After only being here two weeks I've managed to already unknowingly eat animals three times, the only three times that's happened in the last 4 years that I've been a vegetarian. Needless to say, Ghanaians don't really understand the concept, I literally have to say in TWI, "My body doesn't like it" (which means I'm allergic) for them to even slightly understand. But the last time I said that I found a fish head in my okra soup :(. Seriously, a fish head, not a scale or piece of meat, the HEAD! I almost cried. For all of those reading this who already know too much about my life, you know I've had recurring nightmares about killing a fish with my bare hands, so holding a fish head in between my fingers was pretty horrifying.
I've learned that eating traditional Ghanaian food probably just isn't a good idea. Aside from the hidden, and not so hidden meat in everything, it's ALL fried. I thought the south was bad with fried food, but Ghana kicks their ass in the fried department. The only vegetable like substance found at restaurants and chop bars here are french fries, fried yams, and fried plantains... scary. But I've been finding some loopholes; I'm sure by the end of the semester I'll have a million things to eat, but for the time being groundnut paste (peanut butter) has become my new best friend. I think the love is mutual!
This is halarious. Just hope Grandma isn't reading this, or she'll be on the next flight out with suitcases full of "shabbos potatoes."
ReplyDeleteI love the pictures too. The one of the dude carving that wooden statue looks amazing. Miss you Jen. Great blog! You're on my favorites toolbar, right in between "Nosh and Tell" and "Luke Ford".
Very inconspicuous pseudonym Mr. Burning Joint. I love you, thanks for reading!
ReplyDeleteOh thats horrifying! I'm sorry. I hope you have more luck finding vegetables soon
ReplyDeleteI bet your Grandma Sklar would be more bent by the "Burning Joint" than not keeping kosher somehow.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, Jenny, I'm really, really enjoying your blog and I'm so happy to see pictures of your beautiful smiling face. Love you sweetie and I wish you good luck finding vegetables (I'm leaning toward becoming a Vegan myself these days... no dairy and no meat... maybe fish, but definitely no fish heads)! Take care and love from Ali and Peter too.
Thanks Denise! We're going to Real Food Daily as soon as I get back!!!!!
ReplyDeletethe night market by ish has a few more veggie options it seemed like to me when i was there. they had really delicious veggie kabobs, and margaret (lovely, grandmotherly ewe lady at the end closest to ISH) had such delicious red red that was not cooked with any meat. have you hit up the veggie stands yet? we cooked a lot with vegetables. mmm, also if the avocados are in season, buy one and eat it with plantain chips. otherwise maybe you should stock up from one of the supermarkets on essentials and buy veggie perishables at the markets closer to you! just a few ideas, hope you figure out the qualms! miss you
ReplyDeleteBartok! I miss you! I don't know how you do it, but you still manage to have good advice from thousands of miles away! I'm definitely gonna try that avocado plantain chip combo and look into finding margaret, as you know I love grandmotherly ladies!
ReplyDeleteha i believe her stand was called "no weapons special: red red". i hope you are appreciating the names of stores in ghana by the way (think God Loves: Cold Meats, or Only Time will Tell: Auto Service). also: i think i was the only one on my trip that loved kenkey (LOVED) but i used to get it with just peh-per (have no idea still how to spell it. like the ghanaian way of saying pepper. its the spicy red salsa-y sauce you can get with the fried yams and potatoes) and that is 100% veggie. maybe you'll like it too! it has a sourdough-y taste. miss you lady, keep the blog coming. very happy to be reading your insights, and loved hearing about the orphanage. what part of town is it in? MISS YOU!
ReplyDeletepepe is sooo good! I've been eating it on everything. But fufu, banku, and kenkey still reminds me too much of raw dough. Banku is growing on me, but the little voice inside my head just wants to scream SALMONELLA every time I eat it. I'm loving the names of all the stores, I think I might have to have a whole album dedicated to them!
ReplyDeleteThe orphanage is in East Legon past American House on the last stop of the Christian Center shared taxi route, it takes a little while to get there because of traffic and having to switch tro tros but its not actually that far.
I got my first braid today, it reminded me of getting Lulus in India! Only those were waaaaayyy prettier, my braid looks pretty funky with the very mismatched extension they decided to add but luckily I just got one so I don't look too foolish... yet!
And I thought seeing a whole fish in the kitchen sink was scary for you, let alone a head in your soup. (Apparently I know too much about your life)
ReplyDeleteHow's everything else been so far? Loving it yet?
I don't know what was scarier, seeing a giant dead fish in your sink or holding a little lifeless fish head in my hand, its a close call- but I think the fish head wins.
ReplyDeleteIt's been challenging, but really rewarding. I don't know if I can say I love it yet, but there are many parts of this experience that I really love, and only a few that I hate... like the fish heads.
There's actually a girl from Georgetown on my program but she said she didnt know you, maybe I'll come visit when I get back to the states!