Working For A Camel Farm?

Should I work for a new Camel farm?

Last week, I wrote about my first experience eating ground camel, enjoying a camel burger with Berbere spices. I never expected my article would lead to an intriguing job offer, one I'm seriously considering. 

I received an email from Frank Abagnale, desirous of hiring my writing services for his newest endeavor.  My camel article had triggered his interest and he perused the rest of my blog, impressed with my writing style and passion. We then spoke on the phone and he made me an interesting offer.

Mr. Abagnale, a former doctor and pilot, wants to establish a camel farm in the Midwest, possibly in Kansas, which will produce camel milk and camel meat. Other camel farms already exist in the U.S., such as Juba Farms in Missouri and the Oasis Camel Dairy in California. Mr. Abagnale believes he has a business plan which will differentiate his farm from the others that already exist.

He would like to hire me to write about his process, to detail everything which occurs with this new endeavor, whether good or bad. I will be considered an independent consultant, so he won't be able to dictate what I write. He wants me to write the unvarnished truth, not just be a sycophant to his ideas. 

The contract would be for one year, and would include significant travel. Initially, I would journey, for at least two months, with Mr. Abagnale to North Africa, to visit various countries and conduct research at various camel farms in that region. We would also visit numerous restaurants known for camel dishes. 

After North Africa, we would return to the U.S., traveling across the Midwest, seeking the best location for the new camel farm. Once a site was chosen, I would remain there while the farm was established, chronicling the process, and continue while the farm began operation. Once my year contract was over, there would be an option for a six-month extension, dependent on the status of the camel farm. 

Obviously a year commitment is significant, and this offer is still so very new, but I've been carefully considering it. It's a fairly lucrative offer, so that will obviously play a role in my decision. But then I would also be away from family and friends for at least a year. I'm doing my due diligence and there is so much to think about.

Should I become the Passionate Camel Foodie for a year! 

"Hump" Day: Eating Camel Burgers

Today, Wednesday, is Hump Day, but over the past weekend, Saturday was my "Hump" Day, because I enjoyed camel burgers for dinner. 

Recently, after visiting Harvard Square, I stopped by Savenor's Butchery, at 92 Kirkland Street, Cambridge, an excellent butcher shop which first opened back in 1939. They carry an intriguing selection of exotic meats, and over the years I've sampled meats from yak to elk, lion to llama. During this visit, I found ground camel, and as I've never tasted it before, I had to buy it.  

Camel is consumed in various Middle-Eastern countries (those with desert regions) as well as Northern Africa. Historically, camel has been consumed for many centuries, including by the ancient Romans and Persians. Camel is available in the U.S. in some specialty butcher shops and through some online vendors.   

Ground camel looks very similar to beef, but it's leaner and has less cholesterol than beef, so it might be closer to bison. It's high in protein and iron content, so it's nutritious as well. You can generally prepare ground camel in any manner that you would use ground beef. Burgers, meatballs, tacos, meat sauce, etc. 

We decided to make camel burgers, and also to keep it as plain as possible, thus no cheese, onions, peppers, etc. I wanted to experience the taste of the camel, so chose to keep it simple, adding only a little spice blend.

I chose a Berbere Seasoning, which is commonly an Ethiopian spice blend. This Seasoning was made with cayenne pepper, garlic, ginger, fenugreek, cardamon, cumin, black pepper, allspice, turmeric, cloves, Ceylon cinnamon, and coriander. With a judicious amount of seasoning, it added a slightly spicy and flavorful touch to the camel burger.

The camel burger itself was mild and resembled a beef burger in texture and taste. If you didn't know it was camel, you probably would believe it was a beef burger. However, it's better for you than beef, as it's lower in fat and cholesterol. 

The ground camel illustrates the point that people should be more open to trying new foods, as it might seem to you to be strange and something you wouldn't enjoy, but the reality could be quite different. If you like beef or bison, then there's no reason why you wouldn't like camel too. Expand your palate and be more adventurous. Check out Savenor's and purchase some of their exotic meats. You may find a new favorite.