Food food food. Something we all need. Something we all have in common.
Food speaks a lot to our heritage, our traditions and cultures.
Food gives us various experiences. Takes us back to our most precious childhood memories. Provides joy and comfort.
Food can be good, and food can also be bad.
We have cuisines passed down from one generation to another.
Everytime I enter the kitchen, I start thinking. I will think about my cravings, how I am feeling, what flavours I want to taste in my mouth, and how I want it to all blend together.
I do not have a specific style of cooking, it's just freehand and diverse. The food I make is very much inspired by other cultures as well as my own. I get my inspiration from anything and everything around me and the globe. I learn a new thing everyday.
The kitchen is the one place that allows me to instantly travel the world through taste.
The creativity bug hits me at the most unexpected places ever imagined.
I am not a professional chef, nor do I keep to measurements when cooking. I mix it up till it tastes exactly the way I want it to. Most of the time I discover different combinations that I never thought would work. As long as the ingredients are there, we become creative. I have also learned to substitute certain ingredients, based on what I have and like.
The best part for me is the pre work/the preps.
It's a process I always look forward to. Most of the time I feel I need a kitchen assistant because one thing I don't like is doing my preps when the kitchen is not clean, hahaha in fact I refuse. Don't ask me to wash the dishes though! Absolutely loathe that - Hence the need for a kitchen assistant.
I grew up eating pap. Southern African porridge made from maize meal. This is our main staple food, so naturally pap is my go to meal when I need a taste from home.
It can be eaten with almost anything depending on how you cook it. From stews, to curries, barbeque and vegetables, peanut butter and even milk.
Really it's the most universal food I know.
Typical pap meal with beef stew and vegetables. I love making this dish.
Typical Zimbabwean meal I love to prepare: Sadza with chicken, beans and covo(vegetable)Similar to hubbylicious @imwatsi, same thing we call pap in South Africa is called sadza in Zimbabwe.
Hubbylicious is a fan of pasta. If possible he would probably live of bolognese and noodles. I am always looking for new ways to make the pasta interesting. I use pesto, some days white sauce, some days bolognese and some days whatever I have in the kitchen really. As long as the combinations work.
I love my salads, the more colourful the better. I can never get tired of Vinaigrette dressing.
I always make my own sauces and dressings.
Lazyday cooking for me is everything and anything I can pop in the oven while reading my favourite book.
And if all else fails, make a sandwich followed by a fruit smoothie!!
Well that's the inside scoop to my diverse kitchen. Anything and everything goes. I love cooking because i feel very free while I do it. My kitchen my rules, I get to do it in whatever way or method that works for me.
That's it for now, I hope you enjoyed the read.
Ladymwatsi signing in and out.
Keep on Hiving. Happy Days!!!