Lessons from my mother in the Desert
Living in Tanzania, my mother often had to "make do" with whatever we had available.
Milk came straight from the cow and was delivered by the diary woman once a week. We would boil it and skim off the fat. This we saved until we had enough to make delicious ice cream or whipped filling for cream puffs.
Often my dad would have a craving. One time he wanted an apple pie, but apples don't naturally grow in Tanzania, so my mom made an apple pie out of ...
Papaya.
And it was delicious! Many things we learned from other non-natives who had lived in Dodoma longer than we had. Other things we learned from books such as the Wycliffe International Cookbook.
Cooking, no matter what it was, required a little creativity. My mom lacked little in creativity department. Whether it was her 4-H upbringing or "push ahead German attitude" she lacks no fear in the kitchen. Even when we lived in Tennessee and often had little, she taught me how to substitute and create healthy meals with whatever was in the cupboard.
So this morning, I put my inherited skills to use.
This was fun to read and I can hardly wait to taste the revised muffin creation. Hopefully I can do this when visiting you. Mayonnaise is sometimes used as a substitute for eggs. Vinegar or lemon juice or some citrus juice added to milk is a good substitute for buttermilk, but I like the yogurt substitute. There are many substitute ideas in the Wycliffe Cooking Book. I am proud of our daughter. Love Mom
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