Sometimes I feel like cooking here is like my ice cream waffle bowl endeavor. It involves imported supplies, creativity, and making every component from scratch. But once it's done, I feel a sense of accomplishment...and well, it makes our tummies happy!
Then there are the times, I long for a simple lunch. In the US, I don't think there's anything more simple than salad and sandwich. But I made a chicken patty sandwich and cobb salad for lunch last week, and it took me 2 hours! First I had to make the bread, which took 3 hours (but thankfully I have a great bread machine that did the hard work). Then I had to wash the veggies (this alone takes forever), make bacon bits, hard boil eggs, etc. And because it was soooo hot, I decided we might as well make some peach mango smoothies (with fruit I had previously cut up and froze). It was a great lunch, but definitely not simple.
So when 4th of July came around and we decided to have some local friends over, I really did try to keep it as simple as possible. We had rolls, corn on the cob, ribs, macaroni salad, and potato chips. I think my friends think it's a little strange that I spend all day cooking a meal that gets consumed so quickly, but of course, they don't mind! :) It was the first time I made homemade bbq sauce, which was super yummy!
And of course, you can't forget dessert! I made mini apple pies with vanilla bean ice cream on top.
It was a really fun time, and I think I just get a lot of joy seeing people around the dinner table, enjoying food. I think I learned that from my parents.
I'll leave you with some grocery shopping randomness. Just when I think I get the hang of living here, I'm thrown a curve ball. My latest struggle has been finding salt. Yup, that's right, just plain white salt. I've been all over town and right now, the only thing in town is this green salt that smells like seaweed. It's fine for stir-fry, but I don't dare bake with it. Thankfully, Richard had to make a trip last week, so I made him buy me some salt to bring back. I never thought salt would become one of those things that I import from outside! And just so you can more fully understand what it's like for me to go grocery shopping, when I was at the store a few days ago, I took note of all the kinds of brown sugar that are available here. This is what the different packages read (in English):
1) Brown sugar with mother for herb
2) Brown sugar with jujube
3) Brown sugar with girls
4) Brown sugar for pregnant woman
Needless to say, I didn't buy any brown sugar. I think I'll continue importing it from a big city. :)