The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1909-09-08
A MEAL WITH A MOOR
The Repast Began With Green
Tea Served In Glasses.
FOOD EATEN WITH FINGERS,

Table Manners In a Moorish Gentle
mans House-A Particular Mark Of
Favor by the Host to His Guests
That IL Not Always Appreciated.
During my stay in Fee 1 took every
opportunity Of gaining a closer insight
into the domestic life Of the inhabit-
ants, and for that reason, writes Law
renee Harris in the London Graphic, I
heartily accepted an invitation to dine
with Abdullah ell Fast, the minister
for foreign affairs.
On arriving at his home I was ush-
cred into a large room in which were
seated five or six guests of high rank.
Abdullah took me by the hand and
gravely introduced ME to the company.
A silken cushion was placed on the
divan, upon which I seated myself.
The repast commenced with green
tea served in small glasses. The Gus
tom of preparing this is peculiar to the
country. To the principal native guest
Is given the honor of making the tea.
In this case it was Raisuli, who, being
under British protection, had been in
vited to dinner in my honor. He &C.
cepted the invitation to do the honors
Of the evening and ordered the ne
gress to place the native brass tray in
front Of where he sat cross legged on
the divan. The methods of proceeding
are not such as would recommend
themselves to an English tea party.
Measuring out the tea in his hand,
he dropped it in the pot. The negress
slave then poured boiling water over
it. This was swilled around and the
water poured off. The pot was then
filed with huge Jumps Of loaf sugar,
broken roughly from a sugar loaf, and
a little mint was added. A small guam
tity Of the c%oncoction was poured into
a glass, slipped and poured back again
into the pot. This process was con-
tinued until the required delicacy Of
favor was reached.
The company then drank the custom
airy three glasses of this sirupy mix
ture, drawing it through their teeth
with a sound like a horse drinking. AS
each glass was finished and replaced
in the tray it was refilled and handed
back by the "keeper of the pot" who
was supposed to remember to whom
each glass belonged. At a sign from
the host the tray was removed, and
another slave approached each person
with a brass bowl, soap and towel and
a bronze kettle of warm water. The
guests washed their right hands pre-
paratory to the dinner.
We all sat around a small table about
six inches high, upon which was placed
the dish. The courses were many and
varied. AS says the Hadith. "The
blessing of God rests on the food taken
with the fingers" so all good Moham-
medans follow the words of their
prophet. No knife must be used on
bread, and the small round loaves are
broken up and handed around. The
tain, or stew, is not difficult to ma
nipulate. although the olives floating
in argon oil slip through your fingers.
Miniature tugs of war occur with your
vis-a-vis in the effort to dismember a
fowl or divide tough meat.
AS a particular mark of favor the
host will from time to time place be-
fore you a little titbit which he has
torn off with his greasy fingers. How
ever your stomach rebels against it.
you have to swallow the morsel. Dur
ing the meal the national dish of cous-
cous is invariably served. This dish is
made from broken grains of wheat
specially prepared by the women 1t
Is served piled up like a huge cone
with the meat on top. Each person
scoops out his own little hole in the
side and must not trespass on his
neighbours portion.
To the inexperienced it is difficult to
manage the couscous without making
an awful mess of it. The small grain
must be judiciously compressed into a
loose ball and then shot into the mouth
with the back of the thumb. The
Moors take extreme delight in watch
ing the Intellectual efforts Of Euro
peans who are in difficulties with their
couscous. Moors are very great eaters,
M little conversation is carried on
during the meal. A bowl Of water is
passed from hand to hand for those
who require drink. The last course
finished, the bowl and water are once
more requisitioned and the hands and
mouth vvyoch1I