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SimplyMe Member # 6465	posted Hi all. I've been to both the Isis and Imtenan Health Shops but have not been able to find most of the things I need; such as pure sea salt, food-grade sodium bicarbonate, whole grain rice, whole grain pasta, decent whole grain bread (rather than Rich Bake), among so many other things. Any suggestions where I can find a real health shop in Cairo?
egyptian7 Member # 12215	posted which area r u?
SimplyMe Member # 6465	posted Mohandissin
*Dalia* Member # 13012	posted I've seen all those things at the Nature's Best store in Zamalek: Organic & More Supermarket Tel: 27 38 27 24 8 Ahmed Sabry St. from Brazil St. http://www.sekem.com/english/economic/WhereToBuy.aspx?PageID=1 Decent whole grain bread is hard to come by in Cairo, but then I'm German and picky about my bread.
Miss_Tigerlily Member # 3567	posted For the bread def Fino Bakery, 12 Hassan Sabry St. also in Zamalek.
SimplyMe Member # 6465	posted Dalia, what I meant by the 'Isis health shop' is the Organic and More supermarket. Unfortunately, they don't have any of the things I mentioned, apart from the bread (which is imported from Germany but I'm actually looking for fresh whole grain bread). I guess I'll check out the Fino Bakery recommended by Tigerlily.
*Dalia* Member # 13012	posted That's strange ... you weren't able to find sea salt, whole grain rice, pasta etc. there? Because I remember buying those items. Yes, Fino is definitely a good choice for bread. You could also try getting your hands on some sour dough and baking your own bread.
SimplyMe Member # 6465	posted The rice they have is just brown rice. There's no mention on the packet that it's whole grain. All it says on the pasta is merely semolina. Also the colour of the pasta makes me assume that it's ordinary semolina, not whole grain. Anyhow I'll go again and double-check. I'll try to stop by the Fino bakery as well. Thanks for the advice
SimplyMe Member # 6465	posted By the way Dalia, do you bake your bread in the oven?
*Dalia* Member # 13012	posted quote: Originally posted by SimplyMe: The rice they have is just brown rice. There's no mention on the packet that it's whole grain. Usually you can see it, if the rice is brown it's should be whole grain. On the product description on the site it says: ISIS Brown Rice is grown organically without using any chemicals. This is approved by COAE (Center of Organic Agriculture in Egypt) and DEMETER Association. Brown rice hasn't had the bran covering the rice grains removed. Removing the bran is done so that the rice is fluffier and cooks faster. Since brown rice still has the bran intact, it is a much better source of fiber which is an important part of our daily nutrition. So, yup, it's whole grain. quote: Originally posted by SimplyMe: All it says on the pasta is merely semolina. Also the colour of the pasta makes me assume that it's ordinary semolina, not whole grain. Mh, I have no idea, it's been ages since I bought whole wheat pasta. But when I come across some, I'll let you know.
SimplyMe Member # 6465	posted Many thanks Dalia for taking the trouble to investigate their brown rice. Definitely sounds like it's whole grain.
SimplyMe Member # 6465	posted Dear ES members, which brand of honey do you think is better: Isis or Imtenan?
Two Member # 17234	posted My uncle gets my mother honey from the "Egyptian armed forces"! Not sure what that means but it's suppose to be pretty good.
Dzosser Member # 9572	posted quote: Originally posted by Miss_Tigerlily: For the bread def Fino Bakery, 12 Hassan Sabry St. also in Zamalek. That's closed and is a Mobinil (mobile) store, also the Omar el Khayam one on 26th. of July st. next to the Marriott has become a Vodafone store.. The only bakeries in Zamalek are the one inside the Marriott and of Metro super market. PS : Its not Hassan Sabri st. its actually Brazil St. once you've crossed the 26th of July Ave.
Dzosser Member # 9572	posted quote: Originally posted by SimplyMe: Dear ES members, which brand of honey do you think is better: Isis or Imtenan? They're both the same, if you need real honey go to Dokki/Giza by the Ministry of Agriculture you'll find outlets and kiosques selling natural fresh stuff, their honey is a pure non commercial product, they even have pollen grains and queen bee nutrient honey ( english translation for the arabic.. غذاء ملكات النحل )
Miss_Tigerlily Member # 3567	posted quote: Originally posted by Dzosser: also the Omar el Khayam one on 26th. of July st. next to the Marriott has become a Vodafone store.. Yes I've noticed it last summer; it was an Egyptian one. In the past I used to get myself something to eat there even in the night hours. Well she could always go to the Fino Bakery in Maadi but I'd think it's a little too far for just bread. http://www.yellowpages.com.eg/profile/NjEwMjM=/Fino-Bakery.html Besides that Dzosser you have more bakeries in Zamalek. You never heard of TBS??? You live nearby; go and check it out. 4D El Gezirah Street next to Fachon Pastries. And what about Flamenco Hotel? They do have a bakery but more limited offers. Also there is Monginis, in Ismail Mohamed St. - no bread, breadrolls, croissants???
