Hey everyone! Happy Tuesday! Thanks for all the comments on my last post about running in Africa, I loved them. And maybe I should clarify the drop-kicking a child part… or maybe not. : ) Some things are better left to mystery.
On the eve of my departure from Moz (okay, not quite the eve, but it’s definitely getting there) I really felt a foodie post waiting to come out. Those watting to read something overly wordy and self-indulgently reflective are free to tune out. : )
You all know I am not a chef or a talented baker or really much of anything—but I find food fascinating and that includes anything from gourmet dishes to the things I find bubbling in buckets in a backwater market stand. So I thought I would share some food lessons that I have learned in Mozambique.
Food Lesson 1: Don’t judge a food by its cover or its name.
AKA, this can turn into a glorious meal (it was delicious!)…
Squid steak is strange looking, rubbery, and slimy (yet satisfying)…
And goat is amazing. I can’t believe this hasn’t caught on hardcore yet.
Food Lesson 2: Brussels Sprouts are actually really good. I NEVER thought I would say that. Ever. This is what happens when you are deprived of vegetables for a time—you surprise yourself.
Food Lesson 3: Some substitutions are almost as good as the real thing… like fake mini pizza bagels (probably my least sophisticated kitchen creation ever and the one of which I am the most proud).
And some are NOT. Okay, marshmallow fluff and chocolate are amazing, but a smear of both on a flavorless cookie does not a s’more make.
Food Lesson 4: I am absolutely unable to resist ANY kind of carb. Especially when traveling. I want to make sure they all get a fair shot… even if they don’t really look appealing. At all. I am accepting this as a fact of life. My mission in life might be to make sure none of them feel neglected. Perhaps my memoir shall require a “no carb left behind” chapter.
Food Lesson 5: Speaking of carbs, “OMG, that is SO much rice!” always ends with a clean plate within minutes. So just embrace it. This Is Africa.
Food Lesson 6: you can always ask for more.
This bean-and-rice plate (less than a dollar) is pretty substantial but if you run out of one (beans or rice) before the other… just pass the plate back over. You shall be handsomely rewarded.
Food Lesson 7: meat tastes better on sticks. Can I get an amen?
Food Lesson 8: Mozambican fast food (buying fruit out of bus windows—sometimes when it’s still moving) is way better than any Burger King drive through.
Especially when this bag of tangerines costs 30 cents.
Food Lesson 9: reading food blogs from Africa is NOT depressing (all the time) because it inspires you to greatness. Green bean fries are a really good idea.
So are frozen peanut butter dates.
And there really isn’t anything better than the grilled banana sandwich.
But there are a LOT of things that are better than a banana sandwich that’s sat in your bag on a bus all day.
Food Lesson 10: A fish burger doesn’t mean healthy. It means an entire jar of mysterious pink “sandwich spread” with some fried fish in the middle.
Food Lesson 11: The more effort you put in, the more rewards you reap.
Such as making a sandwich with hummus (homemade), guacamole (homemade), and a pita (homemade). Too bad I didn’t slaughter the gazelle in the middle myself. That would have been an epic DIY. Stay tuned next week for “How-to: kill and pluck your own entrée!”
Food Lesson 12: When making a quiche in a two-part pan, make sure that the pan is put together right. Otherwise you might end up with half of the egg mixture on the tray in the oven.
Nothing a few extra eggs can’t fix.
Food Lesson 13: Blenders ARE useful. Don’t wait almost two years to figure out that yours works.
Food Lesson 14: Wherever you are living, embrace the culinary traditions, no matter how strange or fried they may be…
But don’t give up on your own traditions.
It’s been fun becoming a foodie here because it safely guarantees that I will NEVER be a food snob (did you SEE these pictures??) but will always look for the humor and the culture in the act of eating.
Might as well get nostalgic about the Moz now–watch, in January I’ll be in Whole Foods, staring at whole wheat flour and pastry flour and spelt flour and peanut flour and why-the-hell-do-we-need-this-many-types-of-flour flour and just missing the simplicity of eating the Moz. Not that it is without its charms. : )
I’ll be back soon with my normal, way-too-wordy-and-self-indulgently-reflective posts. And no more pictures of squid. Promise.
What “food lessons” have you learned recently?
