The summer solstice occurs on June 21st at 10:07 am UTC in the northern hemisphere. Aside from being the longest day of the year, it is also the time when the sun is the farthest away from the earth. The solstice gets its name because the sun appears to stand still. The term comes from the Latin word “sol” (sun) and “sister” (to stand still.)

Celebrations are held around the world in honor of the solstice and have been for hundreds and thousands of years.

In ancient Greece, they celebrated the festival of Kronia, which honored the god of agriculture, named Cronus. This festival, unlike others, allowed both freemen and slaves to participate in the festivities as equals.

In China, it is celebrated as the yin (and the winter solstice, the yang). Throughout the year, the powers of yin and yang move in reverse relation to each other. During the summer solstice, it is the switch from the heights of yang to yin that is celebrated, the opposite is true for the winter solstice.

In ancient Egypt, the summer solstice preceded the appearance of the Sirius star. They believed this event was responsible for the flooding of the Nile River that they relied upon for their agriculture. This was so important, that they created their calendar to start with the appearance of Sirius. This became their New Year.

People celebrate in droves at Stonehenge, England. It is believed to be the site of ancient, Druid solstice celebrations because the way the sun lines up with the stones on both winter and summer solstices. Today thousands of modern pagans gather to watch the sunrise in Stonehenge, on the solstice.

Another place where people celebrate the solstice in grand style, is Chichen Itza, Mexico. The Mayan’s temple of Kukulcan, is a four sided, step pyramid, built with incredible mathematical precision. On the solstice, visitors can witness Kukulcan’s descent. Shadows cast by the sun, show the great serpent slithering toward the pyramid’s base as the sun changes positions, hour by hour . It is an amazing phenomenon.

I have always felt the solstice is a special time that everyone in the world shares. Yes, it is opposite in the northern and southern hemispheres, like the concept of yin and yang. Recognizing that the world goes around, is simply something we all have in common as humans on this planet we call earth.

As it is now officially summer here in the northern hemisphere, I wanted to share one of my favorite recipes for squash blossoms. When squash grow, the female flower has the squash or fruit attached and then there are just blossoms without the squash that are the male blossoms. When the blossom is in full bloom it reminds me of the sun; beautiful, bright and enriching. For this recipe we will use the female blossom and they are best when the attached squash is small. I recognize that this is not a low calorie recipe and they can be baked to lessen the caloric intake, but honestly, sautéed in celebration of solstice, well, why not?

Stuffed Squash Blossoms

I leave you with a summertime quote from an unknown author:
“Love is to the heart what the summer is to the farmer’s year- it brings to harvest all the loveliest flowers of the soul.”

Until next time,
Warmest regards,
Darlene

Phnom Penh is one of Cambodia’s oft missed treasures.

Regrettably, the capital city of Phnom Penh, tends to be overlooked when planning a trip to Cambodia.  The magnificent temples of Angor Wat, in Siam Reap, rank number one for tourism in Cambodia.  However, Phnom Penh holds some of Cambodia’s most significant history and is also an exciting, culinary hotspot.

It was the first stop on our four month tour of Southeast Asia and we couldn’t get enough of Phnom Penh.  Right away after landing and heading out to our hotel, we were on sensory overload.  Scooters and tuk-tuks (motorized rickshaws) weaved in and out amongst the cars and trucks. The lively hustle and bustle, the aromas, sounds and colors seemed to endlessly line the streets of the city.

We arrived at our beautiful hotel, “The Plantation Urban Resort”, which is a relaxing oasis from the chaotic city life.

We were greeted by their friendly staff, upon check in, offering us two delicious and extraordinary scoops of Kampot pepper ice cream and a cool drink.  The Kampot pepper has been voted as the best pepper in the world and I personally think Cambodia is a worthy destination just for their famous pepper.

These are a few things you must do while in Phnom Penh:

1) Walk the streets of Phnom Penh and simply observe life in the city.

We took a walk from the hotel to a monastery and the Royal Palace.  On the way we saw monks out and about receiving their daily alms.  It is a lovely exchange to witness; a person gives the monk either money or food and then they pray together. The monks chant.  It is a wonderful ritual and I love that the monks are treated with so much reverence and dignity.

2) Go on a Vespa Adventure Tour.

