The University of Wisconsin’s Lebanese Student Association will host their fifth annual commemoration of Lebanon’s upcoming Independence Day Sunday in conjunction with local restaurant owners.
According to Lebanese Student Association President Houssam Nassif, the event will consist of a potluck lunch celebration available to UW Lebanese students and the Madison Lebanese community, as well as students and community members interested in learning about Lebanon.
The event marks a partnership between LSA members and local Madison area restaurants serving authentic cuisine to create a “Lebanese Tasting Contest,” where participating restaurants will enter dishes in selected categories to be judged by members of the Lebanese community.
Participating restaurants include Bunky’s Caf?, Hookah Lounge and Caf?, The Nile, People’s Bakery and Shish Caf?, all of the Madison area, Nassif said. Each restaurant may enter dishes in the categories of hummus, baba ghanouj, tabbouleh, falafel, grape leaves and baklava, he added.
Nassif also said each dish will be held to the standards of Lebanese culinary tradition, and voting will be based on the authenticity of each dish. Winners in each category will be awarded certificates.
“Every restaurant we are inviting has been recommended by members of the Lebanese community as a place serving authentic Lebanese cuisine,” Nassif said.
Nassif said Lebanese cuisine is generally very healthy, as it often uses an abundance of fruits and vegetables and lacks animal fats. Lebanese cuisines also shy away from hot spices, he said, and instead are complemented by garlic, olive oil and lemon juices.
“We are proud of our Lebanese cuisine,” Nassif said.
Tina Calantoni, manager of participating restaurant Bunky’s Caf?, said all food served by the cafe will be made from scratch and use local ingredients.
According to Nassif, the event was created in honor of the Lebanese Independence Day, Nov. 22, 1943, which remembers Lebanon’s liberation from French mandate as exercised after World War I. Nassif said the date was one of Lebanon’s few holidays without religious significance.
In a press statement from 2010’s Lebanese Independence Day, President Barack Obama stressed the nation’s support of and commitment to Lebanon.
“This important day exemplifies Lebanon’s sovereignty, independence, and national and cultural identity,” Obama said in the statement. “The United States is committed to strengthening these characteristics through support of Lebanon’s state institutions and voices of peace and moderation.”
Sunday will be LSA’s largest annual event, according to Nassif. One of the main goals of LSA is to promote fellowship among members of the UW Lebanese student community and other students interested in Lebanon’s past and contemporary civilizations, traditions and cultures, according to the organization’s website.
Other goals of the student organization include welcoming incoming Lebanese students while maintaining strong links with alumni, promoting social and educational activities and encouraging students to contribute to the prosperity of Lebanon, the website said.
The event will take place on Sunday from noon until 3:30 p.m. in the Red Gym, north mezzanine. Admission to the event is free.
