Guns, Checkpoints and Pesto: Sense of Smell

The third chapter of this culinary series of eating and cooking in conflict, is dedicated to the

The Sense of Smell

It is quite intriguing how the scent of something can bring back vivid memories of a place or of someone. Smell can enchant or disgust and it can attract or repulse. Smell is also subject to cultural differences. In the DR Congo, locals of its capital, Kinshasa, are delighted by the smell of a caterpillar stew simmering on the fire in their mother's kitchen. The Ugandans thoroughly enjoy the smell of a fresh cob of corn grilling on hot coal infront of houses in the villages. In Palestine, in the Muslim quarters of the Old City of Jerusalem, Palestinians are enchanted by the aroma of freshly baked knafeh, a sweet made with cheese, shredden Fillo dough, butter and sugar, originally from the city of Nablus in the West Bank. In 2009 the Palestinians set the Guinness record for the world's largest Knafeh (Read article in the Haaretz).

During Ramadan, the Palestinians also enjoy other pastries and sweets such as Qatayef, a small pancake, the smell of which reminds most of the Holy Month approaching. In 2007, a few days before Ramadan, while walking along the walls of the Old City in East Jerusalem, I came across an old man who was preparing Qatayef. He was very keen that I taste these delights and once we had chatted a bit about where I was from and what I was doing there, he handed me one for free, still warm and soft, it was sweet and melted in my mouth.

Nablus, a town which, in addition to being famous for Knafeh, is also home to the most delicious zaatar in the Middle East (dry thyme leaves which are ground with sesame seeds and salt) as well as olive oil produced from hand picked olives in groves which are centuries old. Unfortunately, with the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, its imposed curfews, closures and trade blocks, Palestinians struggle to make a living from this production and are unable to export any surplus produce. Furthermore, many olive groves are destroyed by the Israeli army in order to expand the land around illegal settlements, citing security reasons. A few years ago, I often travelled to Nablus from East Jerusalem for the UN, and therefore had the chance to enjoy Nablus' culinary delicacies, the olive oil in particular, which while on the subject of smell, has such an intriguing perfume, that just with a whiff, one can taste it.