Fart and Where they Come From
Who else feels like 24 hours is not enough?
Who else folds in half and goes to sleep on some days from the exasperation of everything that they are yet to do?
Who else has so much to do but still feel like they can take on more tasks even though they are barely getting to the things that are already on their plate?
Me. Me. Me. *Insert full teeth smile here*
I have missed writing, and I have decided to come back to it slowly. I have a lot of exciting things planned for 2022. New things to learn, places to explore, people to meet, and I cannot wait to write all about it.
Talking about exciting, I have made some new additions to my palette recently, and for one week of my life, I did not recognize the smell of my own fart. Like I was alone, but anytime I had to go, I could swear that someone was in there with me because I would never! Ewww!. Except I did.
I went on my first trip, but that is not what this article is about.
This article is about food.
I do not think you can really know people until you have eaten their food.
So on my way in, the really nice Uber driver who happened to be dating a married Nigerian man suggested a few things I could try. She pointed them out on the billboards as we passed through.
“You must have the Chipati.”
She said.
“Very, Very good. It is made from….”
She was very chatty.
Taught me my very first Swahili word: “Jambo”. She was really kind to me. I was going to call her before I left, but I did not, unfortunately.
I had the Chipati for her, and she was right. I loved it. It was very nice, I did not love the meat sauce I had it with the first time, but I found out much later that I loved it more when I ate it with some fresh fish dipped in sauce. Wrapping the Chipatti around the fish and chewing. Oh, God! I hope this is an original recipe and that I am going to the hall of fame for this.
I had the Ugali. She mentioned this as well, with some greens and the tomato sauce. I did not like this very much. Maybe I should give it another chance? I felt like the greens were overcooked? Did they need to look more alive? I don’t know. Not my favourite. Also, I felt like Kenyans are yet to discover pepper. I am Igbo, and I am apparently the Yoruba of Kenya people with my constant ask for more pepper because how do you really awaken your taste buds without pepper?
I am not sure of what this particular meal I had was called, but it was made from cassava, like a cassava salad or something. Also No!
I ate Seafood, Crab to be precise. I think this is an acquired taste, to be honest because my tour guide Anthony was excited about it, but I had it and, I felt like, “Why would I want to eat something that tastes like uncooked crayfish?” Maybe I will give it another chance …or not… meh!
Rice! So Kenyans do not make rice the way Nigerians make rice. It is very different. If it looks like your usual Nigerian rice and stew. It is not!
I loved spiced tea. You can probably tell why. It is tea, but it has a dash of pepper, probably ginger. Got a pack for my Dad, and he loved it too, so there is that.
I ate some European dishes as well… I should probably write down my orders next time so I can tell you about it, but my first afternoon, I had this thing that looked like slim spaghetti cooked in milk and sprayed with cheese with uncooked curry leaf. I did not like it very much.
I had this fish that I could have sworn was meat. I loved it. Moreso when they got me all the different pepper that they had. Loved! Too bad I don’t remember the name.
I should stop here. I am getting hungry, and this is getting too long. So, what did all the food teach me about Kenyans? Watch out for part two. *insert picture fit for closeup advert here*
Disclaimer Everything here is my opinion which can be different from what is.
