"The Mental Travelers visit Africa,Passport,Please"

Jambo,I spent much of my day on a cold,windy Saturday surrounded by information on African Cuisine.It was a learning experience beyond belief ! I thought I'd breeze through some food ideas,capture the essence of Africa and move on to the next project.WRONG!In my quest to always be authentic,the list kept growing.

First,I was surprised at the many sources available for African Cuisine.The diversity was overwhelming..who knew!Check out:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outline_of_cuisines#African_cuisine

All of the different influences especially Baasto &Digaag (pasta & chicken) take-out from a Somali restaurant were amazing. Many countries infiltrated the Motherland, leaving behind their traditions which blended with those of the Natives.The Coffee Ceremony in Ethiopia and other Eritrean countries is comparable to the British influence of TeaTime in East Africa. The women wear an  Ethiopian coffee dress for the ceremony :  

       
BBQ_No Place Else BUT Texas_Wrong! Of all the things that amazed me was the love of all ethnicity's in South Africa of BBQ. It is called Braai_and people have this event at the drop of a hat_lots of COLD BEER is always served! The food of South Africa is sometimes called "rainbow cuisine" because of the blend of so many cultures.

Of course,I had already fallen in love with food from Morocco.In May 2010,my themed Birthday party was "Mo'Rockin'Harem Nights" where we enjoyed the spicy Tagine,couscous,preserved lemons,dates,BELLYDANCING,etc.The vessel & food called "Tagine" is the border of my blog pages.I purchased two blue ones that I adore! I'm still trying to figure out how the people of Benin in West Africa make those rings of peanut butter called Klouikloui_take a look,if you figured it out let me know the secret!

So,with my day"spent" combing through recipes,menus,traditions,etc..my final Menu ..drum roll...

Now this Menu is ambitious,but when a couple of my friends found out that South Africans loved BBQ_they immediately volunteer-ED their service! We all bring something to the table at these themed parties.So_all is covered! This will be the 10th year of celebrating the Food,Culture & Music of Countries we can only dream of visiting. Luckily,some of us have visited these countries. My trip is in the planning for a ride on the "Orient Express" from London to Italy_spending some time in Tuscany!Several of my friends have been to Africa.

We'll gather around the table,fill our wine glass with the South African Wine "Pinotage"_ someone will say "Once upon a time"_then someone will take the queue,and the Tradition of African StoryTelling will began all around the table_one picks up where the other one leaves off ! The Mental Travelers in a far away land called "The Motherland"! Passport Please...

                                                  ~ Gese'ende Kersfees~

~Reflections on "THANKS" & "GIVING"~

I made the mistake of going to the grocery store on a Sunday_a Sunday before the Thanksgiving Celebration! I watched the carts filled to the brim, people with list longer than Santa's_full of Saturated & Trans Fats (yum), folks fussing/cussing about what they would or would NOT eat, overheard one Grandmotherly type say in a mean tone_"Not in My House", every soul NOT pushing a cart was_Texting or on the cellphone,twenty something girls with their "T"underwear showing "a full-moon harvest of sorts", pushing & shoving for the best looking TURKEY & a host of other malfunctions @ that junction_ too many to mention here! I went deep,deep,deep inside "MY ZEN ZONE" and vowed to myself.. REALLY! practice PATIENCE..right here,right now!

Afterwards,I pondered the "real" meaning of Thanksgiving.It was a time when Americans and Natives
celebrated the harvest cycles by giving thanks and rejoicing after much hard work with members of the community...what, no grocery stores/carts & mutual effort in the community? It is a tradition that both the USA & Canada celebrate in North America. The dates varied in both areas.In the United States the date was decided by individual states until the 1863 Presidential Proclamation. It was an effort to foster a sense of "American Unity" between the Northern and Southern states that President Lincoln proclaimed the date to be the final Thursday in November.So,148 years later we still struggle for "American Unity"..how sad is that.You would have thought we'd learned a thing or two by now.

With that wee bit of history in mind,I wondered about our present day "Harvest". All over the world there is confusion about so many issues in life.Everyone is busy,talking on cellphones,texting,and (yes)writing Blogs & chasing that never-ending dream of MORE,I need...! Surely,we can find something to give THANKS for...and GIVING a SMILE to another human being is an act of thanksgiving. So,in my quest to remain in " MY ZEN ZONE" throughout that Mass Confusion of crowded lanes,noise,carts moving at lightening speed,folks cussing/fussing...mind you this is an UPSCALE grocery store_I gave everyone a Smile..not a word came from my mouth because it would have been *!@#$~%^&^&*()+>>... LETHAL!

