Culinary Delights

I haven't written much about the food, it didn't seem necessary. But that has now changed and its time to regail you with a story.

The kids are well fed. They line up cafeteria style to fill their plates and sit comfortable in the dining room at tables of six. Lunch and dinner are rice based with a meat gravy of sorts and fresh fruit. The adults share the same meal with the addition of a meat dish, two vegitable dishes and fruit. There is a local five star hotel that supplies sweets 3 to 4 times a week which is a nice treat for the kids.

Most of the dishes taste the same to me; a dull burning that has seared the taste buds from my tongue and keeps me from feeling any true pain. Yet all in all I do enjoy the mutton (goat) which is quite tender compared to the chicken that is a bit on the rubbery side.

Going in to dinner today Meenahshi, Sonia and the older girls were huddled in a group looking suspicious so I slowed as I walked by to see what they were up to. They had a small bowl of food and quietly whispered, "Maam, Maam, Bolo in the kitchen gave me cheese. Come taste." The cheese was a soft cheese in small cubes covered in a red powder. She picked one from the bottom with hardly a speck of seasoning. Ten seconds later I could feel my eyes watering and my ears burning. Evidently one speck was enough to bring forth the fires of hell. Water didn't help although I certainly tried. They felt so bad as we went in to dinner and my insistence that I was ok did little to make them feel better.

After the blessing and the kids were finished being served the adults sat down to dinner. I commented that things seemed a little more chaotic than usual. I was told this was one of their favorite meals and they are always excited to see it.

So as the dishes were uncovered and we begin passing them around. Rice no problem: but the spaghetti sauce with whole hard boiled eggs wiggling like blobs was more than I could take. I felt the smile spreading across my face as I looked at my plate which seemed straight out of Dr. Seuss. You laugh but I'll offer you a challenge: you want to 'share' this experience and 'embrace' the culture vicariously - go home and serve that for dinner and see how adventurous you feel! I had said that for the duration of this trip I would try anything; as long as it wasn't bananas, was cooked, and was dead beyond a shadow of a doubt. (I reserve the right to change my mind at any time.) If this is a bad as it gets I think I'll be fine.

I ate it, it won't become a staple in my home, but it's done. It wasn't as bad as it sound; or I'm simple oblivious to the taste of food at this point. What I'm enjoying far better are the exotic fruits: hybrid pears, passion fruits and melons that are similar to the standard varieties we are accustomed to but far more enjoyable. If I have to eat boiled egg in tomato sauce to have a purple colored oblong pear with a yellow striped center it seems an equitable trade.