Hani Khouri, a beloved member of the Redland community known for his Lebanese dishes, cheeses and ice cream made from the milk of his Nubian goats, died Jan. 30 of cardiac arrest. He had been under care after suffering a stroke in September.
For more than a decade Khouri was a fixture at farmers markets in South Florida, in Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, Overtown, Homestead and Pinecrest. To find him, you’d look for long lines and follow your nose to the aroma of freshly fried falafel balls and his jackfruit curry, made with sweet ripe jackfruit rather than the typical unripe fruit. Wearing his signature Panama hat, he served up his flavorful dishes at local events like GrowFest! at Fruit and Spice Park, led cooking classes, and cheffed at eclectic events like Henna, Hookah and Hani and country brunches in the Redland.
Originally from Lebanon, Khouri was a globetrotting businessman before settling in South Florida with his wife, Mary Lee. He started Hani’s Mediterranean Organics, supplying customers of farmer Margie Pikarsky’s Bee Heaven Farm CSA with a Mediterranean share option, which included hummus, baba ghanoush, eggplant dip, fattoush (a salad made from tomatoes, cucumber and vegetables with toasted flatbread), tabbouleh and goat’s milk cheese and ice cream.
Khouri placed a high value on local foods and providing healthy meals to the community, recalls Pikarsky. “We were all about feeding people good food. He dreamed big,” she says. He was an active participant in events supporting food justice, like Verde Gardens in the Redland and programs like Youth L.E.A.D. and Omni Kitchen in the Park. On his Facebook page, Khouri includes a favorite quote from Khalil Gibran: “If you bake bread with indifference, you bake a bitter bread that feeds but half of man's hunger.”
Many of the memories of Khouri are indelibly linked to his foods. “He introduced me to namoura (syrup-soaked semolina cake), which became one of my favorite exotic sweets!” says Melissa Markham, who credits Khouri with early support of Verde Gardens. In her food blog, Redland Rambles, Marian Wertalka covered him extensively, listing the exotic flavors of his goat milk ice creams: cas guava, jackfruit, mamey, mango, lychee, among others. Those delicious ice creams remain in the memory of artisan baker Stefan Uch of Crackerman Crackers, who also recalls Khouri’s love of traditional techniques. “He abhorred food processors and insisted on cutting everything by hand.”
Thi Squire of Homestead Hospital’s Grow2Heal Garden worked with Khouri at The Market Company’s farmers markets a decade ago. She says they shared a similar approach to appreciating good, clean food, and respecting authenticity. “He respected the process,” she says “I learned how to make tabbouleh and traditional Lebanese cuisine. I remember the cultural exchange – what a wealth of knowledge, especially for traditional processes.”
And then there were the goats.
In February 2010, Khouri’s followers were greeted with the news that all of his Nubian does were pregnant and “expecting any day now.” A month later, there were three kids. Then two more. Then another. And three more. The tribe of floppy-eared goat kids were welcomed by local media and food bloggers. Kid Clark Gable was featured on the April 2010 cover of edible South Florida in the arms of Khouri’s wife, Mary Lee.
For years, Hani's goats provided enough milk for fresh cheese and ice cream for events and CSA shares. But work in the markets came to a halt three years ago when Khouri fell and broke his hip. He also was the caretaker for Mary Lee, whose own health issues were becoming more serious. She was treated for three brain tumors in the past few years.
Despite these setbacks, Khouri actively stayed on top of the local farming community. While Mary Lee was going through chemotherapy, they were regular customers at Ghee, says chef/owner Niven Patel.
“We would have long conversations about farming, cooking and life! Such an amazing soul with great energy,” says Patel, adding Khouri’s favorite dish was their farm okra grilled with chaat masala and heirloom tomatoes.
In September, Khouri fell unconscious following a stroke. After a stay in the ICU, he was moved to a rehab facility. On Jan. 30, he died of cardiac arrest.
In addition to Mary Lee, Khouri is survived by four children: Marguerite, Jad, Nicholas and Omar. They have launched a Go Fund Me fundraiser to cover ongoing expenses.
Farmer Margie Pikarsky is hosting a tribute to Hani at Bee Heaven Farm during Farm Day, March 1. Details here.
Marian Wertalka of Redland Rambles wrote a tribute on her blog.
As some of you know, Hani Khouri – whose artisan goat cheese and Mediterranean treats have been beloved by many in...
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