Dzosser Member # 9572	posted quote: Originally posted by Miss_Tigerlily: [QUOTE] Also there is Monginis, in Ismail Mohamed St. - no bread, breadrolls, croissants??? Marie Antoinette ?? You forgot Simonds..
Miss_Tigerlily Member # 3567	posted Watch out for the honey, SimplyMe!! http://www.dailystaregypt.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=16241
SimplyMe Member # 6465	posted I've just noticed the responses to my post. Sorry for the delay!
SimplyMe Member # 6465	posted quote: Originally posted by Two: My uncle gets my mother honey from the "Egyptian armed forces"! Not sure what that means but it's suppose to be pretty good. Mmm... well I guess that may be hard to come by
SimplyMe Member # 6465	posted quote: Originally posted by Dzosser: quote: Originally posted by Miss_Tigerlily: For the bread def Fino Bakery, 12 Hassan Sabry St. also in Zamalek. That's closed and is a Mobinil (mobile) store, also the Omar el Khayam one on 26th. of July st. next to the Marriott has become a Vodafone store.. The only bakeries in Zamalek are the one inside the Marriott and of Metro super market. PS : Its not Hassan Sabri st. its actually Brazil St. once you've crossed the 26th of July Ave. Well I just found out today that the only type of 'brown' bread sold by Metro Bakery is made of wheat bran not whole wheat. The man in charge of the bakery didn't even know what whole wheat meant (in Arabic of course). He said this was the brown bread for people on a diet. What if I'm not on a diet and want to eat something healthy (bran is far from healthy)!
SimplyMe Member # 6465	posted quote: Originally posted by Dzosser: quote: Originally posted by SimplyMe: Dear ES members, which brand of honey do you think is better: Isis or Imtenan? They're both the same, if you need real honey go to Dokki/Giza by the Ministry of Agriculture you'll find outlets and kiosques selling natural fresh stuff, their honey is a pure non commercial product, they even have pollen grains and queen bee nutrient honey ( english translation for the arabic.. غذاء ملكات النحل ) The way they store and display their products is not very encouraging. They put the honey in direct sunlight. Apart from that, are you sure their honey is raw (not processed) and chemical free?
SimplyMe Member # 6465	posted quote: Originally posted by Miss_Tigerlily: Watch out for the honey, SimplyMe!! http://www.dailystaregypt.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=16241 A very scary article! Do you think it applies to Isis honey as well? I mean Isis is supposed to be organic and chemical free.
nevermind Member # 6674	posted Asked hubby and at least he and the beekeeper he cooperates with buy their antibiotics from a company that imports them from Germany. It is based near Mansoura, so I should think perhaps honey around Mansoura is somewhat "safer"? The beekeepers there more "enlightened" So around here they use tetracyclin, streptomycin, that should be a safer alternative, and in general medicines for kids (yes, baby syrups etc) but hubby thinks less aware people can use any kind of (relatively) terrible stuff. Mind that bees are very tiny beings and all medicines are picked and concentrations are measured so that in the first order they would not be harmed or even poisoned . Just treated, because the poor beings are terrorised with all kinds of infections the worst being of course the varroa mites http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/Varroa_on_larvae.jpg (but do not perhaps look if you want to enjoy your honey even in future ) It is also a usual practice to separate more serious treatment periods (usually in autumn, when the last honey has been collected and before bees stop producing) from main honey producing periods (here mainly May-June). Hubby at least is researching extensively for best practices, there are occasional training days by someone more experiences and knowledgeable, and because the diseases are pretty much the same everywhere in the world then also treatment practices and medicines are. Though the supervision is of course not quite as strict as with developed nations, but that is just real life. Anyway, they sell the honey to wholesale buyers who just add it to their big pot.
nevermind Member # 6674	posted Ah, I just remembered the monks in monasteries keep bees. A bit unsure if they also sell but otherwise there should be bees and production of honey in monasteries in Wadi Natrun. Hubby sometimes helps them with tasks there.
