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We offer Egyptian & Mediterranean Food. Our food is HALAL & Homemade, just like you would eat in Egypt.

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Baptism is an orthodox ceremony that is made after 48 (boy) days from birth and if girl has to pass 58 days.

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is elected the same way USA, but they don't go after 8 year, it's a life-time job.

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A dollar is 18 Egyptian Pounds

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Christmas Day isn't celebrated on the 25th December but on 7th January.

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I learned 11 things from the following website:
There are undiscovered passage ways in the pyramids.

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1. Cleopatra was not Egyptian.

Along with King Tut, perhaps no figure is more famously associated with ancient Egypt than Cleopatra VII. But while she was born in Alexandria, Cleopatra was actually part of a long line of Greek Macedonians originally descended from Ptolemy I, one of Alexander the Great's most trusted lieutenants. The Ptolemaic Dynasty ruled Egypt from 323 to 30 B.C., and most of its leaders remained largely Greek in their culture and sensibilities. In fact, Cleopatra was famous for being one of the first members of the Ptolemaic dynasty to actually speak the Egyptian language.

2. The ancient Egyptians forged one of the earliest peace treaties on record.

For over two centuries the Egyptians fought against the Hittite Empire for control of lands in modern day Syria. The conflict gave rise to bloody engagements like 1274 B.C.'s Battle of Kadesh, but by time of the pharaoh Ramses II neither side had emerged as a clear victor. With both the Egyptians and Hittites facing threats from other peoples, in 1259 B.C. Ramses II and the Hittite King Hattusili III negotiated a famous peace treaty. This agreement ended the conflict and decreed that the two kingdoms would aid each other in the event of an invasion by a third party. The Egyptian-Hittite treaty is now recognized as one of the earliest surviving peace accords, and a copy can even be seen above the entrance to the United Nations Security Council Chamber in New York.

3. Ancient Egyptians loved board games.

After a long day's work along the Nile River, Egyptians often relaxed by playing board games. Several different games were played, including "Mehen" and "Dogs and Jackals," but perhaps the most popular was a game of chance known as "Senet." This pastime dates back as far as 3500 B.C. and was played on a long board painted with 30 squares. Each player had a set of pieces that were moved along the board according to rolls of dice or the throwing sticks. Historians still debate Senet's exact rules, but there is little doubt of the game's popularity. Paintings depict Queen Nefertari playing Senet, and pharaohs like Tutankhamen even had game boards buried with them in their tombs.

4. Egyptian women had a wide range of rights and freedoms.

While they may have been publicly and socially viewed as inferior to men, Egyptian women enjoyed a great deal of legal and financial independence. They could buy and sell property, serve on juries, make wills and even enter into legal contracts. Egyptian women did not typically work outside the home, but those who did usually received equal pay for doing the same jobs as men. Unlike the women of ancient Greece, who were effectively owned by their husbands, Egyptian women also had the right to divorce and remarry. Egyptian couples were even known to negotiate an ancient prenuptial agreement. These contracts listed all the property and wealth the woman had brought into the marriage and guaranteed that she would be compensated for it in the event of a divorce.

5. Egyptian workers were known to organize labor strikes.

Even though they regarded the pharaoh as a kind of living god, Egyptian workers were not afraid to protest for better working conditions. The most famous example came in the 12th century B.C. during the reign of the New Kingdom pharaoh Ramses III. When laborers engaged in building the royal necropolis at Deir el-Medina did not receive their usual payment of grain, they organized one of the first recorded strikes in history. The protest took the form of a sit-in: The workers simply entered nearby mortuary temples and refused to leave until their grievances were heard. The gamble worked, and the laborers were eventually given their overdue rations.

6. Egyptian pharaohs were often overweight.

Egyptian art commonly depicts pharaohs as being trim and statuesque, but this was most likely not the case. The Egyptian diet of beer, wine, bread and honey was high in sugar, and studies show that it may have done a number on royal waistlines. Examinations of mummies have indicated that many Egyptian rulers were unhealthy and overweight, and even suffered from diabetes. A notable example is the legendary Queen Hatshepsut, who lived in the 15th century B.C. While her sarcophagus depicts her as slender and athletic, historians believe she was actually obese and balding.

