YummyVol44

KUKU CRAZY

WANURI KAHIU

Glows in the aftermath of her time at Cannes

45 DEGREES

Susan Wong on a memorable dining experience

PEKING DUCK

Double Dragon have been holding out on us

PLAYING CHICKEN

I have stopped trying to count the chickens in my yard and have no idea where they lay their eggs. Sometimes I see new little chicks hopping behind one of the hens. Last Sunday there were two new additions to the team: a yellow one and a black one. I tried to film the cute little creatures and, much to my terrified surprise, ended up being attacked by their enraged mother. I have never felt like such a chicken in my entire life. As I run away, the video still recording, my shrieks of terror echo across the lawn. My friend in the background can be heard splitting her sides with laughter. On Monday, only the black chick was left. There has been much speculation as to what happened but I am convinced it was the mother as she is obviously a bit of a psycho. According to my visiting friend it might be mad chicken disease which, she insists, they picked up from eating the dog’s chicken-flavoured kibble. I don’t actually think that’s a thing. Google is giving me conflicting answers. Maybe it was a hawk and the mother is innocent. Maybe it was one of the dogs getting revenge for the chickens always eating their food. Can dogs get mad chicken disease? Nothing beats the flavour of a boiled Kienyeji chicken soup. Maybe the psycho hen’s time is finally up. Chickens that spend their time darting around the yard harassing the dogs end up with this wonderful almost overpowering gamey taste. They make for terrible fried chicken though. Chickens that are good for frying are lazy chickens who don’t move around and have never laid eyes on the blue sky. I have long got over my moral qualms with this. Anyway, this is not the time and the place for an analysis of battery poultry farms.

Speaking of fried chicken, that’s what inspired this issue in the first place. The global food entrepreneur and celebrity David Chang, who I’m sure you’ve heard me mention in the past, used to do reviews of things like fried chicken in his now defunct publication Lucky Peach. I really admire how he took the concept of the restaurant review and applied it to fast food. I decided to copy him and one day in May, Pete the photographer and I set out with the intention of reviewing eight different fried chicken joints across Nairobi. Unfortunately, or fortunately, if you ask our livers, by the time we had gotten six fried chicken joints photographed and reviewed, there was no way we could eat one other piece for the foreseeable future. Want to know which the best one was? Well then go to page 28 to find out!

Ducks aren’t psychos, they’re more like hecklers. They drown out each other’s opinions with their loud and incessant quacking and have absolutely no respect for one another. I had hoped to visit a duck farm last month but alas the rains made in inaccessible. I made up for it though, by discovering that the unassuming Double Dragon restaurant at the Junction Mall food court has a second menu from which people in the know can order Peking Duck [P30].

Elsewhere in the magazine, Winnie Wangui discovers that smoked chicken is a thing and that the Chef at the Intercontinental Hotel has been perfecting his own recipe for it [P34]; I chat with the owner of Fonda NBO to find out more about a dish that looks deceptively like Nachos [P36]; and Susan Wong is wowed by a chef she once read about in the Toronto Star who’s restaurant, 45 Degrees, is an unlikely fine dining hub in Nairobi’s Garden City suburb [P24]. We hit the stands with seconds to go before the World Cup kickoff and you’ll be happy to know that we have compiled for you an extensive neighbourhood list of where you can go and catch a game [p16]. Oh and Jackson Biko, who never makes it into my editor’s notes because I know people just flip the back of the book and read him anyway, has written a beautiful obituary on the passing of the boundary-pushing chef and writer Anthony Bourdain [P43]. Thanks Biko, I forgive you for missing your deadline this month. Whatever that may mean.

Follow Katy on IG: @lakitchenwitch

Katy Fentress Editor In Chief

COOL AS A CUCUMBER

We went, we exchanged, we drank and then did it all again every day for the following week. For the first ever Nairobi World Cucumber Exchange, select bars across the city accepted for one hour every day a cucumber as currency for one very delicious Hendricks Gin and Tonic.

