Homesick Haligonians can now tune into around-the-clock footage of Halifax’s official food: the donair.
The “Donair Cam” is a 24-hour live stream of a seasoned log of meat spinning on a rotating spit.
Ralf Pickart, owner of the website Nova Scotia Webcams, said he hopes the Donair Cam will help Maritimers who live away reconnect with their home.
“Nova Scotians who are away out west and all over, when they come back, the first thing they want is a donair because it can’t be replicated anywhere,” he said.
“People are always homesick, missing family and friends — and donairs are a part of that.”
Pickart said he came up with the idea while brainstorming for a new live webcam.
He then approached restaurant King Of Donair, a Halifax staple synonymous with the east coast delicacy.
Restaurant owner Nicholas Nahas said he jumped at the opportunity to prompt cravings for the greasy treat 24 hours a day.
King of Donair has laid claim to creating the original donair, which features shaved spicy meat, tomato, onion, and donair sauce wrapped in a pita.
In 2015, the dish was named the official food of Halifax.
Social media was abuzz after Nova Scotia Webcams debuted the Donair Cam, with many drooling over the spinning meat log.
Twitter user Rachel Harding tweeted: “I have two screens at my desk but usually only ever use one. Not anymore. #DonairCam.”
On Facebook, a user named Sue Mollins-Hamilton wrote: “This makes me very happy… and homesick.”
Pickart said he also hopes to raise awareness about Nova Scotia Webcams, an independent website that offers more than 75 livestreams around the province.
“Depending on how it catches on, (Donair Cam) can last forever,” Pickart said. “Certainly, I would say it’s there to entertain people and at some point, they will get hungry and hopefully get a donair.”
(Global News, The Canadian Press)