You can find them on Trip Advisor and this was one of the most exciting things we did on our travels.  We selected the foodie tour at night.  They picked us up at the hotel and provided us with helmets and a driver.  We simply sat on the back and enjoyed the ride.  Our first stop was the FCC aka (Federal Correspondence Club), a beautiful French colonial hotel that had a lovely view of the river where we all gathered and had local beer and peanuts.  We then headed out to see the sights of the city.  We saw the beautiful Wat Phnom Temple, lit up in all its glory.  It is the tallest, religious structure in the city.

We enjoyed a local market where we got an education on the local foods available to us.  We had grilled oysters and morning glory in oyster sauce; a staple in Cambodian cuisine, it was a totally authentic experience.  We also made a stop and took pictures at the Independence Tower. We then went to the Elephant Bar, at the famous Raffles, where we enjoyed a drink called Femme Fatale, which was made especially for First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy when she visited Cambodia back in 1967.  It was a lifelong dream of hers to visit Angor Wat. The drink was made to be “as red as her lips”, and was a combination of Champagne, Cognac and Crème de Fraise Sauvage.  They even have the glass with her lipstick marks on the rim, proudly on display.

We also went to a karaoke bar and restaurant where we had an assortment of classical Cambodian cuisine.  One of my favorite things was a dipping sauce for meats.  It was made from salt, sugar, that amazing Kampot pepper  and a squeeze of lime. Kampot pepper is expensive to buy but a luxury everyone should enjoy on occasion.

We ended our journey back at our hotel.  It was a fabulous and educational way to get to see the city; a real highlight.

 3) Take a trip to Silk Island

We went on a massive boat (that we had all to ourselves) to venture out to the island about an hour away.  On the way, we saw a floating village that is made up of Muslim fisherman.  The colorful boats were loaded up with all their worldly belongings.  We saw families of six that were living together on one of these little boats.  (Thankfully, the government now requires the children to start attending school.)

We arrived at Silk Island and were greeted by our horse drawn carriage.

Well, not exactly a carriage, but we toured the island and got a full lesson on how silk is made.  It is a dying art that is well worth the education.

We also toured a historic royal house and met the lovely woman who resides there.

It was so much fun to trot down the dusty roads and simply view island life; kids on bicycles always offer a heartfelt wave and say hello as you pass.

We then ventured back to the boat where we headed back to the mainland, Phnom Penh.

4)Take a food tour and try a deep fried tarantula or scorpion.

I’m serious, they are surprisingly delectable treats.  Make sure you go on a well rated tour that gets five stars on Trip Advisor.

We went on one with a woman named Ducky from Australia, who is a very passionate gal who simply fell in love Phnom Penh and especially the Cambodian people and decided to stay.  She had us taste an array of unusual fruits, like longan, snake fruit, and the queen of fruits, mangosteen, which was my favorite.  We took a walk through a local market and had the best pork belly and crispy skin I have ever had.

5)Visit the Cambodian Killing Fields (sites of mass graves of those killed by the Khmer Rouge regime) and S21.

S21, today known as The Tuol Slenge Museum of Genocide, was a high school that sat on the dusty outskirts of Phnom Penh.  In 1976, the Khmer Rouge turned it into a torture, interrogation and execution center.

The horrific leader of the brutal Khmer Rouge, named Pol Pot, committed atrocities of epic proportions.  It was his belief that if he rid the country of the educated, he would then have total control.  Some 17,000 people were have known to have entered and only seven survived. The Khmer Rouge not only transcribed the interrogations but photographed the inmates telling their story of shock, defiance and horror.  In 2003, The Khmer Rouge Killing Machine, documentary retold this horror in film.  This place is heart wrenching to witness, but in order to understand the Cambodian people it is an imperative visit.  One in four Cambodians was affected by the Khmer Rouge and even today it is not really openly talked about or taught in schools.

We went to both places the same day and it was a lot to take in; very emotional and difficult.  It is however, important, and brings a whole new understanding and respect of the Cambodian people.  Despite the atrocities they endured, or perhaps because of them, they are a hopeful and resilient people, full of life and happy.  It is palpable, you can feel it everywhere.

