CATEGORY: Part memoir, part wishful thinking
AUTHOR REFUSAL: will not say which part is which
I ran into an old boyfriend today. He looked great, and he must have thought the same about me because he suggested we continue the conversation over burgers and beers.
"I don’t know, Nate.” I shook my head. “That’s quite a comedown from the last time we dined together."
This was in reference to a meal we ate at Brazzaville in the Republic of Congo early 1999.
As a consultant in the airline industry for emerging nations, Nate travels all over the world. Accompanying him on business trips, which I was able to do a few times, was always an adventure in gastronomy.
"Liked that bat stew, did you?" he smiled.
"Hey, I got it down - and managed to KEEP it down," I reminded him.
"Only because I drowned it in the mango sauce," he countered. "I had to pour all of my sauce on your plate, too, when the Mbasa weren’t looking.”
When I asked him where he was going next, he replied, "How do you like your bobotie?"
"Stuffed with currants and flavored with gare masala" I shot back, grinning.
“In or out of a pumpkin?” His eyes narrowed.
I hesitated, unsure of myself.
Then, “No pumpkin,” I said firmly. “The Argentine version with pumpkin is based on a different sect of the Boer culture, the ones who chose not go to the East Indies. So, it’s too far from the source, for me."
He studied me, appraisingly.
Perhaps it's time to renew my passport.
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