A job he inherited from his father half a century ago Yusuf Sarhan Azouqa otherwise known as Abu Hassan sells Ramadan drinks especially carob in the center of the northern West Bank city of Jenin.
At a time carob dates lemons and hibiscus are offered at breakfast tables during the month of Ramadan Abu Hassan is known in Jenin for preparing and selling them. He recalls to the PIC how his father forced him forty years ago into this profession “My father used to sell juices in Ramadan at the current bus station. I used to accompany him at the age of 11 until I mastered this profession inheriting it from my father” he recalls.
The house of Abu Hassan in the old neighborhood of Sibat in the city of Jenin turns into a factory for the production of these juices throughout the month of Ramadan. He speaks of preparing the carob: “We grind the carob with semi-cold water and the next day we clean it with a silk cloth add a little dye to improve its light color and a little sugar to replace its relatively bitter taste.”
Ramadan drinks
Abu Hassan lists the benefits of carob as saying: “It is used for the treatment and purification of blood improving blood pressure and removing acidity and treatment of inflammation and prostate.”
As for hibiscus juice he says: “When it is cold it lowers the blood pressure strengthens blood arteries and the heart muscle while when it is hot it raises blood pressure” adding “when we sell it we ask customers about their blood pressure and we have reduced the quantity we sell of it recently.”
“As for the natural Hindi dates we grind filter clean and cool them without adding any pigments flavors and sugar” he notes.
Abu Hassan recalls the old drinks during the month of Ramadan that have almost disappeared such as: “Qamar Aldeen which is made of the apricot syrup and drunk before Suhoor because of its benefits to the body of the fasting person as well as the Liquorice juice which cools up the body of the fasting person and moistens the throat making this person feel fresh.”
Inheriting profession
As Abu Yussef had passed on his profession to his son Abu Hassan the latter has passed it on to his son Yazid who is now working with his father and is wearing the traditional dress of juice sellers. “When my father spoke to me I was hesitant and shy because of the strange dress I had to wear while selling the juice; however as time passed on it became normal and I would feel a special pleasure with the big turnout of citizens to buy the juices.”
In a small vehicle his little brother prepares plastic bottles filled with various juices. Yazid continues saying: “Every Ramadan we open our stall at the main roundabout in the city. We sell carob juice normal and natural dates lemon mint blackberry hibiscus and almonds. We are currently working on preparing raisin juice which is a Lebanese drink.”
Despite the fact that Ramadan is the most important season for these drinks Yazid sells carob on the streets of the city during the rest of the year. He also offers it instead of coffee on some occasions in the occupied territories of 1948 as is customary in some villages there where carob replaces coffee at weddings and is offered to the guests.
He concludes: “There is a special symbolism for carob among citizens and its name in Jenin became associated with me where people got used to seeing me in my unique dress while selling it.”
