In the heat of the day, food is often an afterthought as the need to stay cool and hydrated takes priority. However, with attention to detail and some careful planning, our teams in camp manage to prepare fresh and inviting lunch time dishes that create visual appeal to help stimulate the taste buds.
The morning game drive can sometimes feel like a mini expedition. It’s an early start to the day, the wake-up call often coming around 05h30 as your tray of freshly brewed coffee and biscuits is placed on the table. This is my favourite time of the day. It’s dark outside, but the faint glow of sunrise is just starting to creep into the night sky. The dawn-chorus is in full cry as the bush wakes from its slumber.
As soon as its light enough, game drive vehicles roll out of camp to explore the surrounding plains and waterways. The morning air is crisp and cool, cutting through the open Land Cruiser, making you grateful for the Maasai blanket and hot water-bottle that was waiting on your seat when you climbed in. The sun slowly rises, the morning warms up, and the clothing layers gradually reduce. Breakfast is usually a picnic alongside the vehicle with a view over the plains, or sometimes a bush breakfast is arranged, complete with a chef preparing your eggs made to order.
The game drive continues, exploring far and wide, or perhaps spending time at a single, captivating sighting. During the dry season, the roads can be dusty. As the temperature rises, dust is kicked up in the breeze and chases safari vehicles even at their slowest speed. When the sun begins to approach its zenith and the wilderness seems to take pause, it marks the time to return to camp. It’s been a long morning out in the bush and that early wake-up call nearly 6 hours ago feels like a distant memory. Arriving back at camp, hot and with a layer of dust clinging to you, the cool damp towel handed to you offers a form of instant revival as you wipe the wilderness from your face and hands. You are led through the main area and out onto the grass in front of camp, where tables have been arranged under the trees.
Bags are dropped, cameras and binoculars are slung over the backs of chairs, as the opportunity to soak up the cool of the shade becomes impossible to ignore. Cold water, spiced with mint or cucumber, is brought to the table to quench the initial thirst, before orders are taken for your beverage of choice to enjoy beneath the trees.
Food service varies between the camps. In one camp it may be a buffet table, in another it might be sharing platters placed on each table. But the appeal throughout is consistent. Fresh, vibrant salads that pop with colour and flavour long before being eaten. Proteins deliberately prepared in smaller portions to avoid visually creating the weight of a meal before getting to enjoy it.
The art of the midday meal is in the creation of the visual appeal. It’s the first impression of the dish, creating interest and triggering the desire to consume it. In the heat of the day, when appetites are suppressed, that is achieved through the bright colours of fresh fruit, and the crisp freshness of vegetables. Paired with smaller portions of proteins, the lunch is light but filling, aiming to leave you fed and content without the heaviness of a large meal.
Dessert will often follow in a similar vein. Home-made sorbet is a regular favourite, consistently creating admiration for how a bush kitchen has the capability for such a creation. A light tiramisu, or a granadilla cheesecake keeps it fresh and visually vibrant, while a chocolate brownie served with juicy watermelon balances a slightly heavier option with the palate cleansing lightness of fresh fruit.
The meal brings a sense of contentedness, not the heaviness of having over-eaten, but rather a feeling of being nourished and relaxed. As the slow period of the early afternoon beckons, sleep may be an appealing option but it’s by no means the option being forced upon you as a result of a weighty lunch. Across our camps, siesta options vary from tours of vertical gardens to an insightful look into the inner workings of the kitchens, while hammocks, swimming pools, and spa treatments await those in need of a more traditional and relaxed siesta.
In amongst the heat of the day, the meal you didn’t realise you wanted quietly becomes a stand-out highlight. It’s the careful planning and attention to detail, something that becomes a recurring theme throughout an Asilia safari, and something that is continuously apparent in every interaction with Asilia.
Experience the attention to detail and culinary delights of our in-camp cuisine for yourself on your next East Africa safari.
