“Al Abbas” cookies, most popular for Ashura

In a special  feature issued on Saturday, The Daily Star newspaper portrayed one of the most popular desserts on Ashura, known as Kaak al Abbas (al Abbas cookies), which is distributed among families and neighbors and in the husseiniya where the religious occasion is commemorated. The sweet, the newspaper wrote, has earned additional fame last week after House Speaker, Nabih Berri, offered a basket-full of the cookies to his MPs. Simply a dough mixed with sugar and anis seeds and cut into circles, Kaak al Abbas is distributed out of the love of Imam Hussein and out of their respect for the souls of their deceased. The sweet is named after Al Abbas Bin Ali Bin Abi Taleb, best known as Abi al Fadel, who was his comrade and companion. The newspaper spoke to one person that is involved in the preparation of the special sweets. Ahmad Far7hat, from the town of Numeiriyeh, in Nabatiyeh area, who noted that “we make these cookies at home all year round, yet the demand greatly increases during the days of Ashura, driving many bakeries to compete for preparation.” (The Daily Star, October 8, 2016)