Making Lap Lap in Vanuatu

murray lloyd June 17, 2015

Lap lap is a traditional Vanuatu dish wrapped in leaves and cooked above ground on hot stones. Mangaliliu Village has a strong heritage in making lap lap and this was seen when staying in the village recently.

Starting at 6 AM (photography in this light was a treat) the lap lap was made on Sunday morning by the women and children from the extended family for lunch following a session in Church.

With no fridge available two chickens were freshly slaughtered for the occasion and were plucked by the children. Aside from the lap lap faol seen here (chicken), other versions are dakdak (duck), fis (fish), mit (meat), taro, maniok (cassava), yam and banana. There are also regional variations.

Mobile Fish 'n' Chips at Quainton | Murray Lloyd Photography

murray lloyd August 20, 2014

Mushy peas or curry sauce with your Fish 'n' Chips? Quainton, a very cute English village of about 1200, located just north of London, gets visited every Wednesday evening from 5.30 – 8 by a mobile fish and chip van. Howe and Co have been delivering fish and chips from “coast to door” for more than 80 years, currently making hundreds of stops to more than 90 villages in a 50km radius. New Zealand does not have the same mobile service with fish and chips (although Mr Whippy hints at this) but we do at least have a mobile butcher in Waikanae.

The mushy peas certainly add a fresh colour to the golden tones but the quality of the fish 'n' chips did not match the high standard of service. Maybe I am spoiled by the excellent quality easily found in New Zealand.

Thatched roof house in Quainton, England

Howe and Co fish and Chip mobile van in Quainton Village, England.

From coast to door signage on side of mobile fish and chip van.

Close up of tubs of mushy peas with fish and chips.