On my first visit to Australia, I came to meet John in person for the first time. We’d met online and after a few months I needed to know if he was who I perceived him to be (pretty nifty) or if he was an axe murderer like my daughter suggested.
I was nervous and scared (but not worried that he was an axe murderer) but I just had to know. I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life not knowing if I missed out on the best person in the world for me. Against incredible resistance from my grown children, I announced I was going but I’d be back on Christmas day.
We met in Melbourne and had a week of fantastic memories that I’ll remember my entire life. I learned to ride the trams by myself and get back to our apartment before he got home from the office. I caught up with people I’d met online. John and I saw everything worth seeing in Melbourne and we ate the most wonderful food.
Then we headed off to Sydney. We’ve all heard about the Sydney Opera House but there’s nothing quite like standing in at the bottom of the stairs and looking up at it. Sydney has the most beautiful harbour in the world and something everyone should try to see.
We stayed in an apartment not too far from King’s Cross – the red light tourist district. What city other than Sydney makes the sleazy part of town center stage on the tourist trail? It’s where I visited my first sex shop only to be hauled out by John for laughing uncontrollably. Who thinks up those products anyway?
One night John suggested that we get some Middle Eastern food and he booked a table at Habibi’s on Oxford Street. (It’s moved now) We arrived and the outside looked horrid and I stepped back.
“Oh come on, it will be fine,” John said.
“It looks awful,” I replied.
“Let’s go in and if you hate it once we’re inside, I promise we’ll leave.”
“If you promise, okay then.”
Once past the kebab man and the greasy window, it was a lovely restaurant with all the gear you’d expect in a Lebanese establishment. After perusing the menu, John suggested we get Habibi’s Feast. At the time it was the most expensive thing on the menu but it offered small dishes of just about everything Lebanese.
The food was SO good and after the third or fourth dish, the owner – Mr. Habibi whose feast we were eating, stopped by. I said how much I liked it and he said, “American??”
I smiled and said yes and then he pulled out a chair and sat with us. He’d been to Florida and had friends in Atlanta and a cousin in New York. He stopped short of asking me if I knew them.
This was supposed to be our romantic dinner and here we were with Habibi’s feast and Habibi too. You know how you can talk with your eyes to that special person? We did that.
After one bottle of wine had been consumed, Mr. Habibi suggested that we get another bottle of wine because he had a surprise for the new lovers. (what gave it away?) John’s always up for another bottle of wine and soon after, Mr. Habibi disappeared.
The music got louder and then I saw the surprise. A belly dancer in full costume was walking our way. She was our surprise and she danced around our table focusing on John for about 20 minutes. I don’t know when I’ve laughed harder. John’s face (what I could see around his beard) was beet red. He was the center of attention in this restaurant and for him, not in a good way. That just made it made it better. He said, “I wasn’t too sure where to look, everything was jiggling.” Looney.
I told you all of this just to get to the green beans. One of the dishes we enjoyed were these wonderful green beans with spices and tomatoes. It was the one dish we ate all of and I’m pretty sure I had more than my share.
When we were leaving I said, “I’m going to make those green beans one day.” That’s nearly 19 years ago, so you can’t accuse me of rushing. The beans take a bit of time to cook but they are so worth it. If you like Lebanese or Middle Eastern food, make a feast of your own. I don’t think Mr. Habibi would mind one bit.
- 1½ lbs green beans, topped and tailed, left whole
- 2 - 3 large onions, halved and then sliced
- 3 or 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- ¼ C good olive oil (extra virgin if you have it)
- 16 oz can of diced tomatoes in tomato juice
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp allspice
- Saute the onion in olive oil on medium heat until softened and translucent.
- Add green beans, saute until they get a bit of color and onion turns golden.
- Add garlic, saute another minute, then add tomatoes, salt, black pepper and allspice.
- Cover tightly and simmer until the string beans are cooked to your liking, but definitely on the soft side, at least 15 to 20 minutes (or longer if you like them really soft like I do)
Maureen, you tell a wonderful story! (I met Beloved online, too, and am not surprised at the resistance you got from your adult children).
The green beans look wonderful; since they’re one of the few vegetables The Young One will eat with any enthusiasm, I can’t wait to make some. I’ll let you know how they turn out!
