First catch your camel

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32430, 17 October 1970, Page 13

First catch your camel

An adventurous international cookery book has just been published as a result of the recipe competition run by the 8.8. C. World Service radio magazine, The Morning Show. Pete Myers, the regular compere of the programme, chose 20 top recipes from the 300 entries sent in, mainly from Africa and the Middle East. Some of the titles are fascinating in themselves; for example, Judean Hills Sweet and Sour, Honey Divinity, Bessie Barnes’ Carrot Cake, Tuna Tart and Stuffed Camel. And they are enhanced by comments from the competitors. The camel recipe comes from Libya and the ingredients, apart from one medium-sized camel, include lambs or goats, 20 chickens and 20 kilogrammes of tomatoes. These quantities, says the competitors, should be sufficient for about 150 guests. Then, she adds charmingly, “should your guests exceed this number you may easily increase the servings up to 200 by garnishing the camel with a circle of stuffed chickens.” There is a recipe from Ghana for Osiwe, a dish of plantains, lobsters and eggs, which the sender promises

“reliably stands you against earthquakes.” He also recommends you to “wash it down with four feet of sugar cane.” From Spain comes a recipe for ripe coconuts filled with cooked fish, and from Malawi a way of cooking tongue with cocoa.