Green Eggs and Ham

Newspaper headlines are not always what they seem.  Have you ever witnessed an event as it unfolds and then read about it in the paper - makes you wonder sometimes if you were really there.  Well perhaps my title for this entry is a little misleading as well.

Our refrigeration has been poor at best.  We have a new refrigerator - the problem is that it takes energy if you want it to keep things cold.  Since the earthquake energy was at a premium for quite some time, and even after the power came back on there are still rules about when its okay to have your refrigerator plugged in.  When I was here last year and had my own place, the refrigerator was plugged in all the time - both battery and EDH and I enjoyed the luxury of ice and frozen foods.  That has not been the case this time.

I plan shopping - especially for meat or things that go bad without proper refrigeration.  Actually I could go off on a tangent about the outdoor meat markets - but I'll spare you that this time.  I normally buy at most two days - the current day and the next day's supper and usually either buy it at noon or after work.  So, we are actually talking about 28 hrs tops that I keep my perishables.

Now there is a lesson all in itself in that little food shopping strategy.  Nothing is simple.  Its not easy here and things that we naturally take for granted in Canada just don't work the same way in the developing countries and especially not in Haiti.

There are very few pics of me, but my work clothes are well a little "used" and grubby looking.  Haitians have two sets of clothes, the ones that they wear to and from the work site and the ones that they wear while working.  They shower after work, change and then leave.  The typical Haitian that you see on the street/commuting is well dressed.  I am not.  I wear grubbies to work and when I visit the supermarket on my way home from work - to say the least I can turn a few heads.  My dress is atypical of a commuting person in Haiti and certainly atypical of a white person in Haiti. 

About a week or so ago, I started supper and took my meat out of the freezer to cook it.  It was not frozen - I think hardly cold.   But it looked okay and I don't think it smelled badly either - so I decided to chance it.  Despite my food buying strategy, I actually loose a lot of food here and this fact continually pushes my acceptable food conditions a little further each time.  When I started to fry my meat something strange happened.  It began to change color - it literally turned green in the pan.  Never seen it before nor since and yes I have an eye witness.  The line had been crossed and I decided that wasn't going to be supper after all.

So, my green eggs and ham story is really about green meat - but hey, my newspaper title got you to read this far. The story actually has a happy ending.

We've decided to keep the refrigerator plugged a little longer and we more consistently have frozen meat in the freezer - maybe not rock solid - but pretty good ice crystals.  Today I went shopping at the super market and at the local outdoor market.  Bought my vegetables, onions, tomatoes, mangoes etc at the outdoor market and my meat at the supermarket.  My line has not been pushed far enough to buy the outdoor market meat yet.  Today was Saturday so, went to a little more trustworthy supermarket.  As experience would tell us - the closest market where I bought the green meat has questionable practices - I have been sick on meat that I've bought there before and absolutely refuse to buy their chicken.  Today I went to Petion Ville and bought the meat there - much more reputable and even much better looking meat.  I bought a record setting 4 (or maybe 5) days worth of meat. 

For the first time here in Haiti - I did a broccoli stir fry.  Loaded with ginger and garlic.  Awesome - gotta be one of my all time favorites.  Little heavy on the ginger if that's possible - the ginger root is small but potent.  The green in the stir fry reminded me of the green meat and so you have the privilege of this post.

Oh yes, and just one other little bonus today - tomato sandwiches for lunch - not the bland crunchy supermarket variety of tomatoes that you get back home - but the real flavorful vine ripened home grown garden variety.

Also did a little maintenance on my motorcycle today so missed my bike ride.  But really what could replace real tomato sandwiches and a broccoli stir fry. 

One final note.  Gave out our first prayer quilt today.  Used an interpreter and I have a video tape of the presentation.  That will be another post.