Halal food lands on menus

03/30/08 | NIRAJ WARIKOO

[TornadoAlley3]

Rules-link only

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080330/NEWS02/803300590/1004

[Sender]

I also discovered that serving a vegetarian dish at a potluck ensures that no one is left out, except carnivores. Plenty of other people brought meat.

My favorite potluck dish is baked beans with smoked pork, so this is obviously off the menu for some. It's not the same without the smoked pork.

[ought-six]

For one thing, I would not live in a community that was 50% moslem. islam is antipodal to freedom and our Constitution. islam cannot exist in a free society. I treasure freedom over capitalism, yet capitalism is the economic engine of freedom.

You obviously think islam is honky-dory, and that it can peacefully co-exist with non-moslems in the same society. I challenge you to show me one nation or one society where islam makes up 50% of the population and gets along well with non-moslems on an equal footing. Hell, I challenge you to show me one nation or society that has a 20% moslem population that lives at peace with its non-moslem neighbors. You can’t do it, because such a nation or society does not exist.

[SJackson]

The nature of the meat that is halal will also be edible under kosher and agnostic dietary rules.

I think you're mistaken. Kosher is considered halal by most, I believe we serve Kosher MREs at GITMO. But to my knowledge halal isn't Kosher.

[Allegra]

where is teh Arab neighborhood in Houston? I only know the Hillcroft / SW Freeway area but always thought it was more Indian / Pakistani neighborhood.

That's it....Hillcroft and SW Fwy. but go more towards Richmond Ave. There are lots of Lebanese, Persian and even Afghani and places there. I even found an Iraqi shop there about three years ago and chatted away with the owner for a while. Can't remember the name of it, but it was more around Fondren and going towards Gessner.

I go to Droubi's and get all kinds of good stuff.

Then, in Westchase, there is the Phoenicia Deli and the Phoenicia Grocery Store - both excellent.

[SJackson]

These people are so precious and hifalutin ..and all for nothing because they worship a false prophet. They are wasting their time on a phony god. They might as well eat a Spam sandwich and worship a ham sandwich for all this nonsense will do for them

Sounds like this is local business' accomodating Muslim customers, not something they're pressured to do, so I don't think it's a big deal.

[muawiyah]

Some folks are bit tighter and the kosher-only toaster (not micro-wave ~ gad) will be kept in someone's private office, or a closet out of the way.

The crowd you met seem to me to be very liberal.

[Dr.Zoidberg]

koran fried chicken - You'll come for the falafel, but you'll stay for the beheadings.

[muawiyah]

It does here. Most of these guys come from a couple of dozen countries, and most of them arrived as refugees or US government employees whose security in the old country had been compromised.

Plus, there are the folks from Afghanistan and Somalia ~ they fall into a special category.

Yes, there are some liberal Moslems and they probably live around here.

One of the most remarkable trans-ethnic marriages was between a cousin of one of the Palestinian Moslem families and a cousin of one of the Thai Buddhist families. Stuff happens here that doesn't happen everywhere.

The dominant characteristic of every family here is that the head of the household was, for at least a while, a soldier in some sort of army, somewhere, and most of them engaged in ground combat as Infantrymen.

They know something about the world civilians don't often discover.

[muawiyah]

It's quite easy to find pure meat hotdogs made from turkey, chicken, pork and no beef whatsoever.

I like them. No one else around here does.

You can also find pure chicken franks.

I check the labels closely and cannot eat any of them with "cereal fillers".

[SJackson]

I'm really not allowed to go to any of the shops here. None of us are. I was just trying to make a joke. We only move off-base in armored convoys, body armor and armed to the teeth. One of these days, I intend to come back and do just that, though...with no weapon and no body armor on.

Be glad you're not in Bosnia, snipers everywhere :>)

[Allegra]

If you haven't been around here lately they spent over $1,000,000,000 building a new intersection for the Interstates, and for Springfield.

I still have family in the area and visit at least once a year.

But I get my best Middle Eastern food in...the Middle East. ;-)

[humblegunner]

I sometimes go to the Arab neighborhood when I'm home in Houston to get real hummous, olives and fresh pita bread at the markets there.

Yeah, well... I reckon we should all go to Floyd's!

[Allegra]

Be glad you're not in Bosnia, snipers everywhere :>)

{GASP!} I can't imagine such a thing! The horrors! ;-)

[muawiyah]

It's conceivable you could have combined halal/kosher foods, but it would be difficult to pull off. Most Jews who observe kosher adhere to it when that can be done. Otherwise, to survive they break kosher, but not so much that all the oysters at the rawbar are going to be snapped up by the guys with the broadbrimmed hats and beards.

Friend of mine says that America and Israel are the only two countries where a Jew can lead a fully kosher life, but only in some places ~ more of them in Israel than here, but it's possible.

[Allegra]

Yeah, well... I reckon we should all go to Floyd's!

I am always game for that.

But I don't know anyone who lives in the Heights anymore...

[muawiyah]

No doubt. You must also remember, though, that poisoning was invented in the Middle East several thousand years ago. So be careful.

We have a place around here called King of Pita. Bakes his own flat bread ~ according to afficionados it beats Royal Nan. We've gone up there in the morning and watched the beach ball size balls of baking bread bounce out of the ovens and get batted around by the bakers assistants until it flops over on the pile of cooked, deflated pita.

Last time I was there all the assistants looked like Saddam Hussein, moustaches and all. It was a laugh riot.

[taildragger]

TA,

Does anyone care to think what these request will do to these businesses expenses deducted from the Gross Margins?

Having worked in a famous banquet facility in my youth with a complete and separate Kosher kitchen, I can tell you the cost are high.

I have a few words for Chami,

Stop demanding things and look for a market niche. I fyou dietary needs are not being met Go find some venture capital and open your own Halal based Chicken and other food chains. If it the foods are tasty, and are prepared with cleanliness, then I will become a patron. The irony is I hear Terhan has a couple of great Kosher Deli's that are always packed, you never hear anyone screaming to find the Halal equivalent.

This story reeks of the entitlement nanny state mentality that has infected our youth, regardless of faith, gender etc.

[Alouette]

America and Israel are the only two countries where a Jew can lead a fully kosher life, but only in some places ~ more of them in Israel than here, but it's possible.

Canada, UK, France, Australia, anywhere there is a significant Jewish community.

My son lives in Moscow, and while it is more difficult to obtain kosher products there than in New York, they manage.

[Political Junkie Too]

Be glad you're not in Bosnia, snipers everywhere :>)

I hear they're opening a new Islamic theme park called Sniperland -- The Most Dangerous Place On Earth! Fun for the whole family. Bring the kids!

They have all sorts of thrilling rides, like the Simulated Evasive Landing ride, where you feel like you're on a plane corkscrewing down to a quick landing while avoiding sniper fire.

Then they have the Dodge Sniper Fire While Running To Your Car ride. This one is most dangerous as you run through throngs of people with small children bearing gifts while you avoid sniper fire. Definitely worth the long lines for this one.

-PJ

[red irish]

You mean like the flight instructors before 911?