Farm Photo of the Week

Freshly packed bags of maize ready to be sold

Lusaka Photo of the Week

Wall mosaic and street vending on Cairo Road

My First Leg of Pig

A little while back Katongo and I had a pig leg that needed to be cooked -or more I was so enticed by it every time I opened the freezer that we finally decided to go for it and cook the whole thing. Never having tackled something like this before I poked around on the internet for some inspiration and advice. There were only a few pig leg recipes I found as most were for other cuts of the animal but all provided some wonderful culinary daydreams. The recipe we chose to be our main visionary guideline was for Hornado de Chancho (recipe below).

Hornado de Chancho – Roasted Pork Leg

Ingredients:

20 pound whole pork leg (for about 40 people)

Juice of 3 limes

40 garlic cloves, crushed

3 tablespoons of ground cumin

3 tablespoons of salt

1 tablespoon of ground pepper

8 cups of beer for marinating and 6 cups of beer for baking

12 ounces of butter (3 sticks)

2 tablespoons of ground achiote or annatto seed

Optional: 8-10 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cut in half

As we did not have all of the necessary ingredients we decided to deviate slightly from the plan (not that Katongo ever really follows a recipe anyway). I can not include the resulting recipe as it was such a spontaneous creation however mouth-watering photos can be seen below. 

Our pork leg was about half the size. After cleaning it and scoring the skin I doused it in lemon juice and beer before applying a healthy serving of a garlic Cajun dry rub mix we created. After letting the flavors sink in we then let the pork leg bath in a Cajun  butter and beer marinade for over 48 hours. Once ready we roasted it in the oven for a few hours adding some potatoes to the brew partway through, constantly drenching the meat with the marinade and more delicious Carling Black Label beer. 

roast pork leg

The resulting dinner was so much more flavorful and juicy and melt-in-your-mouth-scrumptious that we had expected of ourselves. Even with his family helping us we still had leftover for days, not that we complained one bit. Weeks later we still reminisce about this meal - so much so that Katongo has decided to kill a pig and attempt to recreate it for my parents when they come to visit in November. I hope you bring your appetites mom and dad!

roast pork leg

Farm Photo of the Week

Tree by the Road

Lusaka Photo of the Week

Findeco House: the tallest building in LSK

New arrivals on the farm!

A couple of weeks ago we had two new births, within two days of each other! We welcomed two lambs to the farm, and boy are they adorable.

Welcome to Busuma Farms little ones!

Best Buddies

Grazing with Momma

I got home from work the other afternoon only to find the baby sheep and cows grazing in the yard right by my car. Someone must not have been paying attention. Seeing them play in the old playground was just too cute though, I had to get some photos before chasing them out of the yard and back onto the road to the field.

Silly animals

The Lounge

The Lounge is an extremely popular club here in Lusaka. You can hear the music from around the corner and as soon as you walk in you are stopped by a wall of people. It is easy for me to get overwhelmed here as the music is so incredible loud and they pack so many people inside it can be suffocating in more ways than one. If I am not in the right mind frame, this is not the place for me; when I am in the right mood though nothing compares, I can count on having a fun dance-filled night. There are two bars, one along the left wall and the other in the back right corner. There is soft lounge seating in a raised area in the front right corner and high-top cocktail tables on the left side. The middle is left open and in the back there is a small dance floor with floor-to-ceiling mirrored walls, although dancing often happens all throughout the small club.

Farm Photo of the Week

Gum Boots

Betty Is Finally All Mine

Last week I finally completed the transfer of ownership of my car, Betty. After a couple weeks if running around town and standing in queue after queue she is officially mine and fully insured. It took us four trips to the RTSA (Road transportation something authority - basically the DMV here) to pick up forms and then return them and pay the fees. Next time you are sitting at the DMV waiting for you number to be called know that it could be worse... you could be at RTSA. 

There are about 30 counters... you get your forms from one, find out you need to pay with another, submit your forms with someone else, and that is all if you get in the right line in the first place. There is basically no seating and no air conditioning, the fans they have don't do much except push around the hot sweaty air. Everything takes so long and people move so slow, but when you are sitting in that heat you know why, your body just partially shuts down and can't possibly process that much at once. If you moved at normal speed you could go for about 20 minutes and then me done for the day, in order to last all day everyone moves at tortoise speed. At least that is my theory as to why Zambians and people who live in warmer climates live life at an easier pace where as back home in the northeast you have to keep moving to stay warm.

