My Kitchen

For a long time i have never had any worries about the food i will eat. I have lived with people i have trusted with my stomach and i always knew that at the proper time a table will be laid before me with food in the right quantities(very important), right tastes and so on. I have told my mun many times that she is a wonderful cook and with my siblings we have always been her fans in that respect. The kind of meals that my mums cooks are so charactersitic and unique. My mum can cook even stuff you would never imagine someone cooking. On several occasions you would be surprised to find some rumours of sweet potatoes in some kienyeji collection or a pawpaw in some pumpkin stew. I am forever indebted to my mum for that and especially also for coaching me in this faculty that a man would rather be ignorant about.

I know God loves me so much because after having been brought up by a wonderful cook, i would then have the most adventurous, creative and powerful cook as my wife. I find my sweetheart Hellen a woman of her kind. Have you ever met someone who can convert any cereal, vegetable, grain, fruit etc into the sweetest and most delicious food? With her in my life, my concern has just been to ensure that all these stuff are available and then just relax to watch her industries and activities make it to happen. I mean, its just so incredible. Because of her i have come to know so many edible stuff and so may tastes. And with that kind of person in your life, who needs any other human being to be masqueradinng as your cook. With all due respect and without loss of generality, i say i am just too blessed and i have the best lady to take care of me.

But here comes the other side of the story. Of course, somehow, somewhat, I have had to accept that food in my house can be prepared by someone whose skills i did not vet and who i may not question. I mean, many times i wonder why the same fire, the same sufurias, the same cuttlery i have always had in my house would prepare food that i do not want to look at. when they talk of unity in diversity, they must have been thinking from where i am now. I now know that there are different ways of cooking but the same food is cooked. I now know that even ugali that only needs flour and water and fire to prepare can taste so different until you are tempted to read the ingredients on the packet.

Yesterday i was chatting with my sweetheart about this. It was after dinner and we were analyzing some of the changes that we have been going through since we got our househelp. She is very hardworking and her passion is not a secret. Of course the sad part is that when someone is so passionate about what they do but they are doing it contrary to your expectation, you are in for rude shocks. Or how else would you describe this situation? We come with two kilograms of meat, sukumawiki, terere and spinach enough for a whole week. I remember hearing my sweetheart give very clear instructions on what should be done. Very simple instructions like, "slice the meat in small cubes and pack it in aout four plastic bags before putting in the fridge. Wash the vegetables first and then cut it and pack it before putting in the fridge."

The instructions were clear. But there must have been some revelation from God knows where. Within to time, our kitchen was like a factory. And i was shocked when i smelt boiling meat, boiling terere. And someone passionately and vigilantly working as though to beat a deadline. It was not pleasing at all and we had no words to express the disapointment. I only remember jokingly saying, "Babie next time when you give instructions, let there be a declaration to be signed with all those instructions and let the closing line be, I declare that i have read the istructions herein and i fully understand what i am expected to do".

I know this is a hard time for me and i have to endure what i used to enjoy. At least i'm excited as i wait for the coming of our baby. I know God will grant me the patience to take the kitchen products and still sing, " Don't worry, be happy."