Oil and Vinegar

[BENNU]

I went to the supermarket to buy olive oil. He only had one tiny bottle of Wadi, which I think is the best brand in oil, balsamico, olives etc, but he was not happy to let me buy such an expensive oil, when I could have a large bottle of whatever else at the same price or less. As I cook for one and not for an extended family, I defended my extravagancy, and he accepted. He usually tells me not to get near the expensive, imported biscuits and will not sell me Nestlé water, because: “Oh, Madame, it is more than twenty gineh per box, take Dasani, I am sorry, but that is eighteen now, these are hard times.” He was watching Fatafeat on TV, complaining that Egyptian women do not cook like that, they were preparing a strange dish containing more oil than the small Wadi in my bag, which by the way would have been wasted on the Fatafeat recipe.

On my way back I passed a man, who was overseeing the building of his new shop. He described, how this would be a Wadi shop with competitive, fixed and marked prices, high standard of hygiene and the decoration would be very tasteful. Apart from olive oil he would have honey and other natural products for sale and he was very proud of the Wadi fish and poultry, he was going to offer. I do not know, what to think about the location for such an ambition, on the road to Memnon after the checkpoint, but if he lives up to his words, I shall be the first to beat the jungle drum. He showed me the new ceramic floor under the dust and pointed, where the staff would wash their hands, using a foot pedal, as recommended by Wadi themselves. The men were busy, but his plans of having an opening celebration at the end of the month, inshallah, sounded a little optimistic. Let us see!

[FABlux]

My favourite olive oil is Kalamata oil (I got hooked on it when visiting the region a few years ago) & I was so pleased to see that here I do agree about the Wadi for cooking though

[BENNU]

Wadi Kalamata olives taste like real Greek olives from Kalamata!