Food!

My host mother, Lucy, is hispanic (which means I have the luxury of eating tacos and guacamole regularly). One day, my host dad, Gary's, cousin Jade came over and Lucy made black beans. While we were fixing our plates, Jade said, “I’ve never had black beans!" I was standing next to her astonished that she had never had them, because they are so common in the States. Lucy then explained to me that you cannot find black beans in South Africa, and that she had brought them here from the U.S.

Malva Pudding (google.co.za)

My host dad insisted that I try Malva Pudding, which is a native South African dessert, and  I LOVE IT SO MUCH. It's like a cake, soaked in syrup (it tastes like maple syrup to me, minus the high fructose corn syrup), with custard on top. Yo, it is SO good. I’ve also had Milk Tart, which is one of me and my host dad's favorite desserts. It looks like a pie, but is light and fluffy like a mousse. 

Prawns are served here instead of shrimp. Shrimp and prawns are often thought to be the same thing, but they are actually different in slight ways. The shrimp I am used to having in the States, are whole shrimp and have more of a fishy flavor. Here, prawns are served split in half, and have a less overpowering taste. 

Prawns and Chips

Biltong is SA’s version of beef jerky. It is better than the processed madness that we have back home. It is REAL dried meat, with proper seasoning. I never thought I would like it, but it is very good. 

I can't say enough about the freshness and quality of the food here. I am truly in love!