EGYPTIAN EATS: Popular Drinks
Tea
“Shai” (Egyptian tea) is brewed hot, served in a glass, sometimes with mint (shay bi nyanya) or cane sugar. It's served day and night. If you're offered "shai", take it! It's a cultural sign of respect and friendship. It would be more rude to turn down this offer than any sales pitch so take advantage of the hospitality to slow down and get to know someone!
The tea in this photo to the left is one we shared over a talk with our friend, Mohammed in a wonderfully busy square along 26 July street in Zamalek. My Arabic is not so advanced that I can read this menu and tell you where we went.
What a relaxing way to close a night.
Sugar Cane Juice
Emy, our tour guide in Cairo grabbed us these fresh sugarcane juices from one of the shops dotting the Cairo streets. It was lightly sweet and refreshing.
Juhayna
This is like someone coming to America, saying, "Oh, gosh I LOVE CAPRI SUN" ... Meanwhile, here we are and I'm pretty sure if I ever find this at home, I'm buying packs like a fiend!
On our plane to Luxor, I had the last sip of my new fave boxed juice: Juhayna!!!!⠀
Flavors of choice? Guava and Mango.⠀
Egyptian Stella
A grown up beverage. Egyptian Stella by Al Ahram!⠀
Turns out we thought we ordered Belgian Stella Artois but this beauty came out and it's fresh, clear taste was just what we needed to settle in after a flight... and whenever we wanted to settle down for the night in Luxor!⠀
Coca Cola
Well, no Coca Cola tastes better than a bottled Coca Cola. Is it just me or is it much sweeter in the bottle?
Did you know in Egypt, it comes in an 8 oz bottle purposefully designer to avoid the traditional curvature in a nod to respecting Moslem sexual code?
I had this while exploring Luxor with Dutch on a hot day! Just as refreshing in Egypt.
More interesting reads:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1979/07/17/egypt-gets-coca-cola/c7c45460-91bf-44c4-9c79-863485df65d5/?utm_term=.2c2247d3c031
