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Fragrance of Arabic Coffee, Popular Saudi Cuisine at Davos

The cafe attracted the attention of Davos participants because of the quality of its Arabic drinks and popular Saudi food
The cafe attracted the attention of Davos participants because of the quality of its Arabic drinks and popular Saudi food
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Fragrance of Arabic Coffee, Popular Saudi Cuisine at Davos

The cafe attracted the attention of Davos participants because of the quality of its Arabic drinks and popular Saudi food
The cafe attracted the attention of Davos participants because of the quality of its Arabic drinks and popular Saudi food

With the Davos meetings coming to an end, the scent of Arabic coffee and popular Saudi food still lingers there.

The MiSK Foundation serves hot drinks and local food to the attendees at the most prominent event and forum in the world, to showcase Saudi Arabia’s culture of generosity and hospitality.

The Foundation succeeded in collaborating with the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage in designing a cafe adjacent to where the event is taking place, close to the most significant leaders, officials, ministers and leaders of the private sector in the world, making it a headquarters for spreading a culture of generosity and hospitality with a variety of drinks, at the front of which was the pure saffron-flavored Arabic coffee to support the spread of Saudi culture and enhance national tourism.

The elegant cafe has the logo of a Saudi woman carrying bouquets of flower and basil against a green background designed by Saudi youth. The woman is actually taken from a real photograph captured by the photographer Mohammad al-Jaribi and was designed by designer Mariam Bawazir at a time where hundreds of visitors attracted by the fragrance of Arabic coffee and the scent of popular food is prepared fresh every morning.

According to one of the cafe supervisors, Sarah al-Khadiri, the point of these efforts is to introduce part of Saudi civilization and culture, and its exquisite taste in hospitality through hot local drinks such as Arabic coffee and tea, prepared every day at 7 am during the forum.

She says the ingredients are all Saudi and food is prepared by a Saudi chef.

Expert designers have designed the cups, inspired by Saudi heritage. Screens also display high-quality tourist films produced by creative Saudis, against a background of popular music that adds to the local Saudi feel.

The cafe is attended by prominent ministers, high-ranking officials and CEOs of well-known international companies visibly impressed by how professional the presentation of the cuisine is, expressing their admiration and astonishment with the quality of the experience.

Khadiri points out how proud she is working on the marketing of national heritage and enhancing local tourism in the Kingdom.

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Spanish Olive Trees Find New Home on Hungary’s Slopes as Climate Warms

A person holds a plate of olives at Babylonstoren at the foot of Simonsberg in the Franschhoek valley in Cape Town, South Africa, September 12, 2024. (Reuters)
A person holds a plate of olives at Babylonstoren at the foot of Simonsberg in the Franschhoek valley in Cape Town, South Africa, September 12, 2024. (Reuters)
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Spanish Olive Trees Find New Home on Hungary’s Slopes as Climate Warms

A person holds a plate of olives at Babylonstoren at the foot of Simonsberg in the Franschhoek valley in Cape Town, South Africa, September 12, 2024. (Reuters)
A person holds a plate of olives at Babylonstoren at the foot of Simonsberg in the Franschhoek valley in Cape Town, South Africa, September 12, 2024. (Reuters)

Csaba Torok, who grows olives on Hungary's warm southern slopes near Lake Balaton, believes his trees from southern Europe have found a successful new home as Europe's climate gets warmer.

Torok, 55, got his first three small olive trees from Spain around 2008. Two froze to death the first winter but one survived, prompting Torok to buy around 200 more over the years to plant in his vineyard on Hegymagas, a volcanic butte formation with sunny slopes, ample rain and rich soil.

"I see these trees as an integral part of the future landscape here," Torok said, as he harvested the olives with friends, noting the local microclimate increasingly suits the trees.

He takes his hand-picked olive crop to neighboring Slovenia where his virgin olive oil is made and which he sells for 4500 forints ($12.35) per 0.1 liters.

As southern Europe is hit by more frequent droughts and scorching heatwaves, the areas where olive groves can flourish appear to be shifting northwards, he said.

Hungary's winters have become palpably milder over the past years. Europe is the fastest warming continent in the world, the European Environment Agency said last month, and faces a greater risk of drought in the south.

Spain, which usually supplies around 40% of the world's olive oil, has suffered poor olive harvests in the past two years due to heatwaves and a prolonged drought, doubling olive oil prices to record levels.

Last week, the Spanish farm ministry said the first estimates for this year's harvest indicated a recovery, with 2024-2025 olive production forecast at 1,262,300 tons, up 48% from the previous harvest.

In southern Hungary, near the city of Pecs, Gabor Stix has been experimenting with an olive grove for years, cultivating trees for sale. Stix expects all his trees grown this year to be sold by March.

"Olive trees love this climate. ... One would think Hungary is not suitable for olive production, but it is," Stix said.

Even north of Hungary, in Slovakia, people have been buying olive trees for their gardens to have a "Mediterranean feeling". In the village of Iza, garden center owner Istvan Vass has imported 25 truckloads of olive trees from Spain this year, selling them for 300-500 euros each.

As buyers arrived to choose trees, Vass warned that during the first winter the trees might suffer damage from sub-zero temperatures, but covering them helps.

"There are lots of olive trees planted outside in the gardens and they cope really well," he said.