In addition to RTSA we had to visit the police station (twice), the seller of the car (twice), ZRA - Zambia Revenue Authority (three times), car insurance agency (twice), and a separate RTSA office to get the car inspected. Most of these trips involved going once to get the proper forms, then returning to wait in a queue to pay the fees and another queue to submit the forms. I had to take four days off from work just to complete everything. We could have paid someone to take care of everything for us but it would have cost us 3 times as much. Although standing in all those lines made me kinda wish we had paid them to do it. Thankfully Katongo had gone with me and helped me through everything because I would have given up by myself. 

I still have to go back to RTSA to update my drivers license so I have a proper Zambian one but we decided I deserved a week off from them and will maybe head back next week. This process seems a bit more simple, but we shall see. They say all I need to do is get the medical clearance form filled out by a doctor (already picked up the form) and bring it with a copy of my American drivers license and then take the road test and pay the fee and an official Zambian drivers license will be mine.

Polo Grill

The second social venue review  I have is of Polo Grill. It is located in the Rhodes Park area of Lusaka and is extremely popular. Parking is tough and most often the lot is full so you have to park on the street down the block. The main building is a large wooden and thatched structure in an oval-ish shape. You enter at the top of the oval and directly to your right is a bar. In the opposite end you will find a second bar and a grill area. The DJ booth is almost halfway down on the left side and the middle is filled with large round tables and chairs leaving room to dance in between sections. That is one thing I appreciate about this place, there is always ample seating. Sometimes the siding is removed on half of the building to reveal a half-wall with – you guessed it – a Polo field. This high ceilings and open concept (in addition to it being one huge room) makes it hard to feel claustrophobic no matter how many people are there. On the weekends the DJ plays all the top international hits as well as the many popular local tracks. The drink prices are reasonable and the food selection is geared for the intoxicated. Most nights you will find yourself there at some point in the evening. Even on a slower night you can usually count on a fairly decent crowd being there. Also, across the Polo field you can find Portico’s, a popular Italian restaurant/lounge. I have not eaten there yet however it is a great place to head for a drink and some conversation – the food I noticed at other tables did look tasty, I hope to head there soon and try out some dishes.

Farm Photo of the Week

A lone tomato crate

Food Lover's Market

Food Lover's Market, Levy Junction Mall, Lusaka

The Olive Tap at FLM

They have recently opened a new boutique grocery store in the mall that one of my offices is at… and I am in love. They have a great prepared food section with affordable options for lunch; along with great fresh fruit, vegetables, meats and more. Possibly my favorite part of the entire store is the olive oil tap. You can buy one bottle and get unlimited refills from their various olive oil drums. I haven’t tried them all yet but I am already a fan. They also have an eat-in restaurant/café section with fresh sushi. I have mentioned my feelings toward eating fish here earlier and I haven’t become desperate enough for a sushi fix yet to eat sushi here in this landlocked country prepared by a local Zambian (I might change my mind a few months down the line, and if I do you will be the first to know).

Fruit Section at FLM

Meat/Butchery at FLM

This is a South African chain and it is their first location here in Zambia. I don’t foresee them opening another anytime soon even though it seems wildly popular now. I just don’t think it is the kind of place that has a solid base of clients. It seems that lots of people will go there, but mostly to be seen shopping there not to actually go grocery shopping. Because of that they will only make a couple purchases and spend the better chunk of their money someplace else. While the quality is good and the store is clean and organized now I hope that they keep it up, but know it probably won’t last. Things here in Zambia have a tendency to get a bit sloppy when they realize people will still come and spend money there even after the standards have dropped. The overall expectations have gone up a bit in the recent years however due to the lack of variety and options for customers here stores are able to get away with much more here.

The Cafe at FLM

The Cafe at FLM

Smuggler's Inn

To give you an idea of what I do outside of work (which isn’t much) I thought I would give some reviews of the places I frequent when I go out. The first on the list is Smuggler’s Inn. This lodge’s restaurant and bar is probably my most frequented spot in Lusaka, mostly because they are guaranteed to have the game on (whichever match is playing). 

Smuggler's Inn - inside bar

They have both indoor and outdoor seating options and a large number of televisions. The inside seating is at small high-top tables with bar stools while the outside seating is picnic tables. The bar is inside however it is predominantly waitress-service. The food is good enough to enjoy while watching the game and is fairly standard pub-food. Late in the evening, especially when there is a big game on the projector, they have a large braai (grill) going where you can pick up some chicken, boerwars (sausages), and gizzards. 

