Shawarma

The term Shawarma is derived from the Turkish word meaning "to rotate"[1]. The food itself is an Arabic twist of the Turkish Kebab. Both meats are prepared on a spinning skewer where meat is sliced off as it is cooked. The Greek Gyro is the Greek take on the Kebab and is also related to Shawarma. The Ottoman Empire's control of both Greek and Arabic territories is what allowed the two cultures to adopt it. Shawarma was typically sold by street vendors to hungry by-passers. In the Arab and Israeli world, the food is synonymous with casual, good eats.

The meats, which typically include lamb or chicken, are layered on a skewer which then rotates around a heating element. The meat is sliced off each layer is cooked. The meat is typically marinated with a variety of spices and seasonings. The finished product is served either as a dish, or more popularly as a sandwich. Seasonings typically include paprika and marinates are usually brine based. An assortment of vegetables is prepared along with the meat. These are typically peppers, tomatoes, onions, pickles, turnips, lettuce, cucumbers and others[2]. They are served with sauces which include chili sauces, tahini, garlic based sauces, and others. The kind of sauce is usually dependent on the kind of meat. In the Unites States, fries are a common side that is sold with Shawarma. Islamic law is also a factor in how most Shawarma is prepared. Pork Shawarma is all but impossible to find due to the Islamic law against eating pork. This applies for Shawarma produced in Israel as well for the same reason.

The spread of Shawarma to the western hemisphere came by way of immigration. Large scale immigration from the middle east occurred in the latter half of the 19th century. Between 1880 and 1924, large scale immigration from the middle east was effectively frozen thanks to American immigration laws, but picked up again after 1924 as Arab immigrants left their homes in the now defunct Ottoman Empire[3]. When they left, they took their eating habits with them. The majority of Arab American immigrants settled in major cities like New York and Detroit[3]. Arab immigration patterns followed the patterns of previous immigrants to the United States. Immigrants would migrate to places where there were pre-established enclaves. These enclaves provided security and potential job opportunity. The industrialized and more "welcoming" northern states were prime targets of Arab immigrants. After the end of the second world war, Arab immigration shifted to professional immigrants, most of which were fleeing the instability caused by the decolonization of their homelands[3]. It would be these immigrants which would begin popularizing Shawarma into the public through their local communities via business ventures. Shawarma was not exported to non Arab parts of the country, but instead introduced to the public in area where Arab Americans already resided.

Many immigrants found it hard to integrate into American society. They lacked the white skin of the Greeks and some lacked the predominate Christian religion. Instead, they found opportunity in servicing their own community, often through the sale of food and foodstuffs. While Shawarma was not yet popularized among white Americans, it was among their fellow Arab immigrants[4]. It is within these ethnic enclaves that Shawarma would be introduced into the United States. Breakout occurred in the from of peddling goods to the public as street vendors. This is how the Arab immigrant community would be introduced to the United States. As states in the previous section, Arab immigrants in the post world war two world would be largely educated and seeking entrepreneurial enterprises. This drive would manifest itself in many forms, including the opening of restaurants by immigrants who now had the drive and more importantly, the capital to open them up.

Arab immigration in the post world war two world is split between those who migrated at the onset of decolonization, and those who migrated post 1965. It is important to note that it was mainly the post 1965 group who became the face of Arab America as we know it today[3].

The success of Shawarma in the United States can also be attributed to the success of the Gyro. The Gyro became popularized in the 1970s by a multitude of business magnates who decided to mass produce the increasingly popular food[5]. Arab food was not as widespread as Greek food was at the time, so a nationwide attempt at popularizing it was not a possibility. Instead Shawarma found success in piggybacking off the brand of the Gyro. Both foods share most of the same characteristics, so the idea of Shawarma was no longer as foreign a concept with the rise of the Gyro. In the present, both foods enjoy popularity, but Shawarma has found its niche as a Mediterranean delicacy and famous food truck treat, while the Gyro, while Greek in origin, is viewed as a less exotic or non American food. The two foods have different statuses in the west, while in their home countries they operate more or less the same way. An easy way to measure this is to search for chain restaurants in the United States. You'd be hard pressed not to find a Greek or overall Mediterranean restaurant chain in the country, but Arab chains are all but impossible to come by. At most, they exist within individual states, and are fairly new.

The restaurants that do spring up are typically in major cites with large Arab Populations. The two counties in NC with the most Arab Americans are Wake and Mecklenburg county. These two counties are home to the state capital and the states largest city respectively.

