World Food Thursdays

Country No. 8: Egypt

 

Date: 30/07/2014

 

Venue: Ali Baba, Baker Street

 

Attendees: Ben, Lee, Kim, Ellen, Becky, Paul, Maor, Poppy

 

Cost: £20 a head & BYOB

 

So it seems like everyone is a comedian these days, or that’s the impression you’d get if you’d been unfortunate enough to included in the official World Food Whatsapp Group. Banter plumbed unheard of depths, specific, unaccredited gems included:

 

I’m cleo-pat-ra’ll have a great time

I am phairly excited

I refuse to evolve this, I am in de-nile

 

As is now becoming a feature of World Food dining attendees arrived in dribs and drabs, with the unlucky and overworked Paul sadly not making it in time for starters.

 

Speaking of which we definitely didn’t take heed of the classic less is more advice and went for pretty much everything on the menu. The highlights were the cabbage leaves stuffed with lamb and rice, the ubiquitous falafel and the Kubbeh, lowlights were, shockingly, the hummus and the aubergine dip.

 

There was much deliberation and discussion over the main courses, so much so that we deferred to Maor who was clearly suffering from World Food withdrawal, having missed the last two sessions due to actual travelling. Suffice to say he did a fantastic job, avoiding the suspiciously un-Egyptian offering of Chicken Escalope instead ensuring that all participants got a healthy portion of the classics; Bamia (okra), Molokhia (pond water with chicken), Fasolia (butter bean stew), Koshari (carb fest – rice, lentils, macaroni and lokshen) and of course Moussaka among other things.

 

Most dishes were well received, apart from the Molokhia which really didn’t look appetising and truth be told was quite revolting, with a consistency similar to soup, save for the bland and dry chicken. This was a single blemish on an otherwise delicious selection of main courses, far outweighing the slightly disappointing starters.

 

Finally we ordered some thimbles (no exaggeration) of unsweetened mint tea and a couple of platters of honey soaked desserts, all delicious particularly for those with a sweet tooth.

 

Egypt facts:

 

• An Egyptian, Ahmed Hassan, holds the world record number of football caps (appearances for their national team)

• Ramses II rules for 60 years, during his reign he had 90 children from 8 wives and approximately 100 concubines.

• Although a symbol of Egyptian culture around the world the Egyptians weren’t actually the inventors of the pyramids, the idea was stolen from the Mayans…how they managed to get half way across the world to steal the idea I don’t know.