Traveling In Egypt, Specifically Cairo

[GIJane]

Hello All,

My husband and I are planning a trip and hoping that we can make Egypt work. I'm a little bit concerned since I will need to find Gluten-free food while there. I have done some research and it seems that most traditional Egyptian cuisine is pasta-based (i.e. poison-based). I don't know enough about the country to know whether salads are typically served in a restaurant or what the supermarkets are like. Does anyone know more? Could anyone give me some advice?

Thanks!

[stef-the-kicking-cuty]

Hello GIJane,

I can't really give you a lot of advice. One thing I know from when we were in Tunisia is, that they also might have Couscous in Egypt. Couscous is not glutenfree.

Hugs, Stef

[Merika]

Hi,

Wish I could help you. Wish I could go with you All I know is from working in a lot of Tunisian and Morroccan restaurants. Couscous is not gluten free. Flour may be in ALL the soups (lentil, etc). Flatbread is common and clearly not gluten-free.

The biggest problem I see is the communal hands nature of eating in the middle east - where everyone shares food off the same plate. And where fruits, dates, and other things are "washed" briefly in water in between customers - as in customer A didn't eat it on his plate, so the item was rinsed and added to customer B's desert basket, and so on. Apparently legal by health standards here, so I can only imagine what happens there. Personally, I would bring all my own food.....

Please post back on your experience, as I'd really like to go there sometime....

Thanks,

Merika