Karam Lebanese Deli and Catering

Sweetsop LLC is the Parent Company of Karam Lebanese Deli and Catering
and Sweetsop Delight.

After serving Portland for over the last 20 years in our multiple restaurants, we are now bringing our wholesome, authentic, and reputable Lebanese food to your local grocery store. We take pride in what we do. Our quality control and continuous improvement will always be our pillars in assuring you consistently get the best. Our vision is simple - make our satisfying, delicious, Lebanese food accessible to you as you do your routine grocery shopping. We always say and mean, "If it's not good enough for us to eat, we won't package it."

Look for us in the dairy/deli sections of these fine stores:

Whole Foods - Tanasbourne, Pearl District, Laurelhurst, Hollywood, Fremont and Bridgeport stores

Market of Choice - West Linn and Terwilliger stores

Chuck's Produce - Mill Plain and Salmon Creek in Vancouver

Bales Marketplace - Cedar Mill & Farmington

Lamb's Markets - Stroheckers, Wilsonville, Garden Home and Lake Oswego

Zupans - Belmont, Burnside, Lake Grove & Macadam

Fred Meyer - Burlingame, Glisan, Hawthorne, Hollywood West, Raleigh Hills, & Tualatin

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage - Beaverton and Gresham

As well as at these fine independent grocers:
Alberta Grocery Co-Op
Beaumont Market
Cherry Sprout Market
Elephants Delicatessen on NW 22nd
Food Fight!
Food Front
People's Food Co-Op
Sheridan Fruit Market

All ingredients are fresh; not frozen or canned
All items are made from scratch (just like every good Lebanese mother would make it)
No preservatives or artificial ingredients
All natural
Some ingredients are organic
Vegan and gluten free except for Tabouleh (contains bulgar) and baklava (contains wheat)
Let us cater your next special event or business function. To learn more about us or to place a catering order, please visit us at www.karamldc.com

The History of The Lebanese Food


Including a sublime mix of fresh vegetables, legumes, meat, dairy, fish, and fruits, Lebanese food is one of the most colorful and well garnished cuisines that one can come across. The recipes are not only healthy, but the region’s rich cultural history makes a profound impact on its flavor – creating tantalizing meals that are ever increasing in their popularity. To help you enjoy the richness of these rather historical foods, we’ve highlighted a few favorites below and included a brief explanation of their origins:

Hummus

Hummus, or Hummus bi tahini, is a vegan dip or spread made primarily from chickpeas, or garbanzo beans. People have been eating hummus for centuries. Although its origins are said to be from a combination of Lebanon/Syria/Palestine/Jordan, variations hummus are eaten as far south as India. A couple of years ago a group of zealous Lebanese chefs broke the Guinness world record by creating the largest Hummus plate in the world, weighing over 2 Tons; all to make a statement that Hummus is originally Lebanese.

Baba Ghanooj

Roughly translates to “Spoiled Daddy” and in Lebanon it is served as a starter or appetizer. Traditionally, eggplant is baked or broiled over an open flame before peeling, so that the pulp is supple and has a smoky taste. Pureed with tahini and then seasoned with garlic and lemon, this dish is a flavorful alternative to hummus.

Tabouleh

For the people of Lebanon and through out the Arab world, edible herbs formed an essential part of their diet in the Middle Ages, and dishes like tabbouleh attest to their continued popularity in Middle Eastern cuisine today. Originally from the mountains of Syria and Lebanon, tabbouleh has become one of the most popular salads in the Middle East, as well as in the western world. Bulgur, an ingredient in tabuli, is made from wheat in an
ancient process that originated in the Mediterranean region and has been an integral part of Middle Eastern cuisine for thousands of years. In fact, Arab, Israeli, Egyptian, and Roman civilizations record eating some form of bulgur as early as 1,000 B.C.

Falafel

Lebanese falafel is a combination of spiced fava beans and garbanzo beans, formed into a ball or patty and then fried. Falafel is sometimes called the "Hot Dog of the Middle East", but the comparison has more to do with their shared roll as ubiquitous street food than taste or quality. Unlike hot dogs, falafel are very nutritious and include both high-quality protein and vegetables.

Grape Leaves (Mihshi)

Although not flavorful as the fruit of the vine, grape leaves act more as a culinary sponge. Once cooked, the leaves will absorb and reflect the flavor profiles of the ingredients they carry. Although Greek grapeleaves, or “dolmathes”, tend to be stuffed with rice, and a little mint, and seasoned with lemon, the Lebanese variation, although also vegan, boasts of a colorful blend of red pepper, green pepper, lemon, mint, tomato, and pomegranate flavors.