Gourmantic recently celebrated its second anniversary, and with nearly 400 articles under its belt, it’s time for a little navel-gazing. The purpose is not to ascertain how much weight has been gained from delectable food and drink experiences but to review the progress and reminisce about good times in travel writing. My 7 Links is [...]

The Food of Aleppo The ancient city of Aleppo (Halab – Alep) prides itself on the best cuisine in the Middle East. Such a reputation often intrigues travelling gourmands so before departing on our trip to Syria, I consulted Aleppian people in the know and collated a list of food and drink they considered to [...]

The people of Aleppo have a shared passion. Not only do they pride themselves in food that is steeped in culinary traditions and guard their recipes close to heart, they undeniably affirm their cuisine as the best in the Middle East. As one of the world’s oldest inhabited cities, Aleppo’s cuisine takes inspiration from the [...]

Tchak Tchak Tchak That’s the sound of the coppersmiths at work as you approach Khan Al Nahasin, the copper market in Aleppo. Tchak Tchak Tchak. Your footsteps on the cobblestones echo their rhythm. The Aleppian khan or souk dates back to the 16th century when it was the epicentre of copper trade in the Syrian [...]

Some travel souvenirs remind you of the world, others tell a story that goes back in time. This is called kabkab, the Arabic word for clogs. And this souvenir is a mini kabkab. You slide one on the thumb, the other on the first finger and you click them like finger cymbals. Clogs aren’t usually [...]

Every once in a while you come across a food item that evokes curiosity. Educating the palate as well as the mind is one of the best advantages you gain from travel, particularly when you can replicate the experience at home. One such discovery from my travels to the Middle East is Syrian string cheese. [...]

The mere mention of the name Hama, the Syrian town 140 km south of Aleppo, triggers images of giant waterwheels gently turning along the banks of a river. Most travellers drop in for a short visit on their way to the larger metropolises of Aleppo or Damascus. The city of Hama, or Hamat (means citadel [...]