Now it’s old hat to meet online but back then the web didn’t exist in Orlando.. it was a newsgroup feed on a local bulletin board system. Only geeks and weirdos my daughter said. 🙂
Fun story! I wonder if John had worries that you might have been an axe murderer? 😉 Great beans! I sometimes made a vegetarian version of Southern Green Beans that are similar to this – just add a bit of water or vegetable stock to the pot and braise for a good long time. Haven’t tried the allspice though – that’s a nice touch. Good post – thanks.
I lived in Knoxville for nearly 20 years. I know Southern green beans 🙂 The first time a Knoxville friend visited Australia John said, “it looks like someone ate these beans before I got to the table!” LOL He likes ’em crunchy.
What an absolutely awesome story! Talk about love at first site. It’s always interesting to read how on-line romances actually work out. Thanks for sharing such a romantic week. BTW – I thought the same thing the first time I visited a sex shop. 🙂 Allspice with green beans – now that’s interesting. This must be good especially since it is a dish you were still thinking about 19 years later!
I laugh about the sex shop to this day. I looked at one of those tall oversized body part things (family blog) and looked at John and did some measuring with my fingers and burst out laughing. He said, “Okay, that’s enough, let’s get out of here.” As I walked up the stairs I said, “What woman would use a lipstick in that shape???” He said, “hurry on up, dear.” LOL
I can just see the two of you at that restaurant. I’m grinning just thinking about it. We pretty much met the same way…and at a restaurant no less. No belly dancers though 😉 These beans sound fantastic. I’ll have to make them up. They’ll be a far cry from my usual boring bean recipes.
LOL Pammie you should go back to the restaurant and wait for the dancers… it’s worth it. 🙂
Better yet, come to Sydney and visit Mr. Habibi.
Tasty looking way to prepare green beans!
They are really good. Moreish even
That is such a cute story my friend 😀
And these beans look quite exotic and deliciously prepared, like our Indian beans!
Cheers
CCU
How are Indian green beans prepared, Uru? Tell me soon! (or show me) 🙂
These Lebanese green beans sounds wonderful. I love the story behind it…
Thanks, Peachy! I had fun writing that one. 🙂
Middle Eastern food is my all time favourite of cuisines. I have been known to travel long distances for great Lebanese. I do believe that now, everytime I eat Lebanese food, I shall think of John’s face. It must have been priceless 🙂
He was too cute for words. He doesn’t do nudie bars for the same reason. “Where do you look?” LOL
What a simple way to make ordinary green beans into something special! And love the story of your week with the non-axe murderer and the encounter with the belly dancer. I won’t tell my daughter about this…I still want her to think the guys on-line are creeps 😉
My daughter was pretty convinced John had to be a creep but he’s been in the family a long time now. 🙂
What a fun story indeed, true!
Love Middle Eastern Cuisine and think I had Mr. Habibi’s green beans recently while out dinging with friends too! 🙂
You need to go to Sydney and see his belly dancers too 🙂
I remember the first time that I tried these beans-it was when I was a teenager and they were so good but I’ve never actually made them myself! Thanks for the recipe M! 😀
It only took me 19 years to make them, you have plenty of time. Ever been to Habibi’s ? If you go, give him our regards. LOL
The recipe for the green beans is great [I make something similar but shall compare recipes], but the story about your first journey Down Under is absolutely gorgeous . . . I have two girlfriends whose daughters also found their beloveds on-line – one going to Canada, the other the US: yes, both mothers ‘freaked out’, yes both are now enjoying the happiest of marriages! [Hmmm, must try think who fit the ax-murder picture in my on-line friendships . . . 🙂 !]
I remember telling my seat mate on the first trip over to Australia that I was going to meet a man I’d met through the internet and her eyes got REALLY wide and she said, “Here, take my number and if anything happens you call me!” LOL
We met on a blind date arranged through friends so I pretty much knew Rich wasn’t an axe murderer but you can never be too careful!
What a wonderful story to read this Monday morning – as always. I’m sure those beans were worth waiting for.
I was pretty sure he wasn’t an axe murderer but my kids not so much. My daughter was especially skeptical about the whole thing. She thought I was nuts. I just had to know and aren’t I glad I went. 🙂
Lovely story. The beans look great too. I love Lebanese food. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Stephanie. I laughed the whole time I wrote that one.
That’s a great story, Maureen but did you make it back in time for Christmas? It sounds like you had the best week and it must have been hard to go back after such a short week. I would be mortified if I’d had John’s experience. We once went to movie world and saw a show where Marilyn Monroe comes and sings, ‘Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend’. The ‘Marilyn’ was all over Carl, sitting in his lap and stroking his hair and of course he didn’t mind a bit. That ‘Marilyn’ turned out to be Sophie Monk before she was famous. Now I wonder whether fame has hit John’s belly dancer??? xx
wow, that’s a great story!
