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Traditional food and clothing

Traditional food and clothing:


Women: Outside her home, a married woman traditionally wears a black outer dress over her brightly colored housedress and covers her hair with a long veil, which often sweeps the ground behind her. She wears her dowry of gold necklaces and silver bracelets and anklets, insurance against poverty if her husband divorces her or she becomes widowed. Her husband dresses in a long robe (galabayya), cotton in summer and wool in winter. He often covers his head with a scarf wound like a turban and in the winter adds a wool jacket. The robe goes around the entire body, but  looseness allowing a cooling circulation of air and serves as insulation. Although the black garments of the women heat up slightly quicker than the paler galabayyas, both, contrary to popular belief, maintain about the same temperature.

Egyptian Galabia:

In some ancient ages, Galabia was the main custom for the Egyptian woman and that's due to its being comfortable and practical. Nowadays, the Egyptian woman has a variety of customs to wear and to adapt the modern fashion.  But she still wears the cotton Galabia at times to feel comfortable.

Handmade in Egypt of fine Egyptian cotton known for its high quality and durability.  You'll enjoy its unique style and extreme comfort, whether you wear it around the house or on the town.


Pants are too hot for Egypt's climate, so men wears Kilts, which are like a wrap around skirt. Egypt's climate is quite hot, so working men wears turbans and scarves. The scarves cover their heads from the sun and their ears from flies. When the wind is blowing, they use it to cover their faces. Also, turban and scarves are traditional wear for Muslims.






Men and women in Egypt likes to decorate their clothing with jewelry. Their jewels are earrings, bracelets, anklets, rings, and beaded necklaces. Wealthy or noble people like to make their jewelry out of gold, silver, or precious stones. The different color stones stand out on the plain, white linen of their clothes. Jewelry are not only use to decorate clothes, it also means luck in the superstitious society of Egypt.




They bake their aysh (bread) in clay ovens of ancient pattern, making both an unleavened type and aysh shams (sun bread), which they set in the sun to rise. The main meal consist of rice, ful beans, and vegetables. For special occasions (if meat is available), they will fix Fattah, a dish with layers of bread, rice, and meat seasoned with vinegar and garlic and garnished with yogurt and nuts. The fellahin eat with bread rather than knives and forks, tearing the round loaf into finger-sized portions and dipping them into the serving dishes.


Molokhiyya is a leafy, green, summer vegetable. A traditional dish in Egypt and Sudan, some people believe it originated among Egyptians during the time of the Pharaohs. Others believe that it was first prepared by ancient Jews. Molokhia is nutritious soup made from a type of greens, known as molokhiyya or Jew's mallow (also called Nalta jute, Tussa jute, Corchorus olitorius), which is found throughout and in other Arab countries with the same climate as

Pigeons (hamaam) are raised throughout Egypt, and when stuffed with seasoned rice and grilled, constitute a national delicacy. If you visiting Egypt, beware: local restaurants sometimes serve the heads buried in the stuffing.

Egyptian desserts of pastry or puddings are usually drenched in honey syrup. Baklava (filo dough, honey, and nuts) is one of the less sweet; fatir are pancakes stuffed with everything from eggs to apricots, and basbousa, quite sweet, is made of semolina pastry soaked in honey and topped with hazelnuts.

Umm ali is another national dish of Egypt, and is a raisin cake soaked in milk and served hot. Kanafa is a dish of batter "strings" fried on a hot grill and stuffed with nuts, meats, or sweets. Egyptian rice pudding is called mahallabiyya and is served topped with pistachios. French-style pastries are called gatoux. Most homes and places serve fresh fruits for desserts, and it makes a perfect, light conclusion to most meals.

Bouzat haleeb or ice cream is a totally different experience from the rich American ice cream. Its quite light and gummy in texture. It actually stretches a bit as you spoon it. Mistika (Arabic gum) and shalab (an extract from the tubers of orchids) can be found in most Mid-Eastern markets