Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TEA & COFFEE
Tea and coffee are the major social lubricants in Jordan.
Tea
(shai)
is probably the more popular drink, taken without
milk and in various degrees of sweetness: with sugar
(sukkar
ziyada),
a little sugar
(sukkar qaleel)
or no sugar
(bidoon
sukkar)
. In most cafes you can ask for refreshing mint tea
(shai
ma n'aana)
.
Za'atar
(thyme) and
marrameeya
(sage) herbal
teas are especially delicious in Dana.
Coffee
(qahwa)
is served strong, sweet and flavoured with
cardamom, and usually contains thick sediment. You can speci-
fy a small espresso-sized cup
(finjan)
or large cup
(kassa
kabira)
. In traditional Bedouin areas coffee is served in small
porcelain bowls and the host will always refill a guest's coffee
cup. A good guest will accept a minimum of three cups; gently
'dancing' the cup from side to side indicates you've had
enough.
Ramadan
During Ramadan (
Click here
for up-
coming dates) Muslims fast during
daylight hours. They savour a large
pre-dawn breakfast called
suhur
and
eagerly await
iftar
(breaking the fast)
at dusk. Always something of a celeb-
ration, this dish-of-the-day is a fun
meal to share with hungry patrons at a
busy restaurant.
Beans are tradi-
tionally roasted and
then ground in a
decorated mortar
and pestle called a
mihbash
.
Sahlab
is a deli-
cious traditional
winter drink, served
hot with milk, nuts and cinnamon. Look for it at hot-drink vendors (recognisable by their
silver samovars), who also offer takeaway shots of coffee or Lipton tea in white plastic
cups.
Water is safe to drink in hotels and restaurants and
is available in earthenware ewers along rural roads;
bottled water, however, will minimise stomach up-
sets. Fresh mixed pomegranate and rockmelon
juices
(aseer)
are a highlight. Discreet imbibing of
alcohol, such as local wine and arak, is acceptable
for non-Muslims.
