RIYADH: The Cabinet on Tuesday welcomed the Kuwait Declaration issued at the end of the 38th Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) meeting and its emphasis on King Salman’s vision — approved by the GCC summit in 2015 — which laid down the basis for integration between the GCC member states in all areas.
Chaired by King Salman at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh, the Cabinet lauded the GCC’s pivotal role in preserving peace and stability in the region and fighting terrorist groups and extremist ideology.
Cabinet members also appreciated the unanimous global rejection of US President Donald Trump’s announcement that he recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the transfer of the US Embassy to it.
The Cabinet renewed the Kingdom’s deep regret over the US decision, which, it said, represents a great bias against the legitimate and historic rights of the Palestinian people in Al-Quds, which were guaranteed by the relevant international resolutions.
It also asked the US administration to revoke the decision and side with the international will allowing the Palestinians to regain their legitimate rights.
At the regional level, the Cabinet congratulated the Iraqi government and people for liberating their lands from Daesh.
The Cabinet also condemned the terrorist attack on a New York City subway on Monday. It also reaffirmed the Kingdom’s rejection of terrorism and extremism in all forms and manifestations regardless of their sources.
On atrocities committed against the Rohingya Muslims, the Cabinet welcomed the resolution of the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva for its rejection of the systematic violations of human rights in Myanmar, notably among the Rohingyas.
At the local level, the Cabinet appreciated King Salman’s patronage of a ceremony honoring the winners of King Khalid Prizes for 2017, which according to the Cabinet, embodied his care for non-profit national foundations and their encouragement to pursue their constructive social and humanitarian efforts in the Kingdom.
Later, the Cabinet approved a series of decisions including the start of gradual correction for prices of some energy products. It also approved a consumer protection plan in light of the economic reforms and approved the establishment of a joint operation room for various government agencies to bolster protection of consumers during the forthcoming economic reforms.
The Cabinet also approved a number of memorandums understanding for cooperation in the areas of fishery resources, trade and investment, and political consultations between the Kingdom and Indonesia, the Philippines, Georgia and Afghanistan.
Saudi Cabinet lauds GCC’s role in preserving regional peace
Saudi Cabinet lauds GCC’s role in preserving regional peace
Is sourdough Saudi Arabia’s latest craft food?
- Saudi home bakers point to a practice that was once routine, not artisanal
- Naturally fermented bread reflects a broader shift toward process-driven, premium food culture
ALKHOBAR: Sourdough has started to shift from a niche interest into a mainstream feature of home kitchens, cafes and specialty bakeries across the Kingdom.
The rise of sourdough is part of a wider shift in Saudi Arabia’s food landscape, where artisanal production and slower preparation methods are gaining traction.
Specialty coffee seems to have set the early template for this transition, normalizing premium pricing, craftsmanship and an interest in process.
Bread is now undergoing a similar shift, with fermentation replacing extraction and roasting as the central point of differentiation.
In both cases, the appeal is rooted in the product’s perceived authenticity, reduced additives, and a clearer link between raw ingredients and final consumption.
Home bakers in Riyadh, Jeddah and the Eastern Province have adapted natural yeast cultures to the Saudi environment, adjusting feeding schedules, hydration ratios, and fermentation times to accommodate higher temperatures and lower humidity in the summer months.
HIGHLIGHTS
• Home bakers in Riyadh, Jeddah and the Eastern Province have adapted natural yeast cultures to the Saudi environment.
• They adjust feeding schedules, hydration ratios, and fermentation times to accommodate higher temperatures and lower humidity in the summer months.
Cafes and specialty bakeries have responded by adding sourdough loaves, baguettes and focaccia to their menus, often positioned as premium alternatives to conventional commercial bread.
For younger home bakers, the appeal lies in the craft and the learning curve rather than nostalgia. “It feels more real and more intentional,” home baker Sarah Al-Almaei told Arab News. She began experimenting with natural yeast at home after watching starter tutorials online.
The technical aspect — hydration percentages, fermentation control and starter maintenance — has become content in its own right, with TikTok and Instagram compressing trial-and-error learning into short videos and recipe cards.
But the practice of maintaining a natural yeast culture is not new in Saudi Arabia. Long before sourdough became a global trend, Saudi households kept what was commonly referred to as the “mother dough,” a natural yeast starter fed and used daily.
“We used to maintain it every day and bake with it,” said Hessa Al-Otaibi, 56, a Saudi home baker with more than four decades’ experience. “People today call it sourdough. For us, it was simply bread.”
Her comment highlights a cultural continuity that has remained largely unrecognized, partly because the practice was not framed as artisanal or health-oriented, but as a routine household function.
The modern sourdough trend differs in its market positioning. While the older model was practical and domestic, the current model is commercial, aesthetic and often health-coded. Bakeries justify higher pricing through longer fermentation times, higher ingredient costs and smaller batch production.
Consumers justify their purchases through digestibility, perceived health benefits, flavor and product integrity.
“Once you get used to it, it’s hard to go back,” said Amina Al-Zahrani, a regular buyer of sourdough from specialty bakeries in Alkhobar.
Digestibility and texture are often cited as reasons for substitution, especially among buyers who report discomfort from standard commercial bread.
Another consumer, Majda Al-Ansari, says sourdough has become part of her weekly routine, noting that availability and quality have improved significantly in the past year.
The social media component has played an outsized role in accelerating adoption. Home bakers document starter feeding cycles, cold proofing and first bakes, turning a once-private domestic process into visible public content.
This has also created micro-markets of home-based sellers, where individual bakers offer loaves to local buyers, often fulfilling orders through direct messaging.
What remains to be seen is how far the trend will scale. If specialty bakeries continue to expand and consumers maintain willingness to pay premium prices, sourdough could establish a long-term place in Saudi food culture.
If not, it may revert to a smaller niche of committed home bakers and specialty cafes. For now, however, sourdough occupies an unusual position: both a newly fashionable trend and a quiet continuation of an older Saudi baking practice.