WANURI KAHIU

Just back from her historic trip to the Cannes International Film Festival, where her feature film Rafiki was received to great acclaim - despite having been banned back home here in Kenya - Wanuri Kahiu sits down with Kahawa Allstars to give us the two minute low-down on what it felt like to be the first Kenyan director to be screened at this most influential of international film festivals.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF WANURI KAHIU

What beats faster: your heart after three cups of Kenyan coffee, or your heart when you are getting a standing ovation at Cannes?

LOL….. getting a standing ovation at Cannes!

You can only eat one type of breakfast for the rest of your life: French or Kenyan?

Mombasa Coastal Breakfast any day…. it’s the bomb!

Baguette or chapati?

Chapati all day every day

Best dish of the Festival week?

When I got home and got to eat something home cooked

How proud did you feel seeing the stars of your film so well received?

Sam and Sheila [Samantha Mugatsia and Sheila Munyiva are the stars of the movie] were amazing, they were getting stopped on the street by people because they were loved so much. It was absolutely incredible to see them shine.

Number of different outfits you packed for the festival?

I had an amazing stylist called Lucy Robi who helped me with all of my clothing needs. Let’s just say, I had enough!

The person who made you feel the most starstruck?

I was completely 100% starstruck by Ava DuVernay [Cannes Judge and Director of “A Wrinkle in Time”]

Cate Blanchett

I was in awe that she was in the audience watching Rafiki with us. That was amazing, I can’t even describe the feeling

The most “Wakanda” moment Standing in front of the audience introducing the film and seeing that Ryan Coogler was there and was giving us a Wakanda sign

The secret to surviving an International Film Festival

Friends, friends friends. They make you happy, they help you shine, they make you show up. Amazing.

Any Shoutouts?

All the Kenyan designers: Embody Accessories and Kipato Unbranded; Deepa Dosaja was just amazing and we wore some stuff by Designing Africa that was the most beautiful. I’m so grateful for Kenyan creative talents.

What’s the takeaway?

Be open, willing and available for everything that you work hard for. The idea that it takes ten years to be an overnight success is true. You need to work and then you need to be ready.

FOOTBALL FEVER

Whether it is a rugby match or the much anticipated World Cup 2018, Nairobi has plenty of places to watch the latest game while enjoying a bite or a drink. Large screens strategically placed, delicious bitings, a wide selection of drinks and a fun crowd are all you need to enjoy the most watched football competition of all time. Here’s a list of some popular bars you can watch sports and get your fill, all at the same time.

1. WESTLANDS

GIPSY BAR With three bars and one restaurant, Gipsy is great if you’re up for a night out partying with friends after watching the matches of the day. With numerous large screens dotted across the establishment you can enjoy the match from any seat. Also, their delicious chicken wings will come in handy when the hunger pangs strike. eatout.co.ke/gipsy-bar

THE NODE Nestled along Woodvale Close, Westlands, opposite the Jacaranda Hotel, you’ll find The Node, a delightful restaurant with an extensive international menu. Their dedicated sports bar, The Sap, is where you can cheer on your team while enjoying their extensive selection or drinks and bar bitings. eatout.co.ke/node

THE TAV IRISH PUB AND BISTRO Rustic but modern with an Irish flair, best describes The Tav. Its location at The Mirage building off Waiyaki Way features a terrace area, with multiple screens for viewing the action. Its upstairs lounge opens up to a cavernous loft space where you can munch on their Teriyaki Chicken Wings as you catch up on the game. eatout.co.ke/tav

2. PARKLANDS

K1 KLUB HOUSE Get right in the action and watch all the biggest football games at K1’s stadium-like round marquee as you knock back the pints and indulge in their legendary samosas, wings, or choma sausages. This spot is a favourite of many who live within Westlands. Be sure to get there early if you’re looking to catch a game. eatout.co.ke/k1-klub-house

