Breakfast is basically the same each day; you can expect a hard-boiled egg or a very thin plain omelet and some form of bread.

Lydia (shown) cooks seven days a week for us; she also prepares lunch for some staff Monday to Friday). Lydia is holding the two chickens given to me at the “Out Station” Mass this past Sunday. Here are some other common things I have eaten:

Mandazi is a dough consisting of wheat flour, eggs, milk, sugar, and yeast, deep fried until golden brown. This is like an old-fashioned donut without the hole, icing, or sugar coating. Fr. Nestor eats his mandazi plain, while I like to slice it into sections and eat with jam.

Chapati is an unleavened bread made with wheat flour and water, then grilled with oil; similar to a grilled tortilla. Fr. Nestor always ate his chapati plain, but now, after observing me, he has taken to adding honey to the grilled chapati and rolling it up like a taquito. As a Pastor, I am still teaching this young priest!

At times, we are served Chipsi Mayai at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. French fries are combined with eggs to create an omelette with fries.

Fresh fruit is usually available at all meals [a variety of bananas ("ndizi"), mangoes, papayas, oranges, watermelon]. Per advice received before coming to Tanzania: “Peel it, cook it, or forget it."

Lunch and dinner can consist of some of the following:

Ugali is the National dish of Tanzania. This polenta-like dish is made by mixing corn (maize) flour with hot water. Ugali looks like dough; you roll a piece of the paste/dough in your hand until it forms a ball; you then make an indentation with your thumb and the Ugali becomes like an edible spoon. Ugali is served almost every day of the week with beans, vegetables, or soup. I tried Ugali once; once was enough.

Rice is a staple at meals in Tanzania (white, brown, fried, boiled and then baked). Rice and beans are very common.

Sukuma Wiki is cassava leaves pounded with garlic, chili, onions, and ginger. I had this at lunch today; it reminds me of cooked spinach.

Eggplant, cucumbers, avacadoes

Cabbage. I am quite fond of their preparation of cabbage; I usually have it at several meals during the week. Fr. Nestor only eats the cabbage to please his sister, Beatrice. (Beatrice is a religious sister who is also a medical/oncology doctor).

Bean soup, carrot soup. 

Broth with chicken on the bone, beef on the bone, or cubed pork. We usually have meat once or twice a day, but it is not common in Tanzania; usually reserved only for special occasions.

Fish. On my second or third day here, we were served tilapia with the head still on the fish. I politely declined; I have a thing about my food looking back at me.

Nyama Choma: “burned meat.” Last Friday, Viril and Mateo (both volunteers from Italy, shown left) grilled pork for dinner; it was terrific! Grilled/barbecued meat is not all that common, but we can also have grilled goat, chicken, or beef.

Dessert is not really part of the culture in Tanzania.  If you were desiring something sweet, you would eat a piece of fruit.