Rheum ribes of Ainata: Lebanon’s “Green Gold” hidden in the 2,000-meter highlands
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When you reach the blue sign of “Ainata” (Baalbek district), you don’t need a map to know you’re in the presence of “green gold.”
There, at a high altitude among the clouds (2,000 meters above sea level), you notice the Ribes plant nestled just behind the sign, as if officially welcoming anyone setting foot on the highlands.
In the heart of this beautiful frenzy, the founder and president of the Darb Al Ain Association, Tony Saadeh, held the plant like a jewel, traces of the mountain’s soil still on his hands, explaining its secrets known only to the highlanders: “This is Ribes, also known as ‘Ribes Root.’ You’ll notice its leaves wrap around the fruit to protect it, and we harvest it this way.”
With expert movement, he peeled the slender “leaf,” hearing the crackling sound as the tender plant separated from its shell, then continued, extending a piece: “It’s peeled this way; after peeling, some prefer to eat it as is, while others add sugar or salt. It’s very tasty.”
