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Going Bananas

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 05:58:00 -0500

There comes a point in relationships when you must decide whether to continue using protection or assume the risks that come along without it. Of course, I’m referring to the decision of whether or not to continue taking malaria prophylaxis when you commit to a long term stay in a malaria prone country. Uganda and I have been together for quite some time and, despite my diligent usage of pills, I ended up impregnated with little baby phylum Apicomplexa aka malaria parasites.

For the first time in high definition, the moment of conception has been documented (WARNING: The following contains explicit material for parasites under the age of 18—please have your parents’ permission or close your eyes, that is, if you are even evolved enough to have them)

Following my spell with malaria, despite my usage of prophylaxis, my dilemma was this: should I continue to take something or just accept my inevitable fate? There are only a few malaria prophylaxis options. I had been taking Doxycycline when I contracted it and that can only be taken for 6 months. My other option was Malarone, which is effective, not known to have side effects and also very expensive. At $300/month (more than half of my salary) this did not seem like a feasible option.

My only other alternative: Larium. Amongst its side effects, known to be severe and permanent are the following: depression, insomnia, hallucinations, anxiety, paranoia, confusion and suicidal ideation. I had taken Larium before without experiencing any of these side effects but now knowing the extent of them it was all I could think about. Was my dream about talking animals normal because dreams are inherently strange or was that the Larium? Am I thinking today was a bad day because I have Larium induced depression or was it just an awful day? Or no, wait. Why am I overanalyzing my every action asleep and awake??? Dear God, it’s because paranoia is also a side effect of Larium. I had become paranoid I was becoming paranoid.

Needless to say I was going bananas, but if there is one place to do it, it would be here because it seems Ugandans have also gone bananas, maybe just not in the way I did. Bananas are a staple crop throughout East Africa and have been integral to its cuisine throughout history.

They are eaten ripe but also while they are still green.

Peeled and steamed, they are known as matoke—along with beans and malakwong (more on that later!) they are part of my daily lunch

Since, as we discussed before, Uganda is the home to nuts and bananas, I decided to combine the two.

Banana Nut Bread

Makes Two Loafs

5 Cups Sifted All Purpose Flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1 Cup Softened Butter
1 1/4 Cup Sugar
1 1/4 Cups Milk
4 Large Eggs
5 Bananas, Extra Ripe
2 Cups Chopped Walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease two loaf pans and line with parchment paper.

Combine all the dry ingredients. Mash ripened bananas with a fork and set aside. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add in eggs, one at a time and then the mashed bananas. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk to the banana mixture and mix until combined. Add in 1 cup of chopped walnuts and pour into the lined loaf pans. Sprinkle the remaining walnuts on top and bake until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about one hour.

A Side Note: I only lasted a month on Larium, stopping after listening to this episode of This American Life.

Playing Hostess in a Host Country

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 17:55:00 -0400

It’s a dilemma all good hostesses face: how do you politely get rid of guests you no longer want? Hurting someone’s feelings is something I often go to great lengths to avoid, rather than asking someone to leave I sometimes end up with guests that seem like parasites. And other times with guests that are in fact parasites. Lesson learned: this seemingly cute message is the entirely wrong approach to take with mosquitoes:

Because bite me, they certainly did. Unbeknownst to me prior to my arrival, northern Uganda is the malaria capital of the WORLD. On average, a person can receive 500-700 bites per night and in some areas 6 of those bites will be from malaria infected mosquitoes. Knowing that many forms of malaria here are resistant to prophylaxis, I knew my encounter with malaria was inevitable.

So what’s for dinner when these unwanted guests appear? There are a variety of malaria diets. Mosquitoes are apparently a gluttonous group, preferring to feast on meat with the skin still on:

After my bout with malaria, I was hungry for comfort food. And what could be more comforting than macaroni and cheese?

