tuque /tūk/ n Canadian English, var. toque [19th c. Canadian French, from the French toque, from the Basque tauka] 1 A close-fitting knitted cap, often with a long tapering end or tassel or pompom. 2 fig Something quintessentially Canadian.
souq /sūk/ n from the Arabic سوق var. souk 1 An open-air marketplace. 2 fig A central meeting place for the circulation of news and ideas.

Monday, February 2, 2009

Camel milk puts you in the mood for loving camels

Camel milk is known to be a naturally salty, high-protein, low-fat, low-lactose milk that sustains nomadic camel herders in the harsh Saharan climate.

Since 1989, the Tiviski camel dairy in Nouakchott, Mauritania has been manufacturing pasteurized camel-milk products -- cream, yogurt, cheese, butter -- for local sale. It's the first camel dairy in Africa. Unfortunately, due to both logistical hardships and stiff import/export regulations governing pasteurized milk products, your camel-milk experience will have to come very close to the camel; i.e. in Mauritania itself (although the New York Times reported last year that limited quantities of "Camelbert" cheese were available in the Big Apple).

It might be worth the trip. Camel milk has long been considered an aphrodesiac. In producing camel-milk products, the Tiviski dairy relies on the teet-squeezing efforts of a thousand nomad camel herders who harvest the milk. That's gotta be a sight!

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