D.B.S.Jeyaraj
Charles Percival de Silva known as CP de Silva or CP was a mercurial personality who strode across the Sri Lankan -known then as Ceylon- political scene like a colossus. He passed away on October 9th 1972. CP de Silva was a former Civil servant and cabinet minister who was worshipped by thousands of farmers as a living Deity for the services he rendeted in the sectors of land settlement, irrigation and agriculture. CP’s crowning achievement however was in voting against his own party led Govt and bringing it down. His was a principled act necessitated by the ideal of resisting what he perceived as being the SLFP Govt’s “unadulterated totalitarianism” at that time. The contours of the CP de Silva saga is a fascinating tale worthy of being related on the occasion of his impending death anniversary on Oct 9.
To most people a menu is a list of dishes one orders from, which could always change. To Galle Fort Muslims, a menu refers to an exact, immaculate combination of dishes that defy alteration. If any single characteristic makes their food uncommon, exclusive, unique even, if it’s possible to speak of a ramparted Galle Fort Muslim cuisine, these combinations, the handiwork of generations of women in the kitchen, play the starring role.
For this reason, Fazeera Ismail, now domiciled in Virginia, USA, set forward to put her recipes together for her children and grandchildren, and now, as she says, “all of you can have your taste buds entranced too by this meticulously and unique cuisine, passed on by generations of our forefathers”.