Mac-n-Cheese
Serves 4

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 Cups Whole Milk
1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg
2 Cups Grated Cheddar Cheese
1/4 Pound Elbow Macaroni

Topping:
1/2 Cup Bread Crumbs
1/2 Cup Grated Cheddar Cheese
4 Plum Tomatoes, Sliced

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Cook macaroni in boiling and salted water until al dente. While the macaroni cooks, melt butter and stir in flour and cook until lightly browned. Whisk in milk, salt, pepper, nutmeg and simmer until thickened—about 2 minutes. Stir in cheddar cheese. Add macaroni and mix until coated. Transfer into greased baking dish, top with bread crumbs, remaining cheddar cheese, sliced tomatoes and bake until browned, about 25 minutes.

A Special Note: Some things are funny, some things are serious, and some things are seriously funny. I’ve always treated everything in my life with a dose of humor (and in this case a couple of doses of Coartem, too!) But I also recognize that for many, malaria is no laughing matter. Each day 320 people die from malaria in Uganda alone. If you feel like this is something you are interested in being more active about, whether just through personal awareness or prevention and treatment campaigns, I’d encourage you to look into researching organizations and finding one that is ethical and responsible to support!

Aint Nuthin' But A G-Nut Thing, Baby

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 00:46:00 -0400

I had a little “lost in translation” moment the other day while picking up some ingredients at the market. What I wanted was two kilos of beans (seen in the background) but what I ended up with was two kilos of nuts (seen in the foreground)

I know them as peanuts but locally they are known as g-nuts (short for ground nuts) They are integral to Ugandan cuisine—roasted for snacks and blended into sauces.

All over Gulu there are g-nut grinding stations. From outside, the scent of freshly roasted g-nuts wafts through the air. Mmmmmmm….

What’s a girl to do with all these nuts? I’ve been trying to figure that out—dipping bananas in them, putting them on crackers, in sandwiches with jam, too many batches of cookies and most recently, mixed with noodles.

Spicy G-Nut Noodles

Serves Four

12 Ounces Spaghetti
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
1 Large Onion, julienned
2 Bell Peppers, julienned
4 Carrots, thinly sliced
2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
2 Teaspoon Fresh Ginger, grated

1/2 Cup Peanut Butter
1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
1 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar

Cook spaghetti until tender, drain and set aside. Saute vegetable oil, garlic, ginger, pepper flakes, onion, carrots and bell pepper until onions are translucent. In a separate bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar. Toss the pasta with the vegetables and sauce. ***The leftovers are also excellent cold with some cucumbers mixed in!

Forbidden Fruit

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 11:42:00 -0400

According to all things academic, Wikipedia, a forbidden fruit is any object of desire whose appeal is a direct result of the knowledge that it cannot or should not be obtained or something that someone may want but is forbidden to have.

While this description usually is metaphorical and most of the time implies the fruit is desirable, it can also be literal and forbidden for the exact opposite reason. This was my experience with durian. When I saw Andrew Zimmern’s reaction to it and heard that it was banned in some hotels and on public transport, I knew I had to try it. And being in Thailand was the perfect opportunity.

Although it isn’t native to Thailand, its clearly been embraced.

Seems to be forbidden fruit leads to temptation. And I gave in.

But then I was slightly apprehensive to eat it, not because of its strong odor, but because we all knew what happened to the last woman that ate forbidden fruit…

They say forbidden fruit causes many jams, here’s a recipe for one of them:

Durian Jam (Durian Guan)

from Joy’s Thai Kitchen

1/2 kg. Ripe durian

8 tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

Cooking Instructions:

Mix durian and sugar into the pan. Stir over low heat until thickened.

Beets Me

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 00:28:00 -0400

For the most part, ex-pats in Gulu (myself included) are a pretty predictable bunch. But every so often someone comes along, like a random celebrity learning more about their cause or a Jehovah’s witness, that really stands out and seems so out of place you have no clue how exactly they landed there.

The same can be said for the vegetable supply. It’s mainly the expected bunch of standards with little variation but occasionally something comes along and makes you wonder, wtf are you doing here? That’s what happened to me at the market the other day, when I was cruising pass a stand with what at first I thought was a few potatoes, but upon further inspection, I realized it was three lone beets that I immediately bought up.

What I thought were potatoes were really beets.

