7Berkeh – Sara Delavaran: A few nights ago, at Konar-e-Ziyarat, a village near Gerash, a playful yet long-standing debate was taking place: Is the famous yoghurt-marinated kebab originally from Gerash or Lar? While the event itself had a friendly and familial atmosphere, the question of ownership remains a matter of pride for both sides.
I was at the event, and ever since, I have had this itch in my brain –a spark of curiosity– to find out if similar feuds over foods have happened throughout history. Have people always fought over claiming the ownership of something historical, especially food? Of course they have! Although the feud over the yoghurt-marinated kebab is something more recent, here are some of the most famous historical “food feuds” in the history of the world.
🍯 1. Is Baklava Turkish or Greek?
The baklava that we know of today is a type of pastry made of multiple layers of dough. It is very sweet, commonly sweetened by honey or various types of nectar, with the final top-notch touch of being filled with different kinds of nuts, mostly pistachios. Baklava was and is called “baklava” in both Greek and Turkish languages.
The Turks claim that the pastry has been a “specialty for royalty” and was served at Ottoman palaces between the 15th and 19th centuries AD. Meanwhile, the Greeks, particularly the Byzantines, claim that this delicious pastry is theirs and has been around since the 4th to the 15th century AD.
☕️ 2. Kafés (καφές) or Türk Kahvesi: Another Greek-Turkish Food Feud!
Turkish coffee is a style of coffee prepared in a “cezve” using very finely ground coffee beans, without filtering or settling to remove the grounds. This special kind of coffee serving is famous in both the Balkans and Turkey, but each country claims that it’s theirs. So, you can call it either “Greek Coffee” or “Turkish Coffee”—they are essentially the same.”
🍜 3. The Chinese-Italian Feud Over Pasta and Noodles
It is often said that Marco Polo brought noodles to Italy from his travels to China, but this claim has not yet been proved. However, it is true that: The Chinese have had noodles for over 4,000 years; the Italians made their pasta with semolina, a kind of flour that was not used in China.
🌼🪻 4. Saffron: A Legacy of Persia… or the Arab World?
Saffron is one of the oldest spices to ever exist, and it has been used as a luxury product for thousands of years in ancient Iran. But from the 8th to 13th centuries AD, during the Abbasid Caliphate, saffron made its way to Arab countries and started getting widely used. Nowadays, countries like Spain and India also produce saffron, but Iran remains the biggest producer of saffron to this day.
🧀 5. Feta Fights between Bulgarians and Greeks
Feta cheese is one of the most famous types of cheese and is widely used in Mediterranean cuisine. It is also one of my favorite things –the salty taste and the special texture goes so well with my Persian Noon-Paneer breakfast.
The Greeks claim that this cheese has been used for over 2,000 years, referencing the writings of Homer, the ancient Greek poet. Meanwhile, Bulgarians argue that this type of cheese originated in the Balkans. However, in 2002, Greece successfully registered feta as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) in the European Union, meaning that only Greek-produced feta can legally be labeled as “feta” in the EU.
In sum, feuds over food are nothing new. People have always wanted to claim ownership of anything that is good. Just like the tasty yoghurt-marinated kebab, which I, as a Gerashi, will always believe is truly ours!
Jokes aside, it is good to keep in mind that essentially, the way this dish gets ready and served comes with some differences in Gerash & Lar, which I guess does not leave much room for debate.
Images created by ChatGPT, Ghibli-style
