For Germany, the vertical spit has taken a worrying turn. In a recent application to the European Union, Turkey has asked for the döner kebab to be recognised as a Turkish specialty, with only kebabs that adhere to strict criteria — thin slivers of spit-roasted meat (only lamb, beef or chicken), served on a bed of rice, alongside fries, tomatoes and peppers — being recognised as “döner” kebabs. Should the application be accepted, it would effectively demote Germany’s beloved street food — meat packed into a pita and topped with salad and a garlicky yoghurt sauce — to mere “kebabs”.
Still, Germany’s chagrin over the application seems overblown, considering how extensive food and beverage protection is in the EU: If the Neapolitan Pizza can only be with type 00 or type 0 flour, with toppings from the Campania region, and champagne can only be made in the eponymous region in France using the methode champenoise, then surely Turkey is well within its rights to seek similar protection for the most popular representative of its cuisine in Europe. Either way, the kebab would be just as juicy and delicious, whether or not it’s called a döner.
