Zanzibar Part Two: The Spice Tour

After our breathtaking tour of Stone town in the scorching heat, we took a much needed, air conditioned,  taxi ride to the town of Bububu to visit Abeid’s Spice Farm. Located about 20 minutes from Stown Town, Bububu remains very rural and impoverished despite it being one of the main tourist attractions on the island.

Upon arrival, a deliciously scented prepared meal of spices awaited us for the lovely cost of about 4 US dollars. While it was one of the cheapest meals on the island it was one of the best. We were given spiced rice with 5 spices (cardamom, cinnamon etc...), mixed with a red curry and a coconut masala chicken both of which were amazing. To top it off we got to wash it all off with some of the famous Zanzibar tea. Needless to say we were ready to gain some appreciation for the wonderful spices we had just tasted.

After meeting the owner’s of the Farm our guide unexpectedly leaned down picked up several different leaves and twigs, cracked them to release their wonderful perfumes and handed them to us. What had appeared to be weeds growing on the side of the road were spices with overwhelming scents. On the left: the famous Thai lemon grass used in food and as a mosquito repellant. On the right: Ylang lang the flower of a malaysian tree that Chanel uses as its main ingredient in its number 5 perfume... not surprisingly, it smells exactly like Chanel... and is much cheaper! 

Rather than having hedges to border their driveways the Zanzibar spice farmers use the unique Aloe Vera plant which has a plethora of uses ranging from disinfectant to sun burn relief.

After picking up was appeared to be an apricot off the ground, our guided brandished his pocket knife, digging it into the flesh of the apparent fruit. When he opened the fruit to show us the inside, we were surprised to find a large seed with fire red veins running down its sides.

The “apricot” turned out to be the plant from which Nutmeg is made. The process, however, is much different then I would have ever guessed. While stunning, the veined seed is actually unripe for harvesting. Collecting begins only when all of the fruits have fallen and the seeds turn black and start to decompose. The white inside is then what is used to make Nutmeg.

One of the more “funky” looking flowers/fruits/whatever it is, we saw on our excursion. It is funny to play with as it feels like a deflated tennis ball or stress ball. . . that is until it pops open and releases a very powerful red dye contained inside. Locals used to use this plant as a sort of faux lipstick or dye.

While it wasn’t a pre-determined stop on our tour I had to ask what the Dr. Suess-like fruit hanging from a tree was. It was a Jackfruit, our guide explained, and then proceeded to find a ripe one and feed us several of the fleshy pods that wrap around its rather large seeds. It was unexpectedly delicious tasting like a tangy mix between pineapple and coconut.

As if a wonderful tour of the compound wasn’t enough the family made us some wonderful craftwork out of several different leaves. Looking fly. . .

Exhausted and dehydrated we were each given a coconut to refuel after our tour. I’ve had coconut water before and I didn’t like it but in the Zanzibar heat it tasted delicious.