A BIGTHANKYOUJohnwent
toGazawiththeWorldFood
Programme.Tofindoutmore
aboutthecharity’sextraordinary
workandtodonate,visitwfp.org/
support-us/stories/donate.QUITE A SPREAD
Pyramidsof
spicesandpiles
offreshproduce
fillthemarket,
whilelunchwith
a localfamily
isa revelation
anda visittothe
houmousshop
providesa
budgetfeastfor
Johnandcrewworld view.
as salads, falafel and drinks for
me and the crew. It costs me
50 shekels (about a tenner) to feed
10 people. The houmous is super
smooth and rich with tahini. A
huge crowd has gathered, wanting
to know what I think of it. I tell
them that my first taste of real
Palestinian houmous is knockout,
and they look thrilled.
After breakfast, we wander
through the vibrant market piled
high with cucumbers, aubergines,
courgettes and corn. There are large
buckets of green olives, so young
they taste acrid when I eat them.
I spot a huge basket of fresh sumac
berries, dark red in colour and
intensely sour. There are pyramid-
shaped mounds of za’atar and
dukkah. This dukkah is completely
different from the Egyptian style
I’m accustomed to, which is made
with nuts and spices. The Gazan
dukkah is prepared using smoked
wheat and spices that are ground
together, then mixed with whole
sesame seeds. Despite the chatter
of boisterous traders, it’s quiet and
there are barely any shoppers. I’m
told that most of the fresh produce
is too expensive for the average
person living in Gaza. Those
supported by the World Food
Programme will use local shops
vetted by the charity to buy
groceries with the credit on
their food vouchers – some are
living on less than one US
dollar a day and often have to
buy frozen food and dry goods
rather than anything fresh.
Next we stop at Abu al-Su’od,
a pastry shop well-known for
selling the best knafah in Gaza.
Knafah is one of my favourite
desserts – a classic Middle Eastern
dish made from thin strands of
filo pastry that look almost like
noodles. These are nestled into
a tin with a layer of cheese in the
middle and cooked in a sugar
syrup until the pastry is crisp and
the cheese melting – a textural
delight that’s sweet, crunchy and
gooey. In Gaza, they have their
own version called knafah arabiya.
As I wolf down a huge slab, I’m told
it’s a mix of walnuts and sugar,
topped with semolina. It’s an
incredible find that most of
the world will never get to hear
about, let alone experience.
We’re not the only people in the
shop – there are other customers
popping in for a slice of knafah and
a good old gossip. It’s wonderful to
see how much joy a simple thing
can bring. But you know what?
I defy anyone not to crack a smileover this decadent dessert.
I’m not here to offer up platitudes
about a complex problem – a
solution is almost impossible to
imagine. What I will say is that
Gaza left me spellbound. I was
lucky to be safe and well-looked-
after during my visit and, as a
result, my takeouts are positive.
Like the food, the resilient people
are awesome – trying so hard to live
a normal life under such extreme
conditions. I hope that, one day,
those I’ve met and this remarkable
cuisine will be something everyone
will be able to experience. →