Anja's Year Abroad!: September 2011

Monday, September 26, 2011

I made enchiladas tonight for my host family! Sylvie was practically licking her plate. Success for me and for Mexico. We convinced a French family that French food is not the only good food in the world.

I poached chicken and mixed it with corn, mexican spices (that I found in a specialty store), cilantro, and emmental (the closest thing to mexican cheese). Then I wrapped them in tortillas (my host family had never tried tortillas before) and covered them in a home-made tomato salsa from tomatoes I roasted, peppers, garlic, and a few other things. I then sprinkled emmental on top and some feta cheese! Did you know feta is goat cheese?

Then I also made home-made guacamole with avocados/tomatoes/cilantro/garlic/salt/pepper; I sautéed onions, bell peppers, corn, and zucchini for the side to give it a fajita twist; and for the finally I made a spinach salad with mango pieces and feta and a dijon vinaigrette that I made.

For some reason, Fred still ate his slice of bread throughout the meal. Oh, the French.

And Eric never seems to really comment on the food, but sure cleaned his plate! He says he can cook...he now knows he has competition!

But after all of this, the kitchen was spit spot clean and not even a drop of food was left on the stove. So there Mom!

We also have a pet aubergine...also known as an eggplant. Her name is Guardian de la Cuisine and she was born with a really long nose. We gave her hazelnut eyes and she is now our dining room table decoration.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

The Silly things

Two days ago I walked into the house for lunch and Fred was standing in the kitchen with no pants. Granted, he did have underwear on, and a nice polo, but he definitely knows how to show me how this household works quickly. I also woke up early this morning before the sun had come up to go to the bathroom and go back to bed, and he was doing Chinese meditation (with music) in the living room. The first night I was here he showed me HIS seat at the table, and it cracked me up how much it meant to him. I haven't sat there since, not even when I am home alone. I really like Fred.

Other funny things to note about the French:

- there are no such things as napkins (I don't even know where I would find one in our house!) We only use our hands for bread and fruit, but even pizza is with a fork (especially because a lot of the time it comes with an egg in the middle, and each person eats a full huge pizza to themselves)

- there are NEVER toilet seats in the bathroom! Thanks mom for teaching me how to squat!

- there is rarely toilet paper in many bathrooms, especially at the school, and if there is, it is on one big roll outside of the stalls for girls to grab before they go in to take care of their business. BIZARRE!