7. The pyramids were not built by slaves.

The life of a pyramid builder certainly wasn't easy-skeletons of workers commonly show signs of arthritis and other ailments-but evidence suggests that the massive tombs were built not by slaves but by paid laborers. These ancient construction workers were a mix of skilled artisans and temporary hands, and some appear to have taken great pride in their craft. Graffiti found near the monuments suggests they often assigned humorous names to their crews like the "Drunkards of Menkaure" or the "Friends of Khufu." The idea that slaves built the pyramids at the crack of a whip was first conjured by the Greek historian Herodotus in the fifth century B.C., but most historians now dismiss it as myth. While the ancient Egyptians were certainly not averse to keeping slaves, they appear to have mostly used them as field hands and domestic servants.

8. King Tut may have been killed by a hippopotamus.

Surprisingly little is known about the life of the boy pharaoh Tutankhamen, but some historians believe they know how he died. Scans of the young king's body show that he was embalmed without his heart or his chest wall. This drastic departure from traditional Egyptian burial practice suggests that he may have suffered a horrific injury prior to his death. According to a handful of Egyptologists, one of the most likely causes for this wound would have been a bite from a hippopotamus. Evidence indicates that the Egyptians hunted the beasts for sport, and statues found in King Tut's tomb even depict him in the act of throwing a harpoon. If the boy pharaoh was indeed fond of stalking dangerous game, then his death might have been the result of a hunt gone wrong.

9. Some Egyptian doctors had specialized fields of study.

An ancient physician was usually a jack-of-all-trades, but evidence shows that Egyptian doctors sometimes focused on healing only one part of the human body. This early form of medical specialization was first noted in 450 B.C. by the traveler and historian Herodotus. Discussing Egyptian medicine, he wrote, "Each physician is a healer of one disease and no more...some of the eye, some of the teeth, some of what pertains to the belly." These specialists even had specific names. Dentists were known as "doctors of the tooth," while the term for proctologists literally translates to "shepherd of the anus."

10. Egyptians kept many animals as pets.

The Egyptians saw animals as incarnations of the gods and were one of the first civilizations to keep household pets. Egyptians were particularly fond of cats, which were associated with the goddess Bastet, but they also had a reverence for hawks, ibises, dogs, lions and baboons. Many of these animals held a special place in the Egyptian home, and they were often mummified and buried with their owners after they died. Other creatures were specially trained to work as helper animals. Egyptian police officers, for example, were known to use dogs and even trained monkeys to assist them when out on patrol.

11. Egyptians of both sexes wore makeup.

Vanity is as old as civilization, and the ancient Egyptians were no exception. Both men and women were known to wear copious amounts of makeup, which they believed gave them the protection of the gods Horus and Ra. These cosmetics were made by grinding ores like malachite and galena into a substance called kohl. It was then liberally applied around the eyes with utensils made out of wood, bone and ivory. Women would also stain their cheeks with red paint and use henna to color their hands and fingernails, and both sexes wore perfumes made from oil, myrrh and cinnamon. The Egyptians believed their makeup had magical healing powers, and they weren't entirely wrong: Research has shown that the lead-based cosmetics worn along the Nile actually helped stave off eye infections.

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11 Things You May Not Know About Ancient Egypt

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Along with King Tut, perhaps no figure is more famously associated with ancient Egypt than Cleopatra VII. But while she was born in Alexandria, Cleopatra was actually part of a long line of Greek Macedonians originally descended from Ptolemy I, one of Alexander the Great's most trusted lieutenants.

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My aunt and uncle are my  first relatives to come to the United States and now they live in New York.

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I left Egypt because my parents wanted me to have a better education. Why I came to America is because it's very secure and the education level is pretty high, also because it has nice weather.

