Midaq Alley

This chapter describes the bustling activity of Salim Alwan’s company in Midaq Alley. The company sells perfumes and cosmetic goods and has managed to thrive during wartime. Alwan, the head of the company, is a shrewd businessman. Despite his success, he worries about the future, as none of his three sons shows interest in continuing the trade. He contemplates the possibility of acquiring the noble title of “Bey” and wonders how he should spend his excess energy and ambition. Alwan’s sexual desire, amplified by an aphrodisiac concoction made from cooked green wheat, pigeon meat, and nutmeg, consumes him and leaves him frustrated. His pent-up sexual energy finds an object of desire in Hamida, about whom he constantly fantasizes. Husniya, the baker’s wife, steals some of the mixture to try it out on her husband and is pleased with the results. When Alwan realizes she is stealing it—after noticing a drop in his sexual performance—he stops sending the mixture to her bakery. Soon everyone in the alley is trying the dish, but its ingredients are too expensive for them to buy on a regular basis.