Indulgences

1. بقلاوة

   Baʾlāwa

   Baklava (layered nut pastry)

   Usage

   Thin pastry layered with pistachios or walnuts, baked and soaked in syrup. Often sold by weight.

   Grammar Note

   A sweet or indulgence name (noun), for matching against shop signs.

2. برازق

   Barāzeʾ

   Barazek (sesame and pistachio cookies)

   Usage

   A thin crisp sesame and pistachio cookie, a Damascus specialty also bought as a souvenir.

   Grammar Note

   A sweet or indulgence name (noun), for matching against shop signs.

3. بسبوسة

   Basbūse

   Basbousa (semolina syrup cake)

   Usage

   A baked semolina cake soaked in syrup. Some shops sell it under another name.

   Grammar Note

   A sweet or indulgence name (noun), for matching against shop signs.

4. حلاوة

   Ḥalāwe

   Halva (sesame paste sweet)

   Usage

   A crumbly sweet of sesame paste and sugar, sometimes with pistachios. The word حلاوة also means sweetness or prettiness.

   Grammar Note

   A sweet or indulgence name (noun), for matching against shop signs.

5. كنافة

   Knāfe

   Knafeh (cheese pastry in syrup)

   Usage

   A warm pastry of thin noodle-like dough or semolina with cheese, baked and drenched in syrup. Sometimes eaten in a sesame bun for breakfast.

   Grammar Note

   A sweet or indulgence name (noun), for matching against shop signs.

6. معمول

   Maʿmūl

   Maamoul (date or nut filled cookie)

   Usage

   A semolina cookie filled with dates, walnuts or pistachios and baked in a mold. Commonly made before Eid and Easter.

   Grammar Note

   A sweet or indulgence name (noun), for matching against shop signs.

7. قطايف

   ʾAṭāyef

   Qatayef (stuffed Ramadan pancakes)

   Usage

   Small folded pancakes eaten in Ramadan, filled with nuts, cheese or cream and drizzled with syrup.

   Grammar Note

   A sweet or indulgence name (noun), for matching against shop signs.

8. صفوف

   Sfūf

   Sfouf (turmeric semolina cake)

   Usage

   A yellow semolina cake colored with turmeric and topped with pine nuts, a Lebanese home sweet.

   Grammar Note

   A sweet or indulgence name (noun), for matching against shop signs.

9. زنود الست

   Znūd es-sitt

   Znoud el-sit (fried cream-filled pastry)

   Usage

   Thin dough rolled around cream, fried and glazed with syrup. The name means the lady's arms.

   Grammar Note

   Two words: arms (plural) plus the lady.

10. غريبة

    Ghrībe

    Ghorayeba (butter shortbread)

    Usage

    A pale cookie of flour, butter and sugar that melts in the mouth, topped with a single pistachio.

    Grammar Note

    A sweet or indulgence name (noun), for matching against shop signs.

11. حلاوة الجبن

    Ḥalāwet el-jibn

    Halawet el-jibn (sweet cheese rolls)

    Usage

    Cheese dough rolled around cream and drenched in syrup, famous in Hama in Syria.

    Grammar Note

    Two words in a possessive phrase: sweet of cheese.

12. راحة الحلقوم

    Rāḥet el-ḥulʾūm

    Turkish delight (rahat al-hulqum)

    Usage

    A soft, powdered-sugar-dusted jelly sweet, in flavors such as pistachio and rose.

    Grammar Note

    Two words: comfort of the throat.

13. أركيلة

    Argīle

    Shisha (water pipe)

    Usage

    A water pipe smoked in cafes. It contains nicotine; in Lebanon it is often called نرجيلة. Best avoided by minors and during pregnancy.

    Grammar Note

    A sweet or indulgence name (noun), for matching against shop signs.

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