The Life of a Kitchen Manager...

So sorry it's been awhile since you've seen anything from me.  I've just not gotten time to sit down and write something. The students are in the village so I finally have some free time.

As you might know, I am back at POC(Pacific Orientation Course) where I first come when I got to PNG a year ago.  However this time, I am on staff as the Kitchen Manager.

What does a Kitchen Manager do at POC you might ask?  Well let me tell you.

Before the course even starts I made a menu for the first month. Then I went shopping to make sure that we had all the ingredients and supplies that we needed to start the course. 

 

Stocking and organizing this was one of the first things that I did.

Through out the course I continue to make sure that we have what we need by making periodic trips to town or sending a shopping list with someone else.  This includes getting fresh produce from the market.  We have ladies that come out side the kitchen most mornings to sell produce and if we need additional we have a market in town we can go to. This is also where we would get produce that is grown in the Highlands that is brought down. I try to get new fruits and vegetables for the students to try.

In addition through out the course I set up a rotation for the students to help out in the kitchen with set up and clean up.  I provide opportunities for the students to learn new skills like bread making, yogurt making and dehydrating. Also supplying the students with baking/cooking supplies for both Haus Kuk weekends and for their time in the village and giving them helpful hints on what is good to buy food wise for the village. 

You would think that as the kitchen manager I would do a lot of the cooking.  Well you would be wrong there. I have four wonderful ladies that work in the kitchen with me that do pretty much all of the cooking.

Rebecca, Hetty, Hilda & Bulai

The ladies hard at work.

When I'm not in the kitchen I have enjoyed spending time with my families both from here on Nobonob and Matukar.

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I get to see my Nobonob sister Nida almost every day as she works in the nursery at POC.

And one day in town I got to see my Matukar sister Alice(in the yellow) and my friend Angela. I am holding Angela's daughter, Elizabeth, my namesake. 

Staff and Students

I really have had a great time so far and have met some wonderful people.  Looking forward to finishing the course off strong. 

Well tomorrow I am off to visit Matukar again with Crystal.  It's been almost exactly one year since we went there the first time. I'm pretty excited about going!! I look forward to sharing more with you when I get back.

Enga or Bust!!!

Just like anyone else missionaries need a vacation every once in awhile too. I was so excited that it worked out for me to go spend two weeks with Julie and Anton Lutz in Enga Province. I met Julie and Anton when I was in PNG in 2007. Here is a picture from back then. Sadly Steve, Julie's husband is no longer with us.

So to start my vacation I met up with Julie, Anton and their friend Ruth in Goroka. For three days we attended a national conference on Sorcery and Witchcraft Accusations.

It was a very good conference that I know we all learned a lot at. It was also a very difficult conference at times as we saw very graphic pictures and listened to stories from victims.

From there we headed up to Enga. Along the way we got flower wreaths that are only sold in a very small stretch of the Highlands Highway. Most people use them as car decorations, I thought it looked better as a crown.

We also had to stop for coffee along the way. During my two weeks I learned to appreciate the taste of good coffee!!

It was so fun to just hang out with Julie and Anton and not think about work. One day we got all the Christmas decorations out and decorated the house. It's been awhile since I've done this so it was so much fun.

It was also a lot of fun to celebrate my birthday while there. We went on an awesome hike up to a radio tower. They made me amazing enchiladas for dinner and I made my oatmeal cake.

There is some pretty incredible views in Enga!!

And some pretty fun animals too. These are all pets of the Julie and Anton. Not pictures are five snakes.

One day we went to a cultural center and learned how they make sand paintings. These guys do amazing work!!!

I am so appreciative of Julie and Anton opening their home to me for two weeks and I loved my time with them. I really hope this is not the last time I will be visiting them!!

So Many New Foods!!

I love food!! Both cooking and eating and it's always fun when I get the chance to try new food.

Since coming to Papua New Guinea I've been able to try so many new things.  Here in Buka I've been surprised as to how many new things I've tried.

Pumpkin Greens - I really wish this was a common thing to eat in the states, these are so good.

 

Pau(Pow) - a nut that only grows in the South Pacific. I really like these!

This is what it looks like on the tree.

After you have cracked the shell open, you eat this part.
Unlike Galip nuts, the other nut you can only find in the South Pacific, this one has a crunch to it.

Breadfruit -

Here it has both been cooked in coconut milk and fried.  Both are very good.

Cuscus/Kapul - A type of possum. 

 They char the cuscus to burn the fur off so the meat has a burnt taste.

They cook every part! I however was not about the try this part of the cuscus.

Laulau 

This is a sour fruit that I really wasn't a fan of.

Shark - Not really sure what kind it is.

This was so good!! 

Snake Bean

Taste just like green beans just a lot bigger.

Chayote (Choco) - There is the choco greens and the choco seed.  Both are very good. 

  This is the seed.  

(Still trying to figure out name) - A fruit found on Nissan Island that some friends brought us.

The middle has spike like fibers. Watch out!

So all of those have been just since coming to Buka/Bougainville and three of them where last week.

Some other new things I've tried since being in PNG are:

Tree tomatoes - The taste like a combination of a guava and a tomato.  They make really good jam!

Soursop

It's a little slimy, but really good. Oh and yes it is sour.

Crocodile - Taste like chicken with the texture of steak.

And by far the worst thing I've tried so far is:

Turtle eggs - You can read all out them here.

It is very well possible that there is more and I just don't have pictures of them. If I come across them again I will make sure to get one. 

I am looking forward to seeing what other new foods I might come across.  Be on the lookout for another post before I leave PNG of more new foods I try.