Hello, crime readers and food lovers! In today’s Dining With The Dame, we are heading to Iraq. They Came to Baghdad is a standalone thriller from 1951.  I am not a fan of Christie’s adventure novels, I far prefer the mystery puzzles and, honestly, I didn’t love They Came To Baghdad. However, this is offset by the menu item. I LOVE Middle Eastern Food and today’s recipe for Cabbage Rolls with Merguez Sausage is no exception.

They Came To Baghdad – The Plot

“The belief in a superstratum of human beings – in Supermen to rule the rest of the decadent world – that Victoria is the most evil of all beliefs. For when you say, “I am not as other men” – you have list the two most valuable qualities we have ever tried to attain: humilty and brotherhood” 

Agatha Christie – They Came to Baghdad

Our heroine, Victoria Jones meets the handsome Edward Goring in a park in London where she is eating a lettuce and tomato sandwich.  He invites her to the pub for a sausage lunch.  I swear, I disliked both of these just based on their eating choices.  Who eats a lettuce and tomato sandwich?  And “Hey love, want a sausage? is no kind of chat up line – now, in 1951 or ever. 

Victoria who is later described as “An amiable nitwit with a lot of common sense” decides that she is in love with Edward.  (So maybe the “Hey love, fancy a sausage?” line is not as bad as we initally thought.  Who knew?)  Only thing is…He’s off to Baghdad on the morrow.  Undaunted Victoria decides to travel to Baghdad to find Edward and true love.  

Unfortunately, she finds a lot more.  We have:

• A world wide summit of superpowers about to occur in Baghdad
• A secret organisation trying to destroy the political status quo
• A mysterious blonde called Anna Scheele
• An explorer found dead in the Nile
• A nearly dead spy in Victoria’s bed whose last words are ” Lucifer…Basra…Lefarge” 
• Victoria being chloroformed, kidnapped and waking up with platinum blonde hair

This is not anywhere near the best Christie novel I have read.  BUT…it travels along at an abolsutely rollicking pace so even while recognising some of the silliness, you are also kinda, sorta gripped by the story.  And the saving grace is Christie’s absolutely vivid scene descriptions which put you EXACTLY into the time and place:

Outside in Bank Street it was sunny and full of dust and the noises were terrific and varied.  There was the persistent honking of motor horns and the cries of vendors of various wares.  There were hot disputes between small groups of people who seemed ready to murder each other but were really fast friends; men boys and children were selling every type of tree, sweetmeats, oranges and bananas, bath towels, combs, razorblades and other types of merchandise carried rapidly through the streets on trays.  There was also a perpetual and ever renewed sound of throat clearing and spitting, and above it, the thin, melancholy wail of men conducting donkeys and horses amongth the stream of motors and pedestrians” 

They Came To Baghdad – Agatha Christie

They Came To Baghdad – The Covers

Sadly no Arabic covers but these are all brilliant!  I really can’t pick a favourite! 

The Recipe: Cabbage Rolls

Fermented Chilli Sauce Recipe

I love the funkiness that a fermented chilli sauce brings to this recipe but you may choose to use a regular chilli sauce or, leave it out altogther.  If you are making your own, please bear in mind that it you need to let it ferment for around a month.  This recipe which comes from Eat California by Vivian Lui is absolutely deicious at any time and defintely worth the effort (and the wait) to make it!  And, as an added bonus you also get one of my notes to self about the recipe!

Victoria started by drinking a large glass of water and then fell to the rice, the bread and the cabbage leaves which were full of a rather peculiar tasting chopped meat.  When she had finished everything on the tray she felt a good deal better” 

They Came To Baghdad – Agatha Christie

Links to the Christieverse

Nothing that I found.  Please let me know if you found anything. 

Other Food & Drinks Mentioned in  They Came To Baghdad

• Oranges x2
• Bananas
• Oats
• Cheese sandwiches
• Lettuce and tomato sandwich
• Sausage
• Coffee x 6
• Beer
• Chewing gum
• Barley Sugar
• Double Whisky
• Gin
• Cocktail
• Whiskey Soda
• Martini
• Olives x 2
• Pistachios
• Sidecar
• Potato chips
• Baby chickens x2
• Foie Gras
• Caviar
• Fish with sauce and mushrooms
• Turkey stuffed with spice and raisins x2
• Steak x2
• Scrambled eggs
• Milk and Water
• Honey
• Lemonade
• Almonds
• Apricots
• Sandwich
• Rice

October’s read will be A Murder is Announced.  

Have a great week!