Spice Shops & Herbal Havens: Where Flavors and Remedies Collide!

Step right into the enchanting realm of Egyptian spice and herb shops! Imagine shelves bursting with vibrant powders, the scent of aromatic incense wafting through the air, and an array of peculiar treasures displayed in countless glass jars. Welcome to the wacky, wonderful world of el-Attar, where flavors and remedies intertwine!

These quirky, old-timey shops can be found all over Egypt, from bustling city centers to quaint rural towns. They are not your ordinary spice shops, mind you—they are more like apothecaries. They serve as a hub for locals to explore and acquire herbs, spices, seeds, grains, oils, and more, all for the purpose of cooking as well as home remedies. Now, we know herbal remedies can be a touchy subject, but hey, our ancestors relied on them long before modern medicine came along, so there must be something to it, right?

An assortment of spices at a Attar shop.

We had the pleasure of sitting down with Ahmed Zalat, the proud owner of one of Cairo's oldest spice and herb shops. This gem has been around for over 120 years! Ahmed inherited his craft from his father, who inherited it from his father before him—a tradition that runs deep in this field. Ahmed's life has been devoted to the pursuit of healing through herbal remedies, spending countless hours studying the properties of herbs, spices, and other natural ingredients.

Ahmed Zalat, Herbalist, explains to us the ins and outs of the trade.

Ahmed shed light on the delicate nature of working with herbs. Did you know that certain materials can affect the potency of herbs? Some plants can only be ground using a marble mortar and pestle, while others demand the touch of brass. Some flowers and leaves must be harvested under the cover of darkness to avoid sunlight. Others are plucked during specific lunar phases, like the new or full moon. Each plant has its own set of rules, and mastering them requires a lifelong commitment and deep passion. While many spices are locally grown, some exotic ones that thrive in tropical climates are imported.

Egyptians have always had a profound love affair with spices. Let me share a little historical nugget with you: In the 17th century, a Western traveler visited Egypt and wrote in his memoirs  how taken aback he was by how generously and enthusiastically Egyptians seasoned their food. At the time, spices were expensive and hard to come by in Europe. But in Egypt, they were cheap and plentiful- so people had at it! Egyptians simply detest blandness and believe that a well-seasoned meal is the hallmark of a skilled cook. 

Ahmed Zalat’s shop near el-Azhar mosque in Historic Cairo

 Ahmed Zalat didn't stop at traditional herbalism—he took it up a notch! While many Attareen (that's the plural of Attar, the term for spice sellers) prefer to carry out their trade informally through word of mouth, Ahmed is all about sharing knowledge. Alongside concocting custom herbal cures and oil blends for common ailments, he has written and printed booklets that delve into medical issues prevalent in our communities. You name it—high blood pressure, kidney stones, asthma, diabetes—his booklets cover them all. And fear not, for the instructions on how to use these remedies are included as well. Paying a visit to Ahmed Zalat's shop near el Azhar mosque is an experience like no other. Most Attar shops don't offer professionally packaged remedies or informative booklets.

Home remedies are deeply ingrained in Egyptian culture! You don't need to be a certified herbal specialist to know a few tricks of the trade. Anise tea for a good night's sleep, guava leaf tea for cough relief, cumin tea to soothe a bloated stomach—these simple solutions are the go-to requests at Attar shops. Of course, it's perfectly normal to seek remedies for specific ailments too. The shop owner will gladly recommend a suitable remedy and provide instructions on how to use it correctly. And hey, don't limit yourself to health concerns—beauty-related issues have their remedies too! Feeling the effects of dull skin or fine lines? Grab some chickpea powder! Dealing with thinning hair? Castor oil to the rescue!

Remedies, creams, and oils at Ahmed Zalat’s Attar

Hibiscus tea is like a superstar remedy in Egyptian households. It's not only super tasty and enjoyed regardless of health concerns, but it's also known to help with high blood pressure. This tea, also called sorrel or roselle, is packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory goodness that does wonders for your overall health. But hold on a sec! If you do a quick Google search, you'll find that while hibiscus tea can slightly lower blood pressure, it's not a substitute for medication when it comes to hypertension. So, enjoy it for its flavor and health benefits, but don't skip your prescribed meds, okay?

Which brings us to something a bit eerie but fascinating: incense burning, known as Bukhoor in Arabic. Egyptians use incense in their homes to cleanse and keep away negative energy and spirits. It's tied to the belief in the "evil eye" or envy that can harm you. To protect themselves, people spread incense smoke all around their homes. But get this—it's not just any incense. They use a special kind made with ingredients from these cool spice shops called Attar shops. One ingredient you might come across is Ain el-Afreet (eye of the poltergeist), which is a red seed with a black "pupil." It's believed to kick out the evil eye and bad vibes. When you burn the incense, this little seed goes pop and it's a sign that the bad spirit is getting kicked to the curb!

You can smell the bukhoor at Ahmed Zalat’s shop from down the street!

