbeh, as served at the St. Elias festival, is ground sirloin mixed with bulgur wheat, onions and pine nuts.

“To eat kibbeh with labneh — that is true Lebanese,” said Hind S. Van Dusen, a native of Lebanon who is Sageer’s mother and cooking mentor.

Sageer, meanwhile, has finished the second season of “Cooking with Julie Taboulie,” and is now in production for a new series, “Julie Taboulie’s Lebanese Kitchen,” which will air nationally on PBS.

Source: www.syracuse.com