CHINAR SHADE : ALBERT CAMUS AND COUSCOUS

( Couscous )

( Kalb el Louz )

ALBERT CAMUS AND COUSCOUS

On the southern coast of the Mediterranean Sea lies Algeria. Most of the country is occupied by the never-ending sands of the Sahara and the imposing elevations of the Atlas Mountains. Over the passage of its history, Algeria has been occupied by different groups. The Phoenicians founded colonies on its banks, the Romans built their cities over here, and it became home to various Berber tribes, known for their independent and warrior-like culture. During the Ottoman period, Algeria became an important state in the Mediterranean Sea, which led to many naval clashes. The French colonised it for more than 130 years (1830-1962), and presently, Algeria is an Arabic-speaking country where Islam is practised by almost the entire population ( 99 per cent). Algerian cuisine is similar to the cuisines of its neighbours, Morocco and Tunisia. In addition, the strong influences of Turkey and France are evident. Algerians have inherited from several African countries the habit of using large quantities of greens, oils and olives. And then Arabs flooded the country’s cuisine with aromatic herbs and spices.

MAGHREBI FOOD

North Africa, a region that embraces countries such as Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt, is known for its rich culinary tradition. The cuisine in this part of the world is an exclusive amalgam of Mediterranean, Arab, and Berber influences, resulting in a mixed collection of dishes that are rich in flavour and aroma. In France, I saw many stores and supermarkets selling ‘Maghrebi’ spices and groceries, especially items like maize, millet, Semolina, corn-flour, sorghum-flour, barley-flour, brown-lentils, chickpeas, fava-beans, cumin, coriander, fennel seeds, cinnamon, red chilli powder, bay leaf, sesame seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, black pepper, fenugreek seeds, saffron, turmeric, paprika, Ras el Hanout ( Maghrebi version of Indian Garam Masala , dates, and Harissa ( red hot spicy chilli paste ). Ras el Hanout typically contains more than 20 ingredients, including cardamom, ginger, cumin, bay leaf, red chilli powder, cloves, black pepper, fennel seeds, turmeric, nutmeg and rose petals.

A part of the "Maghreb", especially Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia, is greatly influenced by France's colonial past in the region. Many people of Maghrebi origin, particularly from these three countries, have settled in France, making it a noteworthy aspect of French society and culture. Maghrebi dishes include Couscous, Tajine, Shakshuka, Ful medames, L’hamd marakad M’hanncha, Harira, Matbucha, Mhadjeb, Mechoui and Pastilla, among many others..

ALGERIAN FOOD

In France, I came to know about some popular Algerian foods like Karantika, Tamina, Mahjouba, Khfaf, Maakouda, M'semen, Merguez, Baghrir, Shakshouka, Makroud el louse, Mkhabez, Kesra, Couscous ( popular dish ), Harira, Creponne, Rechta, Tajine Zitoune, Kalb-el-louz and Mesfouf. I was introduced to Tamina by an Algerian family. It is prepared with ground semolina, butter, honey, cinnamon and sugared almonds. I also came to know that every important celebration in an Algerian family is incomplete without Mkhabez, a customary and mild Algerian pastry. It is made with almonds, sugar, eggs, and flavourings. I was also told about Kalb-el-louz, a popular Algerian baked dessert made from semolina and ground almonds flavoured with cardamom, cinnamon, vanilla, and orange blossom water. In Paris, I also relished Couscous with my son’s family.

(A 1945 photo of Albert Camus with Algerian historian Cheikh Abdalrehmana Djilali ( with stick ) , artist Omar Racim, Al Hadi Hamou and an unknown person next to Camus with a cap. Al Hadi Hamou wrote a book "Memoirs of a Mujahed: Algeria's Struggle for Freedom, 1945-1962". The book chronicles his experiences during the Algerian War for Independence. He was born the son of a blacksmith and pursued education in both Algeria and the U.S., earning a Master's in Political Science. After his studies, he served the Algerian government before eventually emigrating to the U.S. due to instability in Algeria. Al-Hadi Hamou was a prominent Algerian religious scholar and figure who spoke out against extremist violence and terrorism especially during the 1990s civil conflict often referred to as the Algerian Civil War )

ALBERT CAMUS AND COUSCOUS

Couscous is the national dish of Morocco and Algeria, and a must-have dish in any Moroccan and Algerian restaurant. It is cooked with steamed granules of semolina (a type of durum wheat). It is usually served with a stew of meat (lamb, chicken or fish), vegetables (carrots, zucchini, chickpeas, onions, turnips, etc.) and aromatic spices (cumin, cinnamon, saffron, coriander).

