Southern Cooking in Kathmandu

After Janish's family hosting so many times, Mrs. Irwin (from Birmingham) decided to cook a Southern dinner for them. Mashed potatoes, ham (for those who could eat pork), black-eyed peas, cornbread, creamed corn, grits, fried okra, margaritas and mint julips. I went to hopefully help a little- even though all I have really done with any of those items is "stir."

Anyways, those poor Nepalese people, I think they absolutely hated the food. Compared to their normal cuisine, ours seems very bland and starchy maybe? And the margaritas, oh god. BD made them with almost pure sugar and triple sec. SO sweet, horribly sweet. It's their culture to finish whatever is put in front of them, or you seriously offend the cook. They tried so hard to force it down with a smile for the sake of Mrs. Irwin.

By the time the meal was over, Mrs. Irwin had had about 3 of these triple sec concoctions and was getting a bit loopy, so what better time to save the party with a handle of Jim Beam? (yes, we found Jim Beam!) I put "mint julips" on the BAC map last night. After a few rounds, of almost pure bourbon (Nepalese surprisingly love them some whisky) they were quoting Sweet Home Alabama lyrics.


Mrs. Irwin trying to figure out how to cook these dishes with no oven, a 2-eyed stove, little milk, and home-made corn meal.




We tried to help and "mashed the potatoes" with our hands.


Mitgha loved three things: the camera, the peace sign and that scarf I was wearing. She speaks perfect English, which was exciting for me.




Teaching Tigyna how to dance ballet.