Cooking lesson with Betty

Last Friday, instead of our regular language class, Betty taught us how to cook, Tanzanian style! Everything was prepared and cooked in true tanzanian fashion -headpieces and all! The kangas which we are sporting, are used for many different things; it is their main dress, headpiece, scarf, shawl, towel, baby carrier, and apron! A very multi-purpose piece of fabric!

Our day started off with a trip to Mama Kiri's (a lovely Tanzanian women who is a friend of the Wingfields -she's also taught me how to bake bread over a charcoal stove!) Our mission was to fetch a chicken and bring it with us to Betty's. Thankfully, Andrew was able to drive us that morning -I couldn't really picture us three *wazungus walking across town with a live chicken in tow! (*wazungu is the swahili word for "white people"...ie. any foreigners) Joe named our chicken Dorothy, and did a great job of holding her down in the backseat of the car!

Before our cooking session began, we were all outfitted with kangas! The first thing Betty taught us how to make was chapaties. There's a lot of rolling and oil involved -but the end result is well worth the effort! We also made homemade chai, coconut rice, pilau, a pea medley cooked in coconut milk, a beef dish, deep fried chicken (sorry Dorothy!), steamed spinach and tomato, plantain and ugali! It took seven hours in total, preparing everything by hand -literally, and cooking everything over little charcoal stoves. I had underestimated the time and energy that goes into making a meal here! I can't imagine doing that everyday! (Although it is rare that one would prepare such a feast daily!)

We called it a day around four o'clock and went home to rest for a few hours before heading back out for yet another meal...this time at the Bishop's house! Although we were pretty tired (and very full) from cooking, dinning with the Bishop and his wife was a lot of fun! The Bishop, who is in charge of the Diocese of Ruaha here in Iringa, is also the arch-bishop of Tanzania -he's a VERY busy man! He's also one of the friendliess, most laid back person I've met here! We had a very nice evening and hopefully we'll be able to visit with him some more while we are here.

All in all, friday was a very eventfull day - one with many highlights that will be remembered for a long time!