I don't want to romanticize village life, it is not an easy existence, particularly during the dry season. But it is interesting to me that over centuries people have developed an agriculture that is well suited for their climate and sustainable. It is equally interesting to me that in the U.S. we are only just discovering the benefits of such a lifestyle.
In the U.S. we laud "farm to table" as a sort of elite social movement, but in african villages it is a way of life. The village I stayed in, Pelugru, is up in the northern part of Ghana and is fairly remote. They only get three months of rain during the year, so all their crops and food have to be adapted to that climate. Of course that's precisely what people in that area have been doing for hundreds of years, so they are pretty good at it. Most meals consist of a starch and a meat soup or stew. During the rainy season there are also vegetables like okra, tomatoes and peppers. Starches include plantains, cassava, millet and taro roots (believed to be one of the very earliest cultivated crops), all of which grow locally and store well (for the 9 months of dry season). And the meat comes from pretty much anything that moves: chickens, guinea fowl, goats, sheep, pigs, cows and donkeys. These are all animals that can fend for themselves and graze on what's available, so of course all their meat is organic, "free range" and "grass fed." In the U.S. we pay a premium for that, but in africa that is just what is sustainable. In addition people make their own cooking oil, from ground nuts and palm nuts. They also make their own alcohol: pito is fermented millet and there is also palm wine further south. Villagers even make their own charcoal by burying smoldering wood under dirt.
I don't want to romanticize village life, it is not an easy existence, particularly during the dry season. But it is interesting to me that over centuries people have developed an agriculture that is well suited for their climate and sustainable. It is equally interesting to me that in the U.S. we are only just discovering the benefits of such a lifestyle.
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My Soweto host, Mashinini, at a buy 'n' braii. Several people have asked how the food is. If South Africa has a weak point it might be the cuisine, at least from my perspective. There is a heavy emphasis on meat, across all cultural and geographic lines. There is lots of beef, and lamb along with the more exotic kudu, impala, etc. A popular Afrikaans contribution is boervoers, which is a type of sausage packed with fat. In fact Afrikaaners are known to "lard" their meat, which means adding fat in case the meat is not rich enough. (South Africa is also where the first heart transplant was performed in 1967.) The braii, which is basically a barbeque, is the preferred method of cooking. Since the climate is so nice, you can pretty much braii year-round. A common sight in the townships is a "Buy and Braii," where you can buy a hunk of meat and grill it, right on the premises. Pap and boervoers Other township staples include pap, also known as mielie-miel, made from ground maize. Picture a lump of white play-doh and you get the idea of the consistency, although the flavor is slightly better. I've grown to like it (on occaision) and it has this going for it: if you eat a lump of pap, you are set for the day in terms of satisfying your hunger -- which I guess is the point. An absolute favorite meal, which I can barely tolerate, is pap and mogodu, which is tripe. I have tried to like it, but it just pushes my limits too far. Vegetables tend to be squash, pumpkin or cabbage. If you want a salad (and I've been craving them) you need to find an upscale restaurant. Lettuce does not fair too well in this climate (although there are nice ripe tomatoes and avocados year-round). My hosts in Soweto disdainfully referred to eating a salad as "eating grass." If there is a silver lining in the food scene it is the fruits. There are lots of fresh fruits like pineapple, papaya, mango, guava and bananas (which are way better than what we get in the US). Often times a meal is finished with fresh fruit. Cuisine Rfissa: lentils, almonds, eggs, chickens and a delicious pasta-like pastry. Another day another feast. I have not bothered to detail every fantastic meal I've had this week, for example the rabbit tajine I had in Marrakesh, or the platter of seven types of fresh seafood I had Mohammedia... However today, at the midday school break, we retired to a teacher's house to enjoy Rfissa, a special plate reserved for holidays and overfed Americans. Proper meal etiquette is to remove shoes when entering the house and recline on pillows. Done. I was politely informed that utensils are for foreigners. This was announced apologetically as fork and knife were laid before all. Moroccans eat with their hands from a central platter. I was all for it, so our host brought out a basin and a pitcher of warm water so we could all wash our hands. Then we jettisoned the utensils and dove in. Right hands only, by the way. This was followed by a course of fresh fruit and then, of course, tea. Of many outstanding meals this might have been the best. Cafes The good news is that teachers generally teach either the first or second half of the day, but not both. After our feast we all, except for one unhappy teacher, had the afternoon off, so we moved on to a cafe in my favorite area of Casablanca, H'Abous. Proper cafe sitting is an art that requires extensive practice. Your typical American is not so good at it. That's because you're supposed to do as little as possible. No laptops, no texting, no listening to your ipod. Just sit and watch the world go by. Conversation is allowed, but not required. It is important to have a cup of coffee at hand or else, of course, tea. Ideally you make this beverage last for an hour or so. You don't want to fall asleep, you are searching for something just a notch above that. I am a novice but demonstrate promising skills. A huge meal helps. Cars After a difficult day it is time to go home. Driving in Morocco is a unique experience, and Casablanca is the pinnacle. The mathematician in me keeps searching for the rules but there don't seem to be any. Everyone gently but firmly forces their way. It doesn't seem like it should work, and often that's the case. If you can't read the sign in the photo it's okay because apparently no one in Morocco can. I keep trying to capture the experience on a video, the problem is part of the fun is the element of surprise, for which I am (by definition) never prepared. Still I believe the attached video comes close. Listen carefully in the beginning and you will hear the call to prayer in the background, incongruous and yet appropriate. VIDEO Okay, it has to be admitted, I've been eating incredibly well. First of all, there are loads of fresh fruit: apricots, pineapples, mangoes, papaya, oranges, etc. Also dates and figs. Not to mention almonds, olives, and really good, fresh baked bread (French influence?). Then, since we are on the coast, there is an abundance of fresh fish, as well as the traditional lamb and chicken. Moroccan cooking uses many spices: cilantro, cumin, saffron, cinnamon, and a million others I can't identify. The traditional meal lasts for 2-3 hours. It might begin with olives, bread and baba ghanouj. Then a tray of side dishes. Today's lunch (see photos) had hummus, something with tomatoes, cilantro and onions, a dish of octopus, potatoes, unidentified green stuff (very good), chick peas in sauce, and several other things. A tossed salad dish follows. Then a main course, perhaps tajine (which is a sort of stew) or couscous (which is not like anything we make with couscous in the U.S.). Then there is dessert: a pastry or fruit salad. Finally the ubiquitous mint tea which, custom dictates, must be poured from a pot held at an absurd height (see photo). You see why it takes hours. I have not yet determined how one is supposed to eat all this, but I am making my efforts here, on your behalf. PS. Tomorrow I leave Rabat for Casablanca where I will begin sitting in on classes. |
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