Local food produced in Jordan

I am neither Vegan nor Vegetarian nor can I really claim to always eat healthily and I love food a lot. However, I recently tried to get away a bit from processed food and unhealthy snacks and I remembered some really nice locally produced products that are so different from each other but do have a few things in common. They are made of pure, fresh ingredients, are produced in Amman, Jordan by people who have a passion for creating something of high quality and great taste. That’s why I reached out to learn something about their story and tasted their products to try them for you guys. I am sure there will be more to come in what might be the start of a new series. Sahteen!

Overall, I could not have found any more diverse products than the ones I am about to introduce to you. Again, the only thing in common is probably that they are handmade by locals in Jordan and are all special in their own way. Read on and discover three different brands of interesting food artists, be they healthy, sweet, or even with alcohol.

Baker and Bloom

Baker and Bloom are founded by Rana Tahboub, who not only makes these pictured cookies but designs impressive cakes such as celebrations cakes, cheesecakes, or tea cakes. I tried out some cookies and brownies and well, they are yummy. The ones with m&m’s are a bit too sweet for my taste but my kids seem to love it. For my wife and me, we enjoyed the brownies more with a nice tasty chocolate flavor.

However, when you have a look at Baker and Bloom’s Instagram page, you probably will be blown away by the range and beauty of cakes she creates. They all look stunning and I assume they are tasty as well. You can see, that Rana is not just a hobby baker but a professional pastry chef putting all her knowledge and love into these cakes. Apart from the stunning look on the outside, they come in various flavors such as Chocolate Nutella, chocolate dream cake, carrot with cream cheese frosting, lemon and vanilla cake, and strawberries and cream cake. The price depends on the size, filling, and complexity of the design of course. I guess I need to try them, too soon.

Phone/WhatsApp: +962 79 560 4420
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Thanks a lot to Rana for sweetening up our life.

Kama Local Gourmet

Kama Local Gourmet has a broad range of classic Jordanian products from pickled zatar or Makdus over olive oil, spiced Labneh, or Ma’amoul (sweet treats baked from semolina) either stuffed with dates, pistachio or walnuts. In their stores and online shop, they also sell olive oil soap, pomegranate molasses and have wonderful gift packages if you are on the lookout for a high quality present from Jordan.

Maysa’s Pasta

are freshly homemade pasta as well as dry pasta that will spoil your taste buds. Maysa discovered her love for Pasta in Italy as she realized that Italian cuisine is nothing like the one at home and Pasta always tasted different back in Jordan. She then slowly started making her own for her family, later for her friends and colleagues, and eventually reach the point in 2014 to leave her job and start her own business and turn her passion into a profession. Since then she creates all kinds of different pasta, be it Fussili, Spaghetti, Gnocchi, Lasagna, Linguini, Fettuccine, or Ravioli after her sister joined her team. They come in small quantity ensuring the highest quality, fresh ingredients, and are made with passion.

The first time I tried Maysas Pasta at an event at the National Gallery. It had a package of fresh ravioli and some dry Fusili. Everything I tasted, was yummy and delicious. It is really different from what you get at a store in most restaurants. They seem rich in taste and texture, not in unnecessary additives. For this week I was lucky enough to get some heartshaped, beetroot colored Ravioli, so I can make a lovely valentine’s dinner for my wife. Maysa also created colorful pasta for Helloween and always has some specials for holidays or seasonal occasions.

Last but not least, you can find Maysa’s Pasta at Yanboot, call them for delivery and ask them about specials and custom made veggie flavored items. Prices start at 5 JD per half a kilo of regular fresh pasta like Spaghetti, Fettuccini, Rigatoni, Linguini, Lasagna, or Shells. If with local whole wheat you get 450 g per 5 JD. Colored with squid ink are packed as 350 g for 5 JD and Ravioli filled with three kinds of cheese cost 7 JD for 35 pieces.
If you like to discover her products and learn more about Maysa’s Pasta, prices and delivery options please see below:

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Phone/Whatsapp: 0795717125
I would like to thank Maysa very much for providing me with some freshly made Pasta!

On The Rocks – Alcohol Ice Cream

On The Rocks is really something special as their product is chemically or physically not supposed to be. As alcohol itself does not freeze, it is a challenging task to create alcoholic ice-cream, I have been told by Shireen Dabbas, the founder of On The Rocks. After going through several tests and some serious chemical engineering, she was able to create ice cream that contains alcohol. So far, there are three different flavors; Caramel Whiskey, Cherry Brandy, and White Rum Mojito. I tried all different flavors and it was an interesting sensation. The Caramel Whiskey first gives you a sweet caramel taste and then leaving some more flavored whiskey taste in your mouth. The Mojito flavor is a perfect summer ice cream, fruity and yummy. It doesn’t taste too much like alcohol actually. The Cherry Brandy is an interesting flavor as well reminding of Mon Cherry Chocolates and could be enjoyed in winter as well.

On The Rocks, ice cream comes in 200 gm servings (portion for two) and costs 5.5 JD per package. It is delivered in a Styrofoam box with ice to make sure it stays frozen. That actually works until you open it, as it starts to melt fairly quickly, I discovered. But that doesn’t have an impact on the taste. While summer is in full progress now, I can imagine it could be an interesting dessert to surprise your guests or loved ones with.

