January 25, 2007
rots and nannies
Yup. Potatoes are still the cheapest, filling-est item on my shopping list. In the States, they were tied with rice for that spot. Not anymore. Plus, a local wouldn't be caught dead eating rice if he know taters were in the offing. The whole population is in love with potatoes.
Problem is, they're not particularly nutritious. For cheap nutrition in a country where green things don't really grow that easily, I turn to the humble onion and the unpretentious carrot. They do their best when my budget won't support kale and spinach. They don't complain when I match them with plain old pasta in red sauce, or even, come to think of it, potatoes. They stand in quite solidly with any sort of meat, always with a proletarian look about them, as if to say, "we're only here to serve."
Garlic really perks them up. Not to mention butter. Herbs are nice, if you can get your hands on some of them, but let's not go putting on airs.
Anyroad, here's what I'm eating for dinner. I find I'm quite proud of food produced here after all the work it took to get my utilities online.
Posted by nickles at January 25, 2007 01:31 PM
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Isn't cooking exciting?!
Posted by: jkrue at January 26, 2007 08:43 AMNo kidding. Last Tuesday was National Pie Day here in the US. Katie and I built a few (savory and sweet). Then we scared our neighbors by trying to share.
All of the vegetables you mention sound like they'd be great in an Indian-style curry. How about it?
Call or email me. Dude.
I too love potatoes. When I write a grocery list I don't like to write the whole word so I just write 'pot.' I think I got it from my mother. AND when I go to the effort of writing a menu for the week, I may write something like 'mashed pot' or 'pot casserole.' It's quite silly. Almost as fun as work puns. (Juan Trabajo doesn't quite agree. Neither do any of the other trabajos.)
Posted by: Krista at January 26, 2007 12:16 PMYES IT'S EXCITING! And I think all three of you (with spouses... and jkrue gets to bring a mystery person in lieu of spouse) should come make indian food with me RIGHT NOW. (Rich, I'm listening to your mix. Why ARE American girls so rough, anyway?)
The problem with Indian is that it uses a lot of expensive spices. Once you've got them, you've got them for awhile, but actually getting your spice library in the first place coute chere. Or cher. Depending on whether you use bibliotheque for that or some masculine word.
So come on over. Krista's bringing the pot. Just bring your own spices. And spouses. And beer. And whatever. (BYOSASABAW).
Posted by: bob at January 26, 2007 12:50 PMMan, you are making me so hungry right now.
Posted by: funke at January 26, 2007 02:48 PMOh. I just checked my email.
And I just got your joke about the pot. I can bring a cooking vessel as well...the previous tenant left all her Goodwill-quality cookware here for us to deal with. I'll bring lots of pot.
Posted by: Krista at January 26, 2007 02:49 PM