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Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, May-June 2009, page 57 Diplomatic Doings Tunisia Alters World Bank Food Policy
THERE WAS a change at the Main Dining Room at World Bank headquarters in Washington, DC on March 4 and 5. Instead of the usual fare, the buffet tables featured mechouia salad, kefta fishballs, merguez sausage, stuffed peppers and couscous—highlights of Tunisian cuisine, all paired with quality red and white Augustine wines from Cap Bon. Lunch was followed by dates, Tunisian pastries and mint tea with pine nuts. For those two days, Beya Stiti, the chef at the Tunisian Embassy, shared her skills with a much larger audience. The event, which attracted a full house both days, had been arranged by Samir Chebil, Tunisia’s representative at the World Bank. He was also the event’s host. Tunisia was the first country to host lunch at the World Bank, although “interest has already been voiced by Australia, Denmark, Finland, and Turkey,” the embassy’s director of tourism, Ezzeddine Hammedi, said. “We hope to make this an annual event—maybe more often.” In addition to brochures and videos from the tourism office, Tunisia Day highlighted organic and high-end food products recently introduced to the American market, including traditional extra-virgin Ruspina olive oil, as well as marmalade and chutney from the Mahjoub Family Estate in Tunisia. —Michael Keating |
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