Yes I got home on the 24th at nearly midnight.
I was in Australia for 3 weeks. One week in Melbourne, one week in Sydney and one week in Brisbane. He was perfect the whole time. 🙂
I can understand your children’s trepidation. It’s not like you were going across town to a coffee house to meet him. I do give you credit, though, Maureen, for taking the chance. Granted, you were a pioneer 9 years ago but, today, in the US, 1/3 of all married couples met online. You trend-setters!
I’ve been served these beans here in Chicago. There are a couple Middle-Eastern restaurants that I frequent and these delicious beans are often a side. Now I know how to make them. Thanks!
not 9 years.. 19 years ago 🙂
Great story Maureen on how you and John met! Peter and I met online too… and I’m sure there are a few axe murders out there too, but my Peter and your John are not among them! Delicious recipe for Lebanese beans! Love it.
I know Peter and John aren’t axe murderers. 🙂 I’m glad we both met someone wonderful.
Aww what a wonderful story Maureen. I’m glad you didn’t let your kids talk you out of coming all those years ago!
I don’t think anyone could have talked me out of it, Claire 🙂
What a great story Maureen – I’m still smiling about the juggling. I reckon these beans would make me smiley too – will give them a try.
It only took me 19 years to make these green beans but I’ve made them 3 times since then! 🙂
What an interesting story Maureen. I assume that the man with the Belly Dancer was
Mr Habibi and not John! I went into a Hooter’s ‘restaurant’ in San Diego once- I thought it was a burger joint and I had the same problem, I didn’t know where to look when the waitress brought the food. BTW, I finally got my Social Media widget to work- I did a ‘drag and release’ to the sidebar and (I can’t believe it)- it finally worked!
Every day your blog gets better and better, Fran! You must be so proud of it.
What a fun story and memory goes with these green beans Maureen. If you remember then 19 years later, they must be REALLY good! Sometimes our children don’t know best, do they? 🙂
I think my children didn’t want to think about mom considering moving to the other side of the earth. 🙂
What a beautiful love story. Dreams do come true. A perfect background for the Lebanese Beans, which look divine!
They were good and we can’t eat them without a chuckle.
Love green beans and this recipe is making me drool- I am booking marking this as I need to make this as soon as possible as it sounds very good!! Moreover I just realized that I have never tried adding tomatoes to any of my green bean recipes…
The green beans look very appetizing and moreish! Thank you for sharing the lovely story and this delicious recipe.
I could have sworn that I wrote a comment here, Maureen but I cannot see it. Love the story of how you and John met… laughed at the belly dancer… I can imagine it! And the beans sound delicious. Great post, thank you for sharing.
Such a great recipe. And with so many flavours close to Portuguese ones… I must give this a try.
And great story, too.
Cool, thanks, Alex!
That was a lovely story Maureen and the green beans sounds fabulous! Thank you for sharing.
Thanks Anne – it’s a great memory
Lovely story and it seems that your axe murderer worked out pretty well! I don’t do green beans often Maureen and not sure why; the last time I made a batch of them with fresh beans I could not stop eating them! These sound easy and delish; can’t wait to try them.
I call these snack beans 🙂
the green beans look quite tasty!
They were!
What a cute and romantic story!
… but if only geeks and weirdos meet online, which did your daughter think you were!!!
I love this recipe, it is my favourite Lebanese dish and I was thrilled when I first found the recipe. I don’t live in Sydney any more so I would have gone through serious withdrawals without it.
I highly recommend to everyone reading this story to make the dish ASAP! It is seriously good!!
in 1994 it was mostly geeks and weirdos (we both qualify) but now it’s everyone!
I love your sense of adventure! What a beautiful story, and such happiness! I always feel the greasy, dirtiest restaurants end up being the best places, and hidden gems! This recipe sounds Oh My Goodness DELISH! Hugs, Terra
I wasn’t sure about the inside but it turns out that when the meat was spinning around in the window, the window got dirty 🙂
What a lovely story! Also glad to know that John wasn’t an axe murderer :p
I’ll be in Sydney next week, tearing up all the eateries. Not sure if I’ll be able to go to Oxford Street but I’ll keep Habibi’s in mind if I do end up going there 🙂
LOL if you go to Habibi’s you have to let me know 🙂
What a lovely story! I didn’t know how you had met, or that it was a bit of a risk for you to take the chance on meeting in person. Thank goodness you did! I’m sure John loved having these beans appear and didn’t mind how long it took to get them.
