12 June 2015
Two weeks have shot by, and the time has come to leave the wonderful village of Mwandi.
Since Will and Becca arrived, we’ve been at a new stage on the house building- throwing!
So we can get the walls of the house from this:
To this:
So, that’s what I did up until yesterday, but I used the today to get my bags backed ready to head off to Botswana tomorrow!
Tuesday 9 June
Today, after two weeks of being here alone, we had two more volunteers arrive; Will from Wolverhampton UK and Becca from New England US. As Paula was driving to Livingstone to collect them, I decided to jump on board and use the opportunity to post a few letters from Livingstone Post Office (following a few issues with the Post Office in Mwandi).
I completed my errand almost immediately by 10:00, and wasn’t due to meet Paula and the others until 12:30! This created the perfect opportunity to check out the Livingstone Museum of Zambia.
At just 30 Kwacha entry, it’s well worth a visit! It takes you right through the various traditions from the various tribes in Zambia, right from the beginning of time!
Back in South Africa, when I went to the marvellous Mzoli’s in Cape Town, I had something called Papa, a strange kind of starchy fake mash side dish!
As it turns out, this is a traditional side dish all over Africa, but goes by a different name depending on where you go. In South Africa and Botswana it’s called Papa, in Zambia its Slozi name is Wahobi, but it’s Zambian English name, somehow, is Nshema!
In my quest to take on as many new recipes as possible while on my travels, I tentatively approached Berry to ask if she might teach me how to cook this. Every night, after cooking for Paula, Dan, Matt and myself, Berry cooking Nshema for herself and the rest of the staff, so I’m confident she’s the expert. And lucky me, she very kindly agreed to show me!
Sunday 31st May
I’ve had limited church experience, but today’s by far took the prize as the best church experience ever!
The Village Chief of Mwandi requests that volunteers attend at least one church service whilst in Mwandi, and dress appropriately for the occasion. In other words, where a traditional wrap around skirt for the occasion. I feel I found the perfect one for me, and at only 40 Kwacha!
12 April 2015
What a simply perfect weekend!
I have been desperately missing the pleasure of cooking just recently, so while most the Kwantu volunteers spent their weekend in Jeffers Bay, and the remaining two (George and Heather, husband and wife from Canada) stayed in a nice hotel in Port Elizabeth, I took advantage of being the only person remaining in Port Elizabeth’s Albeit Lodge Hostel and decided to commandeer the hostel’s apparently untouched kitchen.
When I say untouched, I don’t mean something new and sparkling… I’m actually using a very polite term for something else altogether.
The final recipe we were shown in our Jaipur Kitchen Gate-crash was for India’s much loved chapatti- a flat bread used, frequently in lieu of cutlery, for scooping and scoffing your meal.
Pria expertly took the lead on this, making enough for a whole hostel of hungry volunteers using the following ingredients…
Tuesday was Pancake Day, a favourite in the calendar of British Traditions, and I have to say my Dad and I made a pretty good go of it!
The ingredients and method are simple- 110g of plain flour, 200ml of milk, and 2 eggs. Blend together until lumpless and then fry.
Then, following a couple of successful flips, serve up with whatever your heart desires.
Traditional Lemon & Sugar
Unusual Kiwi with Lemon
Outrageous buttered brandy blueberries
Or classic raspberry.
This has been, I think, the best Christmas of my life. The family all together on the 25th, the gifts I gave seem very much appreciated (particularly a cardigan to my Grandfather), the gifts I received were just WONDERFUL (such as a number of useful books and equipment for my travelling!) … And my Mum cooked a terrific lamb Christmas dinner with a prawny starter!
Every Christmas for years now, my Grandmother and I have played happy helpers to my Mother in the preparation for Christmas dinner. My Grandma is responsible for the peeling and chopping of veg and the ever important carving of the meat. She’s notoriously good at it, while I’m yet to learn how to slice anything thinner than a dictionary. My role is to provide assistance with the afore mentioned veg as appropriate, but THIS YEAR I’m so proud to say I was promoted! This year I was IN CHARGE of Roast Potatoes and Yorkshire Puddings!
This decision was made by my Mum after she tried the spuds and puds I cooked alongside the Mulled Beef for us a couple of weeks ago! They went down a treat with her, and I’m pleased to say they received a similar response with Christmas Dinner!
Yesterday, my Mum and I put up and decorated the magnificent Maitland Family Christmas Tree! It’s a lot of fun, very exciting but also damn exhausting, which is why I prepared a dinner worthy of The Three Kings to reward us after!
The Mulled Beef is effectively Roast Beef but with a 24 hour marinade based on- you guessed it- mulled wine! The flavours permeate and complement the beef beautifully and make an unforgettably festive gravy to accompany the dish. The marinade keeps it a fairly straight-forward dish to put together. For anyone struggling to think of something new to cook 25th December that moves away from the traditional turkey, but still has overtones of Christmas with every bite then this is certainly a recipe for you to consider!
Yesterday was a very special day on the Family Calendar- the day my Grandmother starts the secret Family Recipe Christmas Pudding.
I’ve been very proud the last couple of years to have assisted my Grandmother with this, and be taught each loving step of this recipe. This is definitely one to be added to my lovely new recipe book, but if you think for one moment it’s something I’m going to blog about on the world wide web, think again! However, when our hard work was done and the puddings were steaming away, I seized the opportunity to badger another recipe out of my Grandma… Shortcrust Pastry.
You may recall, a few months ago, I made some “proper sausage rolls” and threatened there and then that I would have my Grandmother teach me to make Shortcrust Pastry so I could produce a Festive Sausage Roll idea I had when the Christmas season arrived? Well, here we are!
For me, these taste just like Christmas as they’re based VERY much on an Apricot & Almond stuffing the family all enjoy once a year with our Christmas dinner! I’ve been very excited to make them and share them with the family, and now based on everyone’s reaction I think a few more batches will be on the way too!
recipesarememories.com 