A few days before the start of the fasting month, Amina brought her cooking pots and utensils, inherited from her mother to a copper workshop in the old city of Tunis to restore their shine in preparation for Ramadan. Like Amina, Tunisian women check their copper cookware before the start of the fasting month and quickly send it for polishing so it’s ready for cooking the most delicious dishes.

Ramadan has a special flavor in Tunisia, and copper pots and pans are a big part of it. Amina told Annahar: “Nothing compares to cooking in copper cookware. There’s nothing better than preparing soup or couscous in a copper pot.” She emphasized that she polishes her copper regularly before Ramadan every year, just as her mother used to do.

A tradition rooted in time

Tunisians firmly believe that food cooked in copper cookware tastes the best, which is why they are careful to polish it before Ramadan. Many studies have highlighted the benefits of cooking in copper pots, noting that they preserve the nutritional value of food. Experts say they are free of harmful substances, though they require regular cleaning and maintenance.

Almost no Tunisian household is without copper cookware, despite the high cost of these items, especially in recent years. Some of the most common copper pieces found in Tunisian homes include the karwana, mafqoul, keskas, tanjara, mahras, and zazoua—all essential items in a bride’s kitchen set.

Tunisians call the process of polishing copper “taqsdeer”. This is the common term among them, a tradition passed down for generations and considered one of the most prominent customs for welcoming Ramadan.

Usually, a few days before the fasting month begins, families bring out the copper pots, trays, and jugs they have stored in their cupboards, some inherited from grandmothers, others reserved for special occasions. These items pile up outside the workshops of the “moqsadreen”, the craftsmen who restore the shine of copper.

The number of these artisans is declining. “Only a few still maintain this precise craft, which requires patience, skill, and a trained eye that knows exactly when the copper regains its silver-like shine,” confirms El Hady, one of the specialists in the field.

Copper (Annahar)

A precise process

Over time and with frequent use, copper loses its shine and gradually darkens, turning toward black. This makes regular maintenance necessary, including polishing or tinning the copper, to ensure it is safe for food, according to El Hady, speaking to Annahar.

He adds that Tunisians usually choose the month of Ramadan for this process, which is why the number of customers rises sharply in the days leading up to the fasting month. “In the days before Ramadan, I hardly leave my workshop because the demand is so high,” he says.

The process of taqsdeer takes a few hours. El Hady explains that it involves cleaning the copper again and coating the interior with a thin layer of tin, which protects the food and preserves its quality. He also notes that while this craft lost some of its prominence over the years, it has recently regained popularity thanks to social media.