Gorging on Shakhshoukha

Food orgy shot by Kemal Merarda

The editor of our paper called us out into the administrative office promising something special. His daughter passed her all important school exams and he was celebrating. Algerians like Italians celebrate with food. This occasion called for Shakhshoukha.

Wow. Well, it's a gigantic wooden bowl filled with compressed thin pasta strips sort of like lasagna topped with a sauce and covered in animal parts -- chicken and lamb in this case. Everyone gets a spoon and goes at it, digging in (by custom you kind of stick to one little space but there's no etiquette to stop you from stabbing into someone else' territory) and scattering the bones.

Fortunately, Scaringe family reunions have provided me the proper training to participate in this type of eating sport. I am, however, now that it is over, converting to vegetarianism.