6) Make sure to also go to the top of the Phnom Penh Tower

On the 23rd floor there is a local hangout called the Eclipse Sky Bar.  It is one of the tallest rooftop bars in the city. The view of the city at sunset is awesome and the perfect place to have a drink, unwind and reflect, after a long day of sightseeing.

So now you have a few good reasons why you should visit Phnom Penh.  I am certain there are many more, so please share what you discover.

I leave you with a Khmer proverb

“Khoeng Koch, Khoeng Khat” translated means “Anger is damage; anger is waste”

Until next time,

Darlene

Please note that this post may contain affiliate links in which I may earn a small commission if you book through them.  Rest assured it does not affect the price you pay. Thank you for your support.

If you enjoyed this post you may also like Our journey to Cambodia and A Cooking Class in Kampot Cambodia

It was 10:45 am when we gathered at the line to enter the David Sheldrick wildlife refuge.  Every day the refuge allows the public to pay a small $7 fee to watch the orphaned elephants come in for their morning feeding of milk and to play in the mud.  For me, this was a very special day, as we had adopted a baby elephant named Esampu. We would get to meet her for the first time.  The David Sheldrick Wildlife Refuge is located just outside of Nairobi Kenya, and has done wonderful work since the center was opened in 1977.

Esampu was rescued on the sixth of July, 2016 and was believed to be just a young, five months old. She was found emaciated and alone with little evidence of other elephants in the area.  It is not known for sure but it is believed that her family was likely a casualty of a human wildlife conflict. Sometimes this retribution results in the spearing of elephants.  Of course poaching of elephants for ivory remains a very large problem and the wildlife refuge works tirelessly to make safe havens for elephants to live out their typical 70 year life span; free and in the wild.

We entered the facility and stood by a rope as we anxiously awaited the orphans’ entrance into the area.  One by one, they came thundering in to get their bottle of milk.  Some were overly anxious to get it and the handlers did a superb job at making sure every orphan got their bottle.  The formula is a human baby formula, with the addition of coconut milk.

You truly cannot help but fall in love with these babies.  They bellow and some even hold their own bottles.  They then roll around the mud hole for a soothing bath.  They appear to be very happy and content, which did our hearts good.  You can even get close enough to touch them.

If you adopt an elephant, which can be done for as little as $50 US dollars, they allow you to come back to the refuge at a special 5:00p.m time. This is when you can get special time with your adopted elephant.

When we arrived back at our 5:00pm time slot, we stood on the side of the path where the handlers bring the babies back from the area where they have safely roamed during the day.  Once again, they arrive back at a fast clip, as they know milk is waiting for them at their individual stalls.  They know exactly where to go.  The handlers all wear green smocks and they alternate between the babies so that the elephants do not become too attached to one handler over another.

Elephants are very social, family oriented creatures.  They are known to grieve losses for years, often times returning to the same location, to the place of a lost relative, time and time again.  Daphne Sheldrick, the founder of the refuge, in loving memory of her husband David, experienced this heartache first hand.  She lost an orphan elephant that she was caring for.  It was after a vacation when she was away from the refuge. It is believed the baby died of a broken heart before she returned.

We waited with great anticipation at Esampu’s stall, where I was able to get real close to her during her feeding.

We watched the handler prepare her for bed by placing a blanket over her that was secured by a stocking so it wouldn’t fall off during the night and she would stay warm.

Each orphaned elephant has a handler sleep with them, so they never feel alone. We got to play with Esampu, rub her little trunk and fed her some Lucerne, which is a plant elephants love to snack on.  This was truly a memory I will cherish as long as I live.

Saying goodbye was not easy, even Esampu didn’t want to let go.

If you would like more information on adopting an elephant for yourself or as a gift, you can find it here at www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org

The best thing we can do for the fight against poaching is to never buy anything made of Ivory.  It really is that simple. If there is no demand, there is no reason for the supply.

“No one in the world needs an elephant tusk but an elephant.”

“Our prime purpose in this life is to help others.  And if you can’t help them at least don’t hurt them”. Dalai Lama

Enjoy a few more photos of our trip to the refuge.

Until next week,

Warmest regards,

Darlene Longacre

Happy Spring!