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Great advice!! I lived most of my life not trying certain foods. I’m so glad I’ve finally grown out of that – I mean, I used to not eat sweet potatoes because they were orange!! I’ve definitely done some damage the past few years, though, trying to catch up on all those years I missed out on those delicious orange potatoes……
I love all of your pics. I wonder what you’ll think of this post next year. Im sure you’ll laugh even more at your culinary misadventures. Traveling definitely opens you up to new foods, some of which I dont really feel a desire to try again.
Mmm…. goat. You’ll have to check out El Parian when you get back. Found a picture of the beautiful birria here. http://www.lataco.com/taco/el-parian-pico-union
yea that would totally seem like a lot of rice to most people since we dont usually have it as much as a staple huh… altho i guess other places would look at certain foods we eat and think the same. mmm and mini pizza bagels are hardcore yummy! theyre super addictive, and yep i too think theyre pretty good competitors to the real thing. haha embrace the carbs, mmm we both would severely suffer on a low carb diet huh!!
ps. dont worry, many peoples comments on my blog link to their twitter. i’ll probably switch to a different comment platform later on… im not sure how to fix it either.. its really strange
oh and i love that u saved the muffin pic as ur desktop background! if the muffins could talk theyd say “THANK YOU for loving me” haha.
xoxo
haha yeah the squid looks awesomely creepy
And I’ve heard a lot about goat traveling through Europe. Unfortunately, never actually tried it myself! I need to at some point!
Oh my gosh, a squid? Is THAT what that first picture is? You are brave! I love your rules. I am with ya on the carb thing. I love all forms! Especially rice. I still can’t get on the brussels sprouts train yet.
Yum! Thanks for the food lessons
For as much as I’ve traveled, I’ve never ventured into Africa so I’m so glad that I found your blog!
holy goly!! awesome. i love this post. so interesting to see how people eat there! i love that bread, the one fish burger! that bread is calling my name!!
Great post! I’m not sure I’m brave enough for squid, but I definitely agree that goat is delicious! And free-range! And economical! You’re right….it should catch on.
One of my dream vacations is to go on an African Safari. We looked into it last year but it was so expensive for the amount of time we would be there.
I can’t say I would ever eat that squid (rubbery and slimy???) and no way on the goat (you know?…that vegetarian thing I have going on) but most of those dishes look great. So interesting.
Hey might as well try it while you have the chance!! Though I’m still not sure about squid steak;)
UM, one word-> Brave.
Great lessons! And I have to agree with the rice one. Take hibachi, for example. Everyone is all “oh I could never finish that,” but I don’t even bother saying that. I know full well I’m about to devour every last grain of rice.
I’ll take the bread and leave the goat to you
That’s some exciting eating!
Another great post!! Though I have to admit, some of those food pictures just made me think: “man, is she brave!!”
I think it’s wonderful that you’ve embraced the local culinary traditions and tried so many new things. And after reading your “home improvement” post, I’m even more impressed that you come up with creative dishes of your own!
I loved reading through all of these lessons. I especially love the “Mozambican fast food” That is such an amazing idea — I wish the American idea of fast food was also buying fruit out of windows.
It’s so interesting to read about African food! that first soup looks….. interesting
I’m also in love with carbs, especially bread and pasta, I just can’t resist them!
eeekkkk to the squid. I’m totally judging it hahah
And how do you make green bean fries?! Do they get crispy?
Food lessons I’ve learned lately: I’ve been working on a farm so I’m starting to really appreciate my food, where it comes from, and how much work it is to harvest
Love the picture of the squid steaks!!!!!!! Ahhh….so awesome. I would try those babies in a heartbeat. I love trying out strange things like that. one of my fav foods from my childhood were these giant fried shrimp heads (beady eyes and all) that I always ate at our local sushi restaurant. Nothing like fried tentacles to make your heart go pitter pat.
Seriously. Every post. You make me love you more. I love what you said about not resisting carbs! Hello!!! The best part of the food group ever!! And did you know squid is my dad’s favorite food ever? He just boils it and dips it in spicy korean sauce.
OMG I absolutely love this post! The whole entire thing! I think its so important to take part in the culture of the area you are living in! It helps build you as a person, and trying the culinary traditions is so imp as well!
i love it! so many memories (and i feel grateful that i don’t have to experience meat in africa right now…sorry
i get grossed out). i loved buying fruit out of windows, we had the best bananas ever in cameroon. they were mini and tasty. my host family thought i was weird for eating so many fruits though!