When I was a young lad growing up in Wales, everything we consumed was fresh. Veges where fresh, meat was purchased daily, milk magically appeared delivered from somewhere in glass bottles the cream resting on top.
My mother worked miracles in the kitchen, baking bread and creating tasty meals. I often remember hanging out and watching her in my young minds magical way. There was this large earthenware bowl she used. Peeled oranges where all over that kitchen table, a jug of sugar and all those jars. Out of this came the best marmalade I have ever tasted.
I now live somewhat similar to my youthful days of per-refrigeration. I go to a market every two or three days and purchase fresh veges and fruit. There are butcher shops available in the market where I can buy chicken, ground beef, liver or pork. People have commented to me on this as to whether that is safe to buy or not. My answer is that most meat here is freshly butchered and not sitting in some deep freeze for weeks or months on end. The animal was alive yesterday or the day before.
A chicken leg with back attached, or a 1/2 lb of ground beef or pork sausages enough for a meal costs me around $1.20. I can buy a whole (8 lb) chicken for about $ 4.00. As for the latter I need some way of keeping it cool after I cook it, so I usually buy the smaller portions instead.
A whole large broccoli costs 67 cents, a pound of small firm potato's 20 cents, eggs are 13 cents each, a freshly baked loaf of wholewheat bread 80 cents, the list goes on. I buy powdered whole milk which is fortified with vitamins for $ 2.80 enough to last two weeks. Spices are inexpensive and I sometimes use powdered soups as the basics for sauces and gravies.
My kitchen is basic with a two burner electric hotplate, a toaster and a blender. I do have a pela in my kitchen area. Check out these pictures to see what I mean.
http://www.google.com.gt/search?q=pila+washing+sink+pictures&hl=es-419&client=firefox-a&hs=id4&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=np&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=VTRDT67_JsGbgwf4roHMCg&ved=0CCQQsAQ&biw=939&bih=358#hl=es-419&client=firefox-a&hs=0LP&rls=org.mozilla:en-US%3Aofficial&channel=np&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=pila+sink+&oq=pila+sink+&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=12&gs_upl=18503l24006l2l25523l13l13l4l0l0l1l241l1639l0.8.1l9l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=aa6e28b34260b2d7&biw=939&bih=358
While a pela is meant as multiple use washing sink, I also use mine to keep my beer cool.
Here in Xela, Guatemala finding treasure tastes from my past is very difficult. There are all sorts of strawberry and pineapple jams, there is honey and I have seen those peanut butter spreads the ones I avoided while living in Canada. These are the ones laced with icing sugar for sweetness and taste. With some diligence I actually found a sweet version of marmalade.
Then one special moment I remember finding a marmalade imported from Spain. It is very close to what my mother created those many years ago. I suspect some Spanish spy must have been gazing through our family kitchen window and copied my mothers secret.
Yes I buy it and yes its good. But more than the taste it brings back all those special moments and memories I had watching my mother in that kitchen making the best tasting marmalade ever created..
My mother worked miracles in the kitchen, baking bread and creating tasty meals. I often remember hanging out and watching her in my young minds magical way. There was this large earthenware bowl she used. Peeled oranges where all over that kitchen table, a jug of sugar and all those jars. Out of this came the best marmalade I have ever tasted.
I now live somewhat similar to my youthful days of per-refrigeration. I go to a market every two or three days and purchase fresh veges and fruit. There are butcher shops available in the market where I can buy chicken, ground beef, liver or pork. People have commented to me on this as to whether that is safe to buy or not. My answer is that most meat here is freshly butchered and not sitting in some deep freeze for weeks or months on end. The animal was alive yesterday or the day before.
A chicken leg with back attached, or a 1/2 lb of ground beef or pork sausages enough for a meal costs me around $1.20. I can buy a whole (8 lb) chicken for about $ 4.00. As for the latter I need some way of keeping it cool after I cook it, so I usually buy the smaller portions instead.
A whole large broccoli costs 67 cents, a pound of small firm potato's 20 cents, eggs are 13 cents each, a freshly baked loaf of wholewheat bread 80 cents, the list goes on. I buy powdered whole milk which is fortified with vitamins for $ 2.80 enough to last two weeks. Spices are inexpensive and I sometimes use powdered soups as the basics for sauces and gravies.
My kitchen is basic with a two burner electric hotplate, a toaster and a blender. I do have a pela in my kitchen area. Check out these pictures to see what I mean.
http://www.google.com.gt/search?q=pila+washing+sink+pictures&hl=es-419&client=firefox-a&hs=id4&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=np&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=VTRDT67_JsGbgwf4roHMCg&ved=0CCQQsAQ&biw=939&bih=358#hl=es-419&client=firefox-a&hs=0LP&rls=org.mozilla:en-US%3Aofficial&channel=np&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=pila+sink+&oq=pila+sink+&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=12&gs_upl=18503l24006l2l25523l13l13l4l0l0l1l241l1639l0.8.1l9l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=aa6e28b34260b2d7&biw=939&bih=358
While a pela is meant as multiple use washing sink, I also use mine to keep my beer cool.
Here in Xela, Guatemala finding treasure tastes from my past is very difficult. There are all sorts of strawberry and pineapple jams, there is honey and I have seen those peanut butter spreads the ones I avoided while living in Canada. These are the ones laced with icing sugar for sweetness and taste. With some diligence I actually found a sweet version of marmalade.
Then one special moment I remember finding a marmalade imported from Spain. It is very close to what my mother created those many years ago. I suspect some Spanish spy must have been gazing through our family kitchen window and copied my mothers secret.
Yes I buy it and yes its good. But more than the taste it brings back all those special moments and memories I had watching my mother in that kitchen making the best tasting marmalade ever created..
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