Holy Bread

This is the view from the car as we depart Beiteddine.

On our way back to the city from Mount Lebanon we stop at the picturesque town of Deir el-Qamar, and Bechara gets out to see if the museum is open so we can make a quick visit. Unfortunately, everything is closed, as it's past five, so Bechara returns to the car, but not before having purchased a few pieces of bread for us to snack on. This bread, he tells us, has been made in the same way since the time of Jesus. I've forgotten what it's called, but it's made by the Maronite Christians who inhabit the town, who've been in the valley for well over a thousand years... The Maronites, like the Druze, have their own unique heritage, and are one of the integral parts of the Lebanese cultural mosaic.... As we leave the town I contemplate the many articulations of Christianity to be found worldwide, while savoring some sweet and delicious fresh bread, made the same way for almost 2 millennium...   

That's one old recipe... Here's a recipe for the bread I found online (I imagine the orange blossom water and rose water give it the sweet overtones):

INGREDIENTS:

• 6  cups of flour
• 1 1/2  cups of sugar
• 4  tablespoons of butter, soft (optional)
• 1  1/2 tablespoons  of dry  yeast, 1 teaspoon of salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 6 pebbles of mastic, ground with a teaspoon of sugar in a marble mortar (optional)
• 1 teaspoon mahlab (can substitute ground anise, or cinnamon)
• 1 cup of milk
• 1/8 cup orange blossom water
• 1/8 cup of rose water
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

METHOD:

1. Proof the yeast in 1/4 cup of water warmed at 110F and a dash of sugar.
2. Mix the flour with the sugar, mahlab, ground mastic, nutmeg, dash of salt and baking powder.
3. Add the rose and blossom water in a small container.  Measure the milk and let it sit at room temperature or make sure it is not too cold. Ideally, you want it at 110F.
4. Place the flour mixture in a mixing bowl and add the yeast, milk and rose water mixture and mix the  dough until  smooth. Let it rest one hour.
5. Divide the risen dough into small balls. Let them rise 2 hours.
6. Shape the balls into flattened disks and  let rise one hour.
7. Sift a thin layer of flour on the disks and press the mold firmly on each disk.
8. With a toothpick, poke each disk 5 times all around to help prevent it swelling up while baking. (5 times to symbolize Christ who was nailed 5 times to the cross)
9. Let the disks rest and  preheat the oven to  400F  or you can also use your gas grill, making sure the disks are placed on a heavy-bottomed sheet.
10. Bake the bread for 10 minutes or so until golden.