Every day, for the past several days, we have been hearing reports of a “super bloom” of wildflowers. California has been plagued with drought for the past several years. Thankfully this year, we received our much needed winter rains. Anza Borrego State Park, located a couple hours east of San Diego, is a well-known area to enjoy desert spring flowers. This year, a whopping, seven inches of rain has fallen there. It turned the park into what is called a “super bloom.” This is a once in a 10-20 year event. My husband and I decided we must experience this phenomenon. After all it is spring, our favorite time of year.

As this super bloom only happens occasionally, the state park was booked solid, no available campsites or hotel rooms anywhere near the park, We had no choice but to turn to primitive camping. Anza Borrego is one of the few parks where you can pitch a tent anywhere you can put your car, one car length off the road. So we loaded up our truck with a tent, a couple sleeping bags and a few provisions and off we went. What we encountered when we arrived was simply stunning. Like a fairy tale.

Desert Sand Verbena in all its glory.

An array of color
We got a tip after a stop at the main wildflower locations near Borrego Springs, to head south and we found a lovely area called Little Blair Valley where we made our camp. It was breathtaking. It was an immense field of green grasses and yellow wildflowers. By the time we awoke the next morning, a canvas of purple flowers had also emerged.

Our campsite at Little Blair Valley, Anza Borrego State Park

The purple ones graced us with their presence in the morning

In our explorations, we happened upon the Ehmuu-Morteros Trail. This area was the seasonal home of the Kumeyaay (Koo-mee-eye); a Native American Indian tribe. Ehmuu means bedrock hole, in their native language and mortero is Spanish for mortar. Along this trail we came across a “kitchen;” a food preparation area, where the rocks served as the appliances.

The deep morteros were used to cook stews and mush, heated by dropping in hot stones from the fire. The shallow ones were used  to grind food and medicine.

The rocks were used for pounding, grinding, drying, mixing and preparing food from the numerous wild plants gathered nearby.

(I do find it amusing that this is the path I was led to, of all the miles of trails in this enormous park. Sometimes the universe has a way of connecting us to our passions.)

One area on the trail, called the “Emally Forest”, was a virtual super market for the native people. Here you would find the giant agave cactus, (emally), the namesake of the forest.

Agave was roasted in deep pits dug by the Kumeyaay men. The pits were lined with rocks and the agave was roasted for three days before it was consumed. Juniper berries, also abundant here, were another important food source along with yucca, jojoba, cacti, creosote, and ephedra. The plants in the area not only provided food but also medicine, tools, shelter and clothing. It was a hike that turned back the hands of time, allowing us to imagine this native tribe in their element and yet the trail was strewn with freshly blooming wildflowers, all along the way.

Here are a few more pictures of what we discovered. I hope they might inspire you to do a little wildflower chasing as well. There is after all, something about a field of flowers that draws you in and gives you a sense of hope. The flowers, in every color of the rainbow, have a way of making your soul feel childlike, wild and free.

A picnic in a sea of flowers

A beautiful bloom on a cactus

Advice from a wildflower:
“Show your true colors.”
“Delight in simple pleasures.”
“Open up!”
“Spread seeds of joy.”
“It’s OK to be a late bloomer.”
“Be wild and wonderful!”

Until next time,
Warmest regards,
Darlene Longacre

Cooking Class with Mr.Okala and family

Jambiani, Zanzibar.

It was a hot and humid day in Zanzibar, when we arrived at Mr. Okala’s open air, stick built, restaurant/home.  It had a thatched roof, a sand floor and palm fronds woven together as the siding.  It was one room, with a few tables and chairs, and a door that led to the kitchen which read “Okala’s Restaurant.”  We were greeted by Mr. Okala, and he welcomed us into the room.  He was a tall, distinguished looking man, who wore a long white robe which, in Swahili, is called a kanzu.  Mr. Okala spoke excellent English.

He began right away describing what we were going to do together.  I was to cook with them, exploring local recipes.  He explained that on this island, there is a fusion of Indian, African and Arab cultures that have blended together for many generations.  Spices play an important role in the cuisine, as Zanzibar is known as the “Spice Island.”  Today, he described, we will cook spiced rice, also known as pilau, which uses the most popular spices on the island.  Also when we cook, we will use charcoal, as there is no gas or electricity.  On one of the tables there was a small sized, grill filled with charcoal.  When they have a large gathering, they use an open wood fire.  It is common to see women carrying large bundles of firewood on their heads in the village.  But for us today, charcoal is the best choice for fuel.

