Reformed Kitchen Manners

Up until a few months ago, my kitchen was never the place I liked to spend my time in the house in. Back in Cameroon, my kitchen and kitchen-related activities accounted for the least portion of my income. My best cooking moments when I was hosting friends or mates, then I wouldn't mind spending half a day in the kitchen. This was not because I did not know how to cook, far from it. In fact, my colleagues and mates could testify to the delicious meals they ate in my house... and some will never forget the okro and keep asking for it even after they got married. Call this recognition, rather than pride.

Well, getting married and living with my husband meant more frequent visits to the kitchen. Friends and siblings were praying for me to be able to take care of the family in the kitchen front because they knew my habit. They encouraged me, and I decided to take a step of faith and start loving the time spent in the kitchen. I got recipes for pastries and stuff I never endulged in before, and now I just can't stop. When I am at home, the only thing I want to do is go into the kitchen and try out a recipe I got from someone or downloaded from the Internet.

Now there is no stopping me... I am finally a lover of cuisine. Please share those rare recipes with me.

Hurray! Is it 2009 already?

Thank God we are in 2009... away from all the trials of 2008, not completely shielded from even more trials, but knowing that we have a God who has an interest to see us through to a new year. My God is faithful, His love is everlasting, and His mercies are good every morning... and every year!

We spent Jan 1, 2009 in-doors because we attended a Virgil the previous night and returned late. Oh my, what an exhilarating experience! We decided to fellowship with brethren in the Lord at the Winner's Chapel Canaanland. It took us three hours to drive to the venue because of heavy traffic, but once there, we realised those three hours were necessary. The highlight of the evening was at midnight, as you can all imagine. Lights in the auditorium were switched off, and everyone lit candles. Spectacular! You could feel the presence of the Holy Spirit moving in that place, the lifting of the candles was like the evening sacrifice as God inhabited the praises of His people.

As is my custom, I don't eat heavy on New Year's Day. I roasted fish, fried plantain, and made a lovely tray of tuna salad. I ate a plate of salad and drank almost 750ml of a drink I love so much... sorry won't tell you which because I don't advertise. I actually felt a little tipsy, though I did not let my husband and brother-in-law know... but you know that light-headedness one gets when one takes more than required alcohol?

2008 to 2009 Bliss

For us, the bliss started on Friday 19 Dec when we hopped into a bus in Lagos heading East... didn't the Wise Men head East as well? This was one long journey, we started off at 7.30am and reached our destination after 8pm. Usually, I am told, the journey is not this long, but we were victims of some unscrupulous traffic police in two places that took up at least 45minutes; and the roads were not as good all the way. But aren't these regular such that they have become de-facto considerations when travelling...East? Don't ask me if it is not for these reasons that people prefer to fly to the East, instead of going through all the hurdles with doing road. I wanted to experience travelling by road in Nigeria, and also it served as a good sight-seeing to me as we drove across many states. More so, the Port Harcourt airport (which is closest to Eket) had been closed for refurbishing, and this would have meant flying into Calabar, which is about 2hrs drive to Eket. This lovely village is located in the state of Akwa Ibom, in the oil-rich zone of East Nigeria. Eket is an 'oil village' with oil exploitation happening in and around.

Eket is Aunti Rhoda Ikono’s (our Best Man's wife) village. They were celebrating the traditional wedding of her younger sister on Saturday 20 Dec. It was a colourful ceremony, with lots of food and drinks though not as many varieties as you will find in a similar feast, or any party in Cameroon.

On Sunday, we left in a convoy for Ikpene Inuen (I might have got this spelling wrong), Mr Ikono's village. His house was still under construction, but that did not tamper the partying that ensued and ran throughout the week. Everyone slept on a mattress on the floor, with power cables criss-crossing because our source of light was a generator, and the electrification of the house was not complete. There was no shortage of food or drinks throughout our stay there, but again not many varieties of food...mainly jellof rice; pounded yam or garri (eba) and afang soup (in Cameroon called eru, though the recipe is slightly different). Anyway, I enjoyed these the first two days and then wished I could eat something different! Think of 'poisson braisé', fufu (corn) and kati kati (chicken), 'Ndole', etc. How I miss Camer at such moments!

We culminated our stay with a family thanksgiving marking the 60th anniversary of Mr Ikono's uncle, and celebrations marking Aunti Rhoda's nth birthday; and headed back to the hustle and bustle of Lagos on Sunday Dec 28