So, just for fun, I thought I’d give you some general idea of how cooking
dinner goes. Usually recipes don’t include “where to buy” information, but
if you don’t just get it on your usual weekly Giant run, I think it’s only
right to explain how to get it.

Tacos (our Friday night, “Family Fun Night” favorite)

As soon as your worker arrives for the day, give him enough money to go to
the market and buy one kilo of beef (this assumes that you have already
trained him what beef is good to buy and what cuts will work), when he
arrives back about an hour later, have him grind it (this assumes you have
purchased and brought with you in your limited eight trunks from America, a
meat grinder weighing about half of your allotted trunk weight). This may
take an hour; then (if you have already trained him how), have him cook the
ground beef and save till dinnertime when you will reheat and season the
meat. (assuming that on your last Kampala trip you remembered to buy plenty
of Mexican seasoning (if there was any available).

Now start with your beans. Hopefully you have a good supply from the last
market day. First sort your beans, picking out stones, sticks and grasses -
no quick job.( this your worker could do if he wasn’t already dealing with
the beef) Now the beans must be rinsed and placed into the pot for quick
boiling, then let to rest for an hour before beginning to cook again for
about three to four hours (unless, unlike me, you are very confident with a
pressure cooker). As the beans become soft you may add in your oil,
tomatos, onions, garlic, till you have a nice soft bean dish to add to your
tacos.

By this time, with all the usual interruptions that necessitate turning off
the stove as you leave the house, it is close to five pm. Now is the time
to start the tortillas. Using flour, salt, and Tamu (like Crisco); mix up
your batter, then roll out each tortilla very thin and cook two at a time on
your large griddle (which you continually thank God you decided to buy in
America). This process may take you about 45 minutes if you work quickly
and answer questions and requests through the kitchen door and window,
pleading floury hands, rather than sitting down with each visitor.

As the tortillas cook, you must quickly pull out tomatoes, avocados, red
onions (the only kind we have here), and a small hunk of precious cheese (if
you have remembered to thaw it). These vegetables will be ready and
available to you if you have asked your worker to buy them the day before
(or gone yourself) and clean them thoroughly. They only hold their ripeness
for a day or two . . . Chop tomatoes and onions and place in bowls on your
special platter. Grate cheese and add to the others. Mash avocado and add
onion, garlic, fresh lemon juice, salt, pepper to make guacamole. Add to
platter. Hope and pray that during this time you have not burned too many
tortillas as you simultaneously chopped and flipped (and stirred your
reheating and seasoning meat).

Serve to happy family along with a big pitcher of sent-from-America Kool
Aid.

Feel terrible that you didn’t prepare cookies and figure out a way to fit
making them into your next Friday.

In contrast, my American taco prep included:
- one half hour before dinnertime, pop frozen ground beef in microwave to
defrost
-put thawed meat, taco packet, and water in a skillet to cook
- pull out shredded cheese, and prepared guacamole, put on table
- no need for beans, we have plenty of meat
- put some soft and some soft store-bought tortillas in the oven to warm
- chop tomatos and onions and place on table

Trader Joe’s cheesecake for dessert.

Wasn’t life simple then??