Whoever says Sugar Festival, says Ramadan. If you are Muslim(a) then of course you know all about it. If you are not, but are curious about how to celebrate the Sugar Festival? Or are you invited to the Sugar Festival and want to bring something with you? Read on and you'll know exactly how things work including tips for the Sugar Festival itself. 

First, some context: Ramadan, the month of fasting

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar; a calendar determined by the moon. Ramadan begins when the first dash of the moon becomes visible. Thus, the exact day varies from year to year. One of the most well-known parts of Ramadan is fasting: this is when Muslims do not eat or drink between sunrise and sunset. This period of fasting is meant to allow maximum focus on what really matters: doing good deeds, reading the Qur'an and spending time with family and friends. After all that focus and relative sobriety, at the end of Ramadan it is time for celebration: the Eid al-Fitr, or Sugar Festival as it is also called because of the enormous amount of sweet dishes that appear on the table then. You celebrate the Sugar Festival with your family. Everyone puts on their best outfit and hands out presents.

Sugar Festival treats

ls you love sweet, the name Sugar Festival alone sounds promising. But anyone who sees the packed tables will inevitably have their mouth watering. Baklava, buttercream rolls, walnut ghribia cookies, oreo chocolates, chebakia or fried rghaif. These not only sound insanely delicious, they are. Especially if you can enjoy it with your family. Just be careful: if you start the Sugar Festival with sweets and don't stop after that, you'll give your blood sugar such a big boost that it will start fluctuating. Therefore, give yourself, your family and your relatives the opportunity to alternate the sweet delicacies with a meat or couscous dish. A few colorful tagines on the table looks hearty, too. Also, don't eat too much at once, but have several small meals spread throughout the day.

Style that Sugar Festival table!

Tasty food is one thing, but don't forget presentation. Drape a colorful tablecloth over the dining table, set out gold or beautiful green cutlery in tall cups so everyone can grab what they need and fill carafes with drinks. A teapot and teacups should not be missing either. Cake trays also provide a playful variation in height, and next to their slender base there is enough room left over for that bowl of almond cookies your sister-in-law will bring along later.

Sugar party must haves

Good preparation is half the battle. So check in good time whether you have the right baking tin(s) to make the dishes you want. In case you need a new mold: silicone baking pans do not need to be greased and your baking will come out almost effortlessly. If your dish is a bit larger, metal or glass baking molds with a hard sidewall are more practical. Ingredients, recipes, batter bowls, (oven) dishes and mixer at hand? Bake away! And um... all that tasty abundance is obviously very welcome, but you do have a good chance that some will be left over when your last family member walks out the door. You solve that by having plenty of storage containers on hand where you can keep the dishes and snacks good for several days. Or you give them to your sister, brother-in-law or aunt. I would say put on your best clothes, arrange some gifts for your company and enjoy being together.

Happy Sugar Festival / Eid Mubarak!