Fall Weather

March is a wonderful month in Mozambique  There are several lovely months to choose from (rainy December, chilly July), but March really is my favorite.  I have three distinct reasons for saying this.

1.  Lots of Fruits and Vegetables

I went to the market today and found the following items available:

Tomatoes, Onions, Green Peppers, Hot Peppers, Potatoes, Cucumbers, Cabbage, Corn, Okra, Pumpkins, Avocados, Bananas, and Tangerines.

After three months of rain, the fields are growing and flowering and producing whole-heartedly. What a wonderful time to be living in Zobue!  It's easy to be happy when you're surrounded by food.  Good food.  Healthy food!

2.  Gentle Rains

December was a thrilling month in Mozambique.  Rain appeared out of nowhere and fell for hours and days on end.  Water tore through Zobue-- gutting paths and pouring in through our ceiling. For the first few weeks, it was incredibly exciting.  Zobue burst into color and into life. Then, by February, it became a little tiring.  Rain would fall and fall and fall, showing no signs of stopping.  Mold grew on "dry" clothes in the closet.  Water leaked in around the windows, below the door, and through the roof.  

Then, we entered March.  Suddenly, as soon as they had come, the rains subsided.  Now, the rains fall at an entirely reasonable rate.  Two or three times a week, we will receive a twenty-minute thunderstorm.  It's enough rain to fill up our buckets and replenish our wells, but not so much that life grinds to a sticky, watery halt.  

3.  A Hint of Wintery Chill

The days are still warm, but the nights are becoming crisp.  Last night was the first night since September that I woke up cold and fumbled to turn off the fan.  It's nice to remember that cold is coming-- that it won't always be hot, humid, and heavy forever.

My favorite mornings are the cold ones-- the hot-tea, cook-fire mornings where the kids run around in old winter clothing and ski-caps with tassels.  It's exciting to be in Mozambique in March, watching the slow but inevitable transition of seasons.

End of the Rainy Season

In honor of this new hint of cool weather (nearly 50 degrees this morning!), I give to you my favorite Mozambican Corn Chowder recipe.  With only eight ingredients, it's pretty manageable for even the most reluctant cooks (Mom, ahem, and Grandma, cough-cough).  While this soup is made from mostly local ingredients, I'm sure that it would be just as good with corn from the can!

Ingredients:

• 2 ears of corn (or, you know, one can)
• 3 large potatoes, cut into cubes
• 1 large onion
• 1 bouillon cube
• A healthy-sized scoop of butter
• 2 cups of water
• 1 cup of milk
• Spices

Instructions:

• Cut onions and saute in butter
• Stir until onions are golden, then add 2 cups of water
• Add potatoes and corn
• Let water boil, stirring occasionally
• Add bouillon cube and spices
• Simmer until potatoes are cooked, then add one cup of milk
• Stir until almost boiling, then remove from heat
• Serve!

This can be cooked on an hot-plate, charcoal stove, or a fancy electric 4-burner!  Nobody ever said that Peace Corps Volunteers have to go hungry.  

Cubed potatoes and corn

Onions and butter

Pepper and bay leaf

Simmering

Corn and Potato Soup!

And if your father-in-law happened to send clams in the mail, toss 'em in!
It's a really great addition.  Thanks, Bob!