              "Happy Thanksgiving To Y'All,Be Kind"

.."I had a Farm in Africa at the foot of Ngong Hills".....

The past 8 yrs both my Birthday & Christmas parties have focused on exploring the Food,Music and Culture of countries around the World.This year is no different.We will go on _YET_another imaginary journey_an "African Safari" this Christmas! In my quest as always to make the trip authentic,I've drawn upon two of my favorite books and the movie adaptations to shed light on the second largest continent in landmass_Africa.

"Out of Africa"(1985) was nominated for 11 Academy* Awards,winning 7 in 1986.It was based upon Isak Dinesen(aka Baroness Karen Von Blixen-Finecke,birth name) recounting events of the 17 years living on her coffee farm in Kenya.She moved there in 1913 at the age of 28 to marry her second cousin_the Swedish Baron_Bror Von Blixen-Finecke.Well,at least  Karen didn't have to change her last name_as it was the same! Interestingly,Bror's twin brother Hans was her intended groom but their relationship didn't work out..really! The book and movie recount so many aspects of Colonial Life in "British East Africa"(aka Kenya).The British as you know owned the World at that point..it was all about the dollars & cents...come in take over the natives land_make a fortune.Not unlike,America's history...just sayin'!

The Kikuyu tribe was the most populous ethnic group from that Region.I have great "ISSUES" with their history as it seems since the MEN were the great Warriors of the land,strutting their stuff,all painted up,manly man stuff...WINNING!!! While the Women had to do all the hard labor,building roofs for houses,clearing the weeds,taking care of the households,balancing large items on their heads,having plenty of babies,etc...men were the Prima Uomo (aka) Donna! I've seen the movie several times,what's not to like about a Robert Redford/Meryl Streep match up_presently reading Isak's biography.

"The Flame Trees of Thika"(1980) chronicles the life of Elspeth Joscelin Huxley (husband Gevais Huxley,grandson of Thomas Huxley,advocate of Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution;and cousin to Aldous Huxley,Author of Brave New World)..that's a mouthful! Anyway,Elspeth arrived in Colonial Kenya,moving to the area called Thika in 1912 at the age of 5 yrs old. A "Flame Tree" turns entirely reddish orange in June each year depending upon previous rainfall. She left in 1925 returning periodically.Later,becoming the Associated Press Officer of the Empire Marketing Board (Trade Board).The movie won 3 BAFTA** Awards in 1982.I loved Haley Mills in the movie! I'm reading the book now & what a delightful story!

The area in question for you "Geography Buffs" is :

Kenya,home of Mt.Kenya (highest mountain in Kenya & second in Africa)_where tea and coffee are the best cash crops. I was introduced to Kenyan Tea when I started my tea business many years ago.The tea has a natural taste of chocolate_the taste is attributed to the volcanic ash deposited many thousands of years ago...very delicious cuppa tea! No wonder the Brits were coming to town! Great picture of tea growing...

So,I'll keep y'all posted on this great adventure as it unfolds on December 4th,"An African Safari Christmas Party"!!

*Academy Awards_America founded 1929
**BAFTA Awards(British Academy of Film & TV)_England founded 1947
Beginning line of book & movie of "Out of Africa"...I had a farm in Africa....

"The Tales of Shoo-Fly Pie & A Bucket Strainer"

While at a Medical Sales Conference in 2000,the hotel we stayed in had a weekend Antiques Show & Sale.Since we were in Berks County_"Pennsylvania Dutch Country"_I knew I'd find items of interest to add to my growing Collections! I purchased an iron doorstop in the image of a Boston Terrier(my doggie),a HEX Sign and a very rare_teapot spout strainer! My allotted $'s were just about gone after those purchases!

Note:Please forgive that it needs a good cleaning_BUT,I kinda of like it as it looks!

This Tea Spout was developed in the late 18th century.It is a pierced basket or bucket-shaped strainer with long pins to be inserted in the spout.As the tea is poured,it flows through the strainer into the cup.
Spout strainers were more fashionable in Europe than America,and silver manufacturers created many novelty forms such as helmets,buckets and shells that proved especially popular in France & Russia.

