Make Fufu, Not War Part II

All the things my fufu-obsessed student told me were true. It was amazing. One would think that a paste-like substance made from cassava would be pretty plain (and on its own, it is), but the pepper soup and goat made it the perfect blank slate upon which to serve up all of the spices. My principal, who got to come with me to DC to learn more about Fulbright, also had the fufu, but he had it with a spicy peanut butter sauce. Another companion tried the tomato and okra soup with her fufu. As a table, we tried red red, jollof rice (Ghanaian-style, of course), kelewele, and the west African spiced wings. The kelewele, which is simply fried plantains with more spice than sweet, was a game-changer for some of my companions who had otherwise only had plantains on trips to the Caribbean where they are often sweet and mushy. I am fairly certain I could survive on the kelewele alone while I am in Ghana, but I am really excited to explore all of the local cuisine. They sell shirts that say "Make Fufu, Not War", and if I believe anything to be true, it is that food can truly bring people together. I look forward to sharing meals and conversations with my hosts in Ghana.

Also, we tried some of the Ghanaian beer, since none of us had ever had the opportunity to try some before, and it was surprisingly sweet. The ingredients listed included barley and maize, so that sweetness was corn-related. There was another dark beer choice, but we'll have to wait until we are in Ghana to give that one a try. Appioo African Bar & Grill in Washington, DC is fantastic, and I can see why it was packed on a Thursday night.

My principal, Mr. Muhammad, really enjoyed his fufu too. It gave him some credit with our students as well.