preparing veggies...
the hike leading up to volcanoe tajamulco, highest point in central america...
resting post hike of volcanoe chicabal...jueves, 12 de junio de 2008
miércoles, 11 de junio de 2008
jose sucio....
i am sitting on just over a half a year of service as a volunteer and finally (finally!) am beginning to feel as though i have a clue what i'm doing... it's been at least a month since i've gotten lost and ended up in a cornfield someplace, a weighty accomplishment in my eyes.
in the last couple of months i have had several groups ask about how to prepare different foods. it's great to have a family garden, but if you have no idea what to do with a carrot, what good are all those lovely vitamins sitting underground? i myself am not much of a cook, but more of an experimenter as most of my family can attest to. they have witnessed me attempt and destroy many well intentioned culinary preparations. still, i'm learning here that a little knowledge can go long way.
ever heard of a "dirty jose", a jose sucio. yeah, that's right. Sloppey joes guatemala style. one thing that the diet here tends to lack is protein. although people get more than their fair share of beans, buying meat is costly and unrealistic for the majority of families here. especially with 11 children. what is fairly accessible and reasonable priced at about 26 cents a pound is a product called "protemas". this flavorless colorless meat subsitute is a vegetarian peace corps volunteer's dream come true and also when cooked with the right proportion of ingredients and veggies decently appetizing to most chapines (i.e. guatemalans) i've met. "jose sucios" have been given the seal of approval by most of the women's groups i work with.
along with the preparation of different foods i have been trying to teach why exactly it is important to consume them. why make an atol with fruit (fruit tea) as opposed to just downing a bottle of refreshing tiky piña (pineapple soda)? good question. herein lies the challenge: to convince people that the more healthy alternative is possibly worth more than that initial sugar energy burst that comes from a cola. people here are accustomed to certain foods, just as in the states. if any population should know how difficult it is to give up certain eating compulsions/addictions it ought to be those from the U.S., home of every ridiculous diet fad you care to name. it is if anything, a slow process trying to convince someone's tastebuds to take a risk and try something new. without doubt mine have been taken on more than a few exciting rides since living in guatemala and i, thankfully and happily, haven't regretted one venture yet.
i am sitting on just over a half a year of service as a volunteer and finally (finally!) am beginning to feel as though i have a clue what i'm doing... it's been at least a month since i've gotten lost and ended up in a cornfield someplace, a weighty accomplishment in my eyes.
in the last couple of months i have had several groups ask about how to prepare different foods. it's great to have a family garden, but if you have no idea what to do with a carrot, what good are all those lovely vitamins sitting underground? i myself am not much of a cook, but more of an experimenter as most of my family can attest to. they have witnessed me attempt and destroy many well intentioned culinary preparations. still, i'm learning here that a little knowledge can go long way.
ever heard of a "dirty jose", a jose sucio. yeah, that's right. Sloppey joes guatemala style. one thing that the diet here tends to lack is protein. although people get more than their fair share of beans, buying meat is costly and unrealistic for the majority of families here. especially with 11 children. what is fairly accessible and reasonable priced at about 26 cents a pound is a product called "protemas". this flavorless colorless meat subsitute is a vegetarian peace corps volunteer's dream come true and also when cooked with the right proportion of ingredients and veggies decently appetizing to most chapines (i.e. guatemalans) i've met. "jose sucios" have been given the seal of approval by most of the women's groups i work with.
along with the preparation of different foods i have been trying to teach why exactly it is important to consume them. why make an atol with fruit (fruit tea) as opposed to just downing a bottle of refreshing tiky piña (pineapple soda)? good question. herein lies the challenge: to convince people that the more healthy alternative is possibly worth more than that initial sugar energy burst that comes from a cola. people here are accustomed to certain foods, just as in the states. if any population should know how difficult it is to give up certain eating compulsions/addictions it ought to be those from the U.S., home of every ridiculous diet fad you care to name. it is if anything, a slow process trying to convince someone's tastebuds to take a risk and try something new. without doubt mine have been taken on more than a few exciting rides since living in guatemala and i, thankfully and happily, haven't regretted one venture yet.
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