Ethiopia...Food, Food, Food.

Talk to me for five minutes and another love of my life probably becomes clear. Some people eat to live, but then there are a few (myself include) who live to eat! So although my time in Addis Ababa was brief, I think the most appropriate way to end my tales of my time there is by talking about all the delicious things I consumed! Besides being delicious, food is always a fun way for me to learn a little more about any culture.

Beer!

The newest beer to brewed in country.

The first Ethiopian thing I consumed! I love trying beverages from all over the world (I thank my undergraduate course on "Hospitality Beverages" for that) so I tasted a few. I also tried an Ethiopian red wine, which wasn't too shabby. 

Brunch

My first meal in the country at the trendy Kamenge restaurant. If the colors didn’t draw you in, the taste surely did! We had chechebsa, thin Chapati-like bread mixed with oil and spices; dirkosh firfir, dried injeera mixed with stew and jerky-like dried meat; injeera, the traditional Ethiopian break made of teff; and scrambled eggs.

Coffee

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Coffee is important in Ethiopia. And, although I don't drink it regularly, I can affirmatively say that it is good! Well, okay, the traditional coffee was a too strong and bitter for my taste but the machiatto’s (with soy milk) were fantastic! Traditionally-made coffee is always served with a small ceremony, which includes incense and a snack like popcorn. And, if you – like me – thought it was strange that soy milk was available, it’s used as an alternative to Ethiopian’s vegan fasting.

Breakfast – Breakfast for me, started with yummy black tea spiced with cinnamon, cardamom, and some other things. While my friend ate firfir, stew-soaked injeera, for breakfast, I was a big fan of the kincha. It was delicious shredded organic oats (think a hearty, not-to-soft steel-cut oatmeal without all the liquid), cooked with Ethiopian butter.

A side note on butter

Breakfast of "organic" shredded wheat (think steel-cut oatmeal
without the water) - cooked with butter, papaya, and
spiced tea. YUM!

 It is in everything! (Could this be what’s responsible for making Ethiopian women so beautiful?!) Seriously, it is in everything and you can smell it everywhere. For you nerds out there, here’s some fun facts I learned. The butter is made fresh from the cream of a cow and immediately shaken. The put lots of yummy (secret) spices in it, boil it down, and then let it harden again. If you walk around the city and there’s a smell you can’t put your finger on, the spiced butter is probably it. The stronger the smell of butter, the older it is and the less flavorful. (Lidet’s family’s butter was really good!).

Dinner 

My first dinner in Ethiopia was one of the best. We had shiro, a thick chickpea-based sauce, and thick lentil stew with injeera. We also had vegetables and beets for what was a delicious, home-cooked meal!

One night, I got adventurous and tried a three-course Fasting Combo, an eclectic (to me) mixture of starches, veggies, and other stuff. The plate came with macaroni, spaghetti, rice, potato wedges (yes, all of which were served together), two types of firfir, some roasted veggies, and a small salad. I thought it was so strange but actually learned an important cultural lesson. In Ethiopia, food isn’t paired for nutritional balance (e.g., starch + protein + vegetable), it’s paired for variety. Variety, which could be in color or just in the items themselves, signifies wealth and goodness. So, although I only took two bites, it was actually a feast for a Queen.

My last Ethiopian dinner, which we ate a local spot, was also amazing! In fact, it was probably my own complete meal. It had lots of tasty things whose names I can’t remember: shiro, lamb prepared in curry and red stew, ground beef in tomato stew with crumbled cheese, firfir, tibs, or little bits of meat, and lots of other delicious bites! I ate SO much, and it was worth it!

Raw Meat

 So, definitely didn’t try this one, but I’d never heard of the consumption of 1-inch chunks of raw red meat! Apparently, it happens, but I went for cakes instead.

Other Snacks

I didn’t get the impression that much snacking happens, but I brought my American spirit (and appetite) with me! I tried lentil samosas from my friend’s favorite street vendor, an incredible concoction of pineapple/guava/avocado juice, and different types of cakes and tarts. Yum!

So, there you have it - the little food adventures I sneaked into my trip (and the informal lessons that came along with it).

See you next time as a DIVA in...Burundi!