Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Les Yeux!!

This week at lunch we were served locusts. Sr. Angela, an Italian nun who has been here for over 40 years, forced me to eat one. Literally she picked one up and told me to “Put it in your mouth.” Since I was unable to voice my objections to locusts in French, I had to obey. It turns out that locusts are not so bad after all. Really it was just like a potato chip. With eyes. And not the kind of eyes you find on potatoes. Real eyes. Looking at me. So I ate my one locust and continues on with lunch. Then, Sr. Angela, who had a BIG pile of locusts on her plate (She thinks they are “tres bon”) picked one up, stared it straight in the eyes and said “Les yeux” (meaning “the eyes” in French) and popped into her mouth. Now I honestly admire Sr. Angela’s ability to stare down the thing she is eating. Me, I prefer my food to be sans yeux. It makes it much easier to ignore the fact that it was ever a living, breathing, hopping thing. But this city girl mentality is quickly changing here. In fact, if we ever want to cook meat for ourselves at our house, rather than mooching off of the sister’s meat, someone is going to have to take a living, breathing, clucking chicken or living, breathing, bleating goat and kill it. But that time is not yet nigh, and indeed, I hope it never will be.  

3 comments:

  1. Only the first of many adventures. Je aussi prefere mon norriture sans les yeux! (excuse the very out of practice French!) I'm glad you made it to the Congo safetly. (an adventure in itself it sounds like) Many prayers are with you my friend!

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  2. Yummy locusts! Fish in Asia also often have the eyes intact when they are served, and many consider them the best part of the meal. It was good to get a phone call from you this morning to know that things are OK over there.

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  3. Les Yeux? This from someone who once refused to eat anything that once had a face?! Le Yuck! Having done it myself, I can tell you that killing/butchering your own food is actually a good skill to learn. Fowl was not a favorite - too many feathers! Post some photos of your environs if possible. You're the BEST and I love you!!! xo Suesue

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