It's a topic everybody loves, and something I'm more than happy to talk about all day long!
In fact sometimes I feel that my conversations with other uzungus (white people) here are governed by what we've eaten and where we've gotten it from!
There are two parts to my food/eating habits here.. One is what is eaten in the villages/visiting local friends here, and the other is what I eat in everyday life.
The main food eaten here is Chima/ugadi which is a flour and water concoction. I have never made it but Kath has plenty of times.. It seems relatively easy to prepare (but I'd probably still find a way to mess it up) and doesn't have much of a taste- but it is filling and will make you want to sleep! Don't plan on doing anything energetic within an hour of eating it!! It is usually served with beans, fish, chicken or a cabbage dish and can get very messy! You eat with the right hand, scooping up the chima and rolling it in your palm with your fingers before dipping it into whatever dish you are served that day. I find it to be super tasty- exactly what is needed after a long hot morning walking in the sun... Our friend Dayana has said she'll teach me how to make this one day!
Out of respect to the people here we do not eat bacon (not that you can get it here anyway being a largely Islamic community). We also don't drink alcohol.
You can get most food stuff here so I think we've got it pretty good. There is a supermarket for 'western conveniences' (probably the size of a corner deli in oz) and plenty of other little shops and some markets for fresh fruit and veg! I haven't missed out on anything really. You can get pasta, rice, flour, sugar, salt easily and there is a shop that sells chickens (live and frozen) and beef mince- not too expensively! Avocado season is gone and mango season is in... Makes me appreciate the God intended seasons for the different fruit and vegetables a bit more!
There isn't really much in the way of lollies here but you can get chocolate! For that I am incredibly grateful. We have a choice between Cadbury or bourneville mini blocks of assorted flavours... I practically live off them...
Cheese and icecream is very expensive but available. And you can get long life milk and fresh milk (from friends who own a farm).
But I think the most exciting thing for me is that the other day I found feta cheese.. It was sent all the way from South Africa and being sold in this cute little shop that I've never bothered to look in before.
All this fresh food and no bottled stuff has caused me to do a lot more cooking and I've gotten pretty good... Well I thought I had, up until a terrible incident I had making a cheese sauce for mac and cheese for a team gathering. It's always the times when everyone is together to eat that something goes wrong! I'd like to think it was just a way to keep me humble in my new found 'skills' ...haha...
So, if there is one thing I miss... I guess it would be sushi.. and eating one of those fancy kebabs at riverton forum after church in the morning..
I should also say I am a very lucky girl here! I eat at each of the families (and various friends around town) houses for a meal at least once a week and they all have amazing cooks in each family!
And I'm eating breakfast everyday!
