Food

The other night I was talking with a Tongan girl who had just returned from her two year mission in California. Here was a girl I could connect with. We talked about missing family and home, and then I, feeling incredibly clever, asked her if she had missed the Tongan food.

I expected that we would laugh together at the absurdity, gush over In n Out hamburgers, moan and sigh over the wonder of Mexican food.

But, to my surprise, she jumped towards me, "oh yes," she said, "I had my parents pick me up at the airport with Tongan food, I missed it so much". On and on she went, and I loved it. Your home food is your home food, and while there isn't anything necessarily gross about food here, there's not much anything about it that's tasty.

Good for her for missing Tongan food. I sure hope I never do....


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While sitting at a feast yesterday, listening to speech after endless speech, I decided to make a list of all the foods it is mandatory for me to eat next time I'm home. Enjoy.

Blackberries -by the handful, please.
Grapes-all colors
A triple venti nonfat caramel macchiato from starbucks...many times over.
My dads tacos that he grills. Fabulous.
Jane's beer bread
A peach mojito from Mynt (or 3 or 4)
Followed by a lemon drop martini from Mynt
Soy misto
Burger from cherry cricket
Tortilla chips. A bottomless basket. There is not a single tortilla chip on this entire island! In the country of Tonga! Travesty! (I'll take a margarita with it, might as well)
Grilled corn on the cob!! Smothered in that corn dip you make, mom! Ifo! (delicious)
Frozen yogurt
Kale. Lots and lots and lots of kale.
Strawberries
Wine...not boxed, most likely diluted with a little bit of juice/water, but wine. Wine from wineries, wine tastings, red and white, at the perfect temperature paired with the perfect food. Wine.
Hummus.
Cheese.
Cereal-all kinds. With cold, liquid milk, none of this powdered stuff.
Really anything cold....


Over breakfast I asked mark what food he misses. His response: "meat".
We eat meat, just not consistently. He is ridiculous. Jeff, plan on smoking something with him when we get home!


Lisi