Since the age of 13, milk has been the enemy. One glass of the stuff and I would buckle over in pain. Oddly enough, bi-products were okay. Cheese, ice-cream, yogurt and small amounts of cream were all fine. As of 8 months ago, my allergy became more aggressive and now a teaspoon of butter is like poison.
When I was living in Sydney, allergies in general (let alone one as common as lactose intolerance), were quite manageable. There are many options for people with my condition, and almost every cafe and restaurant serves an alternative. In essence, life without dairy wasn’t a big deal.
Now I’m in Egypt. Which means my allergy no longer exists. As my cousin so bluntly put it, “allergies are a figment of the imagination… if you believe you are allergic to milk then of course you will be.” Quite a nice theory if you are a Zen master and practice the art of ‘mind over matter.’ In one instance I was told “allergies are for wimps.”
I find these comments quite curious, given the fact that several members of my extended family suffer from the same condition, and yet insist that it is the “weather.” As a matter of fact, the symptoms suffered from food allergies are most commonly blamed on:
1. The Flu
2. Fatigue
3. Lack of health in general
4. Poor diet
Family outings have thus become a challenge, especially when food is involved (100% if outings in Egypt involve food in some way…) When I eat out, I always ask for a non-dairy option. I actually need to list every dairy item under the sun for the waiter and chef to comprehend the meaning of ‘milk product.’ I also need to state that any mistake will result in death. This of course is an exaggeration, but even then can you believe that mistakes are still made? Despite these precautions, I almost always still receive my order wrong. So for all my fellow lactose intolerantinos, here are some tips for surviving a milk-free life:
* Brown bread is milk-free. If you like white bread, always check the ingredients (there are brands that sell dairy free white bread) and if you are buying from a bakery, ‘balady’ and Lebanese bread are also usually milk-free.
* Goats cheese and goat’s milk seems to have little to no effect. Might be different on a case by case basis, so test it first before going crazy!
* Camels milk is rumoured to be a good alternative, although I haven’t brought myself to try it! Anyone who has tried it, please let me know the outcome.
* Many foods are cooked in butter, so make sure you ask the chef to cook it in vegetable or olive oil instead. Don’t rely on the waiter, they usually have no clue and like to make assumptions. Always ask to speak to the chef or at least tell the waiter that it is life-threatening so that he doesn’t forget to ask.
* Soy milk is available in specialty stores – stock up on this at home to ensure you get your calcium intake. Caution: soy milk does crazy things for your hormones, so drink in moderation.
* Take soy milk with you to coffee shops - they have no problem making your favourite latte with it.
* Coptic Egyptians fast during particular times of the year, abstaining from eating anything that was living or a bi-product of living animals. This includes milk and dairy. Thus there are stores which cater to this, from bakeries and sweet shops to mini markets.
* Finally, always give your relatives and friends the heads up when attending dinner parties and lunches. This usually has to be done before every visit, to avoid statements such as “I forgot” or “Do you still have that problem?”
And if nothing works, then just remember - "there's no point crying over spilt milk!"
If you love history and culture but don’t fancy being too adventurous, then add Istanbul to your list of holiday destinations. It’s one of those unique places which offers modernised living in the setting of an ancient city. Very much like a giant, open-air museum. My first visit to Istanbul was when I was 8 with my parents. There was a lot of greenery, very few tourists and people hardly spoke any English. Now, 20 years later, Istanbul has very much become a ‘European’ city, making it more accessible to mainstream sightseeing. This time round I was in Istanbul for work, but luckily had a few days in between to do some sightseeing and shopping. Here is a brief description of the places I had time to visit, with links to my online photo album.
3. Topkapi Palace – everything a Sultan’s Palace should be and more. Lush gardens, water views and a ton of chill out rooms with floor cushions and Turkish windows. The water fountains actually still work, and the Islamic treasures and artifacts are amazingly intact and well looked after. My heart skipped a beat when I saw Spoonmaker’s Diamond – a stunning 80+ carats (but who’s counting), which was found in 1669 by a street urchin in the garbage. He sold it for three spoons to a Spoonmaker, who then sold it to a jeweller. When it was later discovered to be a diamond, a dispute broke out and word reached the Sultan, who confiscated the diamond. Pictures weren’t allowed, so here’s one I found online of this thing:
5. Bosphorus Cruise – a great ride along the Bosphorus, past classic villas, old towns and ancient castles. See the Asian side on the way there, and the European side on the way back. Fairly cheap for a return ticket (around 20 TL) and you can get off at one stop. We disembarked at Emininou where we enjoyed a seafood lunch (which was actually disappointing) and did some window shopping for sweets (which we didn’t actually get time to go back for!) My advice – take your time and enjoy what the town has to offer. If you are in a rush to get back to the main city, then you can buy a slightly cheaper ticket which doesn’t include a stopover.
