A Zanzibar Food Diary
When I am planning my trips, I love to have a packing list on Evernote. I also like to create Pinterest boards with things to do on the trip. As a writer, one of the things I think about when planning trips is food. I like to know what I will be eating and where I will be eating.
Think about it. What you eat on a trip can affect you in different ways. Some of my best trips were those where I had unforgettable food adventures.
After browsing through countless travel blogs about Zanzibar, I knew that I would be up for a good surprise. Coming from Kenya, I know that Zanzibar’s food would be somewhat similar to the food we find on the Kenyan coast. I was expecting Swahili inspired dishes like Biriyani, seafood and a variety of spices. I also knew that Zanzibar Island had many influences ranging from Arabic to Indian and I also expected a mix of that.
We were staying in Stone Town which is a world heritage site. A trip to Zanzibar is not complete without a visit to Stone Town. The narrow streets are like a minefield. Our mission was to walk, discover and to get “wanderfully” lost. We tasted the snacks from the vendors, we smelled the spices in the market, we touched the fruit and filled our basket.
Me at a random market by the side of the road. I can't remember what I was looking at.
We went to a fish market where the most putrid smell of fish and seafood rent the air. Fishermen came with buckets full of fish and dropped them on dirty wooden tables. Some fell on the floor and they were quickly picked up and thrown on the pile to join their dead friends.
Mongers shouted prices and auctioned lobster in another corner. It was chaotic, it was smelly but it was interesting. Amidst the noise and chaos, business was running. Like a well-oiled machine. Everything and everyone doing their part. Everyone looked busy descaling, packing, washing and selling fish. It did not take long before we were looking for the nearest exit.
The fetid smell was replaced by the smell of ripe fruit as we quickly walked to Darajani Market, a large fruit & vegetable market in Stone Town. We ate plantain and jackfruit. I had litchi for the first time. I ate so many wild and exotic fruit in that market.
Where has this fruit been all my life? It was my first time to eat it and I loved it
A glimpse of some of the fruit in the market
People busy at work
After the busy day discovering the taste and smell of this island, we headed out to the Airbnb we were staying at. I did some work on the rooftop, answered emails, typed a story and took a long shower. We dressed up and headed out for dinner.
Dinner was different. Tonight we would be trying the street food at Forodhani Market. I psychologically prepared myself and told my stomach that, “We can do this”.
The sun setting and the glistening waves crashing was the perfect backdrop for this pop-up seafood market. We moved from stand to stand. I had watched a Youtube video of the Zanzibar pizza and I was eager to experience it for myself. It was not like normal pizza but it was more of a flatbread stuffed with meat and different vegetables. The first night, I tried the spicy beef one. You cannot go wrong with beef sometimes. It was delicious and we watched as the chefs made it on sight.
the skewers
The Zanzibar pizza being cooked
The final product with sauce.
We then went to a stand where we had some delicious skewers and fruit. It was just relaxing. Life in Zanzibar moves at such a slow pace. It is like the clock ticks differently here. Slower. No one is in a rush. Coming from a city like Nairobi, where everything moves so fast, this was therapeutic.
A dash of lime juice and ice cubes was all I needed to top of this mug of sugarcane juice in my hands. I just loved it. Sometimes, I feel like I could just go back for the sugarcane juice. It was delicious.
One thing I could change about this market, however, was the cats. The countless cats that stare into your soul as you eat. The corner you from every side and just sit next to you looking at you with dead eyes. Don't get me wrong, I love cats but these were stray and they were so many on the island. There was something sinister about them. I made a mistake of throwing a piece of meat to one of them and six more appeared.
The next day, after a hearty breakfast at the Airbnb we went to Prison Island and we came back famished. We went to a local restaurant and had some delicious rice and beef stew. We also discovered that Tamarind juice is a staple in Zanzibar. It was my first time to try it and it was delicious.
The next day, we went snorkeling. We went to the mangrove forests and I got seasick at some point. I think what made me sick was the motion of the boat back and forth. We had been in the boat for hours. I am not the best swimmer and I was tired of the water. After throwing up countless times, I was so hungry. I remember feeling stomach cramps and there was nothing I could do since we were in the ocean. Have you ever been so hungry that your stomach starts aching? I slept in the boat as we headed to another Island. On the island, we got an amazing tray of different types of seafood, rice, fries, and bread. I ate and regained my energy for the next adventure.
In a nutshell, the food was great. Some of the restaurants were underwhelming and they served some bland dishes. However, we experimented a lot and tried a lot of street food. We asked our guide to recommend great places for us to eat because we did not want any bad surprises especially when it came to the street food.
