OM ESHR, Sudan: As generations of Sudanese have done before her, Wissal Abdel Ghany crouched next to a fire to prepare a traditional drink, a thirst-quenching favorite enjoyed during the fasting month of Ramadan.
In Sudan, the arduously made “helo-murr,” which means “bittersweet,” is a drink synonymous with the Islamic holy month.
It can be found on almost every table across the northeast African country at the end of the day’s fast.
“Without it, our table feels empty,” said Abdel Ghany, wearing a bright orange headscarf.
She sat in a small room in the village of Om Eshr, on the outskirts of the capital Khartoum, which teemed with a small force of women busily scraping and spreading a mixture before serving the beverage in clear glasses.
The drink has satisfied thirsty fasters for decades and recipes are “inherited from our mothers and grandmothers,” the 43-year-old said.
Corn is harvested and left to dry in the sun before being ground and mixed with spices such as fenugreek, cumin or even hibiscus — Sudan’s other essential Ramadan beverage.
This mixture is then soaked in sugar and water for several days.
Abdel Ghany spread a layer of the thick brown paste over a grill plate above the coals of a wood fire, cooking it into a thin, leather-colored film.
The resulting crepe-like layer is then peeled away and stored — ready to be soaked in the final step to create the beloved drink.
Served as cold as possible, the drink is one of many ways that fasting Sudanese cool off, a significant challenge in one of the world’s hottest countries.
The daytime fasting month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam.
Observant Muslims refrain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk, after which they traditionally gather with family and friends to break their fast.
In Sudan, the brew is so identified with Ramadan that even the US embassy took to Twitter to promote its staff making it, with diplomats wielding wooden spoons over embers and sipping the amber liquid.
Abdel Ghany said preparing the drink is a collective effort, bringing “together our sisters and friends.”
“We make it together to share among ourselves,” she said.
In Sudan’s cities, she added, some people don’t make it themselves.
“But they still have to offer it for dinner, so they buy it ready-made,” she said.
For Abdel Ghany, the preparation of helo-murr and the holy month cannot be separated.
“All it takes is a whiff of the scent coming out of a home to know that Ramadan is here,” she said.
Sudan’s speciality ‘bittersweet’ Ramadan drink
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Sudan’s speciality ‘bittersweet’ Ramadan drink
- In Sudan, the arduously made “helo-murr,” which means “bittersweet,” is a drink synonymous with Ramadan
- It can be found on almost every table across the northeast African country at the end of the day’s fast
Scent of tradition lingers in Lebanon’s ‘village of roses’
- Oil derived from the famed Damask rose --- named after the ancient city of Damascus — is a staple of perfumers
- The ancient Damask rose had been exported from Syria to Europe for centuries since the time of the Crusades
QSARNABA, Lebanon: On a gentle slope looking out over Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, villagers work their way across pink-dotted terraces, gathering perfumed Damask roses that are used for essential oils, sweets and cosmetics.
The rose harvest “gives you a bit of hope, it makes things beautiful, it calms you down — it gives you strength to carry on,” said Leila Al-Dirani, picking the flowers from her family’s land in the village of Qsarnaba.
A soft bag tied around her waist and her hands scratched from the thorns, the 64-year-old plucks the small, pink buds from their bushes as their rich and heady scent wafts across the hill.
The oil derived from the famed Damask rose --- named after the ancient city of Damascus located just across the mountain range separating Lebanon and Syria — is a staple of perfumers.
Experts swear by the flower’s therapeutic properties in fighting infection and as a relaxant, while rose water is used across the Middle East both as a refreshing drink, in sweets such as Turkish delight, to scent mosques and even to bestow luck at weddings.
After a morning collecting roses, the workers in Qsarnaba drop their fragrant bundles at a warehouse in the village where they are paid based on their harvest.
At the facility carpeted with pink petals, Zahraa Sayed Ahmed — whose first name means “flower” — buys the raw materials to produce her rose water, syrup, tea and jam.
Around four years ago, she set up a small workshop at her house, using a traditional metal still that “belonged to my grandfather,” said Sayed Ahmed, 37.
With a kilogram (2.2 pounds) of rose petals, she said she can make up to half a liter of rose water.
She then also bottles and labels her modest production by hand, putting it on limited sale locally.
“The production of rose water is a part of our heritage,” said Sayed Ahmed. “In every home in Qsarnaba there is a still, even if it’s just a small one.”
The rose season only lasts a few weeks, but it is a busy time for Qsarnaba’s residents.
