World Food Thursdays

Country No. 40: Sri Lanka

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Dammikas, Victoria

5th July 2018

Attendees: Ben, Ellen, Chloe (debut), Lee, Kim, Calum, Eoghan, Tina (debut)

£35 a head

 

World Food updates have been thin on the ground recently and for a number of reasons, none of which are linked to a lack of available countries or willing participants. World food has continued apace.

 

But before the customary write up let us diverge into the insecurities that plague our scribe.

 

…To fully understand the torment that has created such a fervent case of writers block one must look towards the 1950’s Box Office smash, All About Eve. The plot of this timeless classic revolves around Margo Channing, a popular but aging Broadway star who is concerned about the impact her increasing age will have on the longevity of her career. After a performance of her latest play she is introduced to her number 1 fan, Eve. Eve quickly insinuates herself into Margo's life, acting as her secretary and adoring fan. She seems to anticipate Margo's every need. Margo becomes increasingly distrustful and bitter towards her, particularly after she catches Eve taking a bow to an empty theatre while pretending to wear Margo's costume for Aged in Wood. Margo asks her producer to hire Eve at his office, but instead Eve manages to become Margo's understudy without Margo's knowledge…

 

Sound familiar? It doesn’t take a genius to work out how that film played out…kudos to (L)Eve for the excellent write-up of Morocco but it’s time to retreat back into the shadows.

 

Demons have been faced.

 

Normal service will resume.

 

The key to a successful marriage is to keep things fresh, and with World Food we wholeheartedly support that concept. So keen are we to ensure that this little gastronomic adventure remain new and exciting that every single founding member of the club has gone out of their way to introduce new members to the World Food Clan. Two new members were inducted in Sri Lanka. Tina joined us (temporarily) from Dublin, and Chloe joined us (hopefully more permanently) from Ellen’s tummy. We welcome them both, and hope they each took something from their respective experiences.

 

And so it was that the 8 of us descended on a small Sri Lankan restaurant hidden away round the corner from the shiny new Nova development down by Victoria, to embark on the next leg of our culinary journey.

 

The printed menu was short, and to the point so, after ordering a few drinks, we decide to depart from the norm and hand the ordering duties over to the waiter.

 

We started with egg hoppers, bowl-shaped crepes housing a baked egg. Deliciously crispy and very moreish. To follow we received a selection of curries and stews. Fragrant and delicious.

 

Finally we decided to share some Watalappan, a traditional homemade Sri Lankan dessert containing coconut milk, jiggery, and cashew nuts. Kind of like a set custard.

 

Brief, I know, but Individual Liquidity Adequacy Assessment Processes and Structural Interest Rate Risk Management has become a very time consuming job, and that’s not just due to handwriting my business cards. 

 

Sri Lankan Facts:

• There were facts but they can’t have been that noteworthy as I can’t remember any of them