On this momentous day, my passport palate is feeling a little presidential. My collection of cookbooks, purchased during my various travels, sadly does not include any of Kenyan or Kentucky cuisine. (Fear not – both places are on my “To Visit” list!)

I considered a bucket of the Colonel’s chicken with a side of Irio and a bottle of Makers Mark, but the combination does not strike me as very presidential. I like the idea of replicating the proposed menu of the inaugural lunch: seafood stew, pheasant and duck with sour cherry chutney and molasses sweet potatoes, and apple-cinnamon sponge cake for dessert. (And the wine – can’t forget the wine.)

I fear my wallet would not survive such a menu, however, and I do not have the energy to prepare such a feast for myself. I suppose, therefore, that I will merely feast on the heady anticipation of a new era in our political and historic landscape. 

In the meantime, feel free to pass along any suggestions where I might find authentic African cuisine in the Hampton Roads area.