**In the United States,Gorham & Co. created some popular ones in the 1880's. The next time I clean it will look for marks to see if it's REALLY a TREASURE,Antiques Roadshow kinda treasure!


Now,my other great fine was a book called "Shoo-Fly Pie"by Edna Eby Heller which being a person that loves to cook_caught my attention.The book was written in 1953 and was intended to bring Pennyslvania Dutch cooking to your kitchen with various recipes from Soups to Desserts.The Shoo-Fly Pie is very famous in that part of the country.

Shoofly pie (or shoo-fly pie) is a fluffy molasses pie.The term "shoo-fly pie" first appeared in print in 1926.The pie may get its name because the molasses attracts flies that must be "shooed" away.Recently,I made this pie from the box mix shown above. A very interesting tasting PIE,INDEED!!!

"My Hex-A-Decimal Halloween Outfit"

In 1995 or there about,I'm watching my Saturday Cooking shows on PBS,surfing to see what else is on Saturday morning TV,came across an animated action cartoon called "ReBoot".Now,I'm not one for Sci-Fi or modern cartoons,but this one caught my attention! These 3-D characters were part of a 30 minute TV Series unheard of at that time.It seems in the 80's four "GEEKS" had the 3-D concept but technology had NOT advanced enough to make the show available.However,after animation test were completed in 1991,this Series took root on the Saturday morning cartoon line-up. I was HOOKED_as computers were just beginning to take over the WORLD! This Series explained the inner workings of the computer.Recently,I purchased the DVD Collection from Amazon.Here's a little background on the Series:

Setting:Inner world of a computer known by it's inhabitants as MAINFRAME
Main Characters:
Bob Guardian#452 of the MainFrame
Phong: a Zen-like character was the Command.com Adviser(must play Pong w/ him before he helps)
Dot Matrix: Local Diner Owner + other properties in the MainFrame (WOMAN PROPERTY OWNER,YEA!)
Enzo:Dot's little brother_keeping with the computer theme of the show, "ENZO" is an acronym of four common computer processor status register flags, (E)nable Interrupt + (N)egative + (Z)ero + (O)verflow
MegaByte:Infectious computer virus,command & conquer
Hexadecimal:Megabyte's twin sister (came from the same viral strand: Killabyte), a "chaotic" computer virus, whose face is represented by a series of masks, each portraying a different emotion. She is the opposite of Megabyte, and is a "Chaos Virus."
Mouse:Freelance Hacker
Hack & Slash:Henchmen of Megabyte_they are not very good at solving problems.

These are some of the characters which have become "Collector's Items"from the Series,BIG Bucks!There's always an "incoming game" from the "USER" in just about all the episodes which interferes with the smooth workings in Mainframe.I'm a BIG TIME USER because I'm always playing "Mahjong"! I loved the episode where Megabyte in blue above morphs into an 18 Wheeler.BUT,My All Time favorite is HEXADECIMAL!!!

The American Author Edith Wharton character in "Ethan Frome"_Zeena sitting at the breakfast table says: "I'm Feeling Mighty Mean This Morning"! HEXADECIMAL would probably say something like that in a face mask of her choosing.

Thus,"My HEXADECIMAL HALLOWEEN OUTFIT 2011_HAPPY HALLOWEEN Y'ALL!!!

NOTE:Ethan Frome 1911 Pulitzer Prize won by Edith Wharton. Movie made in 1993.Edith Wharton is my favorite Author.I've visited her restored home many times in Lenox,Ma. Link to:
http://www.edithwharton.org/

                                                            

"Complexion Solutions:"Arsenic Wafers & Bird Poop"

I've never had complexion problems BUT if I did_these "could" have been my choices in the past and presently.I learned of the "Arsenic Wafer" complexion remedy while reading "The Blacker The Berry"by Wallace Thurman.Likewise,I learned about "Nightingale Droppings" from "Memoirs of A Geisha".Maybe I should just stop reading because these remedies disturbed my "KARMA".