And what looked like limes were actually oranges.

Could this in some way be symbolic? Like things are different than they appear and maybe I shouldn’t be so quick to dismiss Jehovah’s witnesses? Nah. I’m probably spot on with that decision. But what it does mean is that I’ve got some great ingredients for a salad.

Roasted Beet and Pumpkin Salad with Orange Dijon Vinaigrette

Serves Four

1 Small Pumpkin (about 3-4 lbs)

3 Beets

7 Tablespoons Olive Oil

3 Tablespoons Orange Juice

1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard

7 ounces soft cheese (goat cheese would be excellent if available, Gulu is currently in a cheese drought so I am using Laughing Cow)

1/4 Cup Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

1 Tablespoon Sugar

Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 450. Scrub beets and place them inside aluminum foil along with 2 tablespoons olive oil, and a bit of salt and pepper. Bake for about an hour or until tender.

Remove seeds from pumpkin and set aside. Peel pumpkin and cut into 1 inch cubes. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil and bake until soft, about 1/2 hour.

Mix pepitas with salt and sugar, and bake for about 5 minutes.

When beets are cool enough to handle, peel of skins and quarter the beets.

In a bowl, mix together remaining olive oil, orange juice, mustard, salt and pepper. Add roasted beets, pumpkin and serve salad sprinkled with pepitas and cheese.

Legend of the Falls (And One Legendary Fall)

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 15:57:00 -0400

Somewhere off the bumpy, dry and dusty path known as Kitgum Road lies a series of six hidden waterfalls. Sounded like a great place for a relaxing Sunday picnic but turned into an adventure.

After an abrupt turn onto an unmarked area, it’s time for off-roading. In comparison Kitgum Road actually resembles a real road.

Time for footing, intrepidly going where no lawnmower has gone before:

Closer to the falls but first we have to wade through this:

Finally we arrive for some swimming:

Lounging in the sun:

Climbing in the trees:

Snacking on muffins:

And falling at the fall. It should be no surprise that a combination of residual booze, inherent clumsiness and slippery rocks is a recipe for a twisted ankle. After arriving home, my ankle had swollen to the size of an orange.

With no ice around, a cold feta cheese compress was the only alternative:

Note: This is not part of the recipe that follows.

Zucchini Carrot Apple Muffins

Makes 9 Large Muffins

1 1/2 Cups Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 Teaspoons Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg
2 Eggs
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
3/4 Cup Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 Cup Shredded Zucchini
1/2 Cup Shredded Carrots
1/2 Apple, Diced
1/2 Cup Raisins

1/4 Cup Sugar
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tins with papers. Mix all the dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, sugar, olive oil and vanilla. Add in flour mixture then mix in zucchini, carrots, apples and raisins until blended but not over-mixed. Scoop batter into muffin tins, combine remaining sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on top of muffins. Bake the muffins for about 45 minutes, the tops will be lightly browned and a toothpick will come out clean.

Leftover Turkey

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 15:04:00 -0400

I must confess I was a bit sad to leave Turkey, thinking of all the things I would miss—especially the food. I was happy to discover I could make many dishes at home using ingredients found right here in Gulu. Here are some of the recipes I hadn’t addressed because we all know one of the best things about Turkey is the leftovers!

The kebaps and Sahin himself sort of stole the show in the last post and it seemed the fantastic salad was a bit neglected. So here it is with its own post:

Çoban Salatası (Shepherd’s Salad)
Serves Four

4 Tomatoes
1 Onion
1 Cucumber
1 Green Pepper
½ Bunch Parsley
Olive Oil
1 Lemon
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation:

Chop all the vegetables and parsley. Toss together with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.

And to go along with the salad, a filling soup.

Kirmizi Mercimek Çorbasi (Red Lentil Soup)

Serves 6

8 Cups Water or Stock

3 Cups Red Lentils

1 Large Onion

2 Cups Carrots

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Turmeric

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Lemon Wedges

Chop onion and carrots. Add to olive oil and saute until onions are translucent. Combine lentils, turmeric, salt, pepper and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until lentils are soft (about 45 minutes) Serve with lemon wedges.

