Steen: On Food

No blog from Steen would be complete without some comment on the food. My initial entry was on greetings, but I shall put that second. Food first!

o It's a good thing that Erin and I quite enjoy curry, because we have been eating a lot of that here in Tanzania, especiallyat the Kolping Hotel in Bukoba where we are staying. It’s unfortunate that we do not feel comfortable eating raw fruits and vegetables as it means we are eating a lot of meat and rice -- where is our fiber? Most of the food, I would describe as flavorful with an “earthy” taste at times. We suspect that this may be due to the water, which is relatively clear, but with a tinge of rust and may not be fully purified. In terms of hygiene, all I can say is that so far I have thankfully had normal bathroom habits! Erin had a ditty of gastro, which left her feeling uncomfortable for a day or two, but it too has fortunately passed.

o Breakfast is included in our hotel and it contains a good amount of variety. Passion fruit juice, bread with jam or butter or honey, some hot foods such as eggs, sausage or bacon, or French toast and the like, plus instant coffee, cocoa, drinking chocolate, or tea. There often is also a plate of pineapple and watermelon. They typically make their coffee or tea with whole milk, but hot water is also an option. Recently, they have had papaya as well and I recall a funny story told by our mentor, Dr. Bertha. When she first came to Bukoba, she went looking for papaya, but did not find it in the market. Then someone told her, “you want papaya? Just go to someone’s house and ask them for it.” Apparently, there are so many papaya in this region that there is not even a market to sell them – people just give them away! Unfortunately, though, that also means that if you are not comfortable asking someone for their personal papaya, you might not have a good means of purchasing one. I do love papaya.

o The best meal so far: Saturday, at the Bukoba Club, an outdoor restaurant right along Lake Victoria, we had the freshest fish I have ever tasted in my life: whole tilapia freshly caught from the lake (we even passed by some of the fisherman earlier in the day.) The tilapia was de-scaled and then steamed in foil in a mix of tomatoes and peppers with lime and hot peppers and salt on the side. It was absolutely phenomenal. Light, juicy, and tender. A man came by with a pitcher of hot water with soap on top and we washed our hands into a bowl before eating with our hands. As someone who is used to using chopsticks and spoons for nearly everything, it was quite the fun experience! That day, I forgot my chopsticks, but I think eating with my hands was more fun anyways.