To a financially sound person, a good measurement of life’s fulfillments could be measured by how culturally diverse that person’s achievements are. I am nothing like that. When a good friend of mine would rightfully brag about their trip across Europe, I would brag about how many people I assassinated in Europe, during my third playthrough of Assassin’s Creed 2.
However, college is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for people to participate in a wide array of cultural events. I can’t think of another place where you can get a tattoo while having the opportunity to attend speeches given by Buddhist monks, barring the off-chance monks recognize Mick Jagger as the true incarnation of the Dalai Lama.
This semester, I, in an attempt to gain cultural knowledge and possible resumé-building experience, will embark on my own journey to experience the cultural variety Ohio University has to offer its students.
The first place I chose to experience was a restaurant called Salaam, which offers a wide variety of Mediterranean/Middle East cuisine as well as authentic décor. So pretty much, a full-on culture smorgasbord. I chose Salaam as my starting point because I wanted to start this journey like I started swimming — by being thrown into the deep end and fighting my way to the end.
When I first entered Salaam, I noticed it was heavily decorated and tried to create a Middle-Eastern vibe. When it came time for me to order food, there was a wide variety of cuisine to choose from. I immediately disregarded Greek food, because I don’t trust any cuisine in which goat cheese is a common ingredient and not a last-resort survival tactic. That still left me with Turkish, Moroccan and other types I couldn’t identify.
As I ate my meal of lamb kebobs and some kind of vegan soup, I noticed the emphasis Turkish cuisine puts on spices. I could taste different combinations of spices in each dish. When I feel adventurous, I put ketchup on my hamburger but usually the food I cook wouldn’t be out of place on a prison inmate’s plate.
I also got Turkish coffee, which was the first big leap of faith I took. I was never a big coffee guy, but I am a guy who can be swayed by a good sales pitch. And I couldn’t resist trying coffee that was described as “black as hell, strong as death, and sweet as love.” Maybe advertisers should put more emphasis on death instead of love to get more customers. If Starbucks produced some ads and got Guillermo Del Toro to direct them, they might finally be successful.
While I found the experience enjoyable, I couldn’t see myself eating there on a regular basis. Despite the fact the animal I ate was a baby, which I figured would be cheaper, it was still a bit too expensive for my tastes.
I can see myself having more of the Turkish coffee. Who would’ve guessed something described as “strong as death” would leave me so invigorated? The experience also marked the first time my morbid sense of curiosity didn’t end with a trip to the doctor.
My first step and I find something I enjoy. Maybe this journey won’t be as terrifying as I thought.
Dennis Fulton is a senior studying journalism at Ohio University. Have you ever had a meal so good it changed your worldview? Email him at df342709@ohiou.edu.