“This year is the first year that we didn’t bring workers to help us because the production is low and we couldn’t afford it,” said Hassan Al-Dirani, 25, who has been picking the flowers alongside his mother, Leila.
Since late 2019, Lebanon has been grappling with a devastating economic crisis that has seen the local currency collapse and pushed most of the population into poverty.
“The rose harvest and all other harvests have lost about 80 percent of their value... because of the economic crisis,” said local official Daher Al-Dirani, who hails from the extended family that is the biggest in Qsarnaba.
“But the roses help people put food on the table,” he added.
Exported from Syria to Europe for centuries since the time of the Crusades, the ancient Damask rose is also cultivated in countries including France, Morocco, Iran and Turkiye.
“Our village produces the most roses out of any village in Lebanon” and more than half of the country’s rose water, Sayed Ahmed claimed proudly, as the captivating scent lingered in the air.
“Qsarnaba is the village of roses.”
French gastronomy facing huge logistical challenge for Olympics
- Around 40,000 meals a day will be served during the Paris Olympics, with food service group Sodexo Live! charged with the task
- In addition to the Olympic Village, Sodexo will also cater 14 other Olympic sites and eight Paralympic venues throughout France
PARIS: France’s vaunted gastronomy will be put to the ultimate test when organizers of the 2024 Paris Olympics have to feed 15,000 athletes.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) inscribed the “gastronomic meal of the French” on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010.
“The gastronomic meal emphasises togetherness, the pleasure of taste, and the balance between human beings and the products of nature,” UNESCO said.
“The gastronomic meal should respect a fixed structure, commencing with an aperitif (drinks before the meal) and ending with liqueurs, containing in between at least four successive courses, namely a starter, fish and/or meat with vegetables, cheese and dessert.”
Realistically, the restaurants run by French catering giants Sodexo might not be offering up such a complete experience — and doubtless few athletes in the prime of their lives would take on such a culinary bonanza given they will be in Paris on tight schedules focused more on competing than indulging themselves.
Around 40,000 meals a day will be served during the Paris Olympics, using produce largely sourced in France.
Sodexo, through its subsidiary Sodexo Live!, already has experience of catering high-profile sporting events such as the Super Bowl, tennis’ French Open and the Tour de France cycling race.
But it will have its work cut out feeding participants at the July 26-August 11 Games and then the Paralympics that follow on August 28-September 8.
Some 6,000 people will be employed to help in the restaurants, Sodexo Live! managing director Nathalie Bellon-Szabo said on Tuesday.
In addition to the Olympic Village, Sodexo will also cater 14 other Olympic sites and eight Paralympic venues throughout France.
Games organizers have made no secret of what they will be serving up: more vegetables than usual with an emphasis on locally-grown products.
Of the estimated 13 million meals that will be served during the Olympics and Paralympics, from a snack right through to a dish cooked by a top chef, the goal is to have produce that is 80 percent French.
It is a “huge logistical challenge,” says Philipp Wuerz, project manager for catering, cleaning and waste on the Paris 2024 organizing committee.
Avoiding queues, providing food that is healthy, varied and of good quality, with 25 percent of produce sourced “from within 250km” of each site, is challenging to say the least.
“We’re used to managing this type of event, but not over such a long period of time,” says Stephane Chicheri, chief executive of Sodexo Live!
There will be a necessity to remain “adaptable” over potential supply chain issues and price hikes for certain produce, Maxime Jacob, the organizing committee’s catering project manager, told AFP.
The athletes can choose from 500 recipes, which are currently undergoing fine-tuning before menus are signed off by the end of this year.
It is impossible, however, to be 100 percent local, Wuerz said.
“The athletes will eat around three million bananas and they don’t grow in the Paris region!“
Bananas, exotic fruits and rice will nevertheless be “organic or fair-trade certified,” Wuerz says.
All meat and dairy products will be 100 percent French, while seafood will be from sustainable fishing.
The recipes have been drawn up after consulting athletes and nutritional experts, including Helene Defrance, a dietician who won a sailing bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
“There are no set menus” because organizers have to adapt to the food habits of every athlete, Defrance says, be it light meals or carbo-loading.
During their stay at the village in the Seine-Saint-Denis region north of Paris, athletes will also be treated to haute cuisine.
A trio of French chefs will have their own space next to the main Olympic food hall.
