Hello Dear Ones,
I want to begin this update by highlighting a special project that I've been working