what’s to eat #17
Lunch for a crowd, in Ouelessebougou: Riz au gras with veggies and lamb. These are, by the way, giant plastic tubs for washing clothes.
Lunch for a crowd, in Ouelessebougou: Riz au gras with veggies and lamb. These are, by the way, giant plastic tubs for washing clothes.
Many Good Things come from the fruit of the néré tree, and earlier this week I had a taste of one. In the village of N’korobougou, around 9am, children pranced and flopped about, munching on bright yellow balls nearly the size of their heads. I needed an explanation, and a bite. Turns out the balls were made from the sandy, bright yellow pulp of néré tree pods. The pulp is extracted, sifted, cooked with water and salt, and packed into tight balls that keep for days and days. A bit like a savory rice crispy treat, made of cornflakes. Excellent, really excellent. A sticks-to-the-ribs sort of breakfast, apparently also good for warding off malaria and bacterial infections. I suggested a touch of honey, but I was not taken seriously by the powers cooks-that-be.
Surprise of the day: these apple-y looking fellas are cashews. the cashew nut (seed) attached to the cashew apple (fruit), pulled from a cashew tree (tree). The apple tastes like a proper Concord grape, with a bitter bit at the end; the nut is toxic until heat-treated. Ten points and a round of applause to Nature: Excellent work! Ferekoroba Village, Mali
Fresh cow’s milk, offered as a gift in a Ouelessebougou village, south of Bamako.
May yours be effortless, and lengthy, and rejuvenating. averaging 107°F / 41°C in the city, and just a bit less in the village. I stalk leisure daily, and prefer it on ice. Photo credit: photographer A. Keita, of Bamako.
I wonder whether with years, decisions come easier. Either because one becomes more decisive, or because the outcome matters less. In Sanancoro-Djitoumou commune, Mali. Photo credit to Youssouf Sidibé, Technicien Agricole, Field Agent, and clearly a decent photographer!