The kitchen works again

Sozo under the guava trees in the side yard for the boys.

Views of the mountains I see when I look to the horizon from our yard or as I walk or run the streets of Musanze.
Kitchen...A shot through the door leading into the kitchen from the living room. A lovely slug that was on the cabbage picked from the garden and a dish sculpture.
Three things I wouldn't want to live without. I have not had a refrigerator since my arrival here. It was to be fixed and delivered back before I arrived, but that didn't happen. It was to arrive today, but again it didn't happen. Maybe tomorrow? For sure on Saturday, because I will be in KGL and will make sure it happens.

I am thankful that the coffee grinder and power converter I brought over summer of '09 are still here and working. The French press I brought was not. It was broken by some people who stayed here, but thanks to duct tape it was put back together. Before I left the states I asked J if I could make a large purchase...for me it was. A new stainless, not really breakable, French Press. I didn't really have to have his permission, but it seemed like maybe an over the top thing to buy to bring with me. He encouraged me to get it and after 3 trips to the register and putting it back on the shelf, I finally handed over my debit card and boy am I glad I did.

These 3 things, 4 really, have given me a little of my home routine here. And today, especially, it was needed.
I had a difficult morning and today has just been OK. It started early, I fixed coffee, had a small cup and put the rest in a thermos for later. I got dressed for "sport" (running) and headed out on the main road, but away from town. I ran about 6 1/2 km, finishing at Ishema Hotel. There I met Guillaume for yoga. I worked with him on learning Sun Salutation and then a series of warrior poses. I needed to stretch, so we did a few stretches, he learned bridge pose and then we ended in a shorter than usual relaxation. I had to scoot out of there and onto a meeting about the camp next week.

I arrived at the office where my meeting was to be to find a friend, Pam, behind the desk. I was thrilled! I had been told she was still in the UK. So good to see her and catch up. The meeting went well, we got some things worked out and we will finalize things on Sunday night in my house over tea, scones and rhubarb sauce.

I came home, had a few necessary tears and took an extra hot bucket bath. (3 tea kettles of hot water, when I usually only have 2.) I was able to get the work finished I needed to and then told Petti she could leave because there was not any work to be done. I retreated to the kitchen and this was the result...
Along with dancing and laughing in the kitchen with Moses, snitching batter and licking the spoon for the sauce, my kitchen time helped my not so hot day turn into a yummy finish.

I didn't have recipes for either of these, just an idea of what to use. Happy to report they all turned out quite well.

Banana Bread, Rwanda recipe Preheat oven to 175 C

- whisk together 2 eggs & 3/4 C sugar (raw)

- when well mixed, add in 12 smashed small bananas + 1 avocado

- whisk like crazy until your arm is sore and go 1 or 2 min longer

- to that mix, add in 2 - 5 T of oil, a splash of vanilla or 2 -3 packets of vanilla flavored sugar

- on top of this, add 2 C brown flour (whole wheat), 2 t baking powder, 1 t baking soda, a pinch or 2 of salt, 3 taps* of cinnamon, 2 taps of nutmeg and a large tap of Tropical Heat's Mixed Spices

- carefully mixing all of the dry ingredients into the wet, whisk until well mixed.

- pour into a greased bread pan, top with raw chunky sugar and bake for 30 minutes or until golden on top and a knife inserted comes out clean

Rhubarb, Gooseberry & Cinnamon sauce

- In a sauce pan combine 6 stalks of rhubarb cut into 1 inch pieces, 2 handfuls of gooseberries, 1/3 C of raw sugar, 2 cinnamon sticks & water, but not enough to cover the berries and rhubarb.

- bring to a boil and let it simmer until berries begin to pop and rhubarb becomes stringy

- taste it, mine is tart, add more sugar if you want it sweeter, let it cool and put it on scones, or bread or just eat it with a spoon. I ate it all 3 ways tonight. It was my dinner.