On the night of their first full day in Magelang, my family took a group of my co-workers and friends out to dinner. Out of respect to my pescetarianism, we enjoyed several seafood dishes including two whole grilled fish, spicy squid, shrimp and vegetables, and other assorted delicious items accompanied, of course, by rice. 
Mum tries her first truly Indonesian meal--bakmi godog [noodle soup]. It is one of my personal favorites.
Dad, sporting his new batik shirt--a gift from my school, hams it up at breakfast. Isn't he a vision in browns and whites?!?!
Dad always seemed to order the meals with the most fabulous presentation. His favorite Indonesian food was nasi goreng--fried rice. A simple and much loved staple that made me groan every time he ordered it.
Dad and I were brave enough to try kopi luwak or civet coffee. You may have heard of it. It is the most expensive and supposedly best coffee in the world. A cup of kopi luwak in the US can cost upwards of $50. Seriously. I imagine the cost has something to do with the process of making the coffee. Kopi luwak mainly comes from Sumatra. The coffee beans are eaten by civets--a type of cat. The digestion system of the civet 'cures' the beans, which gives them a particularly strong and refined flavor. The civets then poop out the beans. The excrement is collected, the beans retrieved and cleaned [I hope], and made into coffee. I admit that the idea of drinking cat excrement is not all that appealing, but considering how exclusive, expensive, and revered kopi luwak is and how comparatively cheap it is in Indonesia...how could one refuse? Our verdict: it's good, strong coffee. Even excellent perhaps. Would either of us pay $50 for a cup of it? Hell no.
In Bali, Mum tried her first mojito. A perfect place to try this cool and refreshing drink after a hot day out in the sun! She enjoyed it much more than her sip of kopi luwak! 
Another beautifully presented meal for Dad. This one includes a spicy chicken curry, rice, and vegetables.
Bakmi-godog and nasi goreng are two dishes I love but haven't had in maybe 5 years after the closing of the only place that serves them near my home in Chicago. Kopi luwak I have yet to try, but if I'm in Indonesia as an ELF next year, I'll do my best to become a conossieur. And wonderful that you got your mom's first mojito on camera. I remember mine: in the main plaza by the Cathedral in Havana.
ReplyDeleteI cannot wait to talk with your Mom --- all about the delicious food, the weather, the people, the adventures, the flights, and most of all --- you, dear Sarah!
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