Ojibwe traditional dish in Grand Portage
“I want it well done,” was the only thing I had said when my fellow journalists burst into laughter. I was confused as to what was funny, and then my good friend Gugu, who was seated next to me, said: “Haruna! You want it well done!” while she was still laughing.
The whole drama started when everyone on the table was placing orders for their main dish at the historic Old Ebbritt Grill – the oldest saloon in Washington, which is located beside the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
I opted for the “Oeg Classic Burger” after about 30 minutes of procrastination, discussions and consultations, especially with my good friend Xhemaijl who was seated directly on the other side of the table facing me. I was the last person to place my order among the 11 of us who were there together with WPI Executive Director Zach Mullinax.
WPI 2024 fellows at Old Ebbitt Grill Washington
One thing that people may find strange is that in most of the restaurants across Nigeria, we order whatever it is we want to eat without having to answer strange questions like ”How do you want it?” because they already know how we want it – and ”half done” has never been an option. You can only hear such questions in expensive hotels and eateries that cater to foreigners.
Even though I love trying new foods that differ from traditional Nigerian dishes, I consulted widely before leaving Nigeria to see if I need to bring some ingredients, just in case I got stuck figuring out what to eat – though I am not a picky eater.
That’s because many Nigerians traveling abroad will usually carry with them some Yaji (ground pepper), seasonings and sometimes even Indomie instant noodles, a very popular easy-to-make meal in Nigeria.
I happen to be adventurous when it comes to food. That is why despite being Nigerian, I figured out that Senegalese Jollof rice is the best in West Africa, even better than Nigeria and Ghana jollof. I pray that my Nigerian brethren will not banish me for saying such.
Three weeks into the 2024 WPI fellowship program, I can say that I have enjoyed all the new meals I have tried in America – from the floppily prepared salmon of the native tribes of eastern Dakota to the creamy yummy pudding of the Ojibwe people in Grand Portage.
But one thing I am yet to get familiar with is eating a ”half-done” steak, egg or even oyster.
Oyster
During a visit to Senegal in 2019, I figured out that people do eat oysters, but I did not pay attention to how it is prepared and consumed. Luckily in Old Ebberit Grill, the oysters were delivered to our table. On whose request, I don’t know, but it was there for everyone to eat. “Try it, there’s a first time for everything,” says my inner self, but the Nigerian in me said: “Don’t, why would you eat something raw like this?” I declined immediately.
In Nigeria, we always have our meals well-cooked, including vegetables in most cases. Back during my school days in subjects such as home economics, my teacher taught me “to get the best out of vegetables, it should not be cooked thoroughly.”
Many dieticians have reiterated such messages on radio and television programs, but still today, a lot of Nigerians prefer to cook their meals fully.
A day after, when I was narrating how events unfolded at Old Ebberit Grill to a friend who visits the United States frequently, she said: “Whenever I want to order food in the U.S, I tell them ‘well done’ because if you tell them ‘half-done,’ you may not be able to eat it since we are not accustomed to that.”
This is my stance: ”Well-done” all the way.
