I have discovered one thing about Mauritius so far... It's not America. :-) Profound, I know.
This Christmas I took up the task of cooking a traditional American Christmas dinner in another country. Now, last year, I did this to a certain degree in England, but it's certainly not the same task in Mauritius. There are so many ingredients that are readily available in America that simply aren't sitting on the shelf of my local grocery store. Examples you say? Cream of anything soup in a can. Now, they do have cream of chicken soup, but it's a dried soup in an envelope. Not quite the same thing. Other examples? Certain seasonings like sage and thyme. There is certainly no "Stove Top" stuffing on the shelf. No canned cranberries... No "Pillsbury" crescent rolls in the whole place. Hmm... What's a girl to do? As it turns out, I was able to find another stuffing mix made by the lovely Paxo, and I am very thankful to them for this. I bought rolls to avoid any yeast disasters, and I used yogurt to give a creamy texture to my dried soup mix... In the end, it was a really yummy dinner complete with lemon pepper chicken (the first chicken I have ever baked in my life) and creamy mashed potatoes with chives.
I realized after this experience and a week of cooking meals in Mauritius, that I am simply a lazy cook. I am used to buying packets and mixes and already made ingredients that I simply reheat and voila. Here these things simply don't exist. Want Mexican? You have to mix your own taco seasoning and your own tortillas. Want spaghetti? You must make your own marinara (which I am proud to say I have mastered already). Things just aren't as "convenient" here... Food takes time. Maybe that's why they drink so much tea here... You have to fill up on something.
Now, please don't get the wrong impression. There are larger supermarkets in other places on the island. I have a feeling that a place called "Shoprite Hyper" will be one of my new favorite places... But these types of stores are much farther away and generally are more expensive than the local "Winners" supermarket. My husband will likely be taking me on dates to our fancy up class supermarket so that I can get some of my lazy conveniences, but as a whole things are taking a different shape here.
On one hand, I am proud of myself and the ingenuity I have come up with already. I am also proud of the good cooking I have been doing. (At least I think it's good). I even made a yummy curry the other night... I guess I just realize what a spoiled American I am.
I have been reading a book set in the 1800's recently and I can't help but be enticed by the "simple life". Working with your hands from sunup to sundown to supply your basic subsistence. There is something so romantic about it, at least in books, but now that I can see a bit more clearly how that really looks, I think I'll keep my washing machine and electric oven. Not to mention, the microwave we are planning to buy on Saturday. :-)
For you Americans reading this blog, hug your appliances. Eat some hamburger helper for me and thank people like Betty Crocker, Uncle Ben, Chef Boyardee, and Aunt Jemima. Convenience never tasted so good.
4 comments:
i think we Americans know that we are spoiled rotten, but sometimes we don't realize to what degree we are spoiled.
Sounds like you are doing a great job cooking! I am so proudl!
Love you!
I think with time, you'll start to find all sorts of cooking shortcuts and you are right, the larger supermarkets tend to have more ingedients at the ready.
I have never found sage here, but thyme is everywhere. It's actually very prominent in the local cooking. Buy it fresh at any of the roadside fruit/veggie stands or in any market.
You now have access to a huge supply of fresh and dried spices that can be hard to find or very expensive back in the States.
The tricky bit can be learning the French and the Creole names for them. You'll see...it really makes for an interesting shopping experience!
Here's one to get you started: Cilantro to us is Coriandre to the French and Cotomilli here in Mauritius. :)
It's comforting to know that there are some pre-made things out there... I am already beginning to find shortcuts, like using canned ingredients instead of fresh all the time.
I think I am going to have my mother in law do some shopping for me in the local market. I work during the day and am not able to go, except on the weekends when it is ridiculously crowded. Not to mention, I don't speak creole, so the price is double. :-)
I am working on the names for things and it helps if I can bring my husband. I also have a cookbook with a few recipes in it and because it was produced here on the island, I know the ingredients have to be somewhere.
Thanks for the bit about cilantro and corriander. I actually learned that while I was living in England. I love mexican food, so I could recognize cilantro anywhere. :)
Hope you had a great new year!
As I was reading this blog post, I was asking myself: Why don't she do it herself?
It never occured to me that you used to have these things ready made.
You have to do them yourself. The satisfaction of nailing this marinara sauce as you get better at it and the much better and fresh taste of it will have you hate buying the canned ones.
It is hard work indead. So it takes a bit of preparation and habits. It's hard to do in an apartment with a small fridge but when you move to your house, you'll be able to get a deep-freeze fridge. You cook things you need often in bulks and then only use your microwave to defreeze whatever you need :) Like this marinara sauce ^^
Also, I'm pretty sure your american friends will be in shock of how good you cook when you are back to the US.
In Thailand we have no good bread (not the french way at least) so I ended up doing my own. It's a good time to share with the kids and it taste good!
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