Adventures in Eating

I haven't talked much about the food I have eaten in Namibia mostly because it is fairly similar to what I eat back at home, with a bit of a British influence and with less fruits and veggies because they are difficult to import. However, now that I am leaving in 7 days, I am starting to realize that I have grown accustomed to certain foods and dishes that I will miss eating back in the States. Here is a small sampling of the culinary treats I have had here:

Oshikandela: By far, the item I will miss the most, Oshikandela is marketed as "thick milk," but I think it tastes more like drinkable yogurt. It comes in a pint sized carton and there is an array of flavors such as guava, pineapple, strawberry, and sweet. I like to mix the guava flavor with orange juice and create a smoothie!

Beef Chips and Nik Naks: I have never been a chip eater but Namibia has changed me. Beef flavored chips that taste vaguely like salty bacon have turned me into a potato crunching addict--at least on long car trips. Nik Naks, are a close second, made from maize and with the cheesiness of cheetos.

Dessert Yogurt: I like this mostly for its title, but it is raspberry flavored yogurt with, surprise, chocolate sprinkles spread throughout the carton.

"Pudding": Our cooks make this dessert for us at CGE. It is comprised of sweet, cracker-like biscuits, Ultra-Mel (liquid vanilla custard from a carton), and canned fruit cocktail. The custard and cocktail makes the cookie mushy. It sounds and looks gross, but the taste and texture is delish.

Fresh Guava: Need I say more? Although they smell like stinky socks after sitting out for a while, nothing beats biting into a juicy, sugary guava.

Fat Cakes: Om nom nom nom, these bad boys are simply scrumptious. Imagine an elephant ear, but the size and shape of a large donut hole. They are crispy on the outside and doughy on the inside. Sold for about $1 Namibian dollar (13 US cents) on the roadside and in informal markets.

Rooibus Tea: Apparently it is only grown on the Eastern Cape of South Africa and is therefore the tea of choice in this area of the world. It has an earthy flavor and tastes great with or without milk and sugar.

So that's the short list, I'm sure more will come to me later on. Looking at the list, you might think that I have gained 100 pounds while I've been here, but I can assure you I have been balancing these taste treats out with salad, meat, and tons of beans and lentils!

Wish me luck these next few days as I prepare my integrative project and presentation! It is designed to look at one issue through the lens of all of our different classes. I will be talking about the role of international trade in Namibia before and after independence and specifically the role of Walvis Bay and the Namibian Ports Authority.