Maka and Rami Mimassi in front of their Al Beqaa dairy-labeled van, in Paris in October 2026. (Credit: Photo provided by the couple.)
In the heart of the Oise, north of Paris, amid farmland and cow pastures, sits a dairy filled with the aromas of Lebanon. Wearing a lab coat, hairnet and overshoes, visitors enter a workshop where many tasks are still carried out using traditional methods. In one room, labneh slowly drains in suspended cotton cheesecloths, while in the adjoining area, laban, akawi, baladiyeh and halloum wait to be delivered, carefully stored in a cold room near a large milk vat.Rami and Maka Mimassi embarked on the adventure of making their own dairy products six years ago. He is Lebanese, she is Georgian, and both learned this craft from a young age. "My grandmother had cows, and whenever I visited, I helped her milk them and make cheese," Maka explains. Rami also grew up with these same traditions. "I learned the trade with my family in...
In the heart of the Oise, north of Paris, amid farmland and cow pastures, sits a dairy filled with the aromas of Lebanon. Wearing a lab coat, hairnet and overshoes, visitors enter a workshop where many tasks are still carried out using traditional methods. In one room, labneh slowly drains in suspended cotton cheesecloths, while in the adjoining area, laban, akawi, baladiyeh and halloum wait to be delivered, carefully stored in a cold room near a large milk vat.Rami and Maka Mimassi embarked on the adventure of making their own dairy products six years ago. He is Lebanese, she is Georgian, and both learned this craft from a young age. "My grandmother had cows, and whenever I visited, I helped her milk them and make cheese," Maka explains. Rami also grew up with these same traditions. "I learned the trade with my family...
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