It’s that time of the year when Lebanon comes alive with the rich aroma of flowers: jasmine, gardenia, rose and everything in between. Luckily, there’s a refreshingly unique tour dedicated to these scents, which you won’t want to miss.
Photo – Barbara Massaad
Taking place on June 4 and June 5, 2022, Follow the Scent is a special tour organized by a group of culinary and adventure specialists who share a passion for authentic Lebanese flavors.
Cedarmount Aromatics
As founder and director of Cedarmount Aromatics, Joumana Brahimcha Boustany is on a mission to help promote the work of producers of essential oils and other natural raw plant materials. She also tries to help them develop in a sustainable and ethical way to become self-reliant while ensuring their future on their lands. Her company, Cedarmount Aromatics is a blog and a shop aiming at promoting aromatherapy and local essences.
Darb el Karam
The Food Heritage Foundation’s mission is to document and revive the traditional cuisine and promote the livelihoods of rural producers and processors through the creation of rural-urban linkages. It also aims to preserve and revive Lebanese local knowledge and traditions around food, and seeks to reconcile the new generation and urban population with their food traditions to safeguard culinary heritage and empower small producers and farmers – the keepers of these traditions.
Photo – Barbara Massaad
Jawhar
Fascinated by scent, and its intercrossing with culture, trade and religion, Zuhair — which also means small blossom — has been working with partners across the region to tell their stories and what the perfume material means to them and their land. Zuhair is the founder of Jawhar, a company that brings the Essence of the Levant to a global audience. “The story of rose in the Bekaa is a relatively new one – but for a country that has only existed for 80 years, that story is still one which needs to be told,” she says.
Slow Food Lebanon
It is hard to talk about rural food in Lebanon and not think of Barbara Massaad, president of Slow Food Beirut. Having published many recipe books that are equally comprehensive, beautiful and successful, her knowledge of local and regional cuisines is a source of inspiration.
Snounou
Passion for the Lebanese mountains and commitment to reviving rural life led explorer Bruno Tabbal to create Snounou, a table d’hôte currently in Hardine. He is bringing his wealth of experience to Bekaa for this tour.
Photo – Barbara Massaad
Tourleb
A socially responsible tour operator, Tourleb has been working to promote everything Lebanon for many years by connecting with local communities. The experiences created by Nada Raphael and Joelle Sfeir, the ladies behind Tourleb, are often off-the-beaten path, bringing together different activities, places and amazing people from all walks of life.
To learn more about the tour, including how to join, visit the post on our Agenda.
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