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Egyptian Bread

عيش

Specialised

⚠ THE EGYPTIAN WORD FOR BREAD IS "AISH", WHICH MEANS "LIFE", and that is not a charming etymology — it is the accurate description of a relationship. AISH BALADI is the everyday bread: wholemeal, pocketed, baked very hot, and SUBSIDISED, with a state bread programme feeding a majority of the population through a ration system. ⚠ THAT SUBSIDY IS THE MOST POLITICALLY CONSEQUENTIAL FOOD POLICY IN THE COUNTRY: the 1977 "bread riots" followed an IMF-prompted attempt to reduce it, bread shortages are documented among the grievances of 2011, and Egypt is among the world’s largest WHEAT IMPORTERS — which made the 2022 disruption of Black Sea supply an Egyptian food-security event. Also AISH SHAMSI, the sun-proved sourdough of Upper Egypt; AISH FINO, the soft roll; FITEER MESHALTET, the layered ghee pastry, savoury or sweet; BETAW of maize and fenugreek; and the bread that goes into FATTA. Baking has been women’s and village work as much as a trade.

Atlas — where and when

Where in the world

Communities and languages

Languages: Egyptian Arabic, Saidi Arabic

What is recorded

  • The Egyptian bread riots follow an attempt to reduce the bread subsidy. documented
  • The Egyptian colloquial word for bread, aish, means life. Subsidised aish baladi is distributed through a state ration system reaching a majority of the population. The 1977 bread riots followed an attempt to reduce the subsidy, and bread shortages are documented among the grievances of 2011. Egypt is among the world’s largest wheat importers, which made the 2022 disruption of Black Sea supply a national food-security event. documented

Related foodways

This foodway relates to

  • part of Egyptian Cuisine documented

    "Aish" means life. The bread subsidy is the most politically consequential food policy in the country.

Recorded as relating to this foodway

  • related to Levantine Breads documented

    Subsidised bread is a documented instrument of state in both Syria and Egypt.

Recipes

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