Before I left on the World Race, my Dad asked me to chronicle the different types of food we would eat along the way. After enjoying the cuisine of three countries in Africa, here is my attempt at summarizing our food experiences thus far.
A is for Avocado. African Avocados are usually the size of both fists put together. And they cost about five cents each. We eat them for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Eat your heart out, Haas.
B is for Banana. These are plentiful in both Uganda and Rwanda, and we received at least three a day during our door-to-door ministry in Rukungiri. It’s too bad I’m allergic to them.
C is for Chapati. This flatbread goodness is served most mornings for breakfast. Andrea is addicted and swears she’s developing a “Chapati Body.” Don’t listen to her.
D is for Diet. Probably what we will all need to do after we finish the World Race and all of the delicious food across the world.
E is for Eggs. Boiled more often than scrambled, this has become our main protein source, as they are in abundance with the large population of hens in Africa. Interestingly, some egg yolks are nearly white.
F is for Fish Stew. We were able to get fresh tilapia from Lake Victoria when we were in Siaya, Kenya, and Milli, our wonderful chef friend, would make delicious fish stew for dinner some nights. Too bad fresh fish has been much harder to find since we’ve been moving westward.
G is for Guacamole. Also known as “Guacamundo” by the pastors we worked with in Rukungiri. We have been making this for our contacts in each country, and I promise you, guacamole is going to be all the rage in East Africa very soon.
H is for Hot Milk. With the abundance of dairy cows, fresh milk is everywhere. Most people serve it boiled. I think half of the team has become lactose intolerant due to the overabundance of milk.
I is for Ice. The only ice we have seen fell from the sky in Siaya. See video here.
J is for Jiff. Yes, peanut butter. This has been our staple food all too often on travel days. PBJs are universal. I will probably avoid peanut butter at all costs when I am back on US soil.
K is for Karo. Karo, or millet bread, was a major staple in Uganda. Cooked in hand-woven baskets, this purple-colored mush was more like ugali (see note below) than bread. It also became one of Drew’s favorite side dishes in Uganda.
L is for Liver. When we couldn’t identify the meat by sight, it was usually some sort of liver. We also called it “mystery meat.”
M is for Mandazi. We’ve found this dense donut in most places in Eastern Africa, but they vary in size from that of golf balls to bear claw pastries. Not as sweet as Krispy Kreme but a nice breakfast treat.
N is for Nyoyo. This red bean, maize (corn), potato, stew concoction was all the rage in Siaya, Kenya. We just had to be careful to ask for “nyoyo” and not “nyonyo” (breast milk).
O is for Offals. Webster’s definition is “the inedible parts of an animal.” It was also the number one menu item of our favorite restaurant in Rukungiri. No, I don’t think any of us ever actually ate any.
P is for Passion Fruit. These tart, seedy, tropical fruits were my fruit replacement for bananas. At less than fifty cents a bag, they were quite a yummy, inexpensive treat.
Q is for Quantity Control. This is not possible when your pastor is insisting, “Ten more! Ten more!”
R is for Rice. It’s true that rice is a staple food on every continent. And it’s also true that we’re developing carb bellies due to all of the rice we’ve been eating.
S is for Stoney Tangawizi. Drew, Sarah, and I are hooked on this spicy soda that always makes us cough and sputter with the last sip of gingery goodness. We are planning to import it to the US when we return.
T is for Tea. Apparently the tea in Kenya contains nicotine. With the way Drew is addicted, we’re wondering if the same is true of the tea in Uganda and Rwanda. The rest of us deny addiction, though we look forward to our three cups of tea each day.
U is for Ugali. Also called nsima and posho, this maize-flour and water concoction has the consistency of thick play dough and is used as a utensil for scooping food with your hands into your mouth.
V is for Variety. Though we are very grateful for food, there seems to be quite a limited variety. The consistent trends across the past three months have been beans, rice, potatoes, and cabbage.
W is for Water Bottles. Although we prefer to fill our Nalgenes with boiled water when we can, our hosts during door-to-door visits often give us plastic water bottles. I think we once collectively received 28 bottles of water on one given day.
X is for Xtra spicy. After our first pastor insisted on adding “fire” to every meal, almost all of us are now addicted to chili sauce. Scott still stays far, far away, and Sarah avoided it for a few days when she developed heart burn last month.
Y is for Yogurt. Drew has cursed all African yogurt after a not-so-pleasant experience left him regurgitating it at the Kenyan/Ugandan border. The rest of us don’t mind it as much. Except those who have now become lactose intolerant due to the overabundance of milk.
Z is for Zebra Gin. No, don’t worry, we haven’t been drinking any. The smell alone carries across two city blocks. But you can find small, empty plastic packages of these scattered all over the ground.
Now that you know your African food ABCs, perhaps you'll have a chance to try these delectable items if and when Team BLAZE opens up our "World Race Cafe" when we return to the US. Eat your heart out.
