Of Labaniyah And Writing On Books
N.B. This was always intended to be a photojournal. Enjoy!
Labaniyah, second to strawberry jam and quince marmalade, was one of the earliest types of sweets I came to know as a child. It's a sort of traditional Makkawi dessert, along with Laddo, Hareesiyah, Taheeniya (and get the baladi type, not the supermarket stuff!).
Those are photos of Labaniyah and Hareesiyah, I couldn't find *cough*ate*cough* Laddo.
Labaniyah is made of milk, sugar and cardamom, sometimes topped with pistachio.
Hareesiyah is made of white flour, sugar and cardamom. The flour is cooked in ghee first until it turns brown.
And now, the part on books.
Books, the old school type made out of paper and not those you read on your iPad, bring back a lot of memories. How paper feel at your fingertips, the yellowing edges, the smell of paper. Each crease and folded corner holds a meaning. I used to dry flowers in my books on my trips, can't for the life of me find them.
I like to keep my books spotless, but when i receive books as gifts they usually include dedications. If a dedication isn't written, I demand one. Here's an assortment of the penmanship of my lovely friends. I just want to hug these books!
And now the second hand books. Those books that already lived. Precious.
Some books pose as landmarks in your own history, such as the first or last book of a series. Too bad I had no date on the Anne Rice books.
The first of "The Vampire Chronicles", sometime around grade 9 or 10.
Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows. I was in torn jeans, a black t-shirt and had blue hair, pulled my dad into the bookstore, grabbed a copy, hugged it and begged him to get me it. Spent 14 hours in the airport waiting for a delayed flight, during which I read the entire thing. Regretted that later on during the unbelievably bumpy flight, could've used a distraction.
I may be meticulous with literature, but rather monstrous to my textbooks. I truly appreciate them, I do, but I need to memorise them as well! Do you do this to your books as well, treat literature nicely and textbooks indelicately?
I was good at anatomy, so good my book is falling apart. What were you so good at?
Labaniyah, second to strawberry jam and quince marmalade, was one of the earliest types of sweets I came to know as a child. It's a sort of traditional Makkawi dessert, along with Laddo, Hareesiyah, Taheeniya (and get the baladi type, not the supermarket stuff!).
Those are photos of Labaniyah and Hareesiyah, I couldn't find *cough*ate*cough* Laddo.
Labaniyah is made of milk, sugar and cardamom, sometimes topped with pistachio.
Hareesiyah is made of white flour, sugar and cardamom. The flour is cooked in ghee first until it turns brown.
And now, the part on books.
Books, the old school type made out of paper and not those you read on your iPad, bring back a lot of memories. How paper feel at your fingertips, the yellowing edges, the smell of paper. Each crease and folded corner holds a meaning. I used to dry flowers in my books on my trips, can't for the life of me find them.
I like to keep my books spotless, but when i receive books as gifts they usually include dedications. If a dedication isn't written, I demand one. Here's an assortment of the penmanship of my lovely friends. I just want to hug these books!
And now the second hand books. Those books that already lived. Precious.
Some books pose as landmarks in your own history, such as the first or last book of a series. Too bad I had no date on the Anne Rice books.
The first of "The Vampire Chronicles", sometime around grade 9 or 10.
Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows. I was in torn jeans, a black t-shirt and had blue hair, pulled my dad into the bookstore, grabbed a copy, hugged it and begged him to get me it. Spent 14 hours in the airport waiting for a delayed flight, during which I read the entire thing. Regretted that later on during the unbelievably bumpy flight, could've used a distraction.
I may be meticulous with literature, but rather monstrous to my textbooks. I truly appreciate them, I do, but I need to memorise them as well! Do you do this to your books as well, treat literature nicely and textbooks indelicately?
I was good at anatomy, so good my book is falling apart. What were you so good at?
mmmmmm lalbaneyah, laddo, and hareesah....
ReplyDeleteQusay: when i call it Hareesah mama confuses it for the meat one and goes: "But I don't make that stuff and you're a vegetarian!!" xD
ReplyDeleteLabaniyah! *sob* *sob*
ReplyDeleteHareesa *heart throbs*
I luv them so much...
dont feorget Asmaa...Laddo is originally Indian not Makkawi :)
Ah the good old "Harry Potter" days..
ReplyDeleteNow I'm too busy reading "Contemporary Orthodontics" and "Principles in Operative Dentistry"...
It's sad really cuz when I actually do get some free time on my hands I'd rather watch "How I met your mother" instead of curling my in my sofa and reading..
btw I loved this post.. very refreshing
ReplyDelete