🚀 go-pugleaf

On 19 Aug 2004 08:54:46 -0400, mrivers@d-and-d.com (Mike Rivers)
wrote:

>
>The original construction was a stack of thinly sliced alternating
>meats on a vertical skewer. When sliced along the axis of the skewer,
>you got a combination of the meats. Nizam's in Vienna makes donner
>kabob which is constructed in the real way.
>

This is the way Max's Place constructs their meat 
for their shwarma.  I've seen them putting one together 
a couple of times when I've been there.  They alternate 
relatively thin slices of lamb (that's all they use for theirs)
on a spit and put a cap of fat and/or suet on top.  The 
whole thing tapers somewhat towards the top.  Then it 
is cooked like a gyro on a vertical rotisserie.  Sometimes 
with a crowd or near the beginning of the lunch hour you 
have to wait a few minutes while an outer section of 
the mass of meat cooks to the right doneness before 
you get your order. 

As I understand it the construction is virtually identical 
to a Donner Kabob.  The Donner Kabob is I think a 
Turkish name for this preparation.  It's probably all 
the same thing except just the different names.  Using 
the different meats is probably just a variation.

I had forgotten about Lebanese Taverna having 
Shwarma.  One just opened up in downtown 
Silver Spring.  I will have to compare them but I 
like Max's setup better.  You order the Shwarma 
from a counter with a glass case full of assorted 
veggies such as:

  Turkish Salad - Tomato and Cucumber lightly 
                          marinated in vinegar
 diced tomatoes
  Roasted peppers
 green and red shredded cabbage
 marinated carrot slices
 sliced beets
 cauliflower
 marinated mini-eggplants
 pickles
 spicy marinated onion pieces
 assorted spicy mixtures for varying heat
 tahini

I'm probably forgetting some but you just tell 
them what you want in it.  I tell them to give 
me the "works" except for the pickles and 
eggplant.  I also like mine pretty spiced up.

They also do the same setup for fresh falafels
that they make there.  I don't order those too 
much since I discovered how to make the 
same falafels at home.  I can't reproduce the 
Shwarma though.

Greg Muncill
Silver Spring, MD