Tea is Egypt's national drink, while coffee is part of the traditional welcome. Karkadeh is a traditional drink made from boiling dried red hibiscus flowers, the water is then chilled. Sugar is added and this drink can also be enjoyed hot as herbal tea.
Despite religious restrictions and conflicting views on alcohol after the Muslim conquest of Egypt, the consumption of beer did not cease, and it still remains the most popular alcoholic beverage in the country by far, accounting for 54 percent of all alcohol consumption.
As Egypt is a majority Muslim country, many locals abstain from alcohol completely. However, it is possible to find liquor stores and bars in some upmarket neighborhoods, and many hotels and resorts serve alcohol.
Alcohol. Drinking alcohol in the street and anywhere other than a licensed restaurant or bar is not allowed and can lead to arrest.
Karkade is a juice or tea made from hibiscus flower petals. It has a taste like cranberry juice although it is not quite as sour.
Domesticated animals raised for food included pigs, sheep and goats. Grapes were processed into wine for the noble class, but beer was the favourite drink of the common people. Food was served in pottery bowls, but no utensils were used for eating.
These included figs, grapes and pomegranate. The ancient Egyptians drank milk and made cheese from cow's and goat's milk.
Egypt has a long history with coffee, with its consumption thought to have spread from Yemen in the 16th century. Although initially rejected, coffee and – the places that served it – soon expanded into far flung neighbourhoods.
Egypt is famous for its strong, black and sweet tea. Most people use only Black Tea from Kenya, India or Sri Lanka. Tea is usually had without milk and a lot of sugar. Traditionally, only loose leaf tea was used, but nowadays, tea bags have also become quite popular due to their convenience.
As a predominantly Muslim country, Egypt gives alcohol a low profile. Public drunkenness is unacceptable, and sale of alcohol is prohibited on the Prophet Mohammed's birthday and – except for a few places serving tourists – during the month of Ramadan.
Tea is Egypt's national drink, while coffee is part of the traditional welcome. Karkadeh is a traditional drink made from boiling dried red hibiscus flowers, the water is then chilled. Sugar is added and this drink can also be enjoyed hot as herbal tea. Karkadeh is high in vitamin C and minerals.
In Egypt, drinking water from the tap is not recommended. Water treatment plants in and around Cairo heavily chlorinate the supply, so the water in the capital is relatively safe to drink. However, it is advisable everywhere else in Egypt to purchase bottled water or drink treated or purified water.
The culture. Then: In ancient Egypt, beer was so essential it was treated principally as a type of food – it was consumed daily and in great quantities at religious festivals and celebrations.
A character in Aristophanes' Knights says, "I dreamed the goddess poured ambrosia over your head—out of a ladle." Both descriptions could be correct, as ambrosia could be a liquid considered a food (such as honey). The consumption of ambrosia was typically reserved for divine beings.
Mutton and pork were more common, despite Herodotus' affirmations that swine were held by the Egyptians to be unclean and avoided. Poultry, both wild and domestic and fish were available to all but the most destitute.
Examples of Egyptian dishes include rice-stuffed vegetables and grape leaves, hummus, falafel, shawarma, kebab and kofta. ful medames, mashed fava beans; kushari, lentils and pasta; and molokhiya, bush okra stew.
Natron or native soda, a natural compound of sodium salts, was a very important product in ancient history. It was produced in Egypt, Middle East and Greece. Natron was used for medicine, cookery, agriculture, in glass-making and to dehydrate egyptian mummies.
Intimate behaviour in public (kissing and cuddling) is a no-no, and even holding hands is disapproved of.
avoid unpasteurised milk, cheese and ice cream. avoid food that has been left uncovered in warm environments and exposed to flies. ensure all meat is cooked thoroughly before you eat it, avoiding any meat that is pink or cold. avoid ice, unless made with filtered or bottled water, and tap water, even when brushing ...
Egypt is conservative. Very conservative. You won't find couples cuddling and kissing in public, as any type of public affection is a big no-no (even handholding isn't really approved of).
Egyptian men do not often wear shorts, but they are perfectly fine for a male tourist to wear. Aside from beachside resort cities, it is not recommended for female tourists to ever wear shorts in Egypt.