Jordan here: While we’re here and are experiencing different food options, we have to learn to be resourceful and creative. That’s Sarah’s forte when it comes to food. Me, I’d just eat ground nut paste and jam sandwiches and pasta and be satisfied. Sarah doesn’t settle for that, bless her heart. Peace Corps gave us a cookbook developed by a Volunteer from Ghana giving plenty of ideas on things to make here. Sarah has the pages memorized by now on her favorite recipes. Among them are: homemade tomato soup, joloff rice, alredo sauce for pasta from scratch, pancakes from scratch, orange-banana sauce to go on them (not going to lie, I might prefer this to maple syrup), a sort of Asian salad dressing, hot cole slaw, chipatis, no-bake oatmeal cookies, and homemade pizza.
Lately we’ve been playing a game we’re calling “guess what I just a craving for” where randomly our senses bring back memories of something we can’t get in Ghana or at least in our village. Typical cravings include ice cream, candies, a cold microbrew, French fries, freshly ground coffee, and many others. Of course we all know that absence makes the heart grow fonder. Not to say that I didn’t appreciate these things in the States, but having them unavailable or at least easily available will make us appreciate the small things that we love. Of course these memories and cravings aren’t mutually exclusive to our sense of taste. They also bring back the warm feelings of family, friends, and activities of home. Especially during the Christmas season, food is a big part of those memories. Here in Ghana, Christmas doesn’t have the same media impact like it does in America. In fact if you didn’t watch closely, it might pass you by. However, packages from home give us just enough of home to get us by. Last night, Sarah, Kelsey and I made my mom’s famous peanut butter balls and played Christmas music. Today is Christmas Eve and we’ll go to the Tamale Sub Office to meet with other PC Volunteers to sing carols and have a good old fashioned potluck.
Late tonight and/or tomorrow afternoon we’ll try to fulfill the biggest craving of this time of the season: family. We’re going to try our best to pseudo-be home for Christmas through skype to talk with family. I can’t wait!
Looks like you guys did great with peanut butter balls! Sounds like some of Sarah's recipes are super and others, well, not so much (-:
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year from Fargo!!! You both sound like you are doing great. Sarah, you are much more creative with cooking than I would ever be...and I'm sure Jordan fully enjoys all of your efforts. It is wonderful seeing pics of you both just to see that you are doing well. We just got our first 1" snowfall yesterday for the winter! We spent Christmas in FL with our daughter. Gregory flew down too. It was wonderful. Got to spend about an hour walking along the beach before Gregory had to leave for home. I hope you have a wonderful new year. I think of you often :-) Rita
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