I'm adjusting very well to life in Oman. I really love it here, especially now that the weather is beginning to cool down. Very soon Oman will have perfect weather for the next 5 months or so. Last week I went to the Oman Dive Center with some friends from the Embassy. We rented bungalows (sp?) and had a great time. We went on a dive boat with divers and as snorkelers who just float around on the top of the water, we had a great time. It's only about 30 minutes from where we live, which makes it a great little weekend getaway. I'm discovering that although I don't have all the things I'm accustomed to here, I have made some compromises. Living in a Muslim country, you realize that you won't have an easy time getting some of the things you readily enjoyed in the states or other countries. Knowing I can't have (or am not willing to pay the price) for pork makes me desire it even more! I could get a whole pork loin for about $90US but I just don't think I'm ready to shell out that kind of money. Yet. Today, as I was looking for a can of tuna (nothing like good old Starkist Tuna!) in my cupboard, I saw the Dak canned ham that I brought back from Honduras. You know the kind...in a metal can with a key or pull tab? Probably just one step above Spam? My mom used to buy canned hams all the time when I was a kid. I loved them...the ham just fell apart in my mouth. Then, as I grew older and appreciated the finer things in life, I shunned anything but Honey Glazed Ham, Virginia Baked Ham or any other ham that hadn't been chopped, formed and had mystery ingredients added to it. Let me tell you...the times, they are a'changin'. I decided to give that old canned ham a try. Hell, the expiration date on it was clear in to 2015, so you know it HAD to be good! I struggled to get the pull tab pulled back but when I did, I smelled that good old canned ham smell. It had that familiar pattern of having been chopped and reformed to resemble a whole ham.
I grabbed my fresh baked cibata roll (baked fresh daily at the market), cut it in half, slathered it with some Hellman's mayo (I'm almost out...someone please send me some) and a bit of French's Honey Mustard and put some lettuce on top. I added a few slices of the succulent ham, some potato chips, grabbed a coke and went to the table. It smelled just like I remember. I took a bite and...and...darn, it was actually delicious! If I just didn't let my mind linger on the fact that it looked like head cheese, I was fine. If you don't know what head cheese is it definitely is not cheese. Anyway, it was a very tasty lunch. I can see me using the rest of it for a sandwich tomorrow and maybe frying a slice to have with eggs.
When you can't get the real thing, you just have to compromise. Isn't that what life is all about?
6 comments:
LOL! I remember going to Jakarta I totally thought I would be missing my Mexican food. Turns out like any good Texan I can make enchiladas and tacos, but pork was impossible to find or was really really expensive.
When I went on R&R to the states I ate pork until I thought I would oink. Bacon, pork chops, pulled pork sandwiches, Jimmy Dean sausage. Pork with every meal. Isn't it funny what you end up missing? Glad you had that canned ham and I hope someone sends you some Helamann's soon.
The bad part is when you know you can't have something or it is very expensive, doesn't it make you want it even more? And I really wish you hadn't mentioned the Jimmy Dean sausage. On a return trip to Honduras, my entire carry on carried meat. Two frozen chuck roasts, 4 tubes of JD Sausage, 4 lbs of real butter, 3 packages of Ekrich smoked sausage and 3 lbs of bacon. After my bag was xrayed in Honduras, he asked if he could inspect it. I laughed and said sure! Not sure what he expected but he asked about everything in the bag.
Oh yeah! You wouldn't believe how much I shelled out for a really sad chunk of cheddar just so I could have breakfast tacos last week.
If you can get your hands on some ground pork Homesicktexan.blogspot.com has a good recipe for "fake" Owen's sausage. That's my go to page when I want something from home and I can't figure out how to make it. 9 times out of 10 she has a recipe for it.
Oh, how I miss Owen's and Jimmy Dean sausage! I'll be checking out that blog very soon...thanks for the tip! Where are you that cheese is so expensive?
We are in Lilongwe, Malawi. All dairy here is really expensive. Oh well. It's our first time in Africa. It is challenging but I think I am going to like it.
In this line of work, things are what we make of them. It's all about adjusting to the situation. That's what I love about it...new experiences, new lifestyles!
Post a Comment