Let's get back to food, shall we?

Okay, you have had like a week without a post about food so you knew this was coming.  First, some observations about morning tea.  Because of morning tea people here don't look at me like I'm a 3-year-old when I dunk my cookies in milk - or even juice for that matter. Back home I've seen the sideways glances.  I've heard the whispers behind my back. I've felt the kind of loneliness that maybe only an occasional Oreo fan would understand.  But here, dunking of all things dunkable in your tea or whatever else is in the cup in front of you is not only accepted, it's celebrated! These are my people! Second observation about morning tea.  If you are traveling to a school to do observations of students, which I have been doing a lot of over the last week, part of the thing is that the student has to prepare you tea and 3-5 different accompanying snacks.  AND, if you are a person who doesn't drink tea and they have to send someone sprinting to the corner market just to buy you juice (because for some reason you cannot have water during morning tea) then it is really important that you eat the snacks and drink the juice - several helpings of each. So today after three school visits before 11:00am I thought I might explode.  Final morning tea observation. My inability to skip breakfast at 7:00, all the while knowing what's coming at 9:00, makes me a hobbit.

Two pics of morning tea.  Notice that the "juice" is actually soda (which I hate more than anything).  But I've been drinking the stuff. These poor students have to pay out of pocket and I always feel guilty.

The biggest food news of the week, though, is that Ufemia had me over for a traditional Fijian dinner of fish and Miti and Dalo, all cooked in the ground.  The men do the cooking of all of this stuff.  It's like how men back home have the need to be in charge of all outdoor grilling activities.  I had eaten a LOT of Indo-Fijian food as you can see above, but no real iTauke Fiji-food until then.  It was unbelievable!  Miti is this heavenly coconut-based sauce you pour over your fish, and chicken, and pork (they made all three just so I would know what they each taste like), and you dip your Dalo in it.  It was hands down the most delicious thing I've had in Fiji, and possibly ever.  The Indian spices I have learned to love, but this stuff spoke to my Wyoming love of roast and potatoes with this phenomenal taste of citrus and coconut!  Can you imagine if I still had my sense of smell?!  I probably would have died of happiness on the spot.

Mr. Camaitaoga showing me how they cook everything in the ground

 I told Ufemia how much I love fish when I first got here, which was a very good decision.  This is fresh fish caught that day!  Dalo is the potato looking stuff with an amazing texture that is more like  a super-thick bread-like substance than potato, and the Miti is the lovely sauce you see at the bottom.

I am so so happy! 

Ufemia is actually leaving for the U.S. on Thursday so this was my farewell dinner.  I asked her teenage son how often they eat this and he said only on special occasions or weddings.  So he was really happy I came for dinner!  All of her sons and grandsons were there too.  Here's a pic of her adorable grandson, who runs the show, holding a gift I gave them. Ufemia is CRAZY about the steamboat logo.  Smart lady!