Hi! Thanks for reading my first Field Note!
Sharing food is a really big part of Zambian culture. I've tried everything that's been offered to me, so I've tried lots of different foods here.
Nshima is the staple food here. It's made by adding corn meal bit by bit to boiling water until it forms a smooth and malleable (easy to shape) solid. After forming it into lumps with a big spoon, we then pinch off a chunk, roll it into a ball, and dip it into a relish that's most often made of kale.
Here are the highlights!
Even if someone's had a snack, it won't be said that they've eaten yet today unless they've had nshima. I eat nshima whenever I have a meal with someone. It's most commonly eaten with eggplant and kale, but you can also eat it with a variety of other things including beans, small fish, eggs or chicken fried with tomatoes and onions.
Cibwantu (pronounced "chibwantoo"), is a drink made from steeping a root in water and then mixing that water with corn porridge. Cibwantu is the best excuse to take a break from field work and regain some energy! It's also often offered to visitors after they've just had a long walk in the sun. Even when there's no refrigerators nearby, it's somehow still cool.
Wild fruits are the best snack on the way to or from school.
