Mazaher on Monnot Street
A few minutes away from the bustling Fouad Chehab “ring” intersection, in the residential district of Achrafieh, lies Monnot Street, an urban historical gem. Lined with orange blossoms this charming Street has known countless changes over the past half-century. Sometimes written with one “n” sometimes two, Monnot Street is a mobile entity like most of Beirut’s urban planning that knows no respite since the 1990s.
This narrow and sloping street of 640m long once served as a demarcation line between East and West Beirut during the civil war. After the war it became a recreational hot spot for Beirut’s golden youth, with pubs, theaters and clubs packed with party-goers every night of the week.
Today, the orange trees decorating the street’s sideways infuse the air with the fragrant smell of orange blossom. Passersbys can be seen chatting and picking the sweet white flowers from the trees, inhaling their exhilarating smell.
Orange Blossom Water
The flowers of these bitter orange trees, are picked and distilled to make “Mazaher” orange blossom water, used to flavour many Lebanese food or drinks. It is said Mazaher was promoted with the invention of the alembic during the Umayyad caliphate (AD 661-750), and rapidly became widespread. The famous Lebanese “white coffee” is made by adding a drop of orange blossom water to a cup of boiling water, a soothing drink that is known to help with sleep and digestion.
An artistic encounter on Monnot Street
Noor, a young Lebanese artist showing us one of her latest etchings on Monnot Street. It depicts a woman hanging from a bouquet of strawberries. “The strawberries are keeping the woman safe, despite everything she is going through” explains Noor.
Noor wearing our fraise pendant.
