More Than Just Back Sweat for Breakfast

My cooking teacher Rosa

As we are approaching May and the weather is becoming Hellish here on the coast of Colombia I am finally getting around to my main New Years resolution.  I decided in December that although I am a self proclaimed master with a George Forman, I wanted to take my very limited cooking skills to the next level.  Since the Padre doesn’t cook either, there is a woman, Rosa, who takes charge in the kitchen.  I told her about my grand plans to learn to cook and she was incredibly eager to begin the process.  When I told her of my cooking abilities: grilled chicken and sandwiches, she couldn’t help but smile.  Rosa is a great teacher, very caring and the closest thing I have to a host mom.  She greats me everyday and always asks how I am and how my classes are going.  She is the reason I keep returning to the kitchen even though I CAN’T STAND THE HEAT so technically I should get out.  

So now every Monday I walk down to the kitchen expecting more than just back sweat.  I help cook Breakfast and Lunch and have so far learned a a few nice dishes, some of which I will bring back to the US and others that will stay in Colombia.  Some highlights include: 

These pictures are from Google because I have not been keeping up with the photography :( 

Platanos Maduros:  Fried Plantains 

Arroz de Coco: Coconut Rice 

 

Empanadas de Queso:  Fried dough with melted cheese inside

Lowlight: 

Sopa de Mondongo:  Cow stomach lining soup

The Kitchen!

Not only is Rosa helping me cook, but she is helping me integrate into the Boquilla community as well.  The other weekend she took me to a birthday party, my first Boquilla birthday, where I got to meet a bunch of her friends.  Being a Costeño birthday there was obviously lots of dancing and so as you can imagine I was on dace duty all night.  This entailed dancing predominantly Salsa and Vallentato with middle aged women and sweating my ass off in the humidity.

Also during the party a chicken randomly walked through and I really wanted to say, “Talk about a party fowl” but unfortunately my puns don’t always translate into Spanish,  what a shame.    Until next time!