The presentation and experience of Shawarma is just as important as the ingredients which go into it. In the west, Shawarma is eaten primarily at either restaurants or from food trucks. The experience of eating at a food truck differs from restaurant eating in many ways. The typical bright colors of the truck beckon you to it, and the smell of the food wafts from it as it travels down the road. Shawarma calls to you as you go about your day. It is the perfect way to call for those who already seek it, and those unaware it may exist. It sparks curiosity and hunger. Seeing people lined up outside this fancifully colored vehicle excites patrons even more, surely it must be good if there is such a demand for it.

A restaurant on the other hand, offers a more traditional approach. One enters a restaurant that sells Shawarma expecting a Mediterranean or Arabic atmosphere. You enter the space rather than the space coming to you. The anticipation of going to a restaurant primes one for food. If you were a person who had never eaten Arab food, the excitement of trying it for the first time would occupy your mind as you drove to the restaurant. You are mentally prepared to experience new flavors.

And this is where the tow experiences differ the most. For the unexpected consumer, the food truck is like the ice cream truck, but instead of a song, you smell the food, you are blindsided by it. In more grandiose terms, it is like waiting to watch a meteor shower vs witnessing one suddenly. Regardless of the means of consumption, both foods excite a feeling of excitement in the average American who is unfamiliar with the food. The food is not chosen as something familiar, but as a foray into the exotic.

Shawarma's taste can only be described as a flavorful explosion. This maybe part of the reason for its success in the United States, as Americans are known for their inclination for the loud and proud. What else would fit the American palette than an assortment of seasonings and vegetables and meat crammed into a bread wrap and eaten like a sandwich. The typical large serving size also fits the American passion or large things.

One may argue that the influence of Islam and even Judaism in the the middle east has greatly effected how Shawarma has developed and may even how it is distributed. The most striking example of religious influence is the lack of pork found in Shawarma. This is due to an Islamic law that prohibits the consumption of pork. A similar law is also found in Judaism. The importance of halal/haram eating practices is important when understanding the origins of foods developed in the Islamic world[6]. It is also important to note the potential influence of the faith in how the food is distributed. Islam is an evangelical religion, meaning its followers actively seek out converts, much like Christianity. In the Qur'an, there are numerous references to acts of seeking out and acts of being called forth[7]. In many cities and towns in the Arab world, there are daily calls to prayer where Muslims are guided by the singing from minarets to mosques for daily prayers[8]. It would not be a stretch of the imagination to imagine that the act of selling food on the street and even using food trucks is a homage to the cultural origins of the food. It is an origin where one calls others to the faith and to places of congregation. In regards to Shawarma, the food truck itself may be the place of congregation and the colorful truck and savory smell acts as the call. It is not uncommon for people to transform common practices into other features of their lives without even recognizing it as such. Something as important as faith and the means in which it is practiced by entire communities daily is bound to bleed into other facets of life, and food is an excellent way to do this. After all, food and faith both seek to bring people together.

The story of Shawarma's success in Charlotte has to do with the city's status as a financial hub and a rapidly growing city. Unlike much of "The South" (save for Atlanta), Charlotte feels less like a southern city and more like a blossoming global city. Its rapid population growth can be attributed to its status as the second largest banking city in the United States, second only to Wall Street in NYC. Such a lucrative status attracts people both domestically and internationally. For Arab Americans, the prospect of showcasing their heritage and ethnicity openly has not been ideal for quite some time. Public anti Arab sentiment began in earnest in the mid 1960s. These Arab Americans were largely and proudly Muslim, unlike the earlier Christian Levantine Arab immigrants. They arrived at a time when Israel, an American ally, was engaged in frequent wars against its Arab neighbors. Being as Israel was both an American ally, and on the defensive, public opinion on Arabs shifted into a negative light[3]. It is a testament to Charlotte, and the states growth as a whole, that Arab Americans can share their culture with the rest of their fellow countrymen, free of (to an extent) derision. This is not to say that Shawarma's status isn't related to how white America views comfortable others however. The food is exotic and is typically enjoyed in venues where Arab Americans are either seen but not heard or vice versa. Like most "Non American" foods enjoyed by Americans, enjoyment is derived from the consumption of the food being separated from the culture and people itself. This is reminiscent of some of the themes in the film "Tortilla Soup", where instead of separating the food from the culture, the culture was showcased in a way that fit comfortable views of Latino Americans[9]. It is unlikely that Charlottians will abandon their taste for the delicious Mediterranean meat wrap. The city's global status spares it most of the reactionary backlash that effects most of the rural south. We in Charlotte are fortunate to have adopted a welcoming stance to people's from around the globe, especially in a region where this was not typically welcome historically. The state has the 13th most Arab Americans in the country and its population is rising[10]. Hopefully we'll see a growth in Shawarma food trucks with it.

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