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“ G r a p e V i n e s r o u n d m y G a r d e n ”<br />
by Ken Hanna<br />
T h i s a r t i c l e w a s i n s p i r e d b y t h e w r i t i n g o f C e c e l i a Ya z b e k a n d h e r b o o k , ” O l i v e t r e e s r o u n d m y Ta b l e ” - g r o w i n g u p<br />
L e b a n e s e i n t h e o l d S o u t h A f r i c a .<br />
Ever go to a Lebanese function or to lunch at a typical Lebanese home?<br />
T h e r e i s a l w a y s k i b b e n a y e e , h o m o u s a n d g r a p e l e a v e s ( s p i c e d r i c e a n d m e a t s t u f f i n g ) . T h e k i b b e a l w a y s g o e s f i r s t . A l w a y s<br />
big discussions who can make the best kibbe. People discuss at great length about their kibbe.<br />
I a l w a y s l i k e t e l l i n g t h e s t o r y h o w K i b b e b e c a m e t h e n a t i o n a l d i s h o f t h e L e b a n e s e , a n d w h y t h e r e i s a l w a y s a c r o s s o n t h e<br />
k i b b e . T h e L e b a n e s e w e r e d e s e r t p e o p l e b e f o r e t h e y b e c a m e m o u n t a i n p e o p l e . T h e C h r i s t i a n s w e r e p e r s e c u t e d a n d h a d t o b e<br />
annihilated. To prevent the enemy from finding out where they were hiding, they did not light fires, therefore the meat was<br />
not cooked and so kibbe helped to save the Christians.<br />
In the mountains of Lebanon, snow can reach several meters in the winter. Fire wood was scarce, so the Christians and the<br />
M a r o n i t e s o f L e b a n o n p e r f e c t e d K i b b e w h i c h h e l p e d s u s t a i n t h e m i n t h e h o l y M o u n t a i n s o f L e b a n o n .<br />
Kibbe helped sustain “The Faith of the Mountain”.<br />
I h a d f o r g o t t e n a b o u t g r a p e l e a v e s a n d h o w m y j i d u a n d s i t u a l w a y s h a d g r a p e v i n e s i n t h e i r g a r d e n . W h e n t h e y w a n t e d<br />
m o r e t h e r e w a s m y U n c l e J o h n n i e ’s f a r m i n N o r t h R i d i n g . I t w a s a l m o s t a d a y ’s r i d e i n t h o s e d a y s f r o m M a y f a i r w h e r e a l l<br />
of us lived. It was driving from Oudtshoorn to Johannesburg when I rediscovered grape leaves and the vine.<br />
We s t o p p e d a t Wo l m a r a n s t a d , j u s t a h a l f h o u r s d r i v e t o K l e r k s d o r p . I t w a s 1 2 . 0 0 p . m , l e n t a n d l u n c h t i m e .<br />
We d i d n o t w a n t a “ Wi m p y ” m e a l s o w e a s k e d s o m e o n e w h e r e t h e r e w a s a r e s t a u r a n t . A n A f r i c a n g e n t l e m a n d i r e c t e d u s t o<br />
“ D a H o f t ” . W h a t a s u r p r i s e . I t w a s j u s t l i k e b e i n g i n L e b a n o n , b u t w i t h a n o l d D u t c h f l a v o u r.<br />
And in abundance and surrounding the restaurant, were grape vines.<br />
T h e m a n a g e r w a s s u r p r i s e d w h e n I t o l d h i m w h y I w a n t e d t h e g r a p e l e a v e s . I k n e w j u s t t h e r i g h t s u c c u l e n c e a n d s i z e s .<br />
I t o o k s n i p p e t s o f v i n e s t o t r a n s p l a n t i n m y t i n y g a r d e n , b o i l e d a n d b o t t l e d t h e g r a p e l e a v e s a n d a m n o w w a i t i n g t o s e e<br />
what will happen to my new earned vines.
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