A look at the food culture in Kuwait!
“A food culture is not something that gets sold to people.
It arises out of a place, a soil, a climate, a history, a temperament, a collective sense of belonging.”
-Barbara Kingsolver, Animal Vegetable Miracle-
I would never have read Barbara Kingsolver’s book Animal, Vegetable Miracle if it was not one of this months book club selections. With a diverse group of people picking the book selection of books we have read this year I knew I would be challenged as a reader. This month with each page I read I learned a new trick, a new tip and found a new love for cooking.
As I walked into the book club meeting I was looking forward to trading stories about the challenges of finding fresh produce in Kuwait. I hoped perhaps I’d learn the secret to where to find a tomato that would be suitable for eating instead of being tossed in the trash. What I wasn’t prepared for, yet totally loved, was how the book had inspired the book club to become so much more than the sharing of words.
The great book club hostess had turned her kitchen into a cooking show. As we talked about the book she made cheese. Yep, right from scratch she took whole milk and within minutes had magically turned it into marvelous mozzarella.
As the cheese curdled we vented about produce that had more airmiles than many of us. Someone brought locally grown tomatoes and the power of the book club changed my shopping habits. (Hint: Yasmine Farms in Kuwait has a section in the Sultan Center and there produce is fresh and lovely ) As we talked about how are eating has changed in the country of Kuwait it dawned on me that I am know surrounded by a wide variety of very different and distinct food cultures.
“I would be exhausted after that long plane trip. Never mind if I was a tomato.”
One section of the community I live in has a food culture is loosely based around eating and drinking just like they are at home. This means the large circular import sticker is a sign indicating that this item is a part of your food world. How long it took to get to your dinner table it is not important. It is about eating the food that comes from home. I will be the first to admit that there is something very comforting about eating the pickles that are just like the ones you ate when you were six. The eight Canadian dollar price tag is worth the sense of joy it brings me to feel like even though my whole world has changed somethings haven’t.
Part of this food culture has also invested significant time into the technology and technic of making sure the beverages on your table are just like home. I once had this apple drink that was spectacular. It is amazing how your food culture, like your love of hockey, travels with you.
In addition Kuwait has developed a very unique food culture involving delivery services. Pretty much anything you want can be ordered by telephone or internet . Why there is even internet sites like 6alabat.com , where you can use your bank card to order from a large variety of restaurants. Several mouse clicks later and within a Kuwait minute the delivery person is knocking at your door. Every Saturday morning a man selling boxes of water or cases of coke arrives at my door to see if I need any beverages.
A new trend that has appeared in Kuwait is the box dieters. This food culture is based on healthier choices and exact portion size. Box dieters pay to have a green box filled with their meals delivered to their door each day. They work with a dietician and plan their weekly menus. It is also interesting to see how this box food culture is spreading. With people sharing weight loss success stories and the benefits of having someone else cook your meals the box culture has grown quite quickly in our small community. Why today I even saw the old boxes being painted by students as part of their art project.
“But approaching mealtimes as a creative opportunity, rather than a chore, is a option.”
-Barbara Kingsolver, Animal Vegetable Miracle-
For me one of the most entertaining parts of the food culture here has been the fine folks from southern America. They brought along their love of grilling, BBQ, smoking and cooking meat. Quite honestly what can be done with a BBQ, the right sauce and some chicken is nothing short of amazing. In addition the process of cooking, socializing and listening to lively stories makes this culture very entertaining.
“I like cooking as a social event. Friends always seem happy to share the work of putting together a do-it-yourself pizza, tacos or vegetarian wraps. Potluck dinner parties are salvation.”
-Barbara Kingsolver, Animal Vegetable Miracle-
When we first arrived in Kuwait the culture of the potluck was based on necessity. Everybody was still filling up their cabinets and refrigerators. People we sorting out their appliances and piecing their kitchens together. When morning coffee came around someone had sugar, someone else had a coffee and a coffee maker and before you knew it two people showed up with enough mugs for everyone.The quality of our potlucks in this culture has improved drastically since the beginning days but the premise behind them stays the same. The coming together of people in a collective sense of belonging.
Kuwait City, KUWAIT
Christine Oastler is a freelance travel writer, teacher and artist, currently living in Mahboula, Kuwait. Born and raised in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, Christine obtained her Bachelor of Arts at Trent University and her Bachelor of Education from Queen’s University. Currently traveling around the Middle East she finds herself riding the odd camel and embracing a new culture!