First,who in their right mind would ingest an Arsenic Wafer! Arsenic and it's many compounds are potent poisons.I dug deeper...Victorians mixed arsenic w/vinegar & chalk,then ate it in hopes of improving the complexion of their face.It was rubbed into the face & arms as well. Further,I learned about the "1858 Bradford Sweets Poisoning"where 200 people (20 died) from eating sweets accidentally made with Arsenic.I had read about World Arsenic contamination via underground water producing massive epidemics of poisoning in countries like Bangladesh + 44 other countries.The fact that Arsenic is just one of  those things in drinking water in most places _is the reason I've always used filtered water. And,I knew to plant my Herb Garden in containers when we moved to the Hilltop Farm _as the Pressured treated(arsenic) Wood surrounding the previous owners flower beds would  make for "tainted beds"! Then,in Blacker The Berry the young woman used Arsenic to lighten her dark skin so that mankind would be kinder to her plight.After digging even deeper.. came across this Ad:

   Dr.Rose's French Arsenic Complexion Wafers 1902 Sears Roebuck Catalog"

Second,"Uguisu no Fun"which literally means “Nightingale feces” in Japanese, refers to the excrement(fun) produced by a particular Nightingale called the Japanese Bush Warbler.The droppings have been used in facials since ancient Japanese times.In the Western World this facial has been referred to as the “Geisha Facial”.The facial is supposed to lighten the skin and balance skin tones that have acne or sun damage.The excrement's were used by the Koreans to remove dye from Kimono fabrics. The Buddhist Monks used the droppings to polish & clean their heads. In a New York Spa a 1hr Geisha Facial is offered for $180.00. I learned about this treatment via "Memoirs of A Geisha". And this Video provided me with a humorous take on the procedure:
http://youtu.be/w8n6EU0bSB4.

How could one little cute critter cause so much POOP????

                                          "Nightingale Bird POOPER"

So, as for ingesting Arsenic Wafers _I'm reminded of  Aunt Martha/Mortimer's conversation in one of my favorite old movies,"Arsenic & Lace":
Aunt Martha: For a gallon of elderberry wine, I take one teaspoon full of arsenic, then add half a teaspoon full of strychnine, and then just a pinch of cyanide.
Mortimer Brewster: Hmm. Should have quite a kick.

And Bird Poop Facials:
Remember the next time you stand under a tree_birds poop every 15 minutes.How long have you been standing there?

I think I'll just drink my 40+ gallons of water daily,eat my veggies & fruits,exercise AND drink my Green Tea to keep my complexion as it is.But we ALL know_

                                          "Bird Poop Can Happen"!!!

"WONDROUS WONDER,MARVELOUS MARVEL"

I researched many ideas to make my "Russian Zakuska Christmas Party 2010" as authentic as possible.I came across the famous Russian Fairy Tale"Wondrous Wonder,Marvelous Marvel"in"Russian Fairy Tales Collection" by Aleksandr Afanas'ev. I can't get that catchy title out of my head even today as I plan for my "African Safari Christmas Party 2011! Thought I'd share the tale....

...it's about a merchant who asks his wife what she would like him to bring back from his overseas journey,she asks for a wondrous wonder, marvelous marvel (repeated several times in the fairy tale). The merchant finds his wondrous wonder, marvelous marvel in the form a goose that will lay itself down on a tray on command, be cooked and eaten, and then come back to life again. He returned home,greeted his wife,gave her the goose & told her that with this bird she could have a roast everyday without spending a penny_"Just roast it,& it will come to life again"!The next day when he is off selling goods at the market the wife's lover comes over and she tries to cook the goose for him, but when she grabs the goose she is stuck. The lover then tries to pull her from the goose and becomes stuck.The goose then walks to market with the stuck wife and lover attached. The husband removes the goose and demands to know who the man attached to the wife is. He then beats the lover, takes his wife home and whips her. With every blow he says_" Here's your wondrous wonder, your marvelous marvel"! ** Learned that Fairy Tales will frequently punish "bad wives" for such behaviour in Russian Fairy Tales.Now,I'm interested in learning more Russian Literature!

Back to the party_So,I gave my friends Russian names,we all dressed in attire fitting for a person of Russian origin_gathered many kinds of Vodka for a Tasting, I prepared the Food,Decor & Music.What a WONDROUS WONDER to see & A MARVELOUS MARVEL of a Party to share with friends! ~Always be on the lookout for the presence of Wonder~e.b.white

                                           RUSSIAN TREASURES 

                                           RUSSIAN TEAROOM

                                           RUSSIAN VODKA TASTINGS