Occasionally they will host concerts with top local artists or have promotional events with the game on a huge projector screen and close off half the parking-lot for seating. In addition they have a few pool tables; pool is very popular here (and yes I am still terrible at it but I also avoid playing because of how terrible I actually am). There is also a small swimming pool although I have never seen anyone actually in it before. While this place can get extremely busy it can be a hit-or-miss on an off night although we can usually count on running into someone you know at some point in the evening.

Farm Photo of the Week

Sunset in the back yard

Farm Photo of the Week

A black and white of the water tank

Olympics 2012

Watching the Olympics at The Lodge, in Makeni, Lusaka

While the Olympics are still going on, these photos were taken when we were watching the opening ceremonies over a week ago. I really am trying to get better at posting more frequently and hopefully you all will see an improvement soon. 

Washed out by the flash

Kay and I headed out to a lodge to watch the opening ceremonies and have some dinner. Because of the time difference, the live showing of the ceremonies didn't begin until 10pm and end until after 1am. 


It was a bit of a late night considering I had to get up early for work the next morning however that didn't stop the beer from flowing for the Olympic shenanigans. I won't go into the uniqueness of this year's opening ceremonies because it was odd to say the least. I an say that I am greatly looking forward to what Brazil has to offer in four years. I could be wrong but I am expecting something like Carnival but on a global scale... what can be bad about that?

Zambia had a mediocre showing of 7 athletes. I can also say that none of them came home with a medal. Being team USA myself has made watching the Olympics a tad more exciting knowing we actually have a chance at winning. However watching Zambia compete did still have its highs, they just aren't as high as winning gold. While work and the occasional power outage has gotten in my way of full Olympic obsession I have still managed to get in some good events. I hope you all have been enjoying the competitions as well!

Farm Photo of the Week

Grassy area for cow grazing

Eviva Mediterranean Restaurant

This past date night took Kay and I to Eviva Mediterranean Restaurant in Rhodes Park, Lusaka. Eviva features traditional Greek dishes, sushi bar, international cuisine, great cocktails and wine, as well as a sisha lounge. They have both indoor and outdoor seating options and even a hidden kids play area with resident ducks, geese, peacocks, and turtles. At night the outdoor garden area turns part lounge with their soft seating options and fountain feature; it is a great place to cozy up and enjoy some tasty food with a glass of wine. 

Eviva: indoor restaurant and bar

Eviva: outdoor garden restaurant/lounge

Despite the cold I decided we would sit outside, thankfully the waiter quickly 
brought over the hot coals to keep us warm. I am still to cautious to try sushi here in this landlocked country. I fully enjoy the river and lake fish found here however knowing how slow transportation is here, I avoid any seafood that isn't found locally. That eliminated half the menu however there were still plenty of delicious options.

I went with the traditional roasted lamb while Kay got the stuffed chicken. The food was so good I couldn't stop (although the portion was so large I did end up taking home leftovers). The lamb was so flavorful and it melted in your mouth, so good it made me forgive and forget the long wait for our food. The long wait did make me wish that the common practice of serving bread at restaurants back home was more common here as well. The side of rice they served left something do be desired and my Greek salad could have used more feta, but the lamb and potatoes made up for all of that. We had a great night, a delicious meal, and we look forward to a return trip!

Farm Photo of the Week

This is a view of the sun setting on our tree lined driveway.

Piglets!

Over the past 7 weeks we have had 3 pigs give birth here on the farm. In total we have welcomed 35 new piglets. When I first met the little guys my initial reaction was to name them... then I remembered what I had for lunch - pork ribs - and decided it was best for me to not get too attached as I will most likely have to say good-bye to them as they say hello to my dinner plate. Until they get older though I can still swoon over how adorable they are. The oldest are 7 weeks old and the youngest are 3 weeks old. I had to snap some photos to share before they got too big and lost some of their attractiveness.

The first group born

Feeding time, with the second group

The latest piglet additions

Too freaking adorable

PIG PILE!

Heroes and Unity Days

Long Weekend!

Kafue River Cliff

Here in Zambia we got a 4-day weekend to celebrate Heroes Day on the 2nd and Unity Day on the 3rd. Taking full advantage of the time off we headed out to Kafue River Cliff for a day of drinking and grilling by the water. Before I get into the fun of the weekend I decided I should research a little into the meaning of these holidays giving me a break from work. Thanks to the free encyclopedia online below is a little information on Heroes and Unity Day.

