This post is dedicated to Wise Woman of Wandsworth, who recently moved to career pastures new.
Thursdays are Farmers’ Market days in Hammersmith, where my day job is situated, and that means falafels for lunch. Former colleague, Wise Woman, may have left sunny Ham-Wham behind, but she hasn’t forgotten Falafel Thursday. Yesterday she signed off an e-mail with “Enjoy the falafel stall today.”
So here’s what all the fuss is about:
Believe me when I say that this is a short queue. People wait for ages for one of these delicious falafel wraps, the line of patrons snaking around Lyric Square. Some of my colleagues fetch their falafels at midday, to avoid the lunchtime rush. I wait until 3pm to pick mine up. You see? Our Thursday afternoon schedules are now dictated by falafels. In case you’re wondering, they are worth every moment of queuing or inconvenience.
So what’s in these wraps to make them so special? A warm flatbread is topped with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, chopped green chillies and cucumber before being drizzled liberally with mayonnaise and chilli sauce. Then the falafel balls, straight from the fryer, are squashed around the rim. Rolled together tightly in a twist of paper, they’re fresh and healthy with a mini-explosion of heat from the sauce and chillies. They’re also satisfactorily filling considering they cost £2.50 for a small or £3.00 for a large. Mind you, even though that’s inexpensive for a healthy lunch in London, yesterday a man behind me in the queue said “gosh, falafels are a lot cheaper in Iraq!” Yes, well they would be, wouldn’t they?
Epicurienne 
Well, I want me one of them. Anything with falafel balls sounds exotic to me unlike you and Razz. And, um…are falafel balls fried dough? Or do they have some filling in them.
I told you. Bacon pizza is my specialty. Ask the only ones who eat something at my house: ages 10, 8 and five.
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Hi Pat,
falafel balls are made of a deep-fried chickpea and herb mixture. They’re popular in the Middle East (and Hammersmith!). My homework for you is to find somewhere near you that sells them, and eat one. Let me know what you think!
Meanwhile, I think I’ll send my Mum over to your place for a slice or two of your bacon pizza. It’s one of her favourites, and it’ll even out the mean age of your diners… BTW haven’t seen Spud for a while. How’s he doing?
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Spud is rapidly decomposing along with his owner. I swear to you no falafel balls in my neighborhood at all, perhaps, Boston? I’ll keep my eyes out. Kids arrive tonight so send your Mom over! Pool party, too! Up at 6 am to look for frogs, all activities are required for overnight guests, I don’t care how old.
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Poor Spud. He needs another photo opportunity to give him renewed vigour.
Wish I could be at the pool party and looking for frogs… after all, I do live with one.
Have fun and look forward to seeing the documentary evidence of a great evening!
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