Mr. Okala said that today we will make spiced rice, along with coconut crusted fish and curry. The curry we will make is a calamari curry but the same recipe can be applied to fish curry, octopus curry and even chago, the meat that comes from the small shellfish that are gathered by the women along the shore.  The curry will be made with coconut milk, from a fresh, island coconut.  We will also prepare a mango chutney, which is used as a condiment much like ketchup or chili sauce would be used.  And of course, we will make chapati, an Indian style bread.

Mr. Okala lit the charcoal and then put a mat on the floor.  A round board was placed on the mat, along with an interestingly shaped, rolling pin.  This little round board is what is used to make chapati.

On another table they had assembled the raw ingredients we would be using including: carrots, green peppers, red onion, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, okra, eggplant or aubergine, and green mangoes, along with a couple of fresh coconuts.  For the spices, there was a plate that held cumin, cardamom, cinnamon and clove.  Clove is known as the “king of spices” in Zanzibar. There was also pepper corns but I naively asked him what color pepper it was.  The truth is there is only one pepper. The colors come from how it is processed, but at the end of the day there is only one pepper.  (We learned this on the spice tour, which to be honest I did not know before.)  I asked him why they make it in different colors, if it is really all the same.  He said that some people like white pepper because you can’t see it in a light colored dish, green pepper looks nice on meat, and so on. The options make good business.

We started on the chapati, using the millet flour which was divided up into three containers; about one cup in each.  Nadjima, Mr. Okala’s niece, who seemed to be very much in charge,  demonstrated how to mix the dough, taking her bowl of flour and adding a little water at a time, all the while kneading it, using the side of the bowl and her hand.  A little coconut oil was added to the dough to soften the texture.  I followed her lead, using another bowl of flour.

I overheard Mr. Okala say to my husband that I looked right at home, and it was true. It brought a smile to my face.  After several minutes of kneading, the dough was a soft, smooth consistency and it was formed into a ball.  The ball was placed on the chapati board and rolled into a circle with a rolling pin.  A hole was made in the center of the chapati using our fingers.  We continued to make the hole larger as we rolled the side of the dough and ended up with a round, rolled piece of dough.  This was then torn apart at one end and the folded up serpentine style, with the end tucked underneath.  A little more oil was placed on top and it was set aside to rest.

Meanwhile, a pot was placed over the coals and Mr. Okala began to make the calamari.  He explained that calamari (and octopus) have their own water inside them so they do not need water to cook initially.  Once they begin to brown, and after the water has evaporated from the calamari, a little more water is added. A cover was placed and it is set aside on the low fire.  Another way to make it tender, according to Mr. Okala, is to refrigerate it overnight.  However, we were cooking very fresh calamari, caught earlier that day.

As we were cooking, I asked about the women who gathered the shells for what they call chago.  To me, it seemed like it was an awful lot of hard work to gather those tiny shells for a meal.

Mr. Okala promptly explained that unlike the rest of the world, where there is hunger, no one in Zanzibar is hungry.  Zanzibar is paradise!  Where else in the world can you go out to the sea shore to get your meal, or catch an octopus or fish?  You can also pick your fruits and vegetables from the land.  His explanation completely changed my perspective of what we had witnessed on the seashore.  As the women gather the meal from the sea, the children also enjoy playing on the beaches.  We watched one little girl make sand balls, like one would form a snow ball.  She would launch them at unsuspecting targets one of which was my husband, and then erupt in laughter.

It was now time to prepare the ingredients for the spiced rice.  We first peeled the garlic and placed it in the wooden mortar, then cut up the red onion.  We added them to the pot with a touch of oil.   We stirred the onion, until it became a little translucent and brown and then began adding the spices.  The rice was washed and set aside.  We ground together the cumin, cardamom, garlic, ginger and clove in the mortar, using the end of the rolling pin that we had used for the chapati, as a pestle  We held back on the cinnamon for just a minute.

