Ivory Coast: Street Food Bite and Booze of the World Cup

Okay World Cup fans, it's time to sit down to another plate and glass full of the street food guide to the FIFA World Cup 2014! The players of the Ivory Coast (playing Greece at 3pm CDT) may be fast, but their street food favorite is caught nice and slow. Fried fish paired with a Mojito Abidjanaise is what's for eats today.  Easy to eat and quick to make, these will disappear into your stomach quicker than Clint Dempsey can score a goal.

Photo Credit: our-africa.org

Simple and golden brown, I haven't met a fried fish I didn't like. I like to marinate my fish filets in a little mixture containing mustard, Slap Ya Mama Cajun Pepper Sauce, Salt & Pepper, and Jay D's Louisiana Barbecue Sauce! After I let it marinate for a while I toss the filets in some Slap Ya Mama Fish Fry and cook them until they're done! On the Ivory Coast, they do it a bit differently. On the streets you can find an assortment of setups that have fish frying or grilling whole. You'll see the average citizen grabbing one on their way back to the docks or bringing home a string of them to the family.

Photo Credit: bunkycooks.com

A Mojito Abidjanaise isn't what comes to mind when you think of a classic mojito. The main liquor in this cocktail is sloe gin abidjanaise, a typical African holiday liquor, that is composed of high quality gin soaked with hibiscus flowers. If you can't find this in stores try making it yourself! This African version of the mojito uses dark rum, abidjanaise, mint, sugar, and tonic. The floral liquor is typically consumed around holiday times for celebration. I personally don't see how the World Cup violates that tradition, so grab a glass, turn on that TV, and go to town!