Discover cultures through cuisine

It has been almost two weeks since the newest members of the Carolina community first arrived on campus, and I imagine a considerable number of them have perused the food selection on Lenoir Hall’s bottom floor once, at least.

If they manage to resist the temptation offered by Chick-fil-A (a test of wills, to be certain) and pass by Jamba Juice, they will come across a place called Mediterranean Deli.

There, and also at its location on Franklin Street, it offers the weary traveler a delicious meal, in the form of a falafel or perhaps a Lebanese meat pie known as a fatayer.

Also served at Med Deli are a number of traditional Greek dishes, such as gyros, souvlaki and salads.

There are several terrific places in the Triangle to go for Middle Eastern cuisine, but before I talk about what those places might be, I want to answer the question that is likely on the minds of many readers at this point: “What exactly is a falafel?”

This question is a rather easy one to answer.

A falafel is essentially a fritter with chickpeas or fava beans inside that have been battered and fried in a layer of tasty goodness. Generally, a pair of the falafel balls is placed inside pita bread, drizzled in a tahini sauce.

Perhaps the more difficult question to answer is who invented the falafel.

The state of Israel claims the food to be its “national snack,” but the Palestinians assert that they invented it, and that the falafel is just “one more thing” stolen from them by the Israeli state.

The origins of “Turkish coffee” or “Greek coffee,” whichever term one might prefer to use, are likewise hotly contested, a reflection of each nation’s animosity towards the other.

Of course, the subject of Greco-Turkish relations, along with the subject of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, will be discussed in depth in columns to come.

Today we’re just talking good food.

Regardless, readers should know that there are several places one can get Turkish (or Greek) coffee, falafels, and much more.

One such place is a part of the Neomonde Baking Company, along Chapel Hill Road in Morrisville. Their tabouli, a garden salad made from parsley, scallions, tomatoes, and other vegetables, is definitely worth ordering as a side dish.

And may I say that not leaving room for baklava, a Turkish pastry covered in walnuts and drowned with syrup, as dessert should be made a crime.

Another location I would like to recommend is MediTerra Grill (not to be confused with Carolina’s Med Deli), located close to Duke Hospital on Erwin Road.

Robertson Scholars, take note: Its hummus is positively delicious. Additionally, its grape leaves (exactly what it sounds like) are delightful and sweet, as they should be.

It is often said that the quickest way to someone’s heart is through his or her stomach.

I believe that cultures work in this fashion to some extent.

After appreciating the food of another culture, one can learn to appreciate other aspects of that culture as well — this is one of the best stepping stones one can use to learn about another civilization.