At any given time with Kernan cultures, we're probably working on five to ten stories at the same time.

And sometimes we'll look at a story and realize we can't actually find a place for it in the larger theme of an episode.

These stories are misfits, you might say.

So today, we thought it'd be fun to make space for two of our favorite misfit stories.

Both are about food, but from different sides of the world.

The first story comes to us from the streets of New York, and the second is from a farm in

Cairo.

I'm Hibba Fisher. This is Kernan Cultures. Radio documentaries from the Middle East.

And one story that always kind of captures my imagination.

It's fair.

The streets lost culture.

And you're listening to Kearning cultures.

Do you know what?

I'm just going to hand hold my mic, then I can sit up.

Our first story comes to us from producer Alex Atak.

I feel like I sound better if I'm sitting up.

All right.

A few months ago, Hibah was in New York,

and she heard about this kind of surprising story

about turf wars between halal food carts.

We found these stories about mafia-style licensed monopolies

and long-standing rivalries and physical altercations in the streets.

...