As you can see, we ate alot of rice dishes
More rice
... and more rice
I love fruits and spices. The fruits in Zanzibar have such a high sugar content because of the high temperatures and humidity. I realized that their pineapples and mangoes were very sweet and different from the tart once I was used to. Even the watermelon was delicious.
Pineapples
The roadside markets.
When it came to the drinks, we always had bottled water from “Drop Zanzibar” which is a reputable water company from the island. Because of the heat, we always put 4 liters in the cooler every morning as we go to the car.
I tried to avoid soda but they have fresh juice in every restaurant. I always ordered Tamarind juice, passion or pineapple juice. I did not try any alcohol while there but they had many Tanzanian Beers, Heineken and the usual spirits.
Everywhere you went you would get coconut water. In the markets, the beach and by the roadside, people would be selling coconuts and coconut water which they call madafu.
If you ever find yourself in that part of the globe, excite your tastebuds by indulging in what Zanzibar has to offer.
Authored by @jeanwandimi
Photography by @jeanwandimi
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waoooo, you have taken me far beyond my borders, some things my region shares with Zanzibar, now I have to investigate where is located on the planet, pineapples, mangoes, watermelons, fish, lobsters, all kinds of molluscs, especially the grape its flavor causes the mouth to be disturbed..the great photos almost that I could feel, smell and even eat in them, lol..my region is a small island of the Caribbean Sea, called Margarita. thanks @adsactly for taking me on this trip with you.
Nice. It is located on the Eastern Africa coast on the Indian Ocean. Wow I have heard of Margarita. I need to visit one day. How is teh food in your region. I really love seafood.
Here you will eat all you want, and the way you want ... this island is very beautiful, the beaches do not talk .. with a little love from its rulers would be much more beautiful. the typical dish here is called Margariteño pavilion, it is white rice, black beans and shredded fish stewed with onions, garlic, aji, and the king of the dish that is fried plantain. You are cordially invited to the Island of Margarita.
It is exciting to share with people from other continents, thanks to @steemit. Here I leave the photo for you to observe more or less than it is,
Wow, I almost licked my screen. I love rice and beans but this looks delicious. Plantain is life. Thanks for sharing this amazing dish with me. Do you have a recipe link for this? I need to try and recreate this.
hello friend ... I'm glad you liked it ... here I leave this link so you can see the preparation but it's in Spanish ... I really like cooking and cooking ... soon I'll be in this trend sharing my preparations and recipes ... I need a main ingredient is a camera for the pictures but soon I will have it ... this recipe is variable according to taste ... you can substitute the fish with some other type. I hope you like it and enjoy it a lot ...
https://www.arecetas.com/receta/pabell-ograve-n-margariteno/33236/
Caraotas negras con arroz y carne, y con platano para rematar. lo llamamos nosotros el pabellon Venezolano en Venezuela , cuando se podia encontrar comida en Venezuela , eso era hantes de Chavez y Maduro, buen post y muchas gracias.
Very good post @adsactly, I really like to read your post, because every time you post, lots of new knowledge and experience that we can get in each of your articles to live this life. You are very lucky to have a life full of happiness, so you can always go for a walk wherever you want, even I see you can explore this world. In all the countries of the world, we have very many tribes, and very many types of food based on their respective tribes, and each country must have its own country's special food.
Like the Zanzibar food you share, I see there are some Zanzibar food that is not in my country, maybe it's their country's special food. But I see, Zanzibar cuisine seems to have a very good taste. I once read about Zanzibar, most of them live in the countryside and about a quarter live in the city. Maybe that's how people's lives in Zanzibar are so different from other countries, people of other countries prefer to live in the city. Thanks for sharing @adsactly, this is very useful for all of us, and hope you have a wonderful day...
Thanks for your lovely comments an indeed you are right. I am glad you loved the food. Where are you from?
Oh, Jean. You know I don't drink, so your wine tours are beautiful but theoretical for me. But food? That's always something I can get behind.
This food looks so good, all of it. The Pizza is really interesting, I'm sure I could get with that. I've never had fresh litchi but it looks wonderful. In fact, your photography is so good I'm sure I could eat it all. Probably not in one sitting.
Your posts of Zanzibar have really been impressive to me. In my head there is not a more exotic destination and you have done nothing to chase that away.
Thank you for a truly marvelous post!
I decided to break from the norm and bring a food post. I am glad you loved this. The pizza was so delicious and it came in many flavours. Litchi is amazing. Haha. Thanks for complimenting my photography.
If you ever plan to travel to East Africa, make sure you visit Zanzibar. That was my most memorable trip and I am planning on going back.
Thanks for being a star! Cheers.
