Saturday, May 24, 2008

Camel Country

Because this is Camel Country, you can find an array of camel products here.

For example, we buy ground camel at the butchers, and use it much like beef. E.g. I've made Camel Chili and Camel Burgers. It has a stronger flavor - but it's very nice. It's also higher in protein with less fat than beef - so I read on the Internet. Here, camel couscous is a common dish.

You know that camel meat is available at the local butchers when you see a head hanging in the window (likewise, a cow head means that the beef is fresh - and they also display other items of anatomy for sale!). Alternatively, if you see the live animal tied up next to the butchers, you can bet tomorrow will be the day to get it fresh ground. And, more than once I've jumped out of my skin upon rounding the corner and being greeted by the Chewbacca-like moan of a tied up camel - definitely within spitting distance. Jared likes to call them 'habibi,' which is a term of endearment, and they respond with the sound of a microphoned sheep being strangled.

One of my students has a farm. He approached me after class last week to remind me that about a month ago I mentioned that I like to drink milk (we must have been doing "I like" target language!?). Then he offered to bring me fresh camel milk from his farm. My friends laughed when I told them - some of them have never tried it, and some claim that the first time you drink it you can get diarrhea. Great! Well, he brought about a liter of milk, with promises of more if we like it. It's in the fridge now - I haven't attempted it yet, but I will soon.

[Update: I tried it, and it's good! It's more similar to cow's milk than I expected - probably because he skimmed it (...and no diarrhea)]

We also have camel-hair woven rugs, and various home decorations studded with camel bone. What a useful creature...


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