Thursday, March 4, 2010

Cultures

Culture has always been something that intrigued me. The study of people and how they live is so fascinating to me. In America we are surrounded by various cultures and people groups, and yet, here in Lancaster County, it's sometimes hard to look beyond our own culture!

Brad's brother is dating a girl who is originally from Kenya, Africa. She stays at our house when she comes to see her lover boy! We love having her stay here and it is fun for me to see Brad get to know his brother in a new way. They weren't very close growing up, but lately it seems they have more to connect on! She wanted to make us a traditional Kenyan meal. Of course, I was delighted at the thought and love trying anything new. Saturday I was busy helping my sister get her new house ready and it was so nice to come home to dinner ready!


Joy fixed a delicious feast of a type of beef, a sweet rice, something made with little green wumpa beans and a tortilla type thing. It had the look of a tortilla but had a totally different texture. I should have asked her to spell out the names of the things that she made because I can't remember what it was called!


And then on Sunday night we experienced a totally different culture! AMISH! My parents were Amish until I was 2 years old. My mom is an amazing cook and loves having people over. My parents were always open to having various groups of people in our home.

My brother works as a chef in a coffee house in Lancaster. He makes amazing food! We all stop in to see him at work and sample his cooking! Somehow my mom found out that a lot of the kids working in there had never really had "Amish" cooking so she offered to have them over for a meal. They were of course eager to take her up on her offer and after planning and trying to get a night together that worked for most of his friends we had it on Sunday night. Of course I "HAD" to be there to help mom serve everything! : )


One of the main dishes Amish are known for is "Roosht". It's kinda like a stuffing with the meat already in it. So soo yummy! She also served mashed potatoes, cooked celery, noodles with brown butter, homemade bread with peanut butter shmear, and snitz pies for dessert. Nobody went away hungry!

It's funny how a culture is known by it's food. Italians and pasta, Mexicans and Tortillas, Amish and Roosht!!!

3 comments:

  1. The Kenyan meal sounds yummy and so does the Amish meal!

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  2. love youre blog,that food could almost make me hungry.even if its eight at nite. suz

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  3. Hey mimz it was fun to cook for you both. The tortilla type food is called CHAPATI(chah-pah-tee), the green beans are called NDENGU(ndeh-ngoo), the spiced up rice is called PILAU(pee-lah-oo) and the beef was just beef stew. Hope to have some Amish food soon......tk

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