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 "أفتقد مصر"

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 "أفتقد مصر" means "I miss Egypt" in Arabic

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Koshari

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I like to think of this vegetarian dish as Egyptian-style chilli. I was first introduced to it during a trip to Egypt four years ago, where it was nearly all we ate for a week! Its served in fast food type restaurants, sold from carts by street vendors and made in the home.

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A Middle-Eastern favorite and a month of Ramadan tradition. This variation of Konafa is made from crunchy shredded phyllo pastry, sandwiching a creamy, pudding-like filling, and soaked with a scented simple syrup.
This cream-filled konafa means a lot more to me than just a ridiculously good dessert.

It's been there for EVERY first day of the month of Ramadan for as long as I remember.

It attended all the crowded family gatherings, witnessed all the festivities, the big smiles, the loud greetings, the best TV shows and new commercials, the hung decorations and the lit lanterns. But most of all, it was what awaited us after a long day of fasting.

I'm just very fond of Ramadan and everything it brings with it. The spirituality is unparalleled and the serenity is something I look forward to each year. I can't help but love the food too:) I try to keep it to a minimum though as to not defy the whole purpose of fasting. Pinky swear.

Just in case you're unfamiliar, in a nutshell, Ramadan is the holy month for Muslims. We fast from sunrise till sunset. Which means no food or drink throughout the day, and then break our fast with a meal by sunset. Ofcourse there's a lot more to it, like charity, doing good deeds and soul purification, but you're here for the konafa, so let's get to it:)

In Egypt, Middle Eastern food is the highlight of the table in Ramadan, especially when it comes to dessert. So much so that we call them "Ramadani Sweets." We rarely eat any American or European desserts, which we love year round, and if we do, then it has to have this "Ramadani" touch to it. Chocolate is not big either this time of the year... sigh.

So with today marking the first day of Ramadan, I found no better dessert to share with you then the one I grew up eating every first day of every Ramadan.

My love for konafa or kanafeh is no secret. I only made 3 Middle Eastern desserts here on the blog, all of which are konafa. Check them out here and here. So yeah...I'm quite obsessed. But I promise there's more...much much more to Middle Eastern pastries. During this month, I'm hoping to get out of my "konafa bubble" and show you a few other desserts, with some crazy twists along the way.

Cream-filled konafas are a staple in every household I know. So getting THE perfect recipe should be easy peasy lemon squeezy, right?

Wrong!

You see...I'm this annoyingly meticulous kind who measures grains of salt, gives exaggerated attention to oven temperatures, pan sizes and how different brands result in different outcomes. I take baking very seriously and think of my kitchen as my science lab.

So when I asked around my aunts and older relatives for the recipe, all I got was the "add some of that, stir in a little of this, eyeball a handful of that and bake until done" kind of recipe. Oh Gosh!

So I had to combine all the snippets of tips I got, along with a lot of testing, and came up with a reliable, "measured" recipe that anyone could follow and get consistent, delicious results every time. It's actually really easy too!
Just to recap, konafa (kanafeh) is a Middle-Eastern, as well as Eastern European, pastry made from shredded, vermicelli-like phyllo dough that crisps up into this beautifully golden dessert when baked. There are so many variations of it, but the cream-filled one is perhaps the most popular in Egypt. And one that gets me all nostalgic and fuzzy on the inside. This one is super crunchy on the outside, and lusciously creamy of the inside with a pudding-like filling. As soon as it comes out of the oven, it gets drenched with a sweet vanilla-scented simple syrup.
So begin with making the syrup before anything else because you're gonna need to let it cool completely. I've been told, that hot syrup with soften the konafa, and I like to do what I'm told:)

After that, you're gonna make the cream filling by boiling some milk (or 1/2 milk, 1/2 cream) with a touch of sugar, then adding a cornstarch slurry to thicken it up. I like to run my pudding through a fine mesh strainer to get rid of any lumps that may have happened, but you don't have to if it looks smooth.

