Huldra Forsvant (Theodor Kittelsen)

Huldra Forsvant (Theodor Kittelsen)
Huldra Forsvant (Theodor Kittelsen)

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

A Word On Kebabs

I love a kebab. They are a perfect meal. But it is also a meal that you ought not think to much about as it is being prepared. What I mean is, you ought not glance over at that big cylindrical drippy meat slab that's revolving over yonder in front of a radiator. It resembles in no way an edible animal of any description.

But if you can get past that stumbling block it's happy days. However, I realised recently that I've always gone for the chicken option, but hadn't really given any thought as to why. But I stopped and gave it some thought, and the realisation was troubling. It was because of the names. Chicken kebab. Doner kebab.

Chicken sounds safe. But Doner? what the heck is Doner? In my limited world experience it conjures up no animal that I know of. What it does conjure up is something a lot worse. Now, this may be in bad taste, so tune out now if you are eating.

But you know how on your drivers' licence you have the option printed on there of what kind of doner you are? (You can see where this is headed, can't you) Well, this is the association that immediately springs to mind, so, as awful as this will sound, subconsciously the choices I read up there on the menu are:

a) Chicken meat
b) Car Accident meat

I'm sorry.


11 comments:

Pedro said...

You couldn't be more on the money cobbs.
Unfortunately the 'chicken' is of the same origin.
Sorry.

Gary Ware said...

Ah yes,
the trick is to remember what you're asking for:
NSW & Qld: Doner Kebab
Victoria: Souvlaki
South Australia: Yiros
These days I tend to the mixed meat plate, with salad and chili garlic sauce.

Karen said...

I'm just replying because I'm now curious to know what the term "doner" is all about and I'm hoping someone else will come in and explain...

Wendy said...

Wikipedia says this: A doner kebab is sometimes spelled döner kebap (the Turkish spelling), lit. 'rotating roast', or can be shortened to Doner (Turkish: döner), lit. 'turn around',[10] also spelled "doener", "donair", "donar", "doner", or sometimes "donner").

KIM said...

I'm with Karen ... I don't get it!!

Laetitia :-) said...

Ben's referring to 'donor' (as in organ donor in the case of an accident and brain death), not 'doner' on the driver's licence.

Laetitia :-) said...

Personally, I always go the felafel option since I don't eat the others.

Anonymous said...

I kinda like that the slab of meat doesn't resemble an animal! I get queasy looking at the ducks hanging in the windows of some restaurants, or imagining the lobsters in others about to be boiled and served up.

Ben McLaughlin said...

You know, I didn't even realise 'donor' and 'doner' were spelt differently. But yes, Laetitia, that's exactly what I meant.

KIM said...

Oooh now I get it!! That was actually kind of funny :)

Daily said...

Yeah, what the heck is doner!