Zambia Heroes Day (First Monday in July):
In 1964, Zambia won its freedom from England and became an independent nation. Those who fought in that freedom struggle are honored and remembered each year on Heroes Day. The somber day is a public holiday and all Zambians take the day off work. In 2004 Zambian vice-president Nevers Mumba proposed that Heroes Day be refocused to include the members of the Zambian soccer team who died in a plane crash in 1993. Eighteen members of the winning team died when the Zambian Air Force jet they were riding in crashed off the coast of Gabon.

Zambia Unity Day (First Tuesday in July):
Because Zambia is composed of several different tribal groups, the founders of the country promoted the idea of national unity as a means to keep the young nation from falling apart. Zambia Unity Day was created to help foster solidarity between the diverse groups that make up the country. The slogan "One Zambia, One Nation" is used to signify the goal of the holiday. Remembrance speeches on Unity Day stress that people of varying backgrounds and political beliefs had come together to work for Zambian independence. That spirit must be maintained for Zambia to grow in the future.

Road block traffic

On the drive out we hit a minor snag at a roadblock on the way. Apparently I hadn't renewed my road tax and it expired the day before. "Thankfully" for us, there was someone there to collect the payment so we wouldn't have to pay the fine for driving without paying the road tax. Once we finally made it through that, we were once again on our way.

Leaving a little later than planned we were happy to find that there were still open spots. We quickly set up camp and got the meat on the braai (aka grill). We relaxed all afternoon to the live music they had playing and enjoyed some time in the sun. As the sun went down it got a bit chilly so we decided to head home.

Monica and I waiting for the boys to finish cooking on the braai

Sunset on Kafue River

When we made it back to the city, we headed out to Smuggler's Lodge to watch Spain vs. Italy. It was already packed when we got there but we found a spot, got some drinks and munchies and settled in for an evening of football. Changing venues at halftime to Polo Grill we met up with some more friends to watch as Spain destroyed Italy 4-0 becoming the European champions. After a long day outside we called it a night.

Sun Dried Guava

This is seriously my new obsession. While I can only handle a few at a time due to their sweetness, dried guava is simply addictive. It is what I imagine an organic fruit roll-up would taste like (if I was ever adventurous enough to try one); part chewy, part grainy, mostly sweet.


Chankwakwa is a company that locally produces Zambian foods such as dried fruit and honey. 


Aside from the fresh fruits and vegetables grown here near Lusaka, local foods are not easily found. Most of the food in the grocery stores is imported from South Africa and beyond. While I do live on a farm and many of my foods come from my "back yard" there is still much that needs to be purchased at the store and unfortunately only a small portion of that can be found from Zambian products. Hopefully that will improve in the future but until then I will give support where I can - and when support tastes as delicious as this how can I complain?

Office View

As I sit at work with a long to do list, including the always fun budgeting, I decided a quick blog post was due. The photo below is the view from my desk in my office at Levy Park which is one of the newer malls here in Lusaka. Bundled in a scarf (and often a jacket) to protect myself from the unnecessarily cranked up air conditioning I enjoy the sunny view of a parking lot and a bit of the city skyline. In front of me is our travel desk where our agents assist with trip bookings. To my right is the bureau of exchange.

Helpful hint: if traveling to Zambia the only place you can exchange Kwacha is right here in Zambia so be sure to change any leftover money back to dollars, euros, or pounds before you leave.... or you will just have to come back to Zambia to spend that Kwacha - which really isn't a terrible alternative. ;)

Meet Betty

This is my car Betty, she is an immigrant to Zambia just like me. Hailing from Japan she is handling the heat, dust and potholes just fine. She has a solid sound system and a spacious rear end. She is good on gas, which is helpful because gas here is about twice as expensive as it is back home in the states (and I am working with half the paycheck on top of that). Driving on the other side of the road isn't that bad and in a month and a half I only messed up once - thankfully it was at night and there was no oncoming traffic.

During the day though, Lusaka traffic is pretty rough. You might not travel very far but you can bet it will take you a while to get there. If the traffic isn't slowing you down the speed bumps will. No need to pay for police officers to monitor the speed of drivers when you can just build numerous speed bumps and ensure that at all times all cars are slowing down. A far more effective way of slowing down traffic, although highly annoying as a driver. Between the speed bumps and the pot holes driving in Lusaka is almost like a Super Mario Brothers game.

What is ZAManda?

I am starting this blog to document me, Amanda, and my life here in Zambia. 


You might find pictures and posts about people, places, work, entertainment, mishaps, or any other experience I have in Lusaka. If there is anything in particular you are curious about please feel free to comment and I will be sure to post about it! I hope you enjoy this and feel as though you are living here with me.