Our last day in Fiji and it was one of the most fun! We participated in a cooking demonstration, learned all about how the coconut is used including the leaves, shell and meat, and watched the all day preparations for the feast to be held this evening. We were also treated to a Fijian dance and song recital given by the local village.
From early morning til this evening the Fiji oven was carefully being tended. As the wood turned to coals, food was added, then banana leaves. Underneath was added pumpkins, taro, fish, chicken all cooked in this oven. Delish!!
We wee also given a demonstration on basket weaving with coconut leaves. Amazing to see how this small branch was turned into a man’s basket. Yes, baskets for men and women are different.
Learning how to crack open a coconut and how make coconut shavings, cr/eam and oil.
Watching how to make kokoda, Fiji ceviche. Here they use snapper and fresh coconut cream, along with the lime juice and other vegetables.
The food was not only fresh and spectacular, but it was also served in handmade baskets. This picture shows the snapper and chicken being woven around them with coconut leaves before being placed in the oven along with a huge pile of taro.
Our Fijian feast this evening had lots of different fish, ceviche, taro, pumpkin, several cooked vegetables and different spinach varieties and eggplant too. The pumpkin was stuffed with rice. So good! Dessert was fresh fruit, cooked bananas in coconut milk and some of plantain or jack fruit with a caramel sauce on it.
At the end of the meal we were entertained by several dances and songs. I teared up when they sang the traditional Fiji goodbye song. I’m gonna miss this place.
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