If you ask me what I miss most about Cape Town, I will
honestly tell you it is the food! Oh how South Africans put so much love into
their cooking rewarding me with such extravagant meals! From the very first day
arriving in Cape Town and having the dinner with some traditional dishes, I was
convinced this was home for me. When I thought about the Braai at Vernon’s, I
figured it would be a simple welcoming barbeque. I was so wrong. By my second
plate I was stuffed yet not ready to give in; I wanted more. By the first week
I had gained some weight but had eaten better in Cape Town in a week than I
ever have two semesters at UConn. From Samosas to fish, pastas, steaks, Bobotie—heck
even the chips were beyond delicious. I tried the Bobotie when we met the other
American students and I have to say I was infatuated. The dish consisted of
spiced minced meat with egg over the top and baked. At Mama Africa I even had
the chance to taste crocodile which was scrumptious might I add. Beyond the taste, the success of these great
tasting dishes is because they appreciate the food. Not all South Africans are
lucky enough to have 3 meals a day so every dish given, they are grateful for.
What I noticed about the communities is their effort to make sure no one goes
hungry. Snook is a type of dried fish that is sold by people in the community
for only R30, which is about three American dollars. From the visit at Ocean
View we got to see firsthand how big the Snook was and how they processed it.
The pieces sold look like it could feed two big families! I learned that if one
has more than enough than lend some to others who do not.
After coming home, I admittedly have become
very picky with my food now. Since
returning, I have not had fast food and refuse to ever have it again. I have done research concerning the nearest
Ethiopian restaurants and plan to take my friends to one in New Haven,
Connecticut. What I noticed too in Cape Town is that companies there reduced
the amount of sugar in their drinks unlike American drinks. I was not exactly sure of the difference but
the taste was evident that there were less sugars. The average amount of sugar
in one soda in America is 40 grams according to www.onecanofsoda.com. If we picked up a
healthy South African lifestyle of eating we can began to not only enjoy our
foods more but also make a healthier transition. I have since been the chef of
my house making simple but delicious dishes such as fried tomatoes and soups. I
have also managed to get my family back to eating as a family again. As a child
we valued eating together but lost it as our work schedules and school began to
interfere. I am appreciative to have
been reminded in Cape Town the importance of eating as a family and am thankful
for every meal that I am able to have.
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