Mirinda Citrus
I’ve tried Mirinda in other countries and while I’m not a huge fan of the classic orange one, I absolutely love the strawberry one you get in England – it goes so well with a dirty doner meal. However, when in Saudi Arabia this is the drink you need to try. A little warning though – once you try it, you’ll be hooked on it for the rest of the time there. It is refreshing and has great citrus flavours – hits all the right spots. An absolute must this whether its with a meal or just as a fizzy drink to cool you down (even though water is probably best to cool you down).
Vimto
Yes, another drink. Vimto is a drink that comes from England, but oh my trust me it is completely different gravy out in the Middle East. Extremely popular during Ramadan and there is no surprise why. It literally is a completely different drink. What’s different? The Middle East version is a cordial as opposed to the fizzy drink version found in England. It is so good and quite possibly one of the best drinks you’ll try!
Abu Walad biscuits
This is basically small bitesize cream filled biscuits. Goes perfectly with tea or coffee or just as a late night snack back at the hotel. If you’re after more traditional biscuits, then look for Ma’mool, which are date filled biscuits that are common in this region.
Crisps
Go into any supermarket and see how much variety there is in the crisps section to see how crisp mad this nation is. This particular brand is one of the popular local crisp brands. They’ve got all the classic flavours, but what caught our eye was this new one they current had – dates and tahini flavour – how interesting! How did it taste? It basically tasted like having peanut butter crisps, pretty good. It wasn’t overly sweet, just slightly. Definitely worth trying.
Fruit juices
Another drink. When you see their fridge you’ll see the amount of fruit juices they have and impressively the variety. So many different options to choose from and I’m pretty sure you’ll find something to tickle your fancy. My personal recommendation would be between the lemon and mint (famous in this part of the world) and the kiwi and lime (so good!).
Camel Milk
There are certain medicinal values of camel milk that have also been stated in the islamic narrations. The best place in reality to try camel milk is from the bedouin camel camps/farm. But if you are unable to get to one, then getting one from the supermarket is a second best choice. However, the supermarket version is nowhere near the same as the fresh camel milk. The camel milk that I had from a camel farm was the best milk I have ever had. Super creamy and just oh so delicious.
Hubuk
This is a green that is supposedly unique to Madinah. I had it back in the day and never knew the name of it – just knew it as green leaf. After doing some research I discovered its Arabic name, but I still couldn’t find the English name. Maybe because it isn’t available in the English world? It is from the mint family, but the taste is quite different and distinctive. How is it consumed? Well, you have it with your tea. It is truly a game changer. The Hubuk tea you have will be one of the best teas you ever have! On the note of teas, you have to try Al Kbous tea – the better version of Lipton!
Bread and Puck cream cheese
This one brings back memories. When I was traveling this part of the world with the lads and we were on a budget, this would be our budget breakfast. Delicious, filling and cheap. Have it on its own to jazz it up. Add honey or dates to make it sweet, or add crisps to make it savoury. Or why not add Duqqa (see below) to make it epic!
Duqqa
This is a spice mix that is essentially had with yoghurt and bread. So it is added to yoghurt and then mixed. Then that mixture is used as a dip for the bread. Delicious! They serve this concoction in the two mosques for the breaking of the fast on Mondays, Thursdays and in Ramadan.
