We Eat to Live, and Some of us Live to Eat….Food!

No matter the day or the week, food has to always be on my mind.  Rarely can we splurge on an “out of the home” meal.  Almost EVERYTHING is made from scratch.  So ones mind has to have a PLAN of Action when it comes to food.  This year has been much easier for me in regard to food preparation.  Partially because I now know what to expect, where to find needed items (or stock with the knowledge that I may not find that item for a long time) and have all the machines and tools from America.  Also because at this point in the journey, we have accumulated a nice array of recipes that we know work and also tricks to help the needy chef.  For the most part we are content to live without much dairy, but every now and then (especially at holidays) we desire things like sour cream, etc.  To our delight we learned how to make sour cream (an item not sold here in Papua).  The two ingredients are fresh whipping cream and vinegar.  It is like magic when you combine the two.  The cream gets thick with just gentle stirring.

I want to take you back to the market again.  I still go every week.  I truly have a love/hate relationship with the market.  I love the people and colors and sights.  The dirt and stench leaves one questioning the sewer and disposal system that surrounds the market.  We bleach all our veggies and fruits.  One trip to the market and you would understand why.  I now have routine people that I buy from and that helps.  They always greet me with great warmth.  I have learned to leave my purchased items along my journey through the market and when I am finished I locate a guy pushing a wheelbarrow and for under a dollar he will then follow me to pick up all my purchased goods…..loading them in the wheelbarrow.  It sure beats me carrying kilo’s and kilo’s of food in the hot heat.

At the market, everything is for sale.  The bright colors of all these plastic goods was incredible.

Sago.  A traditional Papuan food. 

Dried fish.

The market garbage.

Beetle nut (and this long green stuff) is sold all over for chewing like tobacco. It is at almost every street corner.

If any of you ever come to visit, I will be sure to take you to the market.  It is at the heart of Indonesian culture.  To not go to the market, is to miss out on so much!!!!   I know, you can’t wait!!!! : )  On the way too and from the market you would see so many interesting things.  Last year, I was taken back by everything.  This year, I feel myself accepting everything as “normal”.  Below are some sights that might greet your eyes.

I will try to capture more shots of all the things transported on a motorcycle.  Doesn’t this look fun?

Often we will see a friend, helping a broken down motor bike…..get where they need to go.

Rugs for sale, on the side of the road.  They actually looked quite nice.

So home again, home again…..jiggity jog.  Where perhaps we will have some pasta.  Never mind the bugs!

Usually the pasta is fine, but this bag was crawling.  Fortunately most of them washed away through the colander holes.  You may want to observe all that happens in the kitchen, when you come.  Then again, you may not!  We did just learn how to make cream of mushroom soup with cashews.  All the family enjoyed it, even Nathaniel who does not like mushrooms.

Occasionally, we find treats that make fun memories.  Nothing like a good S’MORE.

Thanks for reading!  We will be happy to fix you a meal when you come.  The question is…..do you want to eat with us?  You would be amazed at what we can create with FOOD!