Unless you’re going to a remote region lacking basic sustenance, food is generally a crucial part of a travel experience. While I may not be a fan of Jordanian cooking styles, I found their dessert landscape worth tucking into and coffee culture an inspiration.

1. Knafeh

If you’re only going to have one dessert while you’re in the Middle East, it has to be the Knafeh. I tried this traditional sweet dish in Jabal Kanaan, a bakery in the heart of Madaba, southwest of the capital Amman. Upon our request, the staff turned on the stove to heat up a large pan of spun pastry called kataifi, on which he then poured a ladle of syrup called attar before spreading it evenly with a spatula. As he gently cut out a rectangular slice, we saw gooey melted cheese oozing from the pastry. Before serving, a generous portion of chopped pistachios was sprinkled on top of the pastry, adding a pop of color and crunchiness to the delicacy. The saltiness of the cheese balances out the sweetness of the syrup, making it a perfect dessert for someone who doesn’t have a sweet tooth.

2. Maamoul & Ghraybeh

Delicious and handy, cookies are a versatile snack that you can have during breakfast, between meals, or on the run.  Only made with three ingredients – flour, ghee, and powdered sugar –  ghraybeh is a shortbread cookie that is crisp on the outside while soft and buttery once you bite into it. If you want something more sweet and chewy, maamoul is a cookie filled with dried fruit pastes like figs or dates. Some recipes also involve pistachios, almonds, or walnuts. The staff at the bakery told us that they would enjoy these cookies during Ramadan.

3. Coffee

After finishing the desserts, we were given a yellowish drink in a small cup. “It’s Saudi coffee,” the staff explained. As it’s briefly roasted, the coffee is light in color and high in water content as well as caffeine. The coffee is poured from a distinctive coffee pot called dallah and only covers the bottom of the cup – even less than an espresso. Ground cardamom seeds – sometimes cloves, saffron, cinnamon, and ginger – are added into the making process, lending the coffee a hint of spice that is an acquired taste.

More than a drink that keeps you awake for the day, Saudi coffee or Arabic coffee is associated with hospitality and generosity that made it listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. Traditionally, it is prepared in front of guests, and the serving sequence is according to their importance or seniority. The host would only fill up a quarter of the tiny earless cup called finjal, which would be refilled once empty. Rather than milk and sugar, the coffee is usually paired with dates, chocolate, or other sweets to balance out the bitterness. To signal that you are done with the coffee, it’s a custom to shake the empty cup with your wrist in a subtle, rapid movement. 

Another coffee that is prevalent in Jordan is Turkish coffee. One of its most significant differences from Saudi coffee is its dark color coming from the roasted coffee beans that have been finely grounded. For the preparation, mix the coffee powder and sugar (optional) with cold water in a coffee pot called cezve, which is then placed on low heat for a few minutes until a layer of foam is formed on the surface. It’s then presented in small cups with ears and saucers. And this time, the coffee is filled to the rim. As the content is thick and intense, one cup is the general amount of consumption, and it’s believed that the coffee ground that settles at the bottom of the cup can tell one’s fortune.