Hey cmon, you forgot Kenya lol
I am completely the same way when I travel. I like to have things organized and planned. I always have a list of the different sights and activities that we want to do. I will often even schedule these activities if there are time constraints. I like to stay flexible as well because if you are overscheduled or tied to a hard set schedule then you may miss out on spur of the moment opportunities. Sometimes great things come up during your travels that you don't want to miss out on. I also agree that food plays a big role in the enjoyments of a trip. Especially, if I am travelling to another country. I want to experience the culture and food of those areas. To be perfectly honest, it kinda plays a role in the decision proses when planning where to go. Thanks for sharing.
I love that you plan also but you also leave room for spontaneous activities. Do you feel unsettled if, let's say, you take a quick trip and do not get time to plan? I always feel like I just need a notebook and wifi to first plan.
Great 👍 job @jeanwandimi!
I do the same. When I plan my family’s vacation I’m definitely making sure we will be taken care of when it comes to food. I usually choose all inclusive and also check for nearby restaurants if there is something we would be excited about. You never know there could be famous restaurants or market nearby and we could miss it. I also love to look ahead when it comes to attractions or any adventures. Sometimes it’s better to make a reservation ahead since once actually on vacation I don’t have to have a headache about planing. The rest I leave to surprises. Your trip in Zanzibar reminds me my vacation in Jamaica 🇯🇲. The natural and organic way they sell their organic food.
I can imagine this relaxing moments. The food looks really delicious especially when you are still hungry deciding what to eat first lol. Sometimes it’s tough decision. The pizza 🍕 looks really great. Knowing my wife who is the biggest animal lover I’ve ever seen, If she saw these cats looking at her, she would do the same if not buying out half of the market and feed them all. I remember when she saw lobster still alive in the market. She bought it and released it nearby lake. I wouldn’t let her do it every time, it would bankrupt us as well. But this one time, I let her have her moment, she understood. She was happy. Your experience on the boat wasn’t so funny at that time (I m an the sick time), but I bet now you laugh at it. Thank you for sharing your experience in Zanzibar.
Food is life. There is nothing as bad as travelling somewhere then you realise you have to eat at the hotel. I love to wander a bit off and see where the locals eat. there one can get better and cheaper food.
I really wanna go to Jamaica. It sounds like you loved your time here?
About your wife, clearly she's an animal lover. I am laughing at the lobster part. Say hi to her.
About getting sick, my friend was filming and I look at the pictures and videos and laugh. Sometimes memories are made of this. I would not change a thing.
Thanks for leaving a thoughtful comment.
Great post with lots of lovely pictures of food! A couple years ago, I was looking up videos of exotic fruits because I'd never tried them before but was wondering about native fruits or vegetables from around the world since biodiversity is a wonderful thing to have, and if we have it, I wanted to learn a little about it. And what's normal to me here, is foreign to others elsewhere, and vice versa. So seeing all these lovely and (to me) mysterious fruits on sale at local marketplaces is great, there is an easy way after all to get my hands on all those fruits and vegetables and maybe have the tasting spree of my life! Although I'd still want to see how other people eat the fruits first, nothing quite as embarrassing as a foreigner as struggling on how to open the local fruit...
That's an interesting description of all those cats, one thing I've learned recently about cats is that they wreck havoc on local wildlife, like birds or frogs or anything else smaller than them. While house cats are cute, when they become stray and multiply, they seem more creepy as you note - and they are because they must hunt to survive. Hopefully I'm too pessimistic and you actually did notice birds/other small animals in the same area as all those cats.
I love drinking new drinks as well, and coconut water and sugar cane juice both sound delicious! I have a couple friends from China who basically consumed a whole box of coconut juice from Costco (warehouse style grocery store that sells in big packages) in basically one day, I bet they'd give great business here in Zanzibar haha
I am also the same when it comes to fruit. I love tasting them and when I get time, I also like experimenting with making cocktails. I am also fascinated by wild fruits and berries.
Coconut juice/ coconut water is nice although I am not such a huge fan. I am sure if they can find a way to package it can sell like crazy.
Thanks for your thoughtful comment.
Nice , It really is a fun thing to do
Great post from you
Thanks for sharing this with us..
very interesting thanks for sharing
looking great
Love your photography
Thankyou.
Thanks for sharing this with the community. It always nice to read something that is done with passion.
You really a heroic person your pist have lot of lesson entertainment lot of planning lot of imagination its inspireable stories your way to describing your experience showing your dedication to your work your trip planning gave me a lesson of planning which i cant in my life so i learn so many things from your trip adventures simply deluxe keep it up
Thanks. I hope you also use these tips to plan for your next adventure. Cheers!
Wow yummy coconat and bbq is my favourite food..
Delicious.
your post is mouth watering and I'm afraid of my fast being false, you've explained each and everything very beautifully and I've learnt a lot from it.
