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 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!
7 Restaurants to Try on Your Next Cairo Visit
The odds are, you’re spending more than one night in Cairo, and you’re excited to try everything you can fit in your itinerary (and belly).
Koshary, Shawerma and Taamiya (Egyptian Falafel) are only a few of the options making up Cairo’s food lineup. The city’s rich history and budding food scene offer food-lovers tons of mouth-watering possibilities, and whether you got a chance to go on one of our tours or not, the odds are, you’re spending more than one night in Cairo, and you’re excited to try everything you can fit in your itinerary (and belly). To help you do that, we put together a list of restaurants we’ve enjoyed time and time again around different parts of Cairo.
DOWNTOWN CAIRO
HAWAWSHY EL REFAI | NON-VEG
This family-run restaurant started out as a humble neighborhood butchery, soon after, they started making delicious Hawawshy which swept Cairo by storm. This place attracts young locals and gets very busy in the evening, so go prepared to queue, it’ll be so worth it.
What is Hawawshy?
A delicious dish of minced beef stuffed inside Egyptian baladi bread, then toasted in the oven until it’s golden and crispy on the outside, while maintaining the soft and goo-ey texture of the beef.
Fun fact: In Alexandria, the minced beef is baked in a different pastry, not baladi bread.
What to order
Traditionally, Hawawshi doesn’t have cheese, but at Hawawshy El Refai, you can add cheese to make it even more delicious. Think of a flat burger that packs tons of flavor, and if you’re adventurous, go spicy! Dip in your side of Tehina (sesame dressing) and enjoy.
Other branches:
FELFELA | VEG/NON-VEG
Location (Skip the take-away Felfela on the main street, turn right and look for the wooden entrance on Hoda Shaarawy street)
Felfela is a Downtown landmark and a restaurant that is enjoyed by both Egyptians and tourists alike. It was established in the late 1950’s by Amina Zaghlool and its charming and eclectic decor is one of the many things we love about it. You’ll find a decent variety of Egyptian dishes and also the opportunity to enjoy an Egyptian beer with your food. Felfela is part of our Downtown Cairo Food Tour and is worth a visit when you’re around Downtown Cairo.
Fun fact: Felfela is still owned and run by Amina Zaghlool’s family.
What to order
Rice with vermicelli, Molokhiya, grilled chicken, fried eggplants, besara, baba ghanoug, oven-baked pasta with bechamel
Other branches of Felfela are not affiliated with this one.
THE CARLTON ROOF GARDEN | DRINKS
If you’re looking for an off-the-beaten-path spot to enjoy an Egyptian beer while taking in a nice view, then the Carlton Roof Garden is definitely the place for you. Operating since 1935, The Carlton Roof Garden is a wonderful place to sit back and unwind after a busy day of sight seeing. They offer a variety of beverages as well as Shisha (hookah).
What to order
Egyptian Stella or Sakkara beer, French fries, chicken liver, cheese samboosak. We also love their lemonade.
OLD CAIRO
ZEEYARA | VEG/NON-VEG
After walking through the Khan El Khalili market and Moez street, there’s no better ending to the day than a delicious meal with a view of the Old Cairo minarets and mosques. Zeeyara is located on the rooftop of Le Riad De Charme Hotel and offers a wide range of Egyptian dishes, including camel meat meatballs - a dish that you can’t commonly find but one we definitely recommend you try.
What to order
Camel meat meatballs, Ouzi El Moez, Arugula Salad.
ZAMALEK
LE TARBOUCHE | VEG/NON-VEG
Located on the Le Pacha boat in Zamalek, Le Tarbouche (meaning, the fez) elevates Egyptian food and serves it in a beautiful setting. Be sure to reserve a table in advance as it typically fills up quickly. You’ll enjoy Nile views, great food, and sometimes even live Oud as well in this ornate establishment. Diners typically dress up a little bit for the evening. It’s good to note that Le Tarbouche is commonly visited by tourists.
What to order
Their Kebab Casserole is the most tender we have ever had, it’s also saucy, so order some rice to enjoy those flavors.
Their Kishk with chicken is also fantastic. Kishk is a savory pudding made with flour, yoghurt, chicken soup, and sometimes rice. It’s topped with crispy fried onions and is a unique Egyptian dish to try at least once.
Get more recommendations from your waiter, we haven’t tried everything, but we’ve enjoyed most of the dishes we’ve tried.
DESOKE | VEG/NON-VEG
Tucked away in one of Zamalek’s alleyways, this humble make-shift restaurant offers delicious home cooked Egyptian dishes that’ll warm your heart. There’s no menu so be prepared to ask what’s available before taking a seat. Some of the dishes you may find are Egyptian vegetable stews, Molokhiya and grilled chicken.
What to order
Rice with vermicelli, Molokhiya, grilled chicken.
GIZA
ANDREA NEW GIZA | NON-VEG
This classic Egyptian restaurant is the OG of grilled chicken, trust us, it’s very hard to find a better version. A quick ride away from the hotels located near the Giza Necropolis, Andrea New Giza is tucked on a hill with views of the suburbs. Family-friendly outdoor seating and freshly baked baladi bread are only two of the reasons the locals keep coming back. Our co-founder Laila has fond childhood memories of Andrea, which used to be set on a farm in the old days. Today’s setting might be different, but it still has that same charm everyone loves it for.
What to order
The menu is simple, go for the 1/2 grilled chicken, boneless grilled chicken or quails, and then order tons of mezes for the table.
Other branches
There are tons of restaurants that use the name Andrea to gain the same popularity, as far as we know, this is the only branch affiliated with the story we mentioned above.
