People these days, it seems, are fed up of express and fast foods; they are turning to the traditional and healthy cuisine of their forefathers, though going back and learning about this proves to be a difficult task for the younger generation. The recent Taif festival on traditional food served to educate the new generation about their culinary heritage. Kabab, Foul, Hareesah, Mabshour, Ma'asoub, Labania, Balila, Samen, Asal, Jubnia, Sambousa, Kabsah, Saleeg and many other food items were exhibited during the festival last Tuesday. Saudi Gazette spoke to one of the organizers, Masoud Jawad, who remarked that the festival aimed to promote the culinary gastronomic heritage of Taif in particular. In fact, the event provided the start to a season if festivals and fun during the summer this year with Jawad indicating the inclusion in these festivals of traditional, folk dances like Muzmar and Majrour. Organized under the supervision of the Higher Authority for Tourism and Antiquities, the Taif Governorate and the Ministry of Information, the event took place in Taif's downtown market where it is also possible to purchase such traditional food items as well as old books, handicrafts and antiques. One of Taif's specialities is the widely-popular Balila - consisting of spicy hot beans and pickled salad. Osama Al-Abdaly, who was manning the Balila stall at the festival claimed that most foreign tourists visiting Taif sought him and his Balila out because of its authentic flavor and explained a little about the history of the dish. “Balila is not only famous in Taif but is also popular in the whole Hijaz area,” he stated but refused to provide a recipe for “trademark reasons.” One visitor from Riyadh, Abdul Majeed Al-Amir, claimed that he was in Taif for shopping but was attracted by the display of traditional clothes at the festival. “Old men are sitting and chatting together about the old times and it is wonderful to listen to their stories about the old Taif. I especially like the old clothes - they give you a good idea about the history of a place,” he said.