Zanzibar has an abundance of cinnamon on the island, so it is used in many dishes.  We learned on the spice tour that the cinnamon sticks we get at home are actually the bark of the cinnamon tree rolled up to make sticks.  The spices, including the cinnamon, were added to the onions with water, which was stirred in slowly and in a quantity equal to the amount of rice.  The rice was then added and the spiced water mixture was boiled.  We slowly stirred it to make sure the rice absorbed the water. (At this point, we would normally put the spiced rice in an oven, but here they don’t have ovens.)  So, charcoal was placed on the sand floor and the rice pot was placed on top of the charcoal.  A lid covered the pot and additional charcoal was added on top, thus creating an oven environment.  We let it cook until the rice was tender and a lovely crust of rice formed on the bottom.  The crusty part of the rice, a delicacy, is served on a separate plate.

Next, was the preparation of the coconut for the curry and the coconut, crusted fish.  Mr. Okala whacked open a coconut with a piece of rebar, breaking it into two pieces but saving the water in a bowl.  He kindly offered the nutritious water for us to drink, which was most welcome in the sweltering heat.

The coconut meat in the shell was handed off to Nadjima.  She sat sideways on an implement they call a goat, because of the sound it makes when you grate the coconut.  It is very much the same sound a goat makes while chewing.  I observed Nadjima and then was asked to try it myself, which of course, I wanted to do.  It was harder than it looked.  You have to use two hands and you need to gently turn the coconut while you do it.  I used too much force and grated one part of the coconut to the brown, instead of evenly around.  I am sure I will get the hang of it with a little practice.  They call this instrument a mbuzi in Swahili.  (I decided right then, I must get one!)

The grated coconut was then squeezed to release the coconut milk. The milk can be heated up to make coconut oil.  This is a very organic way of consuming coconut oil, as opposed to the coconut oil made from copra, which is dried coconut meat.  This milk will be added to the curry and the grated coconut will be used for the coconut crusted fish.

When we began to make the curry, Mr. Okala said we would be using a lot of spice but not necessarily adding heat.  The spices simply add flavor and the only thing that could be a little bit hot is the pepper.  He finds that people misunderstand using spices in food, as adding heat.  (Chili could of course be added to the curry if you like it hot.)  We began to make the curry by peeling and chopping the eggplant, green mango, red onion, carrot, green pepper, okra and tomato into small  pieces.  {A green mango is an unripe mango.  A lime can be substituted if you do not have green mango.)  On a side note, they chop the vegetables without a cutting board, simply by holding the vegetable and carving it using a knife. It is not too easy especially with a dull knife, which I seemed to always end up with, perhaps a safety factor. We put all the cut up vegetables into the same pot as the calamari, which was already on the grill and added a little salt to taste.  We then added spices; cumin, cinnamon and yellow curry powder, just about a teaspoon or so.   We stirred this and added garlic, a couple of cloves and coconut milk and covered it to simmer.

To make the coconut, crusted, filet of fish, we had two pieces of fresh, white, local fish fillets.  First, a marinade was made with the juice of one lime, with a little salt and black pepper.  The filets were added to absorb the flavor.  Meanwhile two eggs were whisked vigorously until frothy.  The filets were first coated in flour, then dipped in the egg, then covered with the freshly, grated coconut.  A beautifully seasoned wok with cooking oil was placed on the hot coals.  The filets were then added and cooked until golden brown, flipping only once with a slotted spoon/spatula.

As the cooking lesson progressed, it became dark outside and Mr. Okala’s beautiful daughter, Awena, and two of her girlfriends arrived and began watching intently.  They introduced themselves and then asked us our names.  They graciously offered to hold the light for my husband Dan, so he could continue to photograph the lesson.  It was so much fun to watch them critique the pictures when he displayed them on the back of the camera, giving him a big smile and thumbs up when they liked the shot.

The mango chutney was next on the list.  First, a green mango was peeled and chopped into small pieces, along with a red onion. A few cloves of garlic were put into the mortar and pestle, with cumin and cinnamon.  A little oil was added to a pan and placed over the hot coals. Everything went in, except the tomato paste, which was added last, along with a little bit of water. It was stirred occasionally and left to simmer, until done.

Last up was to finish the chapati.  We took the serpentine rolls and placed a little flour on the board and rolled them out to fill the round board. Some oil was placed in the frying pan and the bread was cooked until little brown spots appeared.  It was flipped over and cooked on the other side.

