Dining in our first two weeks

A week ago, Halley asked me what I was eating.  Here is a brief note on that count.  The food of Sierra Leone is almost always rice-based.  In fact, up until only a few years ago, they had rice at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  They diversify their meals with their sauces.  For example, one of their favorite dishes is kren-kren which is a sauce made of onions, peppers, and okra (one of my least favorite of foods).  Added to the often spicy sauces are often found meats and fish of one kind or another.  In an effort to introduce us to local fare, we had a local women’s group cater our lunch and supper meals which featured what they considered typical Sierra Leonean dishes.  I’ve taken a few snapshots of three representative meals.  First is “beans and rice” which, by itself, was very good.   The trouble was that we also found chicken entrails such as gizzard, liver, and heart pieces along with fish (bone-in), and bits of beef all in that same sauce.  Hmm.

The second one was fried plantain, French fried potatoes, and white bread (a bit heavy on the carbs?).  I’m still not certain this one was totally “authentic”. 

The third was dried fish and pasta...and I can say it's as bad as it looks!  You could always see right through the head where its eyes used to be!  Not my favorite. 

That said, I was taken by one of the Registrar’s assistants to our local faculty dining room the day before yesterday and they were offering both kren-kren or stew for their daily special…you KNOW which I chose!  I swear it was the most delicious meal I’ve had here in Sierra Leone!  The stew, or sauce in actual fact, was mild and ever so tasty.  It included a fish (head removed) and a chicken thigh both done to a turn.  I’ll make it a point to go there once in a while once the semester gets started!
As for my own cooking, I’m keeping it very simple for the time being.  Since I don’t have refrigeration, I’m eating cooked Muesli with milk powder for breakfast along with a strong cup of coffee (I brought my French press along) and rice, bulgur wheat, and beans for lunch and supper.  Meat here must be cooked thoroughly and it comes at a very high price.  As well, our Medical Officer warned us that it might be turning bad for lack of any way to preserve it and could contain other nasties that would alter an otherwise properly functioning digestive system.  I’ll play it safe and diversify my meals with a variety of veggies such as eggplant which is now available, along with onions, and garlic.  I’ll return to my exotics and Italian fare once back in the states…or I may just hop up there when my hitch is done and get it in Milan!