The Sweetest Few Weeks of the Palestinian Summer

Right now, apricot season is at its peak in Palestine.

For just a few weeks each summer, market stalls fill with baskets of golden mishmish (pronounced mish-mish), filling the air with their sweet fragrance. Then, almost as quickly as they arrive, they're gone!

That's why apricots hold such a special place in Palestinian summers.

They are enjoyed fresh, picked perfectly ripe, shared with family, turned into homemade jams so their sweetness can be enjoyed long after the season ends.

But there's another tradition that many people outside Palestine have never heard of.

After eating the fruit, many families carefully crack open the hard pit to reach the tiny kernel hidden inside.

It has a delicate, nutty flavor, and for many Palestinians, tasting that little kernel is just as exciting as eating the fruit itself.

In fact, the apricot's short season even inspired a well-known Palestinian expression:

"Jum'a Mishmisheyyeh"
(pronounced joom'a mish-mish-iyyeh)
Literally means "Apricot Friday."

It's a playful Palestinian expression used to describe something that happens very rarely, or might never happen at all. The saying comes from the fact that apricot season is incredibly short, almost over as soon as it begins. This phrase emphasizes just how uncommon something is.

For example: If a family member is usually grumpy every morning but suddenly wakes up smiling, cheerful, and in a great mood, you might laugh and say, "Today is Jum'a Mishmisheyyeh!" meaning, "Wow, this almost never happens!"

It's a reminder to enjoy the season while it lasts.

Food has a wonderful way of preserving memories, traditions, and even language. And every season in Palestine has a story to tell.