For over 2000 years, the idiomatic expression “the mother of all…” was used in the Middle East to describe the most significant, extreme, or ultimate examples of various things. In August 1990, Saddam Hussain invaded Kuwait and told the people of Iraq: “The battle in which you are locked today is the mother of all battles…Our rendezvous with victory is very near, God willing.” And it was in Kuwait that I got to know (and love) Omm Ali. I think Omm Ali (the mother of Ali) should be the mother of all desserts.
Now, how did I get to Kuwait during this turbulent period? One day, out of the blue, I received an invitation to teach from the Ministry of Health through Dr Ahmed Elbeltagi, an Egyptian radiologist working in Kuwait. American academics had stopped going there to provide postgraduate radiology training. It was too dangerous as foreigners were abducted and beheaded. I was young, energetic, and adventurous. I accepted the invitation and returned to Kuwait to teach for over ten years.
One day, Ahmed introduced me to a delicious dessert – Omm Ali. He told me all Arabs love Omm Ali (the national dessert of Egypt). From the moment I tasted it, I always, if available, had Omm Ali as my preferred dessert. This dish can be traced back to the Mamluk sultanate (1250–1517), named after the wife of the Sultan of Egypt. She instructed her cooks to create the most delicious dessert they could, and the chosen recipe was distributed throughout the country.
In 2008, Professor Minerva Becker invited me to speak in Geneva (European Society of Head and Neck Radiology). I was delighted to meet Ahmed there. During one of the dinner gatherings, a European delegate remarked that travelling and attending meetings in Arab countries was “difficult” as alcohol was banned.
The European delegate turned to Ahmed and asked, “Don’t you miss wine?” Ahmed replied, “Don’t you miss Omm Ali?” The European was dumbfounded – what is Omm Ali? Ahmed added that Arabs didn’t miss wine as it was not part of the Arab culture, just like Europeans did not miss Omm Ali because the dessert was not part of the European culture. He went on further and said, If you asked me if I miss Omm Ali, my answer would be yes. As for wine, I haven’t had one before!” The moral of the story? Well, I leave it to you to distil the wisdom.
Wine is an acquired taste. I prefer beer if I drink (which I hardly do these days). During my “drinking alcohol formative years,” wine drinking was not very popular. And then, there was this wine-drinking upsurge, and many of my friends acquired the new taste.
I love pizza (and tomatoes) and can do without wine. As for Omm Ali, like Ahmed Elbeltagi, I miss it!
Vince
Dr Vincent Chong is a retired Professor of Radiology at Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore.