How funny how your romantic evening was hijacked! I would have ordered the feast as well- but hold the belly dancer 🙂 The beans sound wonderful, yummo
You had me laughing so hard at this story. 🙂 Bear and I met online too and my family thought for sure he was evil and horrid. I’m so glad we were brave and flew out to Oz risking everything and finding that our guys were EXACTLY who we hoped they’d be, and even better. I love this hilarious story. And I’m so delighted by this bean recipe, because I have a whole whack load of beans in my fridge that I wanted to do something special with. I’m doing this. 🙂
maybe we’re twins one generation apart?? 🙂 maybe 2 🙂
What a lovely story Maureen. Did you get back for Christmas? John sure does sound like a keeper and you guys have a wonderful relationship. It’s nice that your daughter was so concerned for you. About ten years after my Dad passed away my Mom started dating and boy there were some doozies!
The beans sound lip smackingly good.
Isn’t it funny that whenever we meet up with someone we have met online – our kids – who live their lives on line – jump to the conclusion that we will be meeting up with an axe murderer. Or receiving gifts filled with poison (you are really going to eat THAT?). But how wonderful your story – and how I love the story of the sex shop and the belly dancer 🙂 What a date! And all to get to the green beans… we all know that the story behind the food is what makes the food so special and worth sharing.
It WAS a long story to get to the green beans. Didn’t David Leite tell us to give ’em a good story and then a recipe for good measure? I tried to do just that. 🙂
What a great story and great inspiration for these green beans! They sound great with the garlic and tomatoes.
Maureen, as I read your opening paragraphs, I glanced at “the lady in red” and thought it was YOU! What a delightful international blind date love story, from start to finish. (And sorry for jumping to conclusions — although Maureen the belly dancer seemed like an apt date for John the axe murderer.) 😉 So glad you two found each other!
LOL what a combination, Kimby! No, I doubt I could dance. I could do the belly bit though! 🙂 It wasn’t totally blind. I’d seen his photo and we’d talked on the phone about 3000 hours. LOL
Oh Maureen, you should write a romance book about your lovely and heart warming story. The green beens look amazing.
Cheers,
J
Maybe I will one day but it’s not a goal that I have. 🙂
19 years… the beans were worth the wait. 🙂 It’s so nice when you meet the right person… glad you took the chance. 🙂
🙂 we are too!
It was fun reading your post. The green beans dish sounds fantastic
Thanks, you’re really kind.
Puahaha, hilarious :D. I’d have loved to have been a fly on the wall that evening!
I love Lebanese cuisine – I had an absolutely vile dish in a restaurant once… not to my tastes at all, but in general it’s fantastic grub! These beans look like a great accompaniment to a similarly themed meal!
Don’t you hate it when you spend good money for a crap meal? I get quite irate. It WAS a fun night.
ahahah Maureen ‘Habibi’s feast & Habibi too’ Lovely story telling and a fitting dishing to match the charming reminiscing. 🙂 Love Lebanese food & my son LOVES green beans. I should try it this week.
Let me know how you like them 🙂
These look really delicious!
They are good. Almost like candy but not quite as sweet 🙂
Such a lovely, fun story ! Like I said before, you are the most beautiful story-teller around 🙂 And who wouldn’t love the way you prepared those green beans?
Hugs.
Aww, aren’t you sweet! Thanks so much.
I really enjoyed the the story even if I don’t care for green beans in any form. 🙂
LOL we had lots of other food.. maybe I should have chosen a different dish 🙂
My mum and her husband met online when I was about 17 and away at uni, and I had exactly the same reaction and scepticism about them meeting face-to-face (and she didn’t need to leave the country to do so). Thankfully he is also lovely and respected my surliness for as long as it lasted. They are still married 11 years later. What incredible courage you had to come all the way out here on your own, and how well it ended! I think it just goes to show that sometimes you just ‘know’ about a person 🙂
Love your terrific story and your since of adventure to find true love. I can’t wait to try the green beans that you still remember from your Lebanese dinner.
I don’t think I was all that adventurous but I just had to know if I was missing out on the best person in the world for me. 🙂
Such a funny story, I love hearing how couples met! Your green beans look so tasty!
