I have already regaled you with stories of our shopping adventures, but now I must share with you how it is to cook here. In keeping with all guidelines we have been trained in, we decided that an inexpensive fare for our first night here as Chefs-in-Charge is spaghetti - in our case - The Approved Spaghetti. This is a long-cherished family recipe of spaghetti sauce that everyone makes and that we all love. We thought, "How difficult can it be to make something we have made for over 40 years?" Famous last thoughts.
We began this morning cutting onions and chopping garlic. In a normal large recipe, we chop 4 LARGE sweet onions and 6 to 8 cloves garlic. (We three timed the recipe) In all our shopping, we could not find an onion larger than 2 maybe 3 inches in diameter, much smaller than the average LARGE onion. So we bought about 30 smaller ones. Our kitchen is equipped with one very small cutting board 5 X 7 at best. It is also equipped with many knives....all about as sharp as a table knife. I gallantly offered the cutting board to Stan and I chopped on a kitchen plate. Did I mention that these are yellow strong onions?
We stood in that kitchen for an nearly 2 hours peeling away the brittle skins and chopping the onions and CRYING! The garlic wasn't so painful, but it was time-consuming. Where oh where is the vidalia sweet onion chopper when you need it?
We carted the chopped vegetables to the center where we have put everything together to simmer for tomorrow night. We have made enough to feed an army....that is the good news. The bad news is that it doesn't taste like the approved spaghetti, and I am not sure that it is even tasty. We need your prayers! Pray that all the SYA will like that spaghetti and that a miracle will occur.....that it will be incredibly good.
We will be fixing meals every Thursday until something happens....and that something may happen tomorrow night.
I think I had better start reading cook books, or fall back on open-faced sandwiches...but even they require a flair. Ah well.....
Oh dear! I had the Approved Spaghetti last night and thought of you. It is so hard cooking recipes from home in a foreign country. Everything tastes different from the veggies to the canned goods to the butter. Maybe they will like it because it is made of Danish stuff! I will be praying for you.
ReplyDeleteHey Mom, in that Wikipedia article about Danish cuisine, it said the name of the Fanny Farmer of Danish cookbooks. Here is what it says:
ReplyDeleteThe cookery book published by Kristine Marie Jensen (1858–1923) in 1901 and titled Frk. Jensens Kogebog (Miss Jensen's Cookbook) is considered by many Danes to contain all the authentic recipes for traditional dishes as well as for baking bread, cakes and biscuits. It has been reprinted dozens of times and new editions can be found in most Danish bookshops today. When Danes prepare meals for special occasions, for example at Christmas time, they frequency follow Frøken Jensen's detailed descriptions.[48][49] The book has not been translated into English but many of the traditional Danish recipes on English-language websites are those of Frøken Jensen. The original edition (only in Danish) is available online.
Thank you my Dear. I will look online and see if I can find Froken's English versions....that is a grand idea.
DeleteWell that is an interesting comment by Lia! Does Amazon operate in Denmark? Did the previous missionary couple leave you with any recipes or ideas for meals? I love your dill potato soup recipe! I think that would be excellent along with bread and possibly a salad. Or how about Melissa's tomato soup recipe? Those SEEM like they're pretty straight forward without too much fuss. I'm going to be thinking about other things that you can make that wouldn't cost too much and be fairly easy. (Something NOT Mexican since the tortillas there are somewhat suspect) Always you are in my prayer but tonight I'll pray for the spaghetti too! Love you!
ReplyDeleteYeah...you could do tomato soup and grilled cheese! But I bet the spaghetti tastes better than you think it does. Besides, they will love you without or without delicious meals!
ReplyDeleteWas that a Freudian slip as to the spaghetti, "without or without?" That's kinda funny! (: I'm sure they love you Mom!
ReplyDeleteThat made me laugh out loud!
DeleteI've been using those thin plastic cutting sheets from the dollar store for chopping. At least they are a better size - and you could have put one on the bottom of your suit case had you known. A new knife - or sharpening job is in order. Things there may not grow big because of the short growing season. I will have to pray for your meal endeavors as well. I'm sure it will all be OK - and YES! - They will love you even if they don't love the food.
ReplyDeleteThank you thank you! I so appreciate your prayers. I am going looking for some of those plastic cutting sheets, and possibly a knife sharpener. I need all the help and advice I can get.
ReplyDelete