Save the Date

A new tradition around Iftar is taking shape – and it’s all about promoting the Islamic principles of generosity and acceptance.

In our sometimes fractured world, few things bring people together in more convivial fashion than food. And what food is more universally loved than chocolate? Spices, shellfish, meat and cheese can divide opinion – and beliefs – but few of us are anti the cocoa bean, wherever we are on the globe.

The fusion of Eastern and Western tastes – and traditions – is at the core of a new tradition being played out in the Middle East around the holy month of Ramadan. And like many of the best ideas, this one was hatched around the dining room table. The creators of Ramadan calendar OneTaqwa were pondering the wealth of advent calendars that exist, not least the many chocolate versions, and wondered why there was nothing similar to celebrate one of the most important times of the year for the world’s two billion Muslims. So they decided to do something about it.

OneTaqwa is made up of 30 individual boxes, each containing a date – some plain, some stuffed, all sourced from across Arabia and designed to be taken to break the fast during Ramadan, in accordance with tradition. Each box is inscribed with a quote from the Qu’ran or the Hadiths and numbered to keep track of the passing of the 30 holy days. It’s an idea that is catching on. Renowned Belgian chocolatier Pierre Marcolini’s latest collection, devised especially for Ramadan, takes the form of a series of hidden drawers that are pulled out to make a pyramid, the centrepiece showcasing his most renowned creations. Adorning the top layer are colourful macarons, as well as gold-wrapped Medjool dates coated in milk chocolate. The lower levels are boxes of Marcolini’s ‘mallines’ – a self-coined portmanteau of malle (French for suitcase) and praline – which include further treats, including his famous hearts.

This pyramid is a testament not just to craft but to provenance. The glossy pink heart, for example, features pistachios sourced from Iran, while pink peppercorns come from Morocco. The ganache squares are individually marked with the origin of their cocoa beans – spanning Madagascar to Venezuela.

“In a world that blasts a constant message of division,” say the OneTaqwa founders, “this calendar is, to us, a symbol that we are all human and should extend the Islamic principles of generosity and acceptance to all, regardless of faith, orientation, race or gender.” Can chocolates, dates and macarons do all that? Maybe, maybe not, but we can all have fun trying…