You can actually make your own incense blend, lots of recipes out there, or you can buy it from a seller at a mosque or a spice shop. The "evil eye bukhoor" mix can have other ingredients like salt, Potassium alum, Mastic gum, Harmel (African Rue—extra potent for scaring off evil spirits), and even some blessings from a local sheikh. Bukhoor is used to ward off or attract different things. You've got blends to welcome wealth or good health into your home, and then there are blends that protect you from bad luck, demons, or family drama. It's like a magical aromatic world of its own!

We’d like to thank Ahmed Zalat for having us at his spectacular shop. Everything you could imagine and more await you there! It’s an experience you do not want to miss when on your next trip to Cairo! Make sure to swing by and say hello for us: 10 Sheikh Mohamed Abdo St. Near the main entrance of Azhar mosque.

The Egyptian Spring Festival You Didn’t Know Existed

Egyptians have been celebrating the coming of spring for centuries. Never heard of Sham el-Nessim? That’s ok, it’s a well-kept secret.

Egyptians breathe a sigh of relief at the first signs of warm weather. We’re not built for the cold! The days get longer, the sun shines a little warmer, and crops come to life. We call this spring celebration “Sham el-Nessim”, (pronounced: shem-el-neh-seem) which is sometimes translated to “smelling the breeze”. Our ancient ancestors named the harvest season “shemu”. Interestingly, their harvest season is practically the same as ours today-April to August.  Could the word “Shemu” have morphed into “Sham el-Nessim”? Very likely! There are many Ancient Egyptian words that are still in use today. But the reality is, nobody knows for sure where the name “Sham el-Nessim” comes from. It has a long and complicated history- as most Egyptian things do!

Families picnic in gardens and play games during Sham el-Nessim.

Sham el-Nessim marks the start of the harvesting season, so celebrating it means to be hopeful and thankful for the harvest yet to come. Egypt has always been a farming nation with a special bond to the land, and we’ve been partying in honor of spring and the harvest for thousands of years! It’s a time of optimism, rebirth, and looking forward to a new fruitful year. Egyptians are particularly proud of Sham el-Nessim because it is exclusively ours. It is a holiday rooted in our land, and its traditions are not shared with any of our neighbors. 

Sham el-Nessim is always the Monday after Coptic Easter Sunday. Even though it’s linked to the Christian holiday, Sham el-Nessim is celebrated by all Egyptians. Rich, poor, Christian, Muslim, or Jewish- everybody wants to have a good time. Folks get together with their loved ones and head outdoors to enjoy the spring weather. Good food is the order of the day, so picnics are packed before bee-lining to public gardens. There’s no such thing as partying in Egypt without blaring music. And this should be expected when walking around Egypt’s public parks on Sham el-Nessim. Games are played, songs are sung, and delicious food is shared- it’s an all-round good time!

Vegetable seller preparing his lettuce and green onions for Spring festivities.

There are two essential parts of Sham el-Nessim foods, the greens and the fish. Without these two things, you’re not doing it right. The star of the show is the fish: Most popular of all is Feseekh (pronounced: fih-see-kh): a salted and fermented grey mullet. Feseekh is a controversial food, with staunch lovers and fierce haters. It is an acquired taste with an extremely pungent smell- hence the preference to eat outdoors. If not prepared well, Feseekh can cause botulism- so it’s super important to get your Feseekh from a well-known “Fasakhani” (pronounced: feh-sa-khani, a professional title given to those who make Feseekh).  When it comes to greens, it’s all about the (Romaine) lettuce and spring onions, both of which are native to Egypt. They aren’t cut up into a salad, they are served whole. It might seem weird to think of serving full lettuce leaves and entire stalks of spring onions next to plates full of salted, smoked and fermented fish. But it just works! Egyptian lettuce is crisp and sweet, and spring onions are mild and fragrant- paired with pungent fish it’s simply *chef’s kiss* -to die for.

Feseekh, the most controversial of the Sham el-Nessim foods.

Feseekh is often accompanied by “Ringa” (pronounced: ring-a) salted and smoked herring, and “Melouha” (pronounced: mel-oo-ha) salted mullet, and sardines. These fish are usually way too salty to be eaten directly, so it’s common for people to put them in different kinds of dips and salads as a way to dilute the flavour. And as with any meal in Egypt, Balady bread is always present!  

Balady bread is part of almost every Egyptian meal.

 The Egyptian word for small snacks is “Tasaly” (pronounced: tah-sal-ee) which means “snack that keeps you entertained”- all holidays in Egypt have “tasaly”. What are you supposed to do with your day off? Hang out with friends and family and snack all day! During Sham El Nessim, the snacks are “termis” (pronounced: tir-mis) lupini beans, “lib” roasted seeds of all kinds, sprouted fenugreek seeds, sprouted fava beans, candies and small chocolates. Unique to Sham ElNessim is “Malana” (pronounced: mel-lah-nah) which are green chickpeas sold by the branch.  “Malana” is very seasonal and can only be found during springtime. 

Spring is a great time to be here. If you time it just right, you might just catch a glimpse of this ancient holiday being celebrated in the gardens and farms of Egypt. But if you can’t make it, have your own Sham el-Nessim celebration in your backyard! Happy Sham el-Nessim to all!