Saturday, February 12, 2011

Starch

One of my biggest problems living here in Costa Rica is the starch ingestion.  I mean, not that I don’t like it… I love almost all things starchy… potatoes, rice, bread, corn, pancakes, etc.  But we just don’t need to have quite so many at one meal.  We eat rice at breakfast with beans, at lunch with potatoes, and at dinner with potatoes or bread or both. There is a conversation that repeats at my house constantly.  My host mom will make a starchy soup with potatoes, cayote, green plantain, and about 4 other starchy vegetables… and then proceed to try to serve me rice with it.

No thank you. I’ll get you rice its fresh. No thank you. It is better if you eat it with rice. I don’t really want any, this is great. Are you sure? Yes, I’m sure.  This looks delicious.

We have this conversation multiple times a week.  So tonight I decided to cut it off before it can start. Do you want soup with potatoes? Yes please, but no rice. (I proceed to decline rice 3 times)

But then I look over and notice the delicious fresh bread sitting on the counter that she just bought this morning… hmm… that would go well with soup.  So, I ask for bread. And then it hits me.  This is my life.  I am a double starch eater.  My poison is just bread, not rice.  I would take it as a side dish at every meal.  Oh, judgmental heart… you have been humbled again.

4 comments:

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  2. I know what you mean about the starch overload. I used to be married to a vegetarian and that was the only way that she could get calories and protein. I would have a Mediterranean diet if I could convince the rest of my household to abide. I'll send a huge dose of amylase with your sister to go with that rice :-) -Jeff Batten

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  3. You come from a long line of bread lovers :)

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  4. And rice lovers! Today, made Indian rice. Love!

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