Tunisia Shopping Tips by JLBG Top 5 Page for this destination

Any, including airports duty free shops: Dates

Dates are a main crop of Tunisia. Deglet Nour is one of 300 varieties of dates. Tunisian are very proud of their "Deglet nour" (fingers of light) variety, which is considered as the best date in the world. They are grown only in the oasis of Southern Tunisia (Djerid) and of South-eastern Algeria. "Deglet Nour" is a registered brand name in Algeria but Tunisia is by far the world first exporter country with 30,000 tons.

They are very sweet and with a special flavor honey-like. They should be a bit transparent. They are at their best just after harvesting, in late October and early November. You will find dates in duty free shops of airports both in Tunisia and in Algeria.

Theme: Food and Drink

Any: Olives and olive oil

Tunisia has always been an olive growing country. When Tunisia was a part of the Roman Empire, olive oil was together with wheat the main export towards Rome and Tunisia was considered as the main food purveyor of Rome, "the food basket of Rome". Tunisian olive oil is very tasty but as it might brake in your luggage, Iwould not advise you to bring a bottle home. But olives are also prepared in several ways as pickles. They taste very good and are easier to bring home. They usually are not found in duty free shops of airports.

What to buy: In 2003-2004, the world main olive oil producers were :
Spain 1 410 000 tons
Italy      675 000 tons
Greece  367 000 tons
Tunisia  230 000 tons

In 2003-2004, the world main olive oil exporters were:
Tunisia 180 000 tons
Italy     180 000 tons
Spain   125 000 tons
Turkey   40 000 tons

However, Tunisian oil shows seldom under its name. Until now, it is mostly exported in bulk to countries that incorporate it in their own oil for domestic use or for export. Tunisians begin to try to sell their bottled oil directly abroad.

Theme: Food and Drink

Anywhere but not in duty-free shops: Oranges

Oranges and more specifically, "Maltaises de Tunisie" (Maltese from Tunisia) are an excellent variety of oranges. They are not very large fruits, regular, with a thin skin. They are very tasty and can be taken either as whole fruits or as juices. Freshly pressed, they give the best orange juice I know.

They are imported into France but I do not know if they are sold in other European countries. The crop is from mid-january to march.

Theme: Food and Drink

Any, including airports duty free shops: Boukha and Thibarine.

Boukha is a traditionnal spirit (37.5°) prepared by Tunisian Jews. In Judeo-arab dialect, Boukha means “alcohol spirit”. It should be pronounced "burrhah" in about the same way than "buch" in German.

The brand Boukha Bokobsa was created in 1880 by the Bokobsa family in La Soukra, near Tunis. It is obtained by the distillation of the fermented brew of “figues de Barbarie” (prickly pears) from Tunisia and Turkey. Boukha is first of all an aperitif that is drink iced, but it can also be tasted as a digestive at room temperature or in cocktails. It is served in every bar of international hotels and only in some local bars. You can buy it in the airport duty free shop.

For more, look at the Boukha Bokobsa web site.

Thibarine is very sweet liquor, sometimes said to be made of fermented dates, which is wrong. It is made of grape spirit and various aromatic plants from the South. It tastes a bit like the "French Chartreuse Jaune". BTW, it is also made by monks, the monks of Thibar, while Chartreuse is made by monks of the Grande Chartreuse, near Grenoble. You can buy it too in the airport freeshop.

Theme: Food and Drink

Any, including airports duty free shops: Wine

Vine was already cultivated in Tunisia during the Roman times. Tunisian wines were highly appreciated in Rome. After the Arab conquest, cultivation of vine decreased and was kept mainly for grape. It was later developed for wine by French and Italian settlers. Most of the vineyards are in the Cap Bon (85%). There are 3 qualities : table wines, AOC and the best, AOC premier cru. The best Tunisian wines are the reds, such as Château Mornag, Haut Mornag, Carthage, Magon rouge, etc… They are strong and powerful. Rosés are lighter and should be drink very cool : Tyna, Sidi-Raïs, Koudiat, Rossel. There are few whites : moscat of Kelibia is very fruity and should too be drink ice cool. The monks of Thibar grow a sparkling wine but I do not recommend it as sparkling wines are tastier when the vine grows in a colder region. The restaurants of most (if not all) international hotels serve wine. Some local restaurants do too, but far from all of them. You will find wines in duty free shops of airports.

Theme: Food and Drink