Fattoush for a dinner party — went down extremely well

I made Fattoush for eight guests who had varying familiarity with the cuisine. Every single person asked for the recipe. The nutty and sesame-forward profile was the main talking point — no one had quite experienced za'atar used that way before.

the cuisine shares roots with the broader Levantine tradition. I explained the a Beirut street stall context as I served it which helped people appreciate it fully. arak was what I offered alongside and it worked perfectly. Excellent dinner party dish — impressive without being inaccessible.