In the meantime, IKEA faces a dilemma: err on the side of caution and pull its meat balls from all European stores.

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They would throw balls of meat onto the griddle and go smash, smash, smash, smash, it was the quickest way of cooking a burger.

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Legend has it that the potato bomba (balls of mashed potato stuffed with meat, rolled in breadcrumbs and served with spicy sauces) was invented here.

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Batroun also specializes in a wonderful style of kibbeh balls, made with fish instead of meat.

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Cubes of cheese, scraps of luncheon meat, bread crusts, Peperami, dog biscuits and tutti-frutti balls all came down invitingly through the water.

ECONOMIST: Benson