Food matters

Every Monday, I get a great e-mail. And I try and find time to read every line.

It is from BP Cape Town announcing what is on the menu in the canteen that coming week. I am still on the distribution list, as my BP e-mail account was created in South Africa in 2003.

Send a Greek boy a list of food choices, and he will read it, wherever he is in the world.

Reminds me of a character in the novel "Freedom and Death", by Nikos Kazantzakis, who used to write down everything he ate, so that he could read the list later and salivate.

It also reminds me of the French surrealist writer Georges Perec (pictured above), who wrote down everything he ate and drank in 1974. This was published in the literary magazine Granta.

I followed both these great examples and I did the same thing in May 2003. I wrote down everything I ate and drank on one of my visits to Cape Town.

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My list is available in "Howzit? - A Cape Town Journal" by James Neophytou. (Currently unpublished, and the subject of a fierce bidding war between 11 major publishing houses).

Here is this week's menu. (GBP £1 = 14 South African Rand)

From: Internal Communication Africa

Sent: Sun 22/04/2007 18:45
Subject: BP Waterfront: Weekly menu

MENU

MONDAY
Chicken stir fry served with noodles & salad
or
Meatballs served with mashed potatoes, veg & tomato “smoor”
or
Roast chicken, chips & salad
R16.50

TUESDAY
Moroccan Chicken served with coriander couscous & sweet potato
or
Spinach & feta Cannelloni (pasta) served with a Greek salad & ciabatta bread
or
Roast chicken, chips & salad
R16.50

WEDNESDAY
Beef & onion pie served with savoury rice & pumpkin
or
Vegetable curry served with brown rice & pappadums
or
Roast chicken, chips & salad
R16.50

THURSDAY
Chicken Lasagne served with crusty bread & Greek salad
or
Teriyaki beef served with soft polenta and spinach salad
or
Roast chicken, chips & salad
R16.50

FRIDAY
Public Holiday