Food, Drink & Travel
down the nose at the knowledge systems that come with food with all the aplomb that “I have arrived” induces in us. Food that has arrived is obvious, clear, it screams “taste me and I dare you not to say I am good looking and tasting”. To clarify my point, have you ever seen a bunch of women operate at a funeral (and there is usually so much drama at a funeral) or have you ever checked out the cooks headquarters? Women closely related, or to be honest even loosely related. . . and bless you if you are the in-law, you are weeded into different grades on the spot and publicly, from the bad cooks, to the lazy ones or dirty ones you are filtered through a violent interchange with the various dialects and languages and are expected to keep up, from Chikaranga, Manyika, English and Ndebele to Chindau,Chizezuru, and Shonglish, and nodding will not do. It’s a battle field, not for the faint hearted. All this takes place on a backdrop of women milling around, you can almost visualize this because there is a background tune to which they all hum as the sadza in the drum gets meshed, the veggies- rape, cabbage get cut and tossed , beef fried to a beautiful coloring, chickens plucked then plunged into a good frying pot. Rice and coleslaw will appear if the crowd is well heeled, with all the condiments that say “we are here”.
“The feeling of “Yes, I HAVE arrived” and the fantasy is always fulfilled by the display of food.”
Meanwhile Mai Nhingi is not done with you, she is dressing you up or down in such a manner that grabbing something to join the team is all that you have left. . . well, that or run. And there’s no shame in running. Drama is built up to fever pitch with no consideration for the grieving you are trying to hold down. It’s a sink or swim situation I tell you, and don’t be trying to come up with clever recipes that change the usual expectations, like suggesting to put garlic in the veggies or perhaps adding rosemary to bring a light outdoorsy feel to the stew. It’s a safe bet to keep quiet. You are in a battle field, pull rank and let the chips fall where they may. Legendary women are born at these times. Its only days later that you can have a good bitter laugh because I know I do the same when I am in my boxing ring Personally I don’t think there is such a thing as too much good food, 'WBF???V6?&Bf??B??7VvvW7B??Rf?&vWBF?Rw&?Wf??r?BvWB??W"f?v?F??rv??fW2?WB?B7F'Bf??F??r??R'WGFW&f??B7F??v??r??R&VR?v?fR?B??W"&W7B6??B??v?FWfW"??wVvR7W'G2?WB?B????F?R?WWFV??B??F?RW?W2v???R??R&RB?B?F?V?6?????R??F???rV?6R?GFW'2?B&?F?BV??RVB??W"f??B??W?BgV?W&???Rv????fRw&GVFVB?B??R6?G&r&???B????R?GV?2f"2F?FV?2v?v?F???F?R'&?v?6R?B6V?6R?bV?F?F?V?V?BF?Bv?W2v?F?F??2VF?w&VR??B?N( ?2F6?F?vWBF?&?Vv?F??Rv?V??vWB?V?w&??r?6??FV?BF?WB?6V?b?WB?bF?R6??WF?F???BgV?W&?2'?'V????rf7B?B?&B?v??6&W2&V??&?WBF?Rw&?Wf??r??N( ?2??&?WBF?Rf??B?B( ??fR'&?fVN( ???2?B??C?E ?F?R&FR????&'v^( ?2??7B&VB?fW7G??R?v???P??????W2??f6V&??????( ???^( ?F?RgVGR?gS?GRvR??"??FW&7Bv?F?W2???W"&??r?GG???wwr?gVGR??7FW&?W2?6???"???W"vV'6?FR?GG???wwr?gVGV??r?6??gVGR?gS?GR??2&?f&?GV7F?????6???&?&F???v?F?V?6??B7&VF?fR??B?2&?WB???&'vV?v??b?fR?Bf??B??N( ?2&?WB?f??rgV?6?&??rF?R???&'vV?W?W&?V?6R?B??7B???'F?F??N( ?2&?WB&W6V&6???rF?R?FW&??f?"F?R&????fV''V'?#0??vRCP???