Dinner here at the hotel in Adama usually goes something like this. The group decides what time we think we want to eat. We started subtracting a half hour so maybe we might get the food sometime around when we thought we would be hungry. 2 hours later, maybe we have been provided with the bill and can leave. We've got the menu basically memorized by now so we order quite quickly. I keep hoping they will have the roast chicken one of these nights, but so far, no luck - even though we've seen chicken salad, chicken pizza, and chicken soup be served! Then we wait - for our drinks, and much, much longer for our food. Like 30-45 minutes long. Poor Adrian, the diabetic, usually gets his food last. Tonight, they forgot about Adrian's order and my order, so everyone else was pretty much finished eating (after the usual 30-45 min wait) and we still hadn't even seen our food. It's quite usual for the food to come out at vastly different times, but this was taking it to another level. The food is usually pretty good, however, and definitely more than plentiful in terms of portion size so sometimes that makes up for all the waiting. Also, most dishes are in the $2.50 to $5 range - incredible!
Last time I forgot to mention the Italian food. Based on the brief occupation by Italian forces back in the mid 1930's, Italian foods are common and plentiful on Ethiopian menus. The bread and pastries may also have Italian influences. I haven't eaten so much pasta and bread in a 2 week period since I can remember! I think it's affecting my waistline, especially since there is no gym or exercise opportunity here in Adama.
Butter - this is one of the reasons I'm not venturing too far back into the local food items. I really like the tibs here (strips of meat with a few peppers tossed in), but they are so greasy and salty from the butter sauce it's a bit too much to handle. A lot of the dishes are swimming in butter - like the vegetable soup I had the other night.
The best lunches we had were from the buffet line at the training site last week. I mentioned them in the last food post, but wanted to add that fasting by the Orthodox Christians is happening now every day in preparation for their Christmas (Jan. 7th). They started at the end of November and until Christmas are not eating meat, eggs or dairy until the holiday.
So, while I'm not outright complaining, food is a bit of a love/hate thing for me right now. I can't wait until we get to see a new menu tomorrow when we arrive in Awassa just in time for dinner!
Last time I forgot to mention the Italian food. Based on the brief occupation by Italian forces back in the mid 1930's, Italian foods are common and plentiful on Ethiopian menus. The bread and pastries may also have Italian influences. I haven't eaten so much pasta and bread in a 2 week period since I can remember! I think it's affecting my waistline, especially since there is no gym or exercise opportunity here in Adama.
Butter - this is one of the reasons I'm not venturing too far back into the local food items. I really like the tibs here (strips of meat with a few peppers tossed in), but they are so greasy and salty from the butter sauce it's a bit too much to handle. A lot of the dishes are swimming in butter - like the vegetable soup I had the other night.
The best lunches we had were from the buffet line at the training site last week. I mentioned them in the last food post, but wanted to add that fasting by the Orthodox Christians is happening now every day in preparation for their Christmas (Jan. 7th). They started at the end of November and until Christmas are not eating meat, eggs or dairy until the holiday.
So, while I'm not outright complaining, food is a bit of a love/hate thing for me right now. I can't wait until we get to see a new menu tomorrow when we arrive in Awassa just in time for dinner!
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