Ramadan's Unofficial Drink · Fruit Cordial
Vimto
Photo: Mx. Granger / Wikimedia Commons · CC0
The cordial was invented in Manchester in 1908 by John Noel Nichols, originally sold as a 'health tonic', and a large share of its Middle East sales now comes in the weeks around Ramadan.
Vimto is a purple, fruit-and-herb-flavored cordial mixed with water and served over ice, its sweetness prized for the quick energy boost it gives after a day of fasting. It's sold everywhere from supermarkets to street carts, stacked especially high in the run-up to Ramadan.
Why it's made this way: Vimto has been sold in the Gulf since the early 20th century and is now made under licence in the region by Saudi company Aujan, becoming a fasting-season staple as fixed as dates and lentil soup.
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