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Momodou
Denmark
11828 Posts |
 Posted - 13 Dec 2005 : 12:48:45
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A couple of years ago when I was travelling on a chartered flight from Denmark, I was surprised to see lettuce being loaded on our flight in Las Palmas on the Canary Islands when we had a stop for refuelling. I wonder how much raw material the hotels buy from the local producers of food products such as vegetables in the Gambia.
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Sister Omega
United Kingdom
2085 Posts |
Posted - 14 Dec 2005 : 23:46:03
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Hi Momodou, I would guess very little produced is brought locally. Put it this way, if the hotels were buying local grown produce in Gambia we probably would of heard about it already. Hotel's don't normally buy locally unless pressure is applied from the host government insisting on these establishments to buy a certain percentage of locally produced provisions in the way of specific quotas of fresh fruits and vegetable targets being reached.
Peace
Sister Omega |
Peace
Sister Omega |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 07 Mar 2006 : 23:52:51
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| One of the reasons why hotels but\y overseas is that they cannot find credible suppliers who would be able to meet demand. this is a reality and there have been many debates about this on television. CHicken is scarce including eggs and are impoted fom Holland. Now south Africa is leading in the area. They are supplying a lot of the poultry products. Atleast African commerce will benefit |
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” |
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njucks
Gambia
1131 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jun 2006 : 22:20:25
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i recently had a conversation with a friend who owns a restauarant in The Gambia. what surprised me is that he is in the minority. there is not a single Gambian restaurant in the Senegambia Street. most of the restaurants are owned by europeans. whilst this is not important the point is according to him most of the food served is european food, Italian, spanish. also there are chinese and indian restaurants.
personally i think its a good think to have all this diversity but do tourists really fly all the way to The Gambia to eat pasta or chicken tika ?
is it that we dont have gambian food for the tourism industry or do we need legislation to put this in place. for example in France/Italy they are protective with both wine and cuisine. so are the germans with Beer.
would it be a good move for the Tourism Authority/Government to impose atleast 3 gambian dishes in every menu??? |
Edited by - njucks on 28 Jun 2006 22:22:04 |
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Jack
Belgium
384 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jun 2006 : 22:49:56
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Well Njucks this is an interesting topic.
I'm also surprised everytime I go abroad (not only in the Gambia) that tourists just want to eat the food they used to consume at home. I think 90 % of tourists are very conservative on that matter. So they fly to the Gambia for the sun, the african atmosphere, and so on but they like pasta, chips, ... and junk food.
Moreover lot of touristic agencies warn tourists not to eat locally because of danger of diahrea, and other disturbances during the holiday.
In february I stayed in de Senegambia area and when I asked for local dishes most of the waiters and owners looked at me If I was an alien. (maybe I am, but I don't feel like that ).
I can assure you that the big hotels prepare every evening a local disch, but very few people are prepared to taste it because.. unknown. 
And I have to be honest too. You can't compare African cuisine with that of Europe or Asian kitchen.
ci jamaa
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jun 2006 : 22:56:16
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Jede the best place to have African food is in the village. I will ask my guide to take you to Pirang and ask his mum to cook for you. It's lovely.
In Edinburgh there is a great African restaurant called Phenancia(or something like that).
In Gambia the best thing to eat outside of the hotel is fish. Caught locally everyday. Brufut beach bar is the best for fish!
Each trip I have got more adventureous about what i try and I have NEVER been ill. The traditional village food is cooked for a very long time. I think there is more danger from hotel buffets when food may be saved, rechilled and reheated. |
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Jack
Belgium
384 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jun 2006 : 23:07:01
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Bev,
I just said what tourist are warned for and how tourists behave. I didn't say that those warnings are necessary or that I agree with them. And I tasted the local dishes many many times. I never have been sick (yet)
And you are right. The best african experience is to taste the local dishes made traditionally in the villages. But it takes at least 3 hours..... and that is for europeans a strange experience |
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njucks
Gambia
1131 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jun 2006 : 23:11:39
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quote:
Originally posted by Jede
And I have to be honest too. You can't compare African cuisine with that of Europe or Asian kitchen.
ci jamaa
thanks Jede/Gambiabev
lol hahhaha. ok this is precisely the problem. i dont know what you have tried but that fact that its not served in restaurants have meant that most people who visit dont experience the cuisine. we have not done well locally to present what we have.
let be frank. if you have a good indian meal in a poor village in India its not the same as one you would have in an indian restaurant in London.
i think all cuisine has elvolved internationally due to tourism.
i also think Diahrea has more to do with how the food is prepared not what food it is.
to solve this is think restaurants in the tourist area should be forced to sell local food and fruit jiuces.
Gambiabev your experience is very supportive but can you guys kindly give us a list of what you have tried?? |
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Jack
Belgium
384 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jun 2006 : 23:18:27
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Great Bev ,
can you ask your guide to buy me a flight ticket to. , Then I will be there tomorrow.  . And bye the way I think I prefer his sister preparing my dish rather than his mother.
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jun 2006 : 23:23:47
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In Pirang I had spicey shrimps that they had caught that morning. Also Benachin (fish) and dolamda (not sure of spelling, the peanut sauce and rice) At kolior I have had similar and also a maccaroni dish with beans in it. They have less fish I think?
At Tendaba I had barracuda and my friends had goat. It was all from the village and cooked on the open fire. Sorry, but I couldnt eat goat. Its too cute!
My favourite meal so far in Gambia has to be the fish at Brufut. It was baked in a foil parcel. Tell the guys at the beach bar I want my commission next time I visit!
I think there is a gap in the market for a good quality african restaurant and also a vegetarian restaurant. The tourist trade is all about supply and demand. But if you offer a good quality product and advertise it well it should be a success. An open style kitchen is a good idea because then people can see that it is clean. Also staff should look clean and smart. |
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Jack
Belgium
384 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jun 2006 : 23:32:22
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Its domoda Bev
Start your business. Bye the way I'm a cook to (really not a joke) |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jun 2006 : 23:41:20
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| Perhaps we should start a business together then. You in the kitchen, me front of house! LOL! |
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Jack
Belgium
384 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jun 2006 : 23:50:06
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Me working in the kitchen (40 °C) and you accepting the money from handsome tourists.
And I can't cook the African dishes. So we are off topic.
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njucks
Gambia
1131 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jun 2006 : 23:56:02
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yeah the groundnut stew domoda. the okra stew is super kanja. next time you go to kolior try for breakfast 'dempeteng'. you have to try 'findi' too, there is also chereh. the white version is called 'chereh pol' if your're in the urban area try 'akara', 'olele', 'abala' 'ditak' juice, dahar (tamarine), Kaba, won jo, sour milk cream is good. if you are adventurous and try hard you will find 'agidi'.
maybe kondorong at Yoro Bawol can offer you 'Bundu ngeheh'. there are some many dishes hidden from the tourist, its a pity.
you're absolutely right there is a big gap. |
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Newfy
Western Samoa
462 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jun 2006 : 00:09:28
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| Njucks, I don't know Pulaar, does your list include lakh ag sow? |
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Newfy
Western Samoa
462 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jun 2006 : 00:14:14
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| I read somewhere awhile back that in Senegal, the seas were overharvested for fish. Many kinds of frozen fish are flown in from Europe for the Senegalese table. The Senegalese fishermen are also some of those who have been forced to pursue clandestine migration to Spain etc. looking for a way to support their families. |
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