Accra Ghana Temple

Accra Ghana Temple
Accra Ghana Temple

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Interesting New Things To Buy at the Store

I suppose every place has the basics you would buy at a grocery store. Coming from the United States, there are those food items that I would normally expect to find. We can't find any of them here; such as, cottage cheese, Quaker Oats, buttermilk, sour cream, chocolate chips, bacon, turkey, ham, and Fritos to name a few.

However, what a wonderful opportunity to learn about new things! Plantains, casava root, African yams (they are white and not sweet), Jungle Oats, Chakalaka in a can, TEXAS rice, Lion soup mix, Tiger/Tiger boiled chick peas, Blue Dragon Sweet and Sour sauce, hot vegetable curry in a can, Jungle energy crunch (granola), boxed milk on the shelf (not refrigerated until open), and many more interesting things and fun names.

My kitchen pantry and freezer look like a United Nations food supply. We have ice cream from Belgium, jam from the Netherlands, boxed milk from France, frozen chickens from Brazil, Satay sauce from Malaysia, canned vegetables and fruit from South Africa and coconut milk from England. The drinkable yogurt (like is common in Europe) and fresh milk are actually from here in Cantonments, Accra, Ghana.

We've eaten out a few times. Mama Mia's Italian Restaurant is great and one of their specialties is Peter Pan Pizza (no peanut butter, just toppings not all of which were identifiable). I took the safer route and just ordered swordfish; the portion completely covered my entire plate. It was fabulous. We went to Le Magellans (French/European) and had a wonderful seafood platter. We passed on the escargot - we've seen snails here that are the size of baseballs. Locals sell them on the side of the road.  We enjoyed some great Irish stew at Ryan's Pub. We are looking forward to eating at Captain Hook's Seafood and Chickin Lickin (apparently a fast food restaurant).

We are actually eating well, just different. Gregg, however, is now 20 days without potato chips or soda. His hands have quit shaking and he seems fine (just kidding).

4 comments:

  1. What an amazing adventure!! I've always thought the food would be the hardest part of living overseas but you seem to embrace it all. You're quite a woman!

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  2. Hi Shannon!! It's Cyndi Benson and all of your friends from the ICU. We're all reading up on your BLOG to see how you are and read all about your wonderful adventure! You seem to be having a great experience. I'm sooooo happy to hear that you are doing well and arrivied safely. We all miss you here. You will surely be a treasured presence there in Africa. Best wishes to you!! Love, Cyndi PS...thank you for being such a wonderful nurse and great example to me.

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  3. Yummy! Can't wait to visit and have some Chakalacka (sp?).

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  4. I had no idea!! What an adventure indeed! Well, I'll miss seeing you across the loft Shannon...and walking down the halls and saying hello. I'm glad you've got a blog. I'll watch it with GREAT interest! Good luck and look for your Chorale friends in October...I'll try and wink--hee hee hee! (PS-this is Carol Salmon by the way.)

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