Amandine Chaignot will serve up guinea fowl with langoustines or gnocchi in chicken sauce. Akrame Benallal has come up with a crispy quinoa muesli, while you can expect Alexandre Mazzia to produce a herb-packed chickpea pommade.
The main food hall will have 3,600 seats and offer up dishes that are not just French-themed but also from around the world, as well as halal food for Muslim athletes, Jacob said.
In a bid to help make the Games more sustainable, water fountains will be installed to reduce single-use plastics, while the kitchen equipment and cutlery will all be re-used after the Paralympics brings an end to a colossal logistic challenge.
Where We Are Going Today: Looking for a place to deep focus in Riyadh? Try the Focus coffee shop in Al-Aqiq
For early birds looking for places to study, work or read a book, Focus could be your next stop.
Opening daily from Saturday to Thursday from 7 a.m. to 12 a.m. and from 8 a.m. to 12 a.m. on Fridays, Focus is a local coffee shop located in the Al-Aqiq district in the north of Riyadh.
Although it was originally a coffee shop, there are many services that you can take advantage of including meeting rooms, silence areas, a mini library, a marketing board, and of course, coffee.
There are meeting rooms for customers to occupy per hour. rooms are supported with large screens to use for presentations, and it is suggested to book a meeting room beforehand, because they are fully booked by the afternoon.
Another service is the quiet zone. It is an area on the second floor where customers can work in a calm atmosphere, unlike the public area near the coffee bar which can be a bit buzzy sometimes. Also, some customers prefer to read books in this area. moreover, at focus, you can enjoy various options of both hot and cold beverages, baked delights and healthy snacks.
For example, some of the popular healthy snacks on the menu are the protein bites and oatmeal cup. Baked cookies are available to satisfy those who have sweet tooth.
For bookworms, the coffee shop has shelves with different books to read, from self-development to business.
Plus, Focus not only has a mini library for bibliophiles but they also host book clubs occasionally, making it a great place to discuss interesting publications over a cup of coffee.
In addition, the marketing board on the first floor is offered to help freelancers, business owners,
or anyone searching for useful services or business partners.
What We Are Eating Today: Kabshah: This Riyadh drive-through eatery keeps it simple
Quality rather than quantity is the watchword at Riyadh drive-through restaurant Kabshah.
The eatery offers a limited menu and customers can either pick up their orders or have meals delivered.
Dishes include half a chicken with rice flavored with onion and almonds or carrot sauce and raisins, and a crispy sambosa appetizer available with cheese or meat fillings.
Frozen sambosas can also be purchased to fry or bake at home.
Tasbikat is Kabshah’s special sauce, along with its tahini, cucumber with laban, and hot sauces.
A small selection of drinks is available too, including sodas and laban.
Meals cost around SR30 ($8) from the restaurant’s two outlets in Al-Malqa and Al-Narjes, Riyadh. For more details go to Instagram at @kabshah.sa.
Where We Are Going Today: Diora restaurant and cafe
JEDDAH: Diora restaurant and cafe offers a classy and luxurious dining experience and serves up dishes that deserve attention. Diora has two branches located in Al-Khayyat Center and Mall of Arabia in Jeddah.
The menu promises rich Mediterranean flavors and has something for everyone. It focuses on simple and high-quality dishes, from gourmet salads to plates of pasta for good value.
From the appetizers, the beef carpaccio set atop a pile of greens is a refreshing option. It is a generous stack of thinly sliced meat with baby rocca on top served alongside parmesan cheese, olive oil, chimichurri sauce, and balsamic vinegar.
Cheese lovers must try the goat zucchini rolls, which is goat cheese rolled up in slices of zucchini with honey drip and a sprinkle of pistachio.
A dish that should not be missed is the Diora parmigian, a mixture of eggplant, pesto sauce, and tomato sauce served with fresh mozzarella, pine nuts and balsamic vinegar. Mains are diverse and include wagyu beef fillet, corn-fed baby chicken, salmon teriyaki, veal and chicken Milanese.
For desserts you will find some of the usual suspects like tiramisu, chocolate lava, creme brulee and cheesecake. These beloved classics are crafted to perfection with every bite offering up a burst of sweetness and flavor.
Amongst their unique desserts is pain perdu, a house special of mixed brioche served alongside caramel sauce, vanilla sauce, and vanilla ice cream. Castroville, a meringue decorated with honey biscuit, crumble biscuit and creme vanilla is worth tasting.
The luxury service and casual dining with creative dishes on the menu makes Diora a perfect spot for diners.
