Healthy Travels: Paz y Pavo (Peace and Turkey)

Thursday November 25, 2010

Day 83

Even though I was in another country with another family, speaking a different language, my Thanksgiving was pretty good. I took the day off from work and spent the day cooking and relaxing. In the morning I made part of my gluten free green bean casserole and saved the final step, the baking, for later. I finished it quicker than I expected so I helped Nanita with the food she was preparing. She was preparing pasteles en hoja which is a traditional food they usually eat on Christmas. There had to be at least 15 pounds of vegetables that she had to peel. There were plantains, roots vegetables and the yams she uses her famous soup. I helped her peel some sort of ugly root vegetable but I was really slow and probably didn’t help much. After, she grated the vegetables on a cheese grater and it came out as a starchy, almost dough-like paste. Later she showed me how to put the little things together. Normally you use a plantain leaf but they didn’t have any at the grocery store so she used some sort of cooking paper and tied them together with string. Later she cooked them in boiling water and they were very tasty. She is making more for when my aunt and uncle come on Sunday.

Teresa came home around 3:00 with Cynthia from school and a lovely surprise, a turkey! She got one of the few fully cooked turkeys they were selling at Bravo and she may or may not have had to fight a crazy American for her spot in line. I am joking, sort of. The turkey was pretty and it was much easier than cooking one all day.

Later in the day, closer to dinner time, I finished preparing my food. I topped my casserole with the secret ingredient (corn flakes and melted butter) and baked it in the oven. I also prepared my mashed potatoes with the help of Nanita and her knowledge of potato doneness and potato- mashing strength. I peeled the potatoes and poured in the ingredients! I set the table with the lovely table decorations my mom brought me and it really started to look like a Thanksgiving dinner.

Around 7:00 everyone got home and we were finally ready for dinner. The kids’ dad came too so it was really a family affair. I enjoyed all of the food, like always. The kids are picky eaters so they only ate the turkey, Nanita’s pasteles en hoja and a little bit of the potatoes I think. The adults liked everything so I wasn’t offended that the kids wouldn’t eat my food. After dinner I whipped the cream for the fresh whipped cream and added a little decoration to my pumpkin cheesecake. I served that and the festive kid cake. The pumpkin cheesecake turned out much denser than my usual cake but I still liked it. It tasted more like a traditional cheesecake than my usual cake and much better than I thought it would taste. The kids wouldn’t try it of course but Teresa really enjoyed it and wants more tomorrow. I ate about ¼ of the cheesecake so I should probably not have more any time soon. Yum! How could you not like something pumpkin?

After dinner the family had dance lessons. The parents were teaching the kids salsa and merengue. They kept trying to get me to do it but I have a fear of dancing. I am a horrible dancer and it was just making me too nervous. I told Cynthia she could give me a private lesson tomorrow. Cynthia picked it up so quickly, which is not surprising because she has good rhythm, something I lack. The parents were great dancers and teachers.

Overall, it was a nice holiday. I really missed spending it with my family at home but I was glad that I was able to do something special here too. I also talked to my mom and everyone at my Aunt Julie’s house on my webcam so it almost felt like I was there. I think they had a few more desserts than we had at my Thanksgiving dinner. Missing a holiday was a little sad but I am glad that I will be home with everyone for the next one (Christmas).

Thanksgiving Special:

I am thankful for:

1. My 2^nd family in the Dominican Republic

2. 24/7 hot water (You won’t miss it until you don’t have it)

3. A pantry full of food that I will not be able to finish before December 5^th.

4. Clean water

5. Healthcare

6. Books and online newspapers

7. Wheat free food

8. Gym membership

9. 80 something degree weather on Thanksgiving

10. Palm trees outside my window

11. Project HOPE and Order of Malta Clinic employees

12. Food safety standards and regulations

13. My electric hand mixer

14. This volunteer experience

15. My friends who are making this time away from home much easier and enjoyable on Skype and Facebook chat.

16. Most importantly: my family

Fun Facts:

1. The kids had a Thanksgiving celebration at school and had a modified schedule. So to answer the joke “Do they celebrate Thanksgiving in the Dominican Republic?” The answer is: yes!

2. Everyone was really confused by my cranberry sauce from a can. I think they thought it was beets but they all later realized it went well with the turkey.

3. The kids are off from school the day after Thanksgiving like kids in the US. I am sure it is just their school and other international-style schools, but isn’t that cool?

4. I miss my Oxxo vegetable peeler. I highly recommend it to anyone who peels vegetables.

5. Nanita gave me a great suggestion for lunch: cassava with tuna fish. Cassava or yucca here is kind of like a potato and it went really well with the tuna.

6. Nanita is allergic to seafood. I didn’t know that until today.

7. You can listen to confession on the Christian radio station. Well it isn’t people’s sins but I think it is the prayers you say for confession. I could be making this up entirely, but I am pretty sure that is what we were listening to in the kitchen.

8. They have daytime soap operas and nighttime soap operas. This really caters to all lifestyles and working schedules. I have never been a fan of soap operas and these ones are even sillier here.

9. This is the first time in years that I didn’t help (or watch) my Grandma Marge make antipasto. How did she possibly arrange all of the olives, meats and cheeses without my guidance? (I think my mom substituted for me)

10. I want my mom’s candied yams.

Paz y pavo,

Jaclyn