BAO BOX Popular for the over 100 board games available, Bao Box’s rooftop, location on the 8th floor of Pramukh towers, provides a spacious and airy ambiance. When there are big games on, they always set up a large projector screen on the terrace area so football fans can enjoy their menu which includes pizzas, fries, wings and more. eatout.co.ke/bao-box

SOHO’S BAR AND CLUB Located on Parklands rd, this classic Westlands level drinking spot and sports bar is popular for the fantastic music that always has revellers on their feet all night. Choose from the VIP, outdoor or indoor area, they are all conveniently situated screens in such a way to allow you to watch your games from any vantage point. facebook.com/SohosKenya

3. LAVINGTON

AMBO GARDENS Located off Amboseli road in Lavington, Ambo Garden’s casual setup features high wooden chairs and tables casually dispersed in the floor space. Loved for their nyama choma (roasted meat) and mutura (African sausage), they have large screens strategically placed to allow football fans to watch their games. eatout.co.ke/ambo-gardens

Find out more by downloading the EatOut App in order to enjoy amazing discounts at these and more restaurants around the city

KENGELES LAVINGTON Kengele’s in Lavington Green mall is an extremely popular and lively pub with a good balance between outdoor and indoor space. The sound system is powerful and there are generous screens for viewing sports. Their chicken is pretty good and they have good prices on beers, wines and spirits. eatout.co.ke/kengeles-lavingtongreen

4. KILIMANI/ KILELESHWA

VIVA LOUNGE Located along Kandara rd, Viva Lounge is the perfect spot for hanging out with a large group of friends over some tasty cuts of nyama choma. Sit outside to get away from the throng or head inside and get in on the sports action. Their bar stocks up a wide range of drinks to keep you sipping as you watch the latest match on their screens. eatout. co.ke/viva-lounge-sportsbar-restaurant

YEJOKA GARDEN If you are bored of the sports bar options and looking for a more chilled out location to watch the game from, then Yejoka Garden, a leafy Ethiopian restaurant just minutes away from Yaya Centre might just be the place for you. Its cosy garden allows you to watch the game while filling yourself up on all the Ethiopian classic dishes. eatout.co.ke/yejoka-gardenrestaurant

5. KAREN

PURDY ARMS Purdy Arms, located on Marula Lane, offers warm and homely service inspiring you to linger long after the game is over. Wherever you turn or sit, a widescreen TV is within plain sight. On big game days, they project the match onto one of their walls and their sweet and spicy wings, feta samosas and fishcakes are just delicious. eatout.co.ke/purdy-arms

QUE PASA BAR & BISTRO This fun, loud and busy neighbourhood bar offers a large selection of cocktails, whiskies and beers in a warm, cosy and inviting space. Perfect for a night out bonding with the guys and gals, you can share their pizzas, chicken wings or, if you are a seafood lover, indulge in some mussels as you watch a game. eatout.co.ke/que-pasa-bar-bistro

6. THIKA AND KIAMBU RD

JIKONI’S SPORTS BAR & GRILL Located in Ridgeways, Kiambu rd, Jikoni’s offers a retro cocktail menu and delectable bar bites including fish fingers and chicken tenders. The eclectic ambiance is attributed by the talented host DJs playing every night. Should you find yourself along Kiambu rd during the world cup, pop in and catch a game. jikonis.co.ke

NATIVES SPORTS BAR & GRILL Natives Sports Bar and Grill along Thika Rd is a bar dedicated to showing live sport and lots of it. It features lots of strategically placed big TV screens showing everything from national to international football tournaments and a bar menu that includes mshikakis, choma sausages and samosas. Go there to watch sport, because that’s what it’s for. eatout.co.ke/natives-sports-bar-grill

MOCA LOCA COFFEE & LOUNGE Watching a game as you sip on your ice cold drink and have flawless service is the perfect representation of a great night. Moca Loca’s beautiful space and ambiance coupled with their fantastic pizzas and big screens provide the perfect setting for that must-watch game. eatout.co.ke/moca-loca

