The Dates Market in Medina

1400 Years Old Dates Market 

Most Dates are sold outside on the streets, others in air conditioned shops

Medina ( اَلْمَدِينَة اَلْمَنَوَّرَة‎, or Al-Madīnah al-Munawwarah) is a modern city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia.  It is also known as The City of the Prophet", i.e., Muhammad. 

I visited Madina last month for a spiritual upliftment and to pray for the first time in the Prophet's mosque. What was remarkable about the city is the tranquility of its streets and its people. It was so peaceful - not just inside the mosque- but also in the shopping areas... You feel like everything is going smoothly.

Exciting thing too see in this city are the Palms farms all around and this explains the plenty of dates shops. Different kinds, different flavors and colors! It was like a "dates" heaven for those who love dates! This reminds me, who is excited for Mamoul this Eid?

Happy Eid Adha! :)

This type is Lagou Dates

And this one Kenta

Maya La Chocolaterie

As I said in my previous post yesterday, It is been long time since I blogged. Working in the Food & beverage industry, makes you want to be more delicate while posting about your food adventures.

I always talked about chocolate on my blog. But since moving to Riyadh, and due to the hot and dry weather, it makes you subconsciously avert away from something warm and heat producing!

Yet, visiting Maya chocolaterie, a place solely for having a chocolate experience has proven something else! Chocolate is desirable regardless of the temperature! If it is hot, people will eat chocolate and perhaps even more!!

Maybe the quote from Star Trek actually reflects what goes on people's minds on chocolates :
"I never met a chocolate I didn't like " Deanna Troi -  Star Trek ( The Next Generation)

Designing Restaurants for the Visually Impaired

Braille Language in Wimpy

What do you like to order Sir?

What would a visually impaired person answer to the waiter if he have not tasted the food before, if he was not accommodated with the menu? If it was his first time to the restaurant?

We eat with our eyes before we eat with our mouths..And sometimes even we have tasted the food before, if we dont see or atleast read about it, we would be confused to choose our lunch or our dinner.
Surely the sense of seeing is crucial in food choices.
Yet when we consider any visual disability as a difference, and not as a problem, it brings us very interesting concepts and ideas, especially in the food industry.

Some restaurant menus introduce Braille language to help customers with visual impairment. Braille language uses punctures on paper so that it could be read with fingers.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does not require restaurants to offer Braille menus as long as servers or other workers can adequately read menus out loud. Reading menus is considered an adequate replacement and an option that meets the requirements of the ADA.

Mc Donald's Arabia displaying Calories

 McDonald's  display calorie count of all food sold across the Gulf

For the Gulf region and Arabia,  McDonald's improved its corporate transparency, meaning nutritional information will be available in the region online, on the back of paper tray covers and even via a mobile phone app – virtually everywhere but the menu order boards in the restaurants.
"A Big Mac, according to the new label on the packaging, provides 527 calories, 28 grams of protein, 28g of total fat, 41g of carbohydrates and 1080mg of salt." More about that

Mcdonald's Arabia Website also added the "Current Nutrition Calculator Summary"

McDonald's Nutrition Calculator allows you to take control and create your own meal combinations. You can also get the nutritional breakdown of your favorite menu items.Whether you’re looking to work with your own dietary needs, nutrition goals, or want to feel good about satisfying your cravings, we’ve provided the information you need. So go ahead and build your meal....mix it up and make it fun!"