What a gorgeous story Maureen. My husband and I met online too, and despite requests from my friends not to meet him, I followed my heart and well, now we’re married and insanely happy. Just as you and John are. Sometimes you just have to follow your heart.
These beans look divine too. I just love green beans.
LOL I think we’re just insane 🙂 You’re right though, following your heart will never lead you astray. Your inner voice always knows.
LOL I suppose after 19 years, he’s a keeper 😉
These beans are a constant in our fridge, they’re also great served cold! I love them with soft Leb bread, scooping up all the sauces.
yeah but he’s getting rusty 🙂
Oh allspice in the green beans! I should have thought of that, makes completely sense with the tomato flavors. We enjoy Lebanese food, it has good character and it’s usually the crossroad for me and my husband between Indian and western food.
Nice little story Maureen, glad John didn’t hack you to death. ^.^
It’s hard to believe we’ve all been online for over 19 years!! This is my first read of your story – how wonderful! The beans sound wonderful too!
These sound good to me. I love Lebanese food.
Your juxtaposition of these two lines made me smile: “That’s nearly 19 years ago, so you can’t accuse me of rushing. The beans take a bit of time to cook but they are so worth it.”
LOL 19 years is long enough for one pot of beans I say! 🙂 Honestly, I didn’t cook them THAT long although my husband things I might have. He likes ’em crunchy.
Loved hearing this story!!The green beans sound good too – allspice is what makes them, right?
I love this dish Maureen but I love your story more 🙂 This dish is called fasoolia bel zait in arabic which means green beans cooked in olive oil. okra, green black eyed beans are prepared in the same way. If you have a pressure cooker, just throw everything in there and give it 5 minutes and it will be perfectly cooked
Loved reading that story! So romantic and charming 🙂 And these green-y beans look great! xo
Thanks, Ashley!
What a beautiful story! My husband and I are together since 27 years and it seems like it was yesterday. Time fly! I am trying your green bean recipe.Thanks!
I love this post about Mr. Pretty Nifty! 😉 The tomatoes sound like they add much more flavor to the green beans.
Thanks Maureen
I have just googled this recipe after our bean harvest has produced a glut.
We lived in Sydney for 6 months in 2000 and I used to go to habibi’s with my then girlfriend, now wife.
I remember this recipe well and after 13 years am finally going to cook it.
I also got the belly dancing treatment and remember well the hookahs we were allowed to smoke upstairs before the smoking ban came in 🙂
LOL Dom! You know the treatment we got then! How cool! We should meet in Sydney and go to the new Habibi’s one day! Wouldn’t that be a riot. 🙂
hi thankyou for the green bean recipe I have grown heaps of beans love Lebanese beans with tomatoes thanks again. Cant wait to cook this. cheers on your great story much happiness to you in the future.
Thank you Leanne, you’re really kind. I LOVE this recipe.
These beans are so good! My good friend who is Lebanese, has been living in America for 10 years now, all she makes is Lebanese food and i had these and fell in love! She showed me how to make them but they didn’t turn out the same, i need an actual recipe lol, so this seemed as close to hers as possible. The only difference with hers is she uses the whole bunch of garlic, and has it whole. also she uses a fresh tomato and tomato paste with a little bit of water. Anyways I followed your recipe to the t….the only thing is i didn’t have allspice so i used the Arabic 7 spices…..tastes wonderful! will make these again for sure!
Thank you for sharing your story. I loved it. I met my husband online he is Arabic from Jordan. A friend of mine introduced me to this recipe and when I search the web I found your page. I have made this several times and tweaked it just a little. I add cinnamon and I cut up a white potato into small pieces and cook it with this. This is one of my favorite recipes and I make it regularly. I am learning to cook Middle Eastern food which I have found a new love for. This is definitely by far my favorite. Thank you!
I LOVE the idea of cinnamon and potato. I’ll try that next time. Thanks so much and your story is cute too.
I love your story Maureen. I checked the comments to see if you were still responding. I thought it was only 2013. I’m happy to see some comments from 2017. So now 2019 I am delighted to have found your recipe. I am truly carried away by your story. I love the Lebonese cuisine and I know that there are many Lebonese that live in Australia. In fact I have a Lebonese cookbook written by three sisters from Australia. Thank you Maureen for the lovely introduction but concluded with this very nice recipe. As I write this I am preparing this recipe. I’m letting it cook a bit longer because I do like the beans to be very well cooked. Best wishes to you and I hope you are still responding to comments.