Desayuno

On my first day in Dakar I had yassa, a Senegalese onion and lemon sauce, and I knew I was going to be enjoying the food for my whole stay. But it would be two more weeks before I was to taste what became my favorite Senegalese dish. A neighbor invited Teresa and me to lunch, and she served maffe.

I can’t offer you a place around the platter at Bintu’s house, but if you want maffe I do have some advice: From the Dakar airport, negotiate for a taxi ride to Yoff (You should offer 1000CFA, but you might not get better than 1500 from the airport.). When the driver makes a left turn off the main road, tell him to continue straight ahead. If it’s Tuesday, the street will be closed for the market, and you can just get out there and walk. The market is worth seeing. If it’s any other day, have the driver stop when you see a little white building on the right with “Saf Sap” painted on the wall. If it is lunch or dinner time, the door will be open. If not, the beach is only a few hundred meters further. Enjoy youself, and come back in a little while. They make two dishes a day, and one of them is usually maffe. It will cost 300CFA for a plate. Bring a container with you if you want takeout.

If you don’t plan on being in Dakar any time soon, you can make a very good version of it yourself, though it will cost more than 300CFA. But remember how to get to Saf Sap. After all, you never know. I didn’t plan on being in Dakar either. Read more

What looks like a pear, is textured like a pear, and tastes like a pear? It’s guava juice! These handy bottles are sold at almost every corner store in Dakar and are an excellent way to start the day. Thirty humid degrees in January? Sandy wind blowing in from Mauritania? There is no way you are going to find a bottle with a clean top. But who cares! We’ve got guava juice!

One of the first things I learned in Dakar is that if you want lunch, you need to woo Suzanne. She calls the office first thing in the morning and asks who will want to eat; four hours later she comes in, carrying a tower of fragrant tupperwares. After one week here, I have found that the longer you chat with Suzanne, the more generous your portions are. For dessert, if you’ve been very nice to her you can have Jus de Bissap, a sweet tea made with hibiscus flowers and served ice-cold. Read more