Like Potable Water For Chocolate

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 12:22:00 -0400

My friend Rex recently asked me if I could bring anything (food-wise) with me to Uganda, what would it be? Once parameters were defined—utensils or fancy gadgets weren’t included, perishables weren’t an option, etc I concluded I wouldn’t bring anything with me. For the most part, I’m pretty content with coming up with meals out of the things around. Not to mention the fact that I’m one of those hot and cold sort of gals, meaning I’d rather accept that I would be living without Irish oatmeal instead of rationing it out or saving it for some sort of special occasion.

Then I started missing chocolate. Real chocolate. Not the artificial kind or even milk but dark chocolate. So when the opportunity to have something brought over from the US presented itself, I decided to take it. Some lucky ducks that work in the aid world have shipment allowances, where they are able to have all sorts of exotic treats mailed over from America.

I am not one of those people. My container was a little more basic, in the form of a suitcase brought over when Amy returned from visiting home.

Excited to see Amy (and chocolate)!!!

Once I got the chocolate, I reverted to exactly what I thought I would do—store it, thinking of the perfect occasion to bring it out. Should I use it now? What if I decide to extend my time in Gulu and something else comes up where I should use my chocolate but now can’t because I used it at the wrong time? These are the thoughts running through my mind.

It’s been about five months and, predictably, I have yet to use the chocolate. But now I’ve had a little incentive. Recently, I had a few uninvited house guests—some little mice, that apparently think it’s cool to share my house and my food, too. First they chewed into my brown rice followed by gnawing up my wheat bran.

Oh no they didn’t.

Oh yes they did.

It’s obvious these mice will stop at nothing.

Between the rice and the wheat bran, clearly they have a discerning palette. I realized it would be only a matter of time before they went after the chocolate. Since the mice infestation has coincided with my birthday, I decided to use the chocolate to make my favorite chocolate torte recipe. It’s from The World Food Cafe in London—an old stomping ground of mine featuring vegetarian dishes from around the world.

Birthday wish for this year: living mice-free again and getting much more chocolate to make another chocolate torte.

Flourless Chocolate Torte

from The World Food Cafe

serves 8 - 10 (Humans—not mice!!!!)

7 ounces bittersweet plain chocolate, broken into pieces
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for cake pan
6 large eggs, separated
1 cup granulated sugar
confectioner’s sugar for dusting
creme fraiche and fresh strawberries for serving

Preheat oven to 375F. Butter a 9 inch springform pan.

In a small saucepan set over a larger pan of simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter.
Mix together and set aside to cool.
Beat the egg whites until stiff glossy peaks begin to form.
Gradually whisk in the granulated sugar, then the egg whites.

The result will be a creamy mixture.
Fold the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture.
Pour and spoon into the prepared pan.

Bake for about 55 minutes.

The cake will puff up in the oven, but will sink back down again
when removed from heat, giving it its characteristic appearance.
Dust with confectioner’s sugar and serve with creme fraiche and strawberries.

SheBap--HeBap--a--KeBap!

Sat, 30 Jul 2011 13:06:00 -0400

They say I better stop—or I’ll go blind. Ignoring the advice of Cyndi Lauper, I completely overindulged in a vast array of meat-on-a-stick while in Istanbul. People, please get your minds out of the gutter! Obviously I am referring to this:

Of course I couldn’t discuss Turkey without devoting an entire piece to the kebap. Kebap is Turkish for “roasted” and can be applied to a variety of things, including chestnuts. But when most people think about kebaps, they think of roasted meat.

In Turkey, there are several varieties of kebaps, including döner kebabs, the vertically roasted meat that is sliced off in the shape of a cone. There is also the iskender kebap. Named after its inventor, İskender Efendi, the iskender kebap is sliced and served atop cubes of pide bread, and accompanied by tomato sauce, browned butter, yogurt, grilled tomatoes and chili peppers.

