Skip to main content

Ethiopia's Kitchen

Todd and I and our family are blessed to have friends in our neighborhood who are from Ethiopia.  Through a friend of a friend, we first met near a year ago and our families have hit it off ever since.  The mama and I enjoy talking about the children and she is very helpful to me in learning about Ethiopia, the culture, traditions, and the people.

Last weekend we were graciously invited over for dinner. The kids played while us parents talked in the kitchen.  (We'll just call the mom Allie) Allie breezed around the kitchen pulling out spices and telling Todd and I all about them.  We smelled them and she told us how to use them and what types of recipes they would be used.  My weakness is anything to do with the kitchen, so I was utterly amazed that real cinnamon comes on sticks.  (Yes, I'm that terrible).  Todd has the cooking talent (in my opinion) and he really enjoyed the different food and spice combinations lesson.

One staple food in Ethiopia is a bread type called Ingera.  It is a spongy like bread pancake and from the looks of it I've always thought of wheat tortilla's.  The taste was oh so surprising with a very sour vinegar tart taste.  I was polite, but could barely finish one nibble.  It was that different.  Apparently it is great to calm the heavy spices used in Ethiopian cooking.


The most special time was ending with a traditional coffee ceremony.  Allie roasted the coffee beans, ground them, and put them in a traditional pot to boil in water.




She placed a grass-looking mat on the floor to set up the small table that holds the coffee cups. Then poured out the coffee into the cups which were like little tea cups or espresso cups.  She made popcorn too and we drank our coffee, munched, and talked some more.  Todd and I both really enjoyed the experience. These coffee ceremonies are times to enjoy friends and sit around and chat.  There are coffee times for everyday casual friend visits and then other times the coffee ceremony is used to celebrate a special event like a birthday or good news! She gave us some of the green coffee beans and we later filled our home with the lovely aroma of Ethiopian coffee.

I ran a few words and phrases in Amharic language that I have been practicing.  She helped me and said not to worry, that English is well spoken there in Ethiopia and that we won't have any troubles communicating with others when we visit.  I learned to say: thank you, good, bad, hello, and I love you.  It is a difficult language!

All of these experiences are so helpful to us in learning about Ethiopia and it's culture.  The friendships with this family are a god-sent as Allie can't wait to meet the new children, translate the language between us, and help them adjust with the food types also.

Feeling very grateful for all the people we have met and continue to meet during our journey of adoption.  Thankful for you, your prayers, and for taking the time to tune in with what's new by visiting our blog!  Praying for news soon, but in the wait we learn, we grow, and we learn some more!  Thanks again for your prayers! 

Today could you pray for the adjustment period for the children?  I know that's far away, but when I visit with Allie I am reminded of all there is to learn, the similarities, and the differences too.  Different smells, tastes, sounds, faces, etc. are so overwhelming to little ones coming home to a new place.   
  
God's Angel to Prepare the Way

Exodus 23: 20 "See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared."




























Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Airplane Tray Table Cover for Travel!

In my part of the world, the popular sport of choice for this season is sewing.  Sewing?  Yes, well, it's a winter sport for me with its challenges, obstacles, and skills to be improved upon!  Not to mention that it hasn't been above 10 degrees Fahrenheit for near a month and with wind chills at -25 to -40 tonight, one just has to stay inside in the comfy cozy walls of home! Out comes the sewing machine and projects left behind from seasons past.  This time, I decided to tackle a new project that will be put to good use in the future: an Airplane Tray Table Cover for future traveling!  Thinking of sunny Ethiopia just brightens the mood from the winter blues too! After searching the web, and viewing images of other "airplane tray table covers" (search it, you'll find them), I decided to create my own.  This is pic is of my first attempt.  Overall, it turned out fine and I am happy with the end result.  To give you an idea, this would slip over...
Post a Comment
Read more

Miserly Moms Recipes

After posting some ideas about tips for the family budget, I had many positive responses and am encouraged that many of you will be putting forth an effort to set a food budget and stay within that budget.  Take a visit here to view the previous post. Miserly Moms by Jonni McCoy is an excellent resource for money saving tips, menus, recipes, and family organization.  After looking it up on Amazon, apparently my copy is the "collectable" edition...oh geez, that makes me feel old.  There is a newer edition that Jonni has available in a Kindle version for $7.99 .  Note: Kindles weren't invented yet when I was starting out as a SAHM (Stay At Home Mom)  Ha.ha.laugh.   Here are some highlights from the book (the one made of paper) :   1. Don't Confuse Frugality with Depriving Yourself  2. Remove Little Wasters of Your Money 3. Don't Buy Everything at the Same Store 4. Make Your Own Whenever Possible 5. Eliminate Convenience Foods ...
1 comment
Read more

Details, Details, and What Can We Do?

It's a girl!  Thank you for the excitement and prayers of joy for us as we announced our next adoption! We have kept our finger on the pulse in the adoption world since bringing home our son, and all I can contribute finding out about this adoption is by the direction of God the Father.  He "places the lonely in families!" - Psalm 68:6  I know that everyone is anxious to know more details, trust me, I know it's part of the excitement to hear the scoop! What I can say is that she is 7 years old and very petite.  She has brown eyes, brown curly hair, and beautiful brown skin.  Her smile is contagious and her eyes show that she is spunky inside of that tiny frame.  She loves to laugh and eat pie! What I can't say is all of her story.  It's very complicated, emotionally complex, broken. And at her age of understanding all that is going on around her, well, it's her story and we want to respect that privacy for her.  While this is a time of joy...
Post a Comment
Read more