SimplyMe Member # 6465	posted Wow! Thank you Nevermind for all this info Is either type of honey available in Cairo?
nevermind Member # 6674	posted I do not think so, SM . It is relatively unefficient to sell honey "by jar". FIL does it but he is retired and has all the time in the world and no financial needs. Serious ones all sell wholesale, by tons. But if there is serious interest from ES members, I can inform you when the next batch is available and then have some kind of honey sales day somewhere in Cairo . Or take orders and deliver to some point in Cairo. Maybe in September but most likely next June... And you have to promise you like it, then! Myself I find the taste pretty watery but then I am used to Estonian honey which is probably the best honey in the world (do not know about Australia and NZ, though, they might be tough too). You get tree leave honey, flower honey and heather honey that is so dark and flavoury it is almost like Guinness of honeys. The latter is my favourite . But Egyptians like their honey light and colourless, they even call it "white honey" in difference from "dark honey", the latter being.. I never fully understood what it is - a maltose syrup? Here there is cotton honey (the one in September, I think, and if you keep your bees near these fields), then there is eucalypt honey perhaps in November, and in spring it is mostly fruit flowers and thereafter clover. Eucalypt honey btw is considered the most expensive. But it is hard job finding all this food for bees so they are mostly shuffled around all year from a village to a village depending of where there is food... Thus, ironically, in Estonia, where there is a bee paradise, probably a full forest and meadow for each bee house, there is not much market; while here there is a huge market but nearly no food for bees. Ehh...
Miss_Tigerlily Member # 3567	posted quote: Originally posted by nevermind: But Egyptians like their honey light and colourless, they even call it "white honey" in difference from "dark honey", the latter being.. I never fully understood what it is - a maltose syrup? Can't believe even the honey falls victim to 'racism' in Egypt!!! OT: Btw, a comedy named Asal Esweed was just released very recently - you should watch that with hubby. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oLJWFyhTyc http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100618/FOREIGN/706179896/1002
Shanta Qadeama Member # 9889	posted @Nevermind - the 'dark honey' is, I believe ,molasses. This is a by product of the process which turns sugar cane into sugar. It has never seen a bee in it's life. In the UK it would probably be illegal to refer to it as 'honey'.
Questionmarks Member # 12336	posted Ah, dark honey isn't real honey? I didn't know that, I disliked it and mentioned that it tasted very different as our honey, even asked about what kind of bees produced this substance...
SimplyMe Member # 6465	posted quote: Originally posted by nevermind: I do not think so, SM . It is relatively unefficient to sell honey "by jar". FIL does it but he is retired and has all the time in the world and no financial needs. Serious ones all sell wholesale, by tons. But if there is serious interest from ES members, I can inform you when the next batch is available and then have some kind of honey sales day somewhere in Cairo . Or take orders and deliver to some point in Cairo. Maybe in September but most likely next June... And you have to promise you like it, then! Myself I find the taste pretty watery but then I am used to Estonian honey which is probably the best honey in the world (do not know about Australia and NZ, though, they might be tough too). You get tree leave honey, flower honey and heather honey that is so dark and flavoury it is almost like Guinness of honeys. The latter is my favourite . But Egyptians like their honey light and colourless, they even call it "white honey" in difference from "dark honey", the latter being.. I never fully understood what it is - a maltose syrup? Here there is cotton honey (the one in September, I think, and if you keep your bees near these fields), then there is eucalypt honey perhaps in November, and in spring it is mostly fruit flowers and thereafter clover. Eucalypt honey btw is considered the most expensive. But it is hard job finding all this food for bees so they are mostly shuffled around all year from a village to a village depending of where there is food... Thus, ironically, in Estonia, where there is a bee paradise, probably a full forest and meadow for each bee house, there is not much market; while here there is a huge market but nearly no food for bees. Ehh... Thanks Nevermind. I'll be more than happy to buy if you ever decide to sell in Cairo. Shanta Qadeema is right. Dark honey is actually blackstrap molasses. Has nothing to do with bees.
Shanta Qadeama Member # 9889	posted If you're talking the very dark brown/black sticky stuff here in Egypt that you can get easily in most shops, yes that's probably molasses. (It is possible to get some real honey that is darkish colour but I don't think that's what you are referring to).
SimplyMe Member # 6465	posted Very true. Blackstrap molasses is called 'black honey'.
*Dalia* Member # 13012	posted quote: Originally posted by SimplyMe: I mean Isis is supposed to be organic and chemical free. It IS organic and chemical free.
SimplyMe Member # 6465	posted quote: Originally posted by Dalia: quote: Originally posted by SimplyMe: I mean Isis is supposed to be organic and chemical free. It IS organic and chemical free. I find it strange that the article says that 100% of the honey in Egypt is contaminated. That's a serious allegation.