They were placed back on the board where Mr. Okala cut them into slices.

Everything was now ready for our feast.  We observed the girls setting the table, with only two place settings.  It was at this time, we insisted that the table be set for everyone.  There was no chance we were going to sit alone to enjoy the fruits of our collective labor.  After some prodding and us explaining that the sharing of the meal to us is the best part, everyone eventually brought a plate to the table and sat with us.  We began by cutting up the two fish filets into pieces so that everyone could enjoy it.  All the cooked dishes were placed on the table, along with a couple of candles.  The ambience was spectacular and even the birds were singing their songs, just outside.

The meal was outstanding and the conversation even better.  Mr. Okala spoke of the work he does for the community.  He believes conservation of the precious resources on the island of Zanzibar and the sea is critical to its survival.  He told us that tourism is now the number one economic driver in Zanzibar, overtaking the export of cloves and we must be vigilant in protecting the land.

He was curious how we found him and the little village of Jambiani.  I told him that whenever we travel, our greatest joy is to get a true cultural experience, exactly like the one we were experiencing with him and his family.  It was through research and help from the Red Monkey Lodge that we found him and his village.  He was thankful that we had.  It was gratifying when the girls called to the neighbor kids to come and enjoy the food, as they shared their places at the table.  After great conversation and many laughs, we ended our meal, full and satisfied in every way; an experience that we will forever cherish.  Mr. Okala kindly escorted us back to the Red Monkey Lodge and we said our goodbyes to our new friend.

Asante, Sana, Mr. Okala and family, simply thank you for very much in Swahili.

After this experience, I am now the proud owner of an mbuzi (a goat) which I carried around in my luggage for the duration of our travels.  I had so much fun explaining that the reason the bag was so heavy was because I was carrying around a goat.

Until next week,

Warmest Regards,

Darlene

You can click below for the recipes, they were awesome!

Zanzibar Chapati

Calamari Curry

Coconut Crusted Fish

Mango Chutney

A Trip to the Central Market

Heading to the central market in any part of the world is a wonderful way to learn about the local cuisine. There you will find the most common fruits and vegetables, meats, fish, spices and herbs used in everyday life.  Central Market in Port Louis, Mauritius, is no exception.

When we entered the market, it was swarming with people who were buying their fresh food for the day.  The sights and sounds of the people going about their business was loud and joyful. The market itself, a city block.

The first thing I noticed when we walked in were the tiny little pineapples I learned about, called Victoria Pineapples.  They are cute, little, miniature pineapples and the sweetest most amazing flavor I have ever tasted.  It is my understanding that Mauritius is one of the few places in the world where these small pineapples grow.

The second thing I noticed was how absolutely fresh and vibrant the fruits and vegetables looked; sort of like the best of Whole Foods Market.  Growing comes easy in Mauritius as they get a good amount of rainfall and the volcanic soil is remarkably fertile.  As a result, they eat very well here in Mauritius and their diet contains a healthy abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables.

One item I did not know, ended up being a Chinese cucumber; a white large one.  It is funny now that I think about it.  We actually grew these in our International Cuisine garden and just thought there was something wrong with them because they were so large and did not turn green.  Evidently we bought Chinese, white cucumber plants without realizing it.  Live and learn.  They taste similar to a regular cucumber but the seeds are a bit larger.

Chinese cucumbers standing at attention.

For the dessert, as I promised, Banana Beignets won the contest.  It is made with small, sweet bananas from the central market.  It’s a delicious treat, quick and easy to make, Mauritius’ style.

Banana Beignets

We have enjoyed the beautiful, island nation of Mauritius and I will share additional content about their street food, the Indian temple, the glorious botanical gardens and more.  I have been having trouble finding a good internet connection so I can post highlights on the web site. But I’ll keep trying. You can also follow me on Facebook under Darlene Longacre as I have been posting photos along the way.

Here are a few more pictures of the market place:

If you would like to learn more about Mauritius plus get some delicious recipes click here

We have moved on to Zanzibar, where we first explored two days in Stone Town and are now in the astonishingly, beautiful village of Jambiani.  This small, fishing village is right on the Indian Ocean. The colors of the water are too spectacular to describe with words, so here is a picture for you.

Warmest regards,

Darlene