We seem to have a mutual trading
relationship with our neighbors. They
frequently present us with samplings of local food; anything from leftovers to
portions from regular every day meals or special events. When they learn the boys like a certain food,
they bring it over. Other times if we take them something, souvenirs from a trip, an extra pan of brownies, they quickly reciprocate. One morning, I, Erin,
was talking with the other mothers out buying fruits and vegetables when a man
delivered a flat of eggs to them. We
then talked about how all our kids like eggs, especially the whites but not the
yokes. Shortly there after, one of the
mothers brought over a bag full of eggs.
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| shrimp - the 3rd or 4th occurrence! |
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| Whitman displaying the long antennae |
It has become quite regular for them
to bring us bowl of shrimp; shrimp larger then I’ve ever seen before. The neighbors regularly visit the port before
6am in the morning to buy a whole case of shrimp, then often share their
purchase with us. One time after I
unassumingly told them we like squid, we were given a bowl full of squid. Come to find out they are actually cuttle
fish. I have never bought, much less
prepared squid nor cuttle fish. Actually
the only reason I recognized the name ‘cuttle fish’ was from a kids cartoon
program the boys watched in the states before we moved, over a year ago. Thankfully my trusty Fanny Farmer cookbook
explained how to clean and prepared them.
I dusted the cuttle fish in flour and pan fried them. They were quite good, very similar to squid!
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| cuttle fish |
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| traditional meal for the biggest holiday of the year: wrapped rice in center, spicy salsa over hard boiled eggs, chicken in a mild curry, and vegetable in broth |
We’ve been given vegetables,
candy, cookies, birthday cake, bags of nuts, and complete meals. Their generosity amazes me time and time
again.
