Cooking?
What are you guys bringing along as far as cooking junx goes? I'm definitely bringing a travel non-stick fying pan and some spices. There are some recipes on fon-is-fun, but I think a big pot is out of the question as far as my luggage is concerned (and with no fridge, there's no storing the leftovers). The current plan also includes powdery drinks and nutella, but I'll probably end up sacrificing clothing for some cooking gadgetry at the last moment. ;)Any other suggestions/ ideas?
7 Comments:
I haven't really thought about bringing much as far as cooking goes. A frying pan, kool-aid or crystal light, maybe some instant mashed potoatos and Mac & cheese are items I'll bring if I have room. I'm guessing there will be a time when I just want some "American" food.
Yesterday, I was reading on this fon-is-fun link the suggestion of bringing your own plate and eating utensils when you eat food from vendors. It's just healthier that way. This link is also helpful for family members who may be visiting you in Benin.
I'm taking a pepper grinder, some good pepper and a small collection of spices.
Some crystal lite, too, just to make the first month easier - lemon and iced tea.
But that's about it.
Dishes - plastic mostly - and basic metal cooking pots of all sorts sizes were highly available in the markets from what I remember. Dunno about fry pans.
Hey T - A veggie peeler and a knife might be useful. There will be tons of fresh veggies, and I didn't bring any to Morocco with me and it sucked.
Frying pans and such should be pretty easy to come by, but you won't really need one on a regular basis till after swear in.
Peanut butter could be hard to come by, and spices are a great idea for you to bring. I had completely forgot about that. I think I'll bring some Cavender's Greek seasoning (it's made here in arkansas).
Mmmmm.. veggeie peeler is a good idea. Thanks!
And - Follow-up thought on Mac and cheese:
You can get all sorts of pasta things in country that, while not exactly the same shape, are more or less close.
So if you're a kraft type of person, all you need is the little pouch of goo, which is a lot smaller than the whole box.
Hhhmmmm....Veggie peelers and goo, may have to add those to my list. Thanks for the ideas Ben and CaraBeth!
I just got back from eating at a place in Milwaukee called "The African Hut". A couple from Nigeria own it. I told them I was going to Benin, so they made me some of the basic foods found there. The foods were pretty good. Akara (spelling?) and Fufu are the main items found on the streets, and fried plantains too, I think. Akara is like a fried dumpling, but it's all black-eyed beans. In my opinion, it looked more like fried dough and couldn't even tell they were beans. The Fufu may take some getting used to. It's very plain. It looks like rice and grits mushed together, and really gooy like wet bread. It's really plain tasting; you are supposed to dip it into whatever sauce is available.
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I was planning on taking a mess kit and a frying pan, along with my favorite spices, whether or not they'd be available there; cinnamon, red pepper, and garlic. I might bring vanilla too, cause I like to bake. Most likely I'll throw a few things in as space allows, but I haven't thought too much about what I'll need. I just wrote "veggie Peeler" on the list...
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