Indulge in Tunisia: Oriental Pastries, Traditional Beverages, and Local Fruits
Oriental pastries are well talked about and for good reason! Discover the best pastries, drinks (hot and cold) and fruits straight from Tunisia to make your mouth water… 😉
Oriental pastries and desserts
Makroud from Tunisia
Makroud or Makrout is a sweet cake made from semolina stuffed with dates or crushed almonds full of honey. It is eaten with traditional coffee or tea.
In the souk of Tunis, you can find both kinds (almonds or dates). The most famous are those in the town of Kairouan.
Cornes de Gazelles
Crescent-shaped reminiscent of the famous horns of gazelles; these biscuits made from a thin dough flavored with orange blossom are garnished with almonds and crushed pistachios; With mint tea, it’s a real delight!
Ghribia
In general, this cake causes two reactions, you either like it or you pass! I’m on the first option, a real fan with a coffee I can quickly chain 5! In Tunisia they are shaped like small sticks, the material crumbles in the mouth and tastes like peanut paste. In reality, these cakes are made from chickpea flour, so they are real protein bars!
Assida Zgougou
It is a cream made from pine nut paste with a beautiful greenish color. The taste is slightly bitter and this dessert is very popular with the locals. It can be accompanied by pistachio almonds…
Kaak in all its variations
Kaak (for cake in English) are one of the rare oriental pastries that is not too sweet. Lightly flavored with rose water or other (depending on the variants) this pastry is made from flour, icing sugar, butter and powdered almonds.
- kaak warka: the simple version flavored with wild rose flower
- kaak mlabes: scented with orange blossoms decorated with chocolate and coconut
- kaak mankouch: flavored with orange blossom water and pistachio powder
- kaak amber: flavored with orange blossom water and pieces of pistachios
This is a non-exhaustive list, there are so many varieties of oriental pastries made from brick sheets and others that you can discover on site; I only highlighted my favorites.
Sugary drinks
Oriental tea
The traditional oriental tea is taken hot and sweetened with fresh mint leaves. In Tunisia we add pine nuts for a little crunch!
Tunisian coffee
The coffee served in Tunisia is generally Turkish coffee, rather strong and flavored with cardamom, this coffee is served on the terrace and is accompanied by a treat of pastries for those with a sweet tooth.
Lemonade
Tunisia is a country that heats up quickly, and in summer there is nothing better than quenching your thirst with lemonades that you can find in restaurants and in the streets.
La Bsissa
This protein drink is a mixture of wheat or barley flour, with chickpea flour and spices! Everything is sweet.
Typical fruits:
Figs and prickly pears
In Tunisia, we eat all from the best known fig found in Europe with the purple skin, which is full of sun and very sweet to the lesser known prickly pear. It can be found everywhere in the streets throughout the country and is carved out before your eyes!
Pomegranates with orange blossom water
One of the most consumed fruits is undoubtedly the pomegranate. Served in bowls and flavored with orange blossom water, this fruit is a treat for the eyes and our bellies.
Dates
Dates accompanied by a glass of fresh milk are loved by the locals. This fruit with a strong sweetening power has undeniable nutritional qualities.
Blood oranges
Tunisia is the land of oranges and with olive oil it is one of the most exported foods. In general they are tangy and sanguine. Hmmm!
Persimmon
One of the little-known fruits enjoyed by locals are persimmons. They look like tomatoes from afar but are very sweet. They can be eaten raw or heated.
Medlar
This sweet fruit has a somewhat floury consistency and has a sweet and slightly tart taste.
We also find all the typical European fruits (grapes, peaches, apricots, etc.)
Discover the traditional dishes here for the more gourmands among you 🙂
Do you want to explore this magnificent country? I’ll let you discover my recommendations for places to discover and things to do here.
