‘Twas the night before Eid, and all through the flat,
Not a person was fasting, not even my aunt;
The new clothes were hung out on the balcony with care
In hopes that tomorrow they’d be worn, and with flair;
The children were all out on the street down below,
Mouths bursting with kahk and their eyes all aglow;
And teita in her abayah and I in my taqiyah,
Had just settled down for a Ramadan drama.
Eid Mubarak, everyone. Aren’t holidays the best? Eid is no exception. And just like that Christmas Eve in the old classic poem, Eid “Eve” is magical too.
(Sprinkle a little fairy dust on these rides and – presto – you’ve an Eid carnival right in your neighborhood)
Now, let’s be clear: we are talking about Eid el-Fitr or, as it is known in Egypt, Little Eid. Some might not consider a six-day government holiday to be “little,” but in comparison to Big Eid (Eid el-Adha), it is. Just trust me on that one.
(It’s cookies for days during Eid)
Eid el-Fitr marks the end of the month of Ramadan. It is a time for visiting friends and family, showing off new clothes, and eating lots of kahk. Ah, kahk cookies, the hallmark of Eid. Like the Christmas cookie, kahk is traditionally made at home with your family. People literally make huge bins of these little heart attacks and eat them for weeks.
(Join the pre-Eid rush on new clothes at the souq)
You know you want to try some. You could buy a kilo’s worth from your local bakery. But where’s the fun in that? Just strap on your apron, buy or borrow a kahk mold, and make a batch – or ten – yourself. Try this recipe from the aptly named cooking blog “Cleobuttera.” Your fairy Egyptian teita would be proud of you. And so would I. Save a few for me, will you?
