DOI article:
Daszewska, Elżbieta; Saleh, Mohammed Said [Honoree]: Mohammed Said Saleh: 1931-2003
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.41370#0014
OBITUARY
Mohammed proved to be as talented as his father and, more importantly, he was willing to lis-
ten to our requests and advice on how to prepare dishes as exotic to him as Polish borsch, both hot and
cold, cabbage soup, and broth. He willingly made our traditional “pierogi”, dumplings which he
called Polish ravioli.
Italian cuisine had few secrets from him and he also prepared many local specialties which we
could appreciate in the best possible form, such as admirable lamb kebabs cooked on coals lighted with
the help of our hair driers and a variety of vegetable dishes which he introduced to us, such as arti-
chokes with zucchini in dill sauce and eggplants stuffed with meat, which the more flippant of our
colleagues christened “shaved mice”.
Occasionally, his imagination got the better of him and he once served us fruit jelly which he had
treated with potassium permanganate, because he liked the color better!
His creme caramel was the best in the world - and there was never enough of it.
Mohammed listened to us speaking (so we thought!) Arabic and patiently tried to understand.
Sometimes he would ask in Polish what on earth did we mean. I think he understood a great deal of
Polish, having been with us for so many years.
As he grew old he grew accustomed to sending younger and older servants out on shopping errands
(the main products he always purchased himself). Meayiwhile, he would sit in the window drinking
coffee and having a quiet smoke. If he had an extra cigarette, he would stick it behind his ear. He
also used to keep small change in his ear.
After many years devoted to working at the Centre he was presented with a motorcycle - it was
Krysia Polaczek's initiative and the University bought it for him. He was really delighted and he
must have felt himself rejuvenated for he got himself yet another wife, a girl younger than his eldest
daughter.
We shall all miss him, the man who was a friend and a permanent fixture at the Centre, one of
the people that made the Centre a home to return to. Never again will we have the opportunity to taste
the kind of creme caramel and 1mas but' coffee that he used to make.
Elzbieta Daszewska
12
Mohammed proved to be as talented as his father and, more importantly, he was willing to lis-
ten to our requests and advice on how to prepare dishes as exotic to him as Polish borsch, both hot and
cold, cabbage soup, and broth. He willingly made our traditional “pierogi”, dumplings which he
called Polish ravioli.
Italian cuisine had few secrets from him and he also prepared many local specialties which we
could appreciate in the best possible form, such as admirable lamb kebabs cooked on coals lighted with
the help of our hair driers and a variety of vegetable dishes which he introduced to us, such as arti-
chokes with zucchini in dill sauce and eggplants stuffed with meat, which the more flippant of our
colleagues christened “shaved mice”.
Occasionally, his imagination got the better of him and he once served us fruit jelly which he had
treated with potassium permanganate, because he liked the color better!
His creme caramel was the best in the world - and there was never enough of it.
Mohammed listened to us speaking (so we thought!) Arabic and patiently tried to understand.
Sometimes he would ask in Polish what on earth did we mean. I think he understood a great deal of
Polish, having been with us for so many years.
As he grew old he grew accustomed to sending younger and older servants out on shopping errands
(the main products he always purchased himself). Meayiwhile, he would sit in the window drinking
coffee and having a quiet smoke. If he had an extra cigarette, he would stick it behind his ear. He
also used to keep small change in his ear.
After many years devoted to working at the Centre he was presented with a motorcycle - it was
Krysia Polaczek's initiative and the University bought it for him. He was really delighted and he
must have felt himself rejuvenated for he got himself yet another wife, a girl younger than his eldest
daughter.
We shall all miss him, the man who was a friend and a permanent fixture at the Centre, one of
the people that made the Centre a home to return to. Never again will we have the opportunity to taste
the kind of creme caramel and 1mas but' coffee that he used to make.
Elzbieta Daszewska
12