Same here! Now I’m thinking of visiting Kenya soon !
Let me know when you guys visit. Zanzibar is amazing!
Thanks for your invitation and I’ll be there soon :)
Great post there!
Amazing @adsactlly ! Hope to keep in touch and follow our blogs. Hope you'll enjoy my Music/Art as well as i did yours! Here's something interesting for Uganda. Hope you'll enjoy it.
http://balkumbatribe.com/news-2
Regards. Blessings
http://luciannagy.com/
What a food diary it is.
I hope you enjoyed it.
Nice.. Well food will keep you healthy..
Though in the world health is the powerful wealth
Mouth -watering post! You look beautiful :D
Thanks for the kind words.
😇😇
I'm a Muslim and Asian as well, it's the month of Ramadan and I'm fasting right now, your post is mouth watering and I'm afraid of my fast being false, you've explained each and everything very beautifully and I've learnt a lot from it.
P.S: Litchi is a very common fruit of Asia, I'm shocked you tried it very first time.
I'm sorry because of the mouth-watering goodness on this post. Thanks so much for reading.
Actually, in Kenya, we do not have this and when we do it is expensive. I was so happy to try it.
Have a great time!
Thanks for replying, have a great day ahead.
Amazing scenery you got their @adsactly Africa is really Bless with Nature and beautiful. Best of regards
NOTHING BETTER than food adventures!! wow - a really gorgeous and tantalising post!! :) Now I'm hungry!! :)
Thanks for the kind words. I am glad you loved this.
I enjoyed reading your article.
Thanks.
Such a beautiful place with awesome foods!
Nice photographs
You must have really enjoyed your trip.
I love those seafoods. Mehn.
A great and complete travel post. Very nice compose wrap in good images. Well done!
Thanks for reading.
This is so nice
if in Indonesia coconut is very useful for our physical needs and mind
Visit my blog 🙏
Wow very beautiful photos and the fruits we have also that kind of fruits in our country philippines, that kind of fruits grows on a tropical country and the taste of that fruits are good.
I love that you have those fruits. I have never been to the Philippines but I am always watching Youtube videos of things to do there. Such a beautiful place.
Your Photography is so tropical! Love it!
Thankyou so much.
amazing work
I see that I really enjoy the food, it looks delicious
When I travel someday , i would love to eat street foods in all country . That would be fun and yummy 😍😍😍
Pineapples and coconuts! That's paradise in pictures!!! Thanks for sharing! Love all the colors in each capture.
Visit my blog, I'm new on Steemit!
Loved your post! Do come to Pakistan, it is full of Havenly Places! you would surely like it!
here i am sharing one picture of one of the most beautiful place in Pakistan! hope you like it
Lake Saif-al-malooq, Naran, Pakistan
Wow this is a place I want to visit. It is so peaceful and beautiful.
yes! it is! Pakistan has lot more to offer in Beautiful landscape and Hospitality! Not everything told in Media is true!
wow!!!, what a great experience @adsactly.
Its nice to see a post get some attention that did not in the past
https://steemit.com/zanzibar/@jeanwandimi/zanzibar-food-guide-photo-diary
Wow. Thanks for noticing. I am glad that after rewriting, it did well this time.
The first post should have done better as well in my opinion, its nice you have more exposure with this one though.
Always wanted to visit Zanzibar, and as you say food is a great motivator for travel, as it can really set the mood of the trip! You definitely set the mood for me, coconut water and seafood - that's all I need in an island paradise! Seems like the dream!
Thanks for reading. People who live near a beach or in an island are very lucky.
Yeah I sure was lucky to grow up in 2 cities complete with beaches, so you can always just go to the beach on a weekend in the summer without having to go too far!
Congratulations @adsactly!
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@ladyfont I asked you to write about zanzibar food, poor girl you had to smell all that putrid fish. You have to be carefull when food is part of your trips, in those countries you can be contaminated with parasites that never cure specially in India. Nice blog and you were very clever to eat and to choose. Nairobi is a very different place and more modern and these places affect you,waiting for your next post
Interesting post. I love zanzibar island ..
I like your picture is very nice and you sweet girls
oh dear.. now you are stirring the spirit of adventure in me.. i gave it up since i am planning to get married soon . but now you are stirring it up so badly.....
hello adsactly? My Name Is Adams, from Kenya. i love your post and i would love to get some of this beautiful meal. On the other hand i would love to know of the story of your Journey to becoming so popular on steemit. Thank you
I like this so much, that I went and got my self some coconut and sea food and made a Caribbean sea food feast , I just love those fresh farmer markets and all those farmer and producers selling real fresh produce and healthy food, great post and keep the good work.