7. LANGATA RD

CARNIVORE This venue serves a wide variety of meat carved live at your table. Enjoy char grilled succulent meat cuts, and wash it down with cocktails, beers, whiskies or wine. The alfresco dining set up provides clear views of the numerous TV screens which always show big matches. eatout.co.ke/carnivore

BREW TAP ROOM GALLERIA The quintessential Brew Bistro experience reaches new heights of luxury with an expansive lounge and an exquisite outdoor terrace, where guests can feast on delectable bites such as chicken wings, chicken nachos, or pretzels and sip specially crafted premium brews and cocktails. eatout.co.ke/brew-bistro-tap-room

CHARLIE’S BISTRO Charlie’s Bistro at the South End mall, Langata have a fully stocked bar and provide unforgettable cocktails. Their extensive menu has a wide selection of international foods featuring Lebanese specialities and finger foods, wings, nachos and some tasty vegetarian options. eatout.co.ke/charlies-bistro

LUCY WERU

If you’re kuku about kuku, and haven’t thought of trying out chicken feet, Lucy Weru from @afoodiescollective is up for the feet! Get to know what her favourite restaurants are and more!

Meet Lucy, a 28 year old food blogger who’s on a mission to eat through Nairobi’s exciting food scene. Like many foodies out there, Lucy lives by the unwritten ‘snap it before you eat it’ rule when it comes to dining out. Her Instagram profile, @afoodiescollective is her testament - packed with hunger provoking images from her various adventures around and out the city. She terms her relationship with food as an unhealthy obsession, but who really cares. After all, don’t we live to eat?

A visit to her blog - afoodiescollective.com gives more detail on her restaurant endeavours detailing her personal favourites, honest reviews and more to cater for those who seek a peers advice on where to eat next. Her blog celebrates its 1st birthday in September, but for someone so fresh in the blogging scene, she was nominated in the Best Food blog category at the recently held 2018 BAKE Awards - one of her biggest career highlights thus far. Her courtship with food began when her mother exposed her to different cultures through various cuisines and this broadened her perspective on the dining experience. She would later draw inspiration from English celebrity chef, Rick Stein to share her food experiences.

Since this is the kuku issue, we were keen to find out what Lucy’s stance is on the beloved bird. If you irk at the thought of having to ‘hunt’ your chicken and turn it into a meal, find comfort in knowing that Lucy too, would gladly skip the beheading process and jump straight to her bite. She particularly likes to dig into fried breaded chicken or well marinated kuku choma paired with fiery kachumbari and either ugali or chapati. She hasn’t tried chicken feet yet but her curiosity on why Asians love them so much has piqued her interest. I personally can’t imagine the thought of claws making their way down my throat no matter how delicious they appear. When she’s out to catch up with her friends over a few drinks, her top spots for bar bites (read wings) are Artcaffe, Cedar’s Restaurant and KFC specifically for their sticky wings.

As much as she loves chicken, Lucy has a soft spot for desserts. Particularly chocolate. One day, she hopes to have a chocolate-themed dessert bar similar to Max Brenner (feel free to google). She doesn’t have a name for it yet but promises it would be addictive. For now,she leaves us with one of her current recipes - Creamy Mushroom Pasta for you to give it a shot!

Creamy Mushroom Pasta

Ingredients

• Mushrooms – 1 packet

• Cooking cream – 1 cup

• Garlic – 2 cloves

• Mixed Herbs – 1 teaspoon

• Pasta

• One knob of butter

Directions

1. Place the pasta in boiling salted water to cook. Once cooked to al dente (firm to the bite), drain the water.

2. Saute the chopped mushrooms with a little butter until they are lightly browned then add garlic, salt, and thyme. Once the mushrooms are cooked to a dark brown colour, add the cream, and let it simmer for a few minutes.

3. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and pour over the cooked pasta and serve.

