Food…As I think about the various entries I have made in this blog I am surprised to realize that I have said nothing about food. Obviously a topic of interest to all living creatures, it is also a topic written at length about in every guidebook for every country one would ever visit. Yet I have not mentioned it.
I guess one of the reasons I have not is that I am not a food connoisseur. Nancy would say that the basic reason for this fault is that I have used so much Tabasco for so long that I have no taste buds left, but I consider that a gross exaggeration. I have nothing against food—I like it and I honor people who appreciate the finer points about food. I was constantly amazed and entertained by some of the table discussion at our Calvin Senior Men’s Bible Study as it often involved where to find the best sausage, which restaurant made the best steaks, and even which exits to take off the interstates to get to what eatery that would tantalize the taste buds with a certain specialty. My hat goes off to the likes of Andy Montana who truly understands fine food, and Jack Epley (whose chowder recipe is a lasting legacy). And I thank them for introducing me to the Maltby Café’s cinnamon roll.

But that is not me (actually, that is not I, but only my mother would notice the grammar). I enjoy good food, but I am not discerning as many are. I gravitate towards cheap and simple. I felt embarrassed that I had nothing of value to add to the Calvin Cook Book. I can do pancakes at 4th of July and falafel for friends, and my daughters like my tuna-melt sandwiches. But that is about all…
So, with that digression as an introduction, in my opinion how is the food in Albania? It is good and sometimes excellent and usually inexpensive. Eating in our apartment is easy. We have a small grocery store on the ground floor and make a trip or two a day—never for big purchases but for fresh ones. Around the corner is a fruit and vegetable stand which Nancy frequents nearly every day. She has gotten to know the owner and is learning how to say the names of what she buys in Albanian. On the outskirts of town there is a small mall with a grocery about the size of Richmond Beach’s QFC, but we have only been there once. There are a couple things that we have not been able to fine—brown sugar and syrup for example—but aside from these things anything we could get in the US is here.

Having said that, I need to add that “eating out” is not uncommon. One reason is price and ease. For example, I am writing this while sitting in a sidewalk café enjoying the sun and eating a sufllaqe and soft drink. The sufllaqe is a staple, like the American hamburger, made of meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie (Greek gyro style) and stuffed into pita bread with tomatoes, cucumbers, sauces and French fries. It costs 100 lek (1 lek = a penny US). In typical European style I can stay at this table all day if I chose and the waiter will not bother me. The sufllaqe is tasty and filling.
Another traditional staple that you can find everywhere is the byrek. It is the local equivalent to a meat pie, made of flaky dough filled with meat or spinach or cheese then fried. Nancy likes that. The panini, a sandwiches filled with meat pressed in a kind of waffle iron, is another option. And then there is pizza. It is everywhere. It is cheap. It is often good.

All these are considered Fast Food and stands and stores selling Fast Food (signs in English) are on every block. But then there are the good restaurants—and there are many. The Sheraton, has an excellent (and expensive they tell me) restaurant, but scattered around and known to locals are countless others. The Italian influence is obvious, but the menus are varied, the food fresh, and the presentation is tops. There are a few places that specialize in Albanian cuisine, which is roasted meat (often lamb), wonderful vegetables, and traditional meat balls, but more are Italian shaped. All the food is clean, there is no problem eating anything that is offered, and even the water is safe—although most prefer to drink bottled water. And if you long for a real American meal, you can go to the Qendra Stefans (Stevens Center), a restaurant run by missionaries from the US who use the profit to support Albanian churches. The regular menu has hamburgers and pancakes, and on Saturdays you can get waffles and eggs benedict. They serve a real British breakfast, and have pots of brewed coffee…They are doing turkey and all the trimmings for Thanksgiving.
I know I have left out much, but I hope this gives a flavor (good word) of the food in Albania. In short, in the capital where we live, eating is a treat, an adventure, and a positive one. The Garden of Eden was filled with, every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food… (Genesis 2:9). In Tirana the evidence of that garden is all around.

Having said that I must my one sadness— real Mexican food is non-existent. One restaurant serves passable Mexican, but it is not like home, so care packages of Taco Bell would be gladly accepted…