Mezze in Egypt

With just about any order at a restaurant or cafe in Egypt, you will receive a mezze course. Mezze likely originates from the Persian word for 'taste'. Don't forget that Egypt was under Persian rule three times, dating back to 525 BC. The final Persian conquest of Egypt lasted a bit longer in 618 BC. But this legacy of mezze can be found all throughout North Africa and the Middle East.

The idea behind the mezze is a light course followed by the main meal. In Egypt, you will always get a small plate of hummous, baba ghanoush, and tahina. Those seem to be the standards.

Depending on which restaurant you are at, you may also get taboulah, and khiar be lebaan (cucumber yogurt). You can also order additional mezze such as tamaaya (falafel), basturma bil baid (basturma and eggs), bisara (fava bean dip), tomato and cucumber salad, white bean salad, and kobeiba.

The idea is to have the table filled with lots of small tastes of food to get you warmed up for the main entree.

It is heavenly.