If I had to pick, my favorite would have to be the classic şiş kebaps (meaning skewered and roasted) that are served with a variety of meat—lamb, chicken, and ground beef, and sometimes skewered with vegetables such as eggplant, bell peppers and onions. Amy and I discovered our favorite kebap place outside the Grand Bazaar run by Sahin, who was taught the art of kebap making by his father and is now teaching his son. We ate there the first day:

And then again on the second:

And every day after. On our final day we asked Sahin to surprise us with whatever he thought we would want:

Apparently, he thought we wanted a lot. And apparently, he was right. Because we ate it all:

Following our meal, we posed for a photo with Sahin and his son. I’m not sure how we managed to stand up after eating so much. I’m also unclear as to how I managed to get a muffintop—I don’t think I ordered that off the menu. Now I’m wondering why I pointed this out. Or why I didn’t crop the photo.

A mere hour later, Amy’s belt broke off. Because it was old. And worn. And purely a coincidence. At least that is what we’ve convinced ourselves.

Turkish Delights

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 05:10:00 -0400

Back from Turkey where Amy and I successfully managed to spend at least 90% of our time sampling cuisine. Baklava, mezzes, çorba, cherry juice, lahmacun, Meghan’s wedding cake, dolmas, ayran, simit, börek, pide, raki, menemen, iskander, tea, tea, and more tea. And kokoreç. Which are sheep’s intestines. Which you might not have known. Or ordered. (If we had known) Overall, everything was incredible and we loved Turkey and all its stuffing!

One of These Things Is Not Like "The Other"

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 12:21:00 -0400

Johannes Fabian and Edward Said are not exactly names commonly associated with the culinary world. And with reason; they are not Michelin starred chefs or restaurateurs. Instead they are anthropologists and theorists known for their works regarding imperialism and the concept of “The Other” But their thoughts on these topics are something that I tend to think about often. And, when learning about food, that is no exception. Exotification, objectification, and exploitation are clearly something I’d like to steer away from in all aspects of my life.

I was hoping by sharing stories of eating grasshoppers and bushrats I wouldn’t fall into one of those categories. Then I remembered that the role of “Self” and “The Other” are not static. I, too, can be considered a person of weird customs. I’m reminded of this fact when people giggle at the strange foods I eat or suggest I consult a witch doctor because I’m a childless spinster.

It’s then I remember to laugh and enjoy knowing I’m not the only one having fun learning about things that are foreign.

“Layla the Ant Eating Agnostic” doesn’t seem...

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 14:43:00 -0400

“Layla the Ant Eating Agnostic” doesn’t seem to have the same ring as “Sindhu the Beef Eating Hindu” but I decided to give it a try anyway.

And on a side note, this special message goes out to Jackie Danger and Amy Karr:

When your home turns into an ant farm

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 13:39:00 -0400

When your home turns into an ant farm

Cooking Up A Storm

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 13:28:00 -0400

Lately, you could say I’ve been cooking up a storm. Rainy season concluded with a bang (and a boom and a pow!) with the worst storm to hit Gulu in the past four years. This was the scene outside Boma Hotel last night:

photo via the uber cool and talented Charlie Shoemaker

Being from Florida, which ranks first for thunderstorms in the USA, I was used to them. While I wouldn’t exactly them as creature comforts, they were a reminder of home when I moved to Uganda. The World Meteorological Society reports that Uganda’s capital city, Kampala, has more lightning annually than any other city in the world. Gulu is in northern Uganda, and although the storms might not be quite as powerful as in Kampala, they’ve certainly left us much more powerless.

Trees and power lines cover the streets and power may not be back for a month. This means a few things. Given that Africa time is slower than molasses, it will more likely be out for months. This also means I probably should avoid stepping on the live wires outside my house.

As scary as electrocution sounds, it isn’t as terrifying as this—no power means no hairdryer. Without a hairdryer I might as well step on live wires because God knows that is what my hair looks like sans hairdryer. It will only be a matter of time before resembling this qualifies as a good hair day in my life:

Being without power has meant one thing—I’m all about preserving the things that are important to me. First, of course, is my hair—I’ll try for as long as I can to preserve my last blow dry by putting baby powder on my greasy roots. Next would be to preserve my sanity. Life can get really boring without electricity but I’ve found cooking really helps. This leads me to the last thing I’m trying to preserve—good food. Since I’m currently without refrigeration, I can only make things that won’t rot overnight. So, it doesn’t seem like there could be a better time to start experimenting with preserve making!

