Sweets and Beverages

Rural Gaza was never known for fancy desserts. With such splendid orchards that used to grow in the region, meals were generally concluded simply with fruit, nuts, and sage tea. Sometimes peeled cucumbers and carrots were also presented after the meal. In winter, rustic puddings like haytaliya or halawit smeed were occasional treats. Then once a year, Gazan villagers would go to the spring fair in El Majdal Asqalan, a village depopulated in 1948, and buy tins of fancy confections that would be savored for months. Urbanites, particularly those from Yaffa, enjoyed a more elaborate range of pastries made for special occasions, particularly for sharing at Ramadan. In this chapter, we present samples of both simple rustic desserts and the elaborate pastries generally made by commercial confectioners, as well as a variety of hot and cold drinks.