The grains absorb the broth and flavours, making it hearty, nutritious and fragrant. While the most clearly documented favourite dish of Albert Camus is Couscous, his tastes were shaped by the earthy, spicy, and humble foods of colonial Algeria: bread, olives, figs, oranges, fish, fruits and herb-infused meals.

( Albert Camus's mother )

Camus was born in Mondovi (Algeria) into a family of French settlers known as pied-noir. Pied-Noir, literally meaning “Black-Foot”, was originally a term coined to refer to any white settler born in Africa, later evolving into a slang name for French settlers in Algeria. After the Algerian War of Independence in 1962, which led to Algeria’s independence from France, more than a million French Pied-Noir settlers returned to France. Camus’s family had adopted many local North African food habits that included Couscous, the staple dish of the region. His mother would prepare delicious Couscous that he enjoyed eating. So, Couscous was very much part of his cultural and personal life. Some biographers have mentioned his fondness for Couscous. In fact, some documented narratives say that when he was in Paris, he would visit some Algerian restaurants to relish Maghrebi food, especially Couscous. Camus frequented a Parisian restaurant named Le Hoggar at 67 rue Monsieur le Prince, which was known for serving Algerian dishes, including Couscous. It has been referred to as his "favourite spot for Couscous,”.

( Camus with his daughter Catherine)

( Camus with his wife Francine Faure)

(. Camus at Nobel Award ceremony 1957 )

( Camus at his office in Paris )

Some of the most common ingredients in Algerian cooking include spices such as cumin, coriander, and paprika, as well as herbs like parsley, mint, and cilantro. Grains such as Durum wheat powder, bulgur, and rice are also important staples, as are legumes like chickpeas, lentils, and fava beans. Vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers are often used in stews and soups, while meat and fish play a prominent role in many of the country’s main dishes. Camus had deep affection for the simple, flavourful foods of Algeria, especially those tied to his childhood in Belcourt (a working-class neighbourhood of Algiers). He has also described the meals cooked in his grandmother’s poor household, where olives and bread were staples. Though less explicitly documented, Algerian working-class cuisine of his childhood often centred on grilled sardines, lamb, and Merguez, which he likely ate growing up.

In Algeria, thyme is often used both fresh and dried in cooking, especially in stews, soups, and meat dishes. It’s also a key ingredient in “herbes de Provence”–style blends used in North African cuisine. Sometimes, it’s used in Chermoula (marinades for fish and meat) and in herbal teas, often combined with other herbs like mint or sage. It is also used in Couscous, Chakhchoukha, Tajine and Harira. In Algerian cooking, thyme is valued not just for flavour but also for its aromatic and medicinal qualities, which is why it often appears in both everyday meals and festive dishes. In his love letters to Maria Casares, Camus is believed to have once sent her sprigs of thyme, showing how the thyme herb evoked memory and intimacy for him. So Camus was also in love with thyme, widely used in Maghrebi cuisine.

( Camus with Maria Casares )

( Camus with his wife in Stockholm )

While in Paris, I came to know that, for some time, Camus had lived in Montmartre as well. In Hotel du Poirier at 16 rue Ravignan in Montmartre hill (now a private residence), Camus had completed the first manuscript of his novel ‘The Outsider’. It was from this hotel that Camus would walk to his office and have his coffee at Café de Flore or Les Deux Magots. It was in these restaurants that Camus started his intellectual association with Jean Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Roger Grenier, Arthur Koestler and many more. Immediately after finishing his manuscript, he shifted to Hotel Madison, 143 Boulevard, Saint-Germain. And later he shifted to some more hotels and a studio apartment before buying a small flat in 1950 at 29 rue Madame, which I still retained by the family.