What's on the stove?

Back by popular demand, food.

Sunday brought tidings of a table full of Mexican food. Since Mexican food is too fiddley to make just for one or two people (sorry Brook), I wait until there are at least four of us to make the time in the kitchen worthwhile. I usually spread it out between two days. I usually have to poach a chicken for a couple hours and then toast and hydrate the dried mexican peppers, after that you cook those babies for a sauce, not including seperate sauces and toppings for each of your seperate dishes (which also may include rehydration of dried peppers). The reason Mexican is back on the menu is that I finally have my masa harina for my corn tortillas. I have to admit, that once you make your own, you never want to go back to using packaged stuff. I did once and yucko. So Sunday's menu was some salsa del norte to munch on while we and our friends drank margaritas and chatted; then we had some chipolte grilled shrimp, chorizo-stuffed peppers and pumpkin seed chicken enchiladas. I wanted to try a mojito (did I spell that right), so we went out, got some fuzzy water to make them and drank some of those. A right piggy meal.

Looks like we'll get 4 more people for dinner tonight. An American associated with the project who brought 3 members of his family over to Senegal for some site-seeing. I guess they are camping in the bush. And that's cool. Although as soon as you enter the country I think you're virtually camping anyway, whether you own a tent or not. You're always roughing it practically even when you didn't sign up to. But I guess they have tents to complete their camping experience. They're coming into town for some civilization, so we're going to feed them. One of my favorite things to do: feed people.

Tonights 6 hungry people calls for something relatively unrefined and something that can serve mass quantities. Plus Brook said if I went too fiddley that it would probably scare them. So I'll make my lasagne and put together a rocket salad with fennel on the side. For 6 people though, not including dessert, I need to have something else as well. I've got some zucchini, which could work. I don't want to bake anything else or fry it. Perhaps I can bring out some of my aubergines and grill those and do something with those. Hmm. We'll see. Then I'll just whip up another ice-cream for dessert. It's sort of embarrasing that I am being so lazy about this, but they are "Camping" so I figure it'll work. I wonder if I could make a tirimisu ice-cream. You know put some ladyfingers in the bottom of a bowl and put tirimisu ice-cream on top? Hmm, that could be cool. If you have ideas for new ice-creams, email or comment here. I don't want to get stuck in a rut with any of my flavors.

Well I need to be off and start my bolognese (little bugger takes at least 3 hours to simmer but it's oh-so-worth it) and think about a vegetable. You think about a vegetable too. I don't think we spend enough time contemplating vegetables. just kidding. It's market day here in Tamba though. The big market day I mean. This photo is from that, compliments to MamaCat who took a ton of pictures while she was here.