Whenever I live or travel anywhere, the local food is one of the most important experiences for me. In Congo however, trying the local food has proven a bit difficult, not only because my house rent includes three meals a day. It's not that I don't like the food Floribert prepares (even though some spices and a bit less oil could do wonders), but I would like even more to throw myself in to the menu of foufou, plantanes, dried fish and maybe even the termites and grasshoppers. 
So what do they eat in DRC? First, Congo used to be a Belgian colony so naturally they eat baguettes. Being in the great lakes region, we also have lots of fish that is served fresh either boiled, fried, or stewed;or dried which is actually really good. The staple food apart from the fish is the foufou, plantanes and fried potatoes. foufou is made from Maniok roots, dried, grinded and then boilod into a jelly like substance that is either eater like that or can be fried. And of course, there is always avocado - how I wish they weren't so fat, healthy fat is still fat. But probably the litres of oil everything is cooked in, combined with the lack of excercise, is more dangerous. 'Bing, dagens i-
landsproblem "I don't do any physical activities or carry heavy weights (on my head) in my daily life or at work"...' 
Then we have the delicacies; grasshoppers, larves and termites. When I was leaving Kinshasa for my depolyement, I had to wait for the dispatch for more than an hour. Given that it was the hour between four and five in the morning, of course I was very happy and patient... What kept me awake was the guard, colllecting grasshoppers that he jammed down an empty whisky bottle. The bottle was soon full of live grasshoppers, interesting flavour for a schnaps ey. 
I have also seen a grilled monkey, prepared whole, head, hands, fur and all. Since it kind of looked like a little baby, it was not really tempting to try. Since that was during my first days, before I worked up the courage to ask permission to take pictures, I have no proof, but I swear, it was a baby size monkey, nothing else. Rumours has it that they eat both cats and dogs, at least in Kinshasa. Apalling as it might be for me, it does keep the streets empty from wild dogs. And even though I just read that in Copenhagen a study has shown that dogs with homeless owners are the most happy dogs, I am not quite sure that applies to the dogs in DRC. Don't get me wrong, I don't necessarily think the best way to get rid of street dogs is to eat them, but it does get them of the streets after all. 
Frequent power cuts makes charcoal the most popular used sourse for heating and cooking, thus barbeques are popular not only in the south african house. Apart from meet or fish brochettes (skewers), corn, grilled to the verge of popping is really popular. They are filling and cheap and a good source of energy. Together with the sugar canes as you can see on the little girls head, they are by far the most popular snack.