A CUT ABOVE

Don’t judge a book by its cover, discovers Susan Wong who, after some initial trepidation looking at the menu in a suburban garden restaurant, is completely swayed by the long parade of amazing food

started to read the newspaper for fun when I was 8-years-old because my parents policed my television and Game Boy time, but mostly because we had a monthly subscription to The Toronto Star. I use to enjoy waking up early on Saturday mornings so that I could greet the blonde paper delivery boy on the lawn.

“Hey Susan! Check out where Cynthia went to eat this week!”

Brian was referring to Cynthia Wine, a former staff restaurant critic at the publication and author of Eating for a Living: Notes from a Professional Diner – a favourite read of mine that’s been collecting dust on my bookshelf in Toronto.

25 years later, in the fringes of Nairobi at 45 Degrees Kitchen, I found myself staring at a framed old newspaper clipping penned by Cynthia about a restaurant in Toronto’s entertainment district (that’s now gone on to become a Canadian franchise behemoth) and was published on my birthday, Saturday, October 23, 1993 – a restaurant review that I definitely had read over a steaming hot bowl of homemade congee. Who was the featured chef? Harold Sena-Kota, the chef-owner of the celebrated 45 Degrees Kitchen. In Kenya, fine dining is usually reserved for flagship restaurants in fancy hotels or members-only clubs, but 45 Degrees Kitchen is situated deep in Nairobi’s suburbia. Located in the Garden Estate area off of Thika Road, getting to the restaurant is quite effortless if traffic cooperates. promising. Outdoor LED flexible strip lighting draped freely above the spacious outdoor seating and inside the cozy dining room. Mismatched tables and chairs added a quirky sense of style to the space. Tiedye tablecloths challenged your expectations for fine table linens, and art from Kenyan painters hung on the walls for sale. With the bar area set-up on a table to the side, it felt like I was walking into someone’s garden party. I really didn’t know what to expect, and when I was handed a menu that featured more than 50 items, my companions and I naturally became hesitant.

The menu featured a four-course tasting flight and à la carte. From fresh scallops to langoustines, duck to pork, crab to Ahi, and truffle to wild mushrooms – all sourced locally, Chef Harold’s choice of premium ingredients meant no expense was going to be spared. The next couple of hours was like a culinary equivalent to a flawless Steph Curry NBA All-Star Three-Point Contest performance – graceful and a showcase of an indecent amount of skill.

Take the dish Pan-fried Scallops with Purple Cabbage and Mustard. It looked simple, but that’s how Chef Harold deceives you. Beautifully seasoned and seared, the scallops were moist and subtly sweet. The purple cabbage and mustard was a brilliant shade of lavender. The julienned vegetables had a nice bite that could only be achieved by a quick sauté on high heat. The Salt-Baked Beet Salad with Yoghurt Dressing arrived with a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds, dried cranberries, and some fresh mozzarella. Every leaf of lettuce was lightly coated with the dressing, refreshing and crisp, this salad was an understated harmony of flavours and colours.

Next, the Pan-fried Duck Breast with a Lemongrass Sauce and served with a Thai Green Curry and Jasmine Rice. The dish costs a gulp-inducing KSh 3,250, but then when you begin to start working your way through its beautifully seared and pink flesh, you realize that there’s enough here for two. The Thai Green Curry was vibrant, flavourful and rich – so delicious that I’d order it on its own. The duck was a bit heavy on the black pepper, but the cookery was undeniably faultless. The Mongolian Lamb Chops with Mushroom Risotto escalated the pleasure to another level. The chops, French-trimmed, had a beautiful ratio of fat and tender meat that gave away to the knife like butter. The beautiful chops sat on a bed of risotto that had some long grain wild rice running through it, which added texture to the dense and rich base. Few things are as satisfying as a bowl of well-made risotto. With the right wine, stock, soffritto, fat, and a lot of labour, risotto can almost take you to the moon and back. Did I mention he threw in some Shitakes? Then there was the Two-week Aged Sirloin, Cheddar Wood Essence and Mustard Glaze, served with delicious and fluffy Creamy Mash Potato. Again, the knife slid through the medium rare flesh with so much ease. At this point, my silent companions looked-up at each other and all nodded in approval. We couldn’t believe what was happening; it was just all so good. The only real disappointment of the evening was the Miso Glazed Salmon – overdone and dry.

