It's already a thousand degrees outside, the cows are mooing, the roosters are crowing and it's time to head to the sweltering market... not for turkey but for chicken! Turkeys (called kolokoloko in Madagascar) are a bit of a commodity and very expensive. Plus, they'll slaughter, pluck and gut an entire chicken of your choosing right in front of you at the market for a mere $4.00. This Thanksgiving, a group of fellow PCVs will be forgoing the standard Malagasy fare of rice and beans and spending the day cooking up all of our favorite American holiday treats.
We'll have roasted chicken with rosemary and garlic, cheesy mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, vegetable bake, shepard's pie, mango chutney (cranberries do not exist but mangoes are falling off trees by the bucketload!), mango crisp, lemon meringue pie and chocolate mousse pie. This may seem like a standard Thanksgiving menu, but for those of us who have been living in Madagascar for nearly two years, it's a culinary dream come true!
This holiday I am especially reminded of all there is to be thankful for. The perspective of being far from friends and family gives me pause to consider how lucky I have been in my life. While I wish I could be with all those I miss dearly this holiday, and certainly am longing for crisp leaves, cool air and the promise of snow, I remain grateful for a great group of friends with whom I can share this day- and this food.
We'll have roasted chicken with rosemary and garlic, cheesy mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, vegetable bake, shepard's pie, mango chutney (cranberries do not exist but mangoes are falling off trees by the bucketload!), mango crisp, lemon meringue pie and chocolate mousse pie. This may seem like a standard Thanksgiving menu, but for those of us who have been living in Madagascar for nearly two years, it's a culinary dream come true!
This holiday I am especially reminded of all there is to be thankful for. The perspective of being far from friends and family gives me pause to consider how lucky I have been in my life. While I wish I could be with all those I miss dearly this holiday, and certainly am longing for crisp leaves, cool air and the promise of snow, I remain grateful for a great group of friends with whom I can share this day- and this food.