Then I let it hang around just a little while I prepare the konafa crust. The cream filling is just perfect. I went through maaaaany trials to nail down the consistency. Not too runny nor too gloppy. Just stable enough to hold its shape while the konafa gets cut, yet creamy enough that it doesn't feel like jello.

Now for the konafa itself. What do we coat it with?
I tried them all!
Do you use ghee? butter? or clarified butter?

Ghee is by far the most traditional and produces excellent results but I'm not a fan of its taste. Sorry grandmas:)

I'm a butter-girl all the way through. So here's the bottom line:

Using melted unsalted butter works really well only if using thicker, Greek-style, frozen konafa/kadaifi dough. It crisps up and browns just as good as ghee.

However, when used on fresh, extra thin konafa, I highly recommend clarifying the butter, because the milk solids and extra moisture in the butter will prevent the konafa from crisping up like it should.

How? Take a look.

Butter is made up of 2 things: butterfat and milk solids/water. What we want here, is the butterfat (the yellow liquid). There are other ways of clarifying butter, but I use a really simple approach by melting it, then let it sit for a few minutes until it separates like this. The milk solids/water will sink down and the butterfat will float up. That's it! All you gotta do, it just use the yellow liquid and leave behind the white gunk.

While that's happening, you'll need to HEAVILY butter the bottom and sides of your pan.

Then shred the konafa into small pieces; about (1 inch/ 2.5cm) long. I've found that cutting the konafa while semi frozen, makes for the easiest way to break it.

Now pour on that butterfat. Don't worry if you pour some of the milk solids in...its no biggie!

Now toss the konafa until the butter coats every strand and its all nice and glistening. Forget the tongs, go in there with your hands. I just didn't want to dirty my hands while holding the camera. You'll want the konafa to be just greasy enough, but not wet or soggy

You'll then take two-thirds of the konafa, and firmly press it on the bottom and around the sides of the pan. Using a measuring cup really helps compress it and gets the konafa well up the sides.

Then throw in your cream filling...or in this case, the white flubber:))

Scatter on the remaining konafa to completely cover the filling. This time, be gentle.

Lightly press it on to adhere. Then bake until deep golden brown. Crunch, crunch, crunch!

While still screaming hot, pour on the syrup, moving around in circles. Let it rest for 10 minutes, to make sure that all the syrup gets absorbed.

Then flip onto a gorgeous platter and swoon.

Not gonna cut it this time because I'm fasting. LOL!

Have a blessed Ramadan everyone.

For those of you who are new to the idea of Ramadan, please do stick along, as I'm so excited to show you more of the delicious food this month brings along:)

As per the suggestion of lovely reader, Mariam Aly, I updated the filling recipe to 1 cup milk plus 1 cup heavy cream, instead of 2 cups of milk, for a more luxurious, richer texture and flavor. After trying the half and half combo, I don't think I'll ever go back to all milk, nor will my tasters allow it. However, I left the original as is, in case anyone prefers a lighter filling. They're both great, one is just richer than the other, its just a matter of preference.

I've also found that the tiniest splash of orange blossom water in the syrup adds a wonderful flavor, that goes better with the konafa than vanilla. So I added that as an option in the ingredients' list.

I've also lately started adding a piece of ground mastic in the filling and absolutely love it! So I added that as well to the ingredients' list as an optional flavoring. I highly recommend it!

Classic Cream-Filled Konafa

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Classic Cream-Filled Konafa | Cleobuttera

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A Middle-Eastern favorite and a month of Ramadan tradition. This variation of Konafa is made from crunchy shredded phyllo pastry, sandwiching a creamy, pudding-like filling, and soaked with a scented simple syrup. This cream-filled konafa means a lot more to me than just a ridiculously good dessert.

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Sobia is a starchy, milky sweet coconut drink that is really a thirst quenching during hot summer days. From beautiful Egypt, check out this refreshing, cold, sweet recipe of sobia that you will absolutely love it.Bon appétit... (Beverages,Levant,rice, milk, coconut milk,onionin)

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I am fully Egyptian. YAY !