To finish, we had a platter with a bit of everything including the Flourless Chocolate Cake, but what stole my heart that evening was the Poached Mini Pears with Port Wine, finished with a dollop of Mascarpone Cheese. So luxurious, moreish and comforting, the pears were slowly simmered with cinnamon and star anise to bring out their delicate flavours. The fruits soaked-up the reduced syrup beautifully and the creamy Mascarpone rendered us speechless.

The dessert was the zenith of a meal with many high points. I’ve never had this many foodgasms in one meal in Kenya! The incredible experience was also supported by a well-trained service team: polite, thorough and warm. Located away from the city’s restaurant hub, the team at 45 Degrees is doing their own thing, and quite happily so; and I think Cynthia would agree with me too.

Susan Wong and her companions were guests of Harold Sena-Kota

45 Degrees Kitchen Marurui Road Garden Estate 0705 151 086

Eatout.co.ke/45-Degrees-Kitchen

DUCK TALES

Katy Fentress discovers a most unlikely of locations to get Peking Duck in Nairobi - as long as you know to ask for the second menu that is

By this time Tendrils of white smoke are seeping out of the edges of the smoker

WINTER CHALICES

It’s cold, grey and gloomy out there and the weather shows no sign of letting up any time soon. Luckily Josiah Kahiu is at hand to help you choose the perfect glass to cure your cold season blues.

As we all know, winter is coming (yes Kenya does have a winter of sorts) and while you are preparing to overhaul your wardrobe with wooly sweaters and comfortable TV wear, I thought it was time to help you choose your wines accordingly for those comfy nights in.

When we think of cold season wines, we inevitably think red wines. One of my favourite classic red wines out there that is perfect for all seasons but specifically stands out, is a Barolo. This wine, made from Northern Italian Nebbiolo grapes, can be deceiving in appearance. Its elegant pale colour would suggest a Pinot Noir but that is as far as the similarities go. This wine has high acidity and lively tannins that will leave your palate asking for more. It is perfect for those meaty meals and will provide an experience that few will forget.

As you try to keep warm with your big stews and grilled meats, there is a big bold wine that fits the bill perfectly. An Argentine or Australian Shiraz is a winner in this category. Its strong fruit forward aromas with a generally high alcohol content (14- 15% ABV) make it the perfect wine to keep you warm. It is not considered a subtle wine, so pay close attention to the food pairing. As mentioned, it matches perfectly with grilled meats and will leave you comfortably full while passing the night away warm on your sofa.

If you are looking for something warm and familiar, nothing beats a good Cabernet Sauvignon. The layered complexity of a Cabernet Sauvignon is the perfect gloomy weather companion. Whether it is diving into your slow cooked duck or that medium rare steak, this wine will leave you in that perfect state of hibernation as you wait for the clouds to pass.

No winter red wine list can be complete, in my opinion, without my favourite Italian classic - Sangiovese. This traditional, rustic wine is earthy with high acidity and tannins - two key ingredients to keep you warm. This wine goes with an assortment of dishes and will even cater for those vegetarians among you. Perfect with meals or as a stand-alone wine, its complex nose is good for sniffing while you sink into your new book or while binge-watching your favourite Netflix show.

For those of you out there who think is it only red wines that are suitable for this season, guess again. Oaked Chardonnays are wonderful this time of year. Nothing evokes sitting at home and enjoying a glass of wine like a full-bodied Chardonnay. Its buttery, vanilla and caramel flavours are a perfect match for those warm cream-based soups, creamy pasta sauces and chicken. So if you are not in the mood for a red wine, I suggest you look for a Burgundy Chardonnay, it will not leave you disappointed.

So there you are, your winter wine guide. Don't let the gloominess of the weather get you down, there is always a glass of wine to save you from the melancholy.

