Waahid Lemonade Frappé
This is, the most refreshing thing I have ever drunk – and is probably almost as refreshing as wearing a melon as a helmet (internal Nile Swimmers joke there). I think the process of ordering it sums up my favourite thing about Lebanon so far. The words you use to order it areabove. The first word is Arabic for “one”, the second word is English, and the third word is French for “smashed (with ice). Basically it is homemade lemonade, with real lemons, sugar, smashed ice like a slush puppy, and then loads of tiny tiny minced up mint. I had never thought of combining mint with lemonade… but oh my word, it is deeeelicious!
This country really is the total mélange (mix) and it makes everything telata (three) times as fun. The son of the lady who has coordinated all of this told me that today I was starting to turn Lebanese, because she had spoken to me in English, and I had responded in French – without really noticing. Yanni.