Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Couscous, Tagine, and Olives galore!
I have been in N. Africa for the past three days and I have already eaten a lot of delicious foods! The first afternoon we stopped at a tourist cafe and had mint tea (very sweet to the taste, it reminded me of the sweet tea from Kentucky, but this had the mint leaves right there in the cup!) I ordered Tagine with chicken which is a stew like dish with peas, carrots, red olives, onions, garlic, etc. The best thing about Tagine was that we learned how to eat it with our hands and scooping with a small piece of bread. I laughed to myself thinking about all those years of my mom telling us not to play with our food! Well eating tagine without utensils was fun and somewhat liberating. Small pleasures in life are what make life worth living, right?!

The first night after unpacking my suitcase I walked with friends to a McDonald's....but we all decided it would be better to try authentic foods to immerse ourselves in the culture. So we walked a few blocks and stopped at a nice restaurant that had tables outside and we ordered couscous with chicken. The plate was piled high with raisins, carrots, potatoes, chicken, beans, and grain on the bottom. Every bite was delicious, but I was so stuffed that I took leftovers with me.

The second day we went to a local fast food restaurant that served us eggplant with peppers, greens with artichokes, and wonderfully seasoned cuts of chicken and beef. Again, I got to eat with my hands!

The third day, today, I had a chance to eat a meal prepared by a good cook in a local cafeteria. Earlier in the day at tea time, I saw her massaging the chicken in a marinade. An hour or two later after taking care of some business, I returned and there was a table set with cooked green and red peppers, cucumbers slices, rice potatoes and carrots, and in the middle of the table there was....the chicken covered in layers of green olives, onion, garlic, parsley, celery, etc. Carrying on with the theme, I ate with my hands again which I am really getting used to and really enjoying! Oh....it was absolutely delicious!!!!! I am getting hungry just thinking about that meal. :)

So far I think that this part of adjusting to the culture is a plus which gives me hope for three things:
1. that I will learn how to cook these meals and therefore broaden my repretoire of recipies.
2. that the dishes prepared with fish will be just as satisfying!
3. that other adjustments will have their liberating aspects.

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