The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1910-05-19
A MEAI NFTH ANOOR'
The .Repast Began Win Green
Tea Served Ia Glasses.
FOOD EATEN WITH FINGERS.
Table Manners In Moorish Gentle
mans House--A Particular Mark of
Favor by tho Host to His Guests
That 10 Not Always Appreciated.

Favor by tho Host to His Guests
That 10 Not Always Appreciated.
During my stay in Fee took every
opportunity OF gaining 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 Abdullhh ell FAST, the minister
. for foreign affairs.
So, On arriving at his home I was ush-
: cred into n large room in witch We're
: seated five or six guests OF high rank.
,ADdullah took me by the hand and
KraVely introduced me to the company.
a silken cushion was placed on the
dlvan, upon which l 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 1t was Rnisuli who, being
under British protection, had been In
vlted to dinner IN my honor. He ac-
.rcpted the Invitation to do the honors
OF the evening and ordered the nc
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 rs would recommend
themselves to an English tea party.
Measuring out the tea, in his hand
. he dropped It in the pot The negrcss
slaye then poured boiling water over
It,, This was swilled around and the
wafer poured off. The pot was then
filed with huge Jumps OF loaf sugar
broken roughly from sugar loaf, and
little mint was added. A small GUAM
uty or the connection was poured into
glass, slipped and poured back again
futo the pot. This process was con
tlnued until the required dclcacy Of
flavor was reached.
The company then drank the custom
airy three glasses Of this sirupy mix
turc, drawing 1t through their teeth
with sound like q horse drinking. AS
each glass was finished and replaced
III the traY-it was rcfillcd and handed
back by the "kceper 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 brass bowl. soap and towel and
bronze kettle Of warm water The
guests washed their right hands pre-
paratory tothe dinner.
We all sat around small table about
six inches high, upon which was placed
the dish. The courses were many and
waved. AS says the Hadth. "Thc
blessing OF God rests on tho 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 ioavcs are
broken up and handed around. The
fAjin. or stew, is not difficult to ma
nipulatc. although the olives floating
in argOn oil slip through your fingers.
Miniature tugs of war occur with youl
vis-a-viS in the effort to dismember Il
fowl or divide tough meat.
AS a particular mark Of favor the
host will from time to time place be-
fore you 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 huge cone.
with the meat on top. Each person
scoops out his own little hole in the
side and must not trcSpass on his
neighbours portion.
TO the inexperienced it is difficult to
manage the CONSCIOUS 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 Hhe Intellectual efforts Of Euro
peAns who are in difficulties with their
CONSCIOUS. MoorS are very grcat>eatcrs.
and 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-onre
more reQuisitioncd and the hands and
mouth washed.