Palm Grove in Dahshour

September is a beautiful month here in Egypt. Why you may ask? Well because nature puts on a beautiful display of colors especially where the palm groves are still found. 

Climber with a basket

Have you driven by the groves near Saqqara, El Badrasheen, Dahshour or even in Alexandria at Montazah? Have you noticed all the corn stalks hedges that have been put up on the land where the dates will be spread out to continue to ripen and dry? Have you raised your gaze and looked at the ripening dates changing from green to yellow, deep red, brown or black? Have you watched that skilled man climb the palm tree in his bare feet, hanging on to the tree by a rope tied to his waist and around the trunk?  At times he takes a huge flat basket and shakes the fronds to collect the ripened dates and at others he cuts the 3argoon and throws it to the ground.  

The colors are just magnificent! And from a bird's eye view your eyes feast on a beautiful patchwork of fall colors produced by the dates in their varying stages of drying. 

September is also the month we begin drying our own beautiful dates in our solar tunnel. And some years I make date jam too! 

Seewee and haynee dates

September 2013

Minnie's has been off line for a few weeks now! And actually everyone at Minnie's took some time off during that long silent period! I did go on vacation, then Ramadan and the heat came, followed by 3eed (feast) and all the events that followed, but now it is time to go back to work! 

Seriously I mean! Because although I didnt write for a few weeks, I have been busy trying new items for drying, toying with the idea of a new package for our products and when you read The Slice this month, you will see for yourself all the new items on our list .

I have just posted an article about mushrooms and a recipe using Minnie's dried mushrooms. 

Nile TV came to Dahshour to film the project and the women at work. It aired in August.  The interview was conducted in French, but even if the language may be a barrier to some of you, I think that Hani, the cameraman took some really nice pictures. The program is called "Les femmes D'Egypte" and it portrays the Egyptian woman doing what she does best: promoting her country, her products and herself. I feel very fortunate to have had a segment on that program and maybe if they re-run it I will know ahead of time and post the time and day.

So get ready! And look for Minnie's new look in stores, on the blog, on Facebook, on Nile TV and at the Farmer's Markets all around town.