ASK A WINO

What is the difference between Sweet Wine and Dessert Wine? Angela Omondi, 24

People tend to get really confused here. Sweet wines differ from dessert wines in a couple of ways and are usually targeted to different markets. The main difference is that sweet wines are generally made from dry wines with some sort of sweetener added, while dessert wines are naturally sweet and tend to have a higher alcohol content. In most sweet wine making processes, the unfermented grape juice is added to the dry wine. This increases the sugar content due to the fact that the unfermented juice still has a high concentration of sugars. Another method to produce sweet wine is by stopping the fermentation process when the desired sugar level has been reached. This is the less common and more difficult method as controlling fermentation is a delicate art to perform.

Dessert wines, are termed as naturally sweet. This is because no sweetener is added. The process of making dessert wines starts at the harvesting stage, where special attention is taken to ensure the grapes have achieved the desired ripening. As a grape ripens, the natural sugar content in the grape increases, allowing for more sugar which produces a wine with a higher alcohol content. Some winemakers allow their grapes to be infected by “noble rot”, a fungus that creates a small hole in the skin of the grape allowing the water to evaporate, concentrating the sugars. The outcome is to produce raisin styled berries with a very high sugar content, which produce a sweet wine with a high alcohol content.

So the next time you go out to buy slightly sweeter wines, expect to pay more for dessert wines than you do sweet wines due to the more intricate process that goes into making them.

THE MEANING

The death of one of his literary heroes leaves Jackson Biko wondering about the meaning of all this.

I won’t say where I was seated having a drink. But I will say that it was in Westlands. And I was alone - for a while, at least. It’s an old bar with furniture that smells of the 80s and cryptic art pictures of red hearts with swords plunged into them on walls. It’s old tan wood. Smoky mirror in the loo. As a rule, I don’t drink alone. I never pass a bar and think, “let me nip in for one or two then head home.” I want to drink with another human being. Preferably one who can talk. But I was alone because when I came out of a meeting nearby I found my car had a flat so while I waited for the car rescue guys sort it out, I decided to wait in this nearby bar, three minutes walk away. It’s a bar known for drunken expats and humanitarian hacks and a unique brand of women of the night who follow these breed like sharks after a trawler. But it was only 7pm, so I figured these cast wouldn’t be here until 10pm at the earliest.

I was in the mood for something smoky so I ordered a double of Laphroaig. Neat. Then I opened my Esquire magazine app on my phone and lowered my head for a reading. After twenty minutes I went into Twitter and discovered that Anthony Bourdain had killed himself a few hours earlier! And it basically knocked me off my seat. Not literally, of course, I’m not that dramatic, but figuratively. I always see celebrities as some rare birds in a faraway forest. A virtual forest. I’m never attached to them. I wouldn’t die for them. Or cross a road to get their autograph. Unless it’s Samuel L Jackson, because he’s a badass.

If George Clooney, by some strange and horrible fate died, I don't think it would affect me much. I’d think it’s tragic, yeah, but I don’t think it would knock me off my seat. Denzel Washington? Maybe just a little. Matt Damon? Nah. Will Smith? Not awfully. Snoop Dogg? Well I’d feel bad because Snoop would die with the nostalgia of the 90s that was defined by teenage angst. But Anthony Bourdain? My goodness, it stabbed me in the heart. Maybe it’s because he was such a mercurial writer. And I admired him and I always think that God will not let people I admire die.

I read his bestseller, “Kitchen Confidential”, before anyone in my cycle knew who Bourdain was. I then read “Medium Raw” soon after. I then bought “No Reservations” but didn’t finish because it didn’t have him in there. He was missing in it. Maybe he was already famous and didn’t feel the need to break his back writing it. I haven’t watched “Parts Unknown,” because my relationship with TV is lazy. I was ruined by his death. The only other time I felt like this over the death of a celebrity is when the intrepid Times UK writer, AA Gill, died of cancer last year.

