TIME|St. George Orthodox Church event set Monday

It’s time for kibbee and for cabbage rolls, for mamool and baklava, and time to join your friends for a delicious Lebanese dinner at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church.

The dinner – the 49th to be held – is Monday.

 Lunch will be served in the church hall from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. Take-outs will also be available. The menu includes Baked Kibbee, Cabbage Rolls, Green Beans in Tomato Sauce and Tabooli Salad. An assortment of sweets will be offered for sale.

 Tickets for the dinner are $10 and may be purchased from church members or by calling the church office, 601-636-2483.

Church dinner a family affair

The West family – Jeff and Lori and their children,  Jori,13, and Jacki, 10 – have been involved in St. George church dinners since 1995, when they moved to Vicksburg and joined the church. And Jeff West is current Parish Council president.

Lori West, who teaches Sunday-school, has learned to prepare several dishes, with kibbee a family favorite. Her brother, Father David Ogan, is a priest and lives in Vicksburg with his wife, Conccetta. And Lori West’s and Father Ogan’s mother, Joann Furr, also is a member of St. George. So the dinner is truly a family affair for all of them.

In addition, Jeff West’s brother, Brian West, and son Kevin, 15, also attend St. George Church and for several years have been learning to make their favorite Lebanese recipes.

Lebanese cooking

Foods of the Middle East are known throughout the world, but Lebanon is probably the best country in which to enjoy it. And that may be because in Lebanon it is believed that the one thing that unites all Lebanese people is the love of eating.

Restaurants, cafes and food bars are everywhere in the country, and they offer the delicious delicacies of Lebanon as well as the cuisines of the world around them. International foods include French and Italian cuisines as well as Japanese, Chinese and Thai.

 Lebanese foods, for the most part, are typically Mediterranean – with meals high in vegetables and low in meat, but big on flavor. The meal usually begins with rather small portions of dips, salads and nibbles eaten with a tasty Arabic bread. Salads almost always include the famous and delicious Tabooli. The main course is usually chicken or fish with spicy rice and leftovers from the dips and salads. Meals are almost always served with wine.

Desserts are a special treat and include different variations of sweets like baklava and mamool as well as a variety of fresh fruits.

After the meal is finished, black coffee is usually served. It is very strong with grounds in the bottom of the cup. Hot tea is also offered after meals.

 Luncheon meals usually begin about 1 p.m. and might finish at 4 p.m. or later. Dinner most times will not begin before 9 or 10 p.m. Enjoy!