Last night, I went to a “cultural restaurant” with a couple
of teachers to experience Ethiopian culture and food.
If you don’t already know, this was a brave step for me.
Now, I’m not one to shy away from trying new food (except Swiss cheese… Dad,
that’s for you!), but my first experience with injera was about four weeks
ago. Let’s just say, you don’t want to
try things again after you see them again all night long. I don’t think it had anything to do with the
food itself, but until recently, I haven’t been ready to try it again.
The restaurant was definitely a touristy place, but you did
get to experience a little more of Ethiopian culture. There was dancing that
represented the different regions of the country, and you all sit around one
table and eat off the same tray. Injera
has a very strange taste—kind of like a sour pancake with a spongy texture. They put different kinds of meat, vegetables,
and other stuff on top, and you tear off part of the injera to use like a
little grabber with your fingers. If you
had it at your house, you probably would only have one to three different
things on top (not sure what you call all of that—mostly just not sure how to
spell it.) I enjoyed it more this time, but I’m still not sure I would say it
was my favorite food! I love to watch my kids eat it at lunch… They come in
with orange faces and hands—so gross, but kind of cute.
