Archive for the ‘Food and drinking’ category

Cameroonian Food

January 29th, 2010

Cameroonian Cuisine

The Cameroonian cuisine is traditional but you can also find ingredients and dishes that the Americans and Portuguese brought in. You will notice that the French settlers in the 1800′s made a huge impact at the Cameroonian cuisine as omelets and French bread is very common.

CC cred zzilch

CC cred zzilch

Staplefood

Regular staple foods in Cameroon is cassava (a root which can be poisonous if not prepared properly), plantain (looks like huge bananas) which you normally fry, peanuts (particurly in the north),  corn and yams.

The Cameroonians like spicy sauces containing pepper and curries. They also eat alot of fufu and basically eat what the season has to offer.

If you don’t like spicy food before you arrive to Cameroon, you will love it (or be forced to learn to love it) at the time you leave Cameroon. They love spices and love to spice up all kinds of food.

However cassava and fufu is not spicy at all. You can also order fish, corn, lots of fresh fruit if you really can not eat spicy food.

Cameroonian Restaurant

Here is a small selection of what might be on the menu in a normal, mid-price Cameroonian restaurant:

Ndole

The main ingredient in Ndole is bitterleaf (which almost is like spinach). You then mix it with shrimps, peanuts,tomates, melon seeds, onions, garlic and pepper. The color of this dish is green and might not look very welcoming, but it is really good, but as most Cameroonian food: Spicy!

This is how it looks

Grilled fish

All restaurants in the west (near the sea) will serve you an big nice grilled fish. If you love fish, you will love Cameroon. The fish can be served with cassava, rice, plantain or just plain fish.

Fine beer in Cameroon

December 26th, 2009
Castel Beer

Castel Beer

Castel and 33

As in many countries in West Africa you will find great tasting beer in Cameroon. To drink beer is very popular and a part of the modern culture. You´ll hardly see anyone drink wine or cocktails. Simply speaking: You should drink beer in Cameroon!

Two of the biggest brands are 33 (trois-trois) or Castel. Both of the brands are lager. Les Sociétés Anonymes des Brasseries du Cameroun is the brewing company who owns these two brands. Heineken are actually owning 8-9% shares in the brasserie.

Infrastructre for beer

When alot of the infrastructure in the country are not developed the beer-bottle infrastructure is working great. They spend alot of money on maintenance for their trucks and advertising and delivery of beer to pubs and restaurants is well arranged. Because of that you can always ask for a 33 or Castel in all parts of the country.

The beer is served in big bottles (63 cl) and costs around 600 CFA. The recycling works great so as soon you finish your beer you can rest assure that the staff at the pub will take care of your bottle, getting cash for sending it back to the brasserie.