You can find the On The Rocks Ice Cream at Cozmo and some selected liquor stores across Amman, as well as in some hotels. Delivery within Amman is also an option. For more information and delivery options, please see below:

Phone/WhatsApp: +962 79 548 6297
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A big shout out to Shireen for providing me with some samples on the house!

Peanutbetter

was started by Osama, who strangely enough, discovered the love for this typical American bread topping while studying in Sweden. Confused? So were I and since I wanted to dig in further into his motivation and some jars of Peanut-, Almond, Cashew- and Pistachio-butter, I approached him to learn about the making of his Peanutbetter. So what does make his products better than the usual butter? Fresh high-quality nuts – that’s it. No additions, no sugars, no oils, no corn syrup. That does not only sound healthier but you actually get more for what you pay since your jar is not filled up with cheap sugar or anything else.

And the taste? Yummy I can say. It is a bit dryer and has a different texture than the usual mass product but you eventually like it. From the different flavors, so far, I tried Peanut, Almond, and Cashew. I really like the cashew as I am just in love with Cashew nuts but Almond and Peanut are delicious as well. They taste fresh and just right. Nothing too much, nothing missing. I haven’t tried the pistachio, yet as it is also priced at the upper end, for the obvious reasons. Very quickly his mom got involved as they were otherwise able to supply the demand beside Osama’s full-time job as a programmer.

Prices and further information on Peanutbetter

The prices for the different glasses start from 3 JD for a small peanut butter glass (175g), while almond, cashew, and pistachio are more expensive in that ascending order. There is a nice offer called Nutssentials Package, which is a combo of 3 glasses (330g), containing one peanut, one almond and one cashew for 20 JD.
If you like to discover his products and learn more about Peanutbetter, prices and delivery options please see below:

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Phone/Whatsapp: 0790663538
I would like to thank Osama very much for providing me with some free samples!

Saladicious.jo – Fresh, tasty, unique salads made in Amman

Saladicious is what its name foreshadows. Delicious salads. But not only that, there are many different types and also some not so common ones. Saladicious has been founded by Eman, a young, female entrepreneur who decided to bring healthy food in variations to Amman. Operating from Rabiah, Eman creates fresh, healthy salads. However, you won’t find the normal boring green salad, or the typical Greek salad or the Chicken Cesar Salad. No, Eman combines Rocco salad with walnuts, strawberries, and goat cheese, topped with a nice balsamic dressing. Or you will find the Thai salad that has glass noodles in it and comes with a sweet Thai chili sauce. Other salads have a combination of greens, pumpkin seeds, pears, and grilled halloumi cheese. So each salad has some normal or popular ingredients and some not so typical ones such as Pomeli, Grilled Eggplant, and much more.

Everything is prepared fresh and can be ordered for the date of your choice. There are two sizes. Small ones cost 3 JD, large ones 4 JD, except for the special salads which cost 5 JD. Upon order of 12 JD or more, delivery within Amman is free.  When you order more than one salad, they are numbered as well as the corresponding dressings, so you know what belongs together. Our family tried the Thai salad, Pomelo salad, Rocco salad, Groat’s salad, the Quinoa salad, and recently the new Summer Salad. Each salad was unique, fresh, looked great and most of all was tasty. It was nice to taste some refreshing new recipes and experience that salads can be anything but boring. If there is one thing to be improved, I think the dressings could be less sweet and more healthy maybe.

Anyway, I will order some more in the future for sure. If you would like to try Saladicous.jo salads, make sure to check out their Info below

Phone/WhatsApp: +962 79 908 9987
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I would like to thank Eman for providing me with a selection of fresh salads!

Wake n Bake

Wake n Bake is making excellent homebaked cookies, granola bars, donuts but also pastries such as musakhn rolls, zatar croissants or pizza cups. I loved their granola bars as they provide a healthier option for a snack. They are only sweetened a bit with sugar. Make sure to taste their dark chocolate granola bars.

Zadbar

is created by two young entrepreneur sisters who create awesome tasting fruit and a nuts bar full of energy. They are not only healthy, nutritious, and also vegan but really taste great. And the best part is, they are only made of natural ingredients without preservatives. I tried them the first time after I bought some at an event at the National Gallery in Webdeh and got some more supplies provided for my Cycling Tour recently. Together with some bananas, this was the perfect snack for an energy-loaded day on a bike.

There several different flavors so far. Berry Blast, Figs&Flax, Tropical Bliss and Apricoconut, and Choco Berry. My favorite is Berry Blast, a really good tasty mix of nuts and berries. I think I haven’t had the Choco Berry, yet. The others are also great, rich in taste, not too sticky, and sized well. So far you can find zadbar on occasional food and gourmet events and on Instagram. They are planning to expand in the near future and reach out to different countries as well. They will provide exact nutrition information to make zadbar attractive to sport and fitness enthusiasts alike.

If you like to discover the full range of their products and learn more about zadbar, prices and delivery options please see below:

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Phone/Whatsapp: 0799480431
I would like to thank Nour very much for providing me with some free samples!

If you are searching for places to find baked goods see my article on the Best Bakeries in Amman. For high quality, locally produced cheese make sure to read about Mistaka Cheese – The Best Cheese from Jordan.