There is a Meyer lemon marmalade I had always wanted to try making but unfortunately Meyer lemons haven’t made their way to Uganda. Instead, after exploring the vegetable market, I decided to experiment with what is here—a curious citrus that looks like a lime but tastes like a lemon and some ginger.

Ginger Citrus Marmalade

4 Cups Chopped Citrus

4 Cups Sugar

4 Cups Water

1/2 Cup Coarsely Grated Ginger

Cut citrus into segments, removing all membranes, pith and seeds (this will add the pectin that thickens the marmalade). Place them into a piece of *cheesecloth and tie it up. Add citrus segments, ginger, water and pectin bag to a pot and boil over medium high heat until the segments are soft (about 35 minutes)

Take mixture off stove and remove the pectin bag. When the bag has cooled, squeeze it over the pot to remove any remaining pectin.

Add sugar and return the mixture to the stove. Boil for about 35 minutes but you may want to keep your eye on it after 15. It should reach 220 degrees and be thickened. Serve when cool.

**Trick of the Fare Trade If you find yourself in a place where the amount of people combating mosquitoes outnumber those experimenting with cheese making, a cut up mosquito net can be used as a substitution for cheesecloth. Just be 100% sure the mosquito net was not treated with DEET. We all want your guests to live to tell how delicious your jam was.

Ant Eaters--And I'm Not Talking The Cute Fuzzy Animal

Sun, 27 Jun 2010 12:38:00 -0400

Pop Quiz! You wake up to find the above scenario on your floor and you think:
A) Shit, I haven’t even had my coffee and I have to sweep??
B.) Yum! This will make a delicious snack later.
C.) Both A & B
D.) Neither A nor B—I don’t encounter these things in my house.

If you picked A, B, C, or D you are correct, because just like the Montessori I attended—there are no wrong answers here! It’s rainy season in Uganda, which is also white ant (also known as winged termite) season. White ants are a delicacy here, eaten in all of the 52 tribes, and their mounds are sometimes passed along from generation to generation through a will.

During the rainy season, the cooler air drives them out of their mounds, up into my house, eventually down onto my floor and occasionally onto someone’s plate. On this occasion, it happened to be mine.

Ants a la Janet (Nsenene)

1 small onion, chopped

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3 cups white ants

Salt & pepper to taste

Wash and de-wing ants and set aside. Saute onion in oil until translucent. Add ants and stir for a few more minutes. Add 1/2 cup water, cover, stirring occasionally. Once the water has evaporated the ants are ready to be served. Enjoy!

My friend Sindhu used to introduce herself as “a beef eating Hindu”a distinction made...

Sat, 26 Jun 2010 12:38:00 -0400

My friend Sindhu used to introduce herself as “a beef eating Hindu”a distinction made because, as most know, the majority of Hindus don’t eat cow’s meat.

But why do some religions consider certain meats acceptable and others don’t? And why, in an area of starvation would a group of people opt to not eat something that, in theory, could keep them alive? The beef eating taboo may appear to be counter-intuitive. Several anthropologists have attempted to answer this question and one of the most famous examples is anthropologist Marvin Harris work, Cows, Pigs, Wars and Witches: The Riddles of Culture.

Harris believed cows were made sacred as a result of the increased population. He notes the positive correlation between the increased population and the number of laws protecting cows. He suggests the cattle were more valuable for the agricultural work they provided rather than their meat. Also, the dung produced was used as a fertilizer, fuel and floor covering. As a result, Harris suggests religious taboos were constructed for the well-being of society.

However, several anthropologists have criticized Harris’ theory. For example, a contemporary of Harris, Frederick Simoons suggests religion is still an aspect that needs to be factored in and also asserts that Harris had based his theory off a distorted historical record. He also points out wild cattle often destroy crops, therefore they would be something farmers would want to get rid of rather than protect.