I sat there at that bar feeling different emotions for this person I had never met. It just seemed odd that someone so successful and having the time of his life would kill himself. Then I called a friend of mine and asked him if he heard and he said, “It’s not about happiness, it’s about meaning.” I looked around the bar and wondered what all these meant. These meetings and this drink and that guy nodding off in a bar at 7:30pm, and the music and I opened my calendar for the next day and stared at my meetings and thought, what is the meaning of all these? At night I lay still in bed, staring at the ceiling and I thought what is the meaning of anything? Then I slept and when I woke up, I had less answers and more meetings.

Then Katy, the editor, whatsapped me and said this copy was due and if I didn’t send it right this moment things would go pear-shaped quickly so I sat down and stared at the Word documents and thought, “what is the meaning of these deadlines?”

CENTURY EGGS

After getting the theory part of her research done, Marah Köberle wonders if she can stomach the practice part and eat a most unappealing looking of eggs.

On a quest for century-old preservation techniques, I find myself seated in one of Nairobi’s many Chinese restaurants, on that stretch of Argwings Kodhek Road in Hurlingham that I call the “Chinatown” of Nairobi. The restaurant is located in the same place as a round-the-clock casino with colourful flashing lights beckoning in gamblers from outside. Inside the lights of the chandeliers shine bright and the walls are decorated with red ornaments and wall hangings. The tables next to us are frequented by Chinese patrons, their tables overflowing with delicacies. I spot serving plates of spicy crayfish, bowls of mutton soup, colorful salads as well as sizzling plates with octopus and meat dishes. Some of the tables have extra serving trays next to them as the dishes exceed the space on the table. Behind the counter a huge glass container with schnapps and a massive ginseng-root, which looks a bit like a wrinkly hand, catches my attention.

I am not here for a normal dinner, although I am waiting for our food to arrive. I am here on a mission: finding a Chinese dish, dubbed ‘Century Egg’ or ‘Thousand- Year-Old Egg’ or in its Mandarin name “Pidan”. This pickled delicacy is made from preserving eggs for weeks or months in a mixture of clay, ash, salt, quicklime and rice hulls. The fermentation process transforms the yolk into a grey or dark green creamy mass, while the egg white turns to a translucent jelly with a strong salty and umami flavour.

As I wait for our food, my curiosity is mixed with the apprehension of not knowing if I’ll be able to enjoy the coagulated egg. That said, the excitement to have found the egg in the first place is stronger. Diving into the world of pidan I learned that the eggs are produced both in Chinese households in the traditional way, as well as in huge quantities in factories. The preservation technique is ancient, said to originate in the Ming Dynasty more than 600 years ago. While preserving eggs in a time of plenty is said to have been one reason to use the technique, the quest to create more complex flavours through fermentation is suggested to be another. Like making cheese from milk, the fermentation of the eggs creates a new taste experience. Today pidan eggs are a popular dish in China and other Eastern Asian countries.

After arriving at the restaurant I scan the menu which is full of pictures and descriptions of the dishes on offer. To my disappointment, I can’t find pidan or pidan dou-fu anywhere. Walking up to the Chinese owner of the place, the language barrier is evident but eventually, she signals that she can prepare it for me. The cold dish arrives as a starter. Chopped pidan egg is sprinkled over silky thin silken tofu slices. Some sliced spring onions and a vinaigrette of sesame oil, Chinese vinegar and soy sauce complete the dish. The pidan looks exactly as expected. Greenish-blackish yolk and gelatinous translucent egg-white pieces. Hesitant, I grab my chopsticks to dig in and am pleasantly surprised. The light saltiness and umami flavour of the egg complements the fresh tofu and rich vinaigrette resulting in an interesting and balanced dish. I immediately dive in for seconds.

I make a mental note: don’t let the description or look of a food influence your opinion about it. Try it before judging.

PREPARATION

Ingredients

3 – 4 cups very strong black tea

2/3 cup salt

3 cups wood ash

3 cups charcoal ash

1 ¾ cups quicklime

18 fresh eggs (duck or chicken)

2-3 pounds rice chaff Latex gloves