Things We Ate on the Street: Malawi

While Malawi lacked the diversity of street side snacks on offer that Tanzania flaunted, the drive-through produce market more than made up for it. Crammed into a mini-bus with chickens, children, bags of grain, luggage, gas cans, and overloaded baskets, it was virtually impossible to move or put your feet on the ground. However when we passed through an agricultural area, local farmers would thrust fresh carrots, cauliflower, cabbage, garlic, corn, radishes, and potatoes through the windows.

It was utter chaos, but somehow we all made room for a few veggie essentials as we trundled by. One time the man next to us stuffed six heads of lettuce down between his legs (as his lap was already occupied balancing his little boy, his bag, and a basket full of linens). Yum!

Another Malawian treat was Chibuku, the International Beer. It came in a milk carton, you had to shake it, it was usually warm, and it was kinda chunky. We´re fairly certain that it´s not giving Anchor Steam a run for its money.

Truthfully there was one delicacy on offer in Malawi that we didn’t try: barbecued mice. Evidently when they burn the fields to clear them for planting, all the field mice run out and local kids run and collect them to grill and sell by the roadside. We saw them being proffered, but our bus (luckily) didn’t stop.