Following the publishing of his work, Simoons argument has also been critiqued. Overall, there hasn’t been a single theory that fully explains what makes the bovine divine.

World CupCake

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 16:42:00 -0400

When Bill and I decided to have a bakeoff—US vs UK, we didn’t expect it to receive worldwide attention. Oh, maybe it wasn’t our match up they were referring to, maybe it was this.

Anyway, ours was a battle of national classics—Toad in the Hole vs Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes.

The end score was a tie of 1-1—with fun times and full bellies, America and England both scored major goals.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Cupcakes

Vanilla Cupcakes

adapted from Magnolia’s Bakery

Makes 12 cupcakes

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 vanilla bean
1/4 cup strawberry jelly

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Line one 12 capacity muffin tin with papers.

Cream butter and gradually add in sugar. Add eggs one at a time and beat until smooth. Scrape contents of vanilla bean and combine.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder.

Add to butter mixture in three parts, alternating with milk.

Spoon batter into cups until 1/3 full. Add about one teaspoon of jelly and then cover with more batter until cups are 3/4 full.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool before frosting.

Kathleen’s Peanut Butter Icing:

from Barefoot Contessa at Home

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

*1/3 cup heavy cream

Chopped peanuts for garnish

Place the confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, salt, and milk in a bowl Add the cream (or milk) and whip together until mixture is light and smooth.

(*No heavy cream here so I substituted whole milk)

I've Got 99 Menu Items But A Fish Ain't One

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 12:16:00 -0400

If you are anything like me, one of the first things that come to mind when you think of a landlocked country in Sub-Saharan Africa is “this would probably be an excellent place to get sushi” So I was excited to finally try Wasabi’s, located in Muyenga, Kampala.

After venturing down one of the scariest alleyways in all of Kampala only to be greeted by a loose guard dog, Amy and I learned ~~Wasabi’s~~ Bonsai Pyramid had wisely chosen to relocate onto the main road.

The fact that they had left their Wasabi signpost up, without any sort of notice they had moved/changed their name left me with little confidence in their ability to operate as a restaurant.

When we arrived at Bonsai Pyramid we were greeted by life sized paper mache zebras, giraffes and lions lining the walkway and speakers blasting Jay Z’s “I’ve Got 99 Problems But A Bitch Ain’t One”

Now I was willing to reconsider my initial negative thoughts about this place. After all, a restaurant’s flavors don’t have to be limited to what is served on a plate.

We perused their extensive 10 page menu and decided on a combination platter, complete with California Rolls.

But when our sushi arrived—the fish—it was somehow missing.

Our server claimed the fish was finished, that the large group of tourists seated next to us had devoured it all. Apparently not only were they responsible for me waiting 2 1/2 hours for my dinner but then they ate what was supposed to be in my dinner, too?

But the manager had a different explanation. According to him, there are two versions of the California Roll. You see, there’s the California Roll, made with crab, cucumber and avocado. Then, there is also the California Roll which is the same but vegetarian.

Then how do you know which one you are getting when you order a California Roll? You don’t. Confused? So were we.

In the end, I didn’t get to enjoy Sub-Saharan sushi. And the only thing fishy about the night was the explanation.

The Sunday Scramble

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 06:06:00 -0400

For her first dinner party, The Barefoot Contessa decided to make omelets—an experience she advised against duplicating. I’m not sure why I didn’t take this into consideration when planning Sunday brunch. Always, always listen to Contessa. She knows what she’s talking about. Sometimes I don’t.

I should have heeded her warning before deciding my first official recipe post would be an attempt to make a frittata. At the time I was thinking how simple it would be: toss a few ingredients together with some eggs and bake. It sounded so simple. That was before I actually thought about the logistics of making a frittata in Gulu. This presented several unique obstacles:

*Venue: The host didn’t have any plates or an oven for me to bake in, therefore the frittata needed to be prepared in advance.

*Equipment: Apparently, my oven only cooks at one temperature—extremely low. After waiting for what seemed like an eternity I realized I needed an alternative. My only other other option was the stove top, which has the opposite problem. It has two temperatures—hot as hell and hotter than hell. Because I couldn’t cook it slowly on the stove top, I only had one other choice. Since we were now extremely late, both my eggs and I had to scramble.

*Transportation: To transport both the plates and the frittata, they needed to be contained in a bag that could be carried over my shoulder. The last time I attempted to carry food on the back of a motorbike I was sitting side saddle (considered proper for ladies) and opted to hold onto the cake (as opposed to the bike and dear life). This decision, combined with the extremely flat tires and huge potholes, lead me to go flailing off the back of the bike and onto a dirt road. Ultimately, I ended up covered in dirt, bruises and blood (but most importantly, my cake was still perfectly intact)

Overall, the frittata/scramble/whatever-you-want-to-call-it was really yummy. But extremely unattractive. Unfortunately, I couldn’t properly document its ugliness since I was in such a rush. I took some photos prior, when I thought all was easy and I believed I had time for picture taking:

Although Luo is the main language spoken in Gulu, fluency in acronyms is often an asset. One of my favorites is TIA—This Is Africa, an expression reserved for occasions such as being outnumbered by chickens on a bus or when you are locked out of your office because there is only one key shared between you and 10 of your colleagues. After this experience, I might have to make my own acronym, TIFMIA—This Is Frittata Making In Africa.

For those of you who weren’t scared away by this story, I’d recommend attempting to make the frittata. I’m including the recipe as it should be—for those with normal ovens and hopefully less logistical issues.

Frittata with Peas, Oven Roasted Tomatoes & Potatoes

Serves 4

8 large eggs

1 1/2 cups oven roasted potatoes

1 cup oven roasted tomatoes

1 cup peas

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons fresh rosemary

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 325.

Thinly slice tomatoes and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary. Arrange on a cookie sheet and bake until they start to shrivel up (about 1 1/2 hours depending on your oven, ahem)

Repeat the same process with diced potatoes. Remove from the oven and increase the temperature to 375.

Boil peas until tender (about 5 minutes).

Whisk eggs together with salt and pepper. Add remaining olive oil to a skillet and pour in the egg mixture, cooled tomatoes, potatoes, peas. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and bake until set (about 15 minutes). Slide onto plate and garnish with chopped rosemary.

You Are What You Eat?

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 12:56:00 -0400

For me, the combination of anthropology and food is similar to the pairing of chocolate and goat cheese—maybe something I wouldn’t have thought of but now that I’ve tried the two together, I’m glad someone else did.

While reading about the anthropology of food I stumbled across “Interpreting Food and Culture Through Culinary Tourism” by Lucy M Long. In the article, she describes culinary tourism as the “intentional, exploratory participation in the foodways of The Other” and makes the distinction that it is “eating out of curiosity rather than hunger”. In other words, eating isn’t just a biological function—it offers a way to learn histories and beliefs of other cultures, illustrating similarities and differences amongst us all.

I loved this article. And perhaps I should have stopped there.

But curiosity got the best of me and I kept searching for more information. This lead me to Lisa Heldke’s “Let’s Cook Thai: Recipes for Colonialism” Heldke explores the concept of food adventurers, suggesting that through exotifying the experience and using these encounters for their own benefit, activities such as food journalism and dining at ethnic restaurants perpetuate cultural food colonialism.

This article was a huge uh oh since I think she makes some valid points and one of my biggest fears is to be someone like this: http://www.granta.com/Magazine/92/How-to-Write-about-Africa/Page-1

So if you are what you eat, are those the only options—to either travel as a Cliff Bar eating xenophobe or an exploitative culinary colonizer? There was a point in my life where I would have stopped here, paralyzed with a fear of ethnocentrism. Instead, I think it’s better to take it all with a grain of salt. And a promise to not do anything remotely like this:

With that being said, I think I’ll take a heaping cup of awareness, toss in a pinch of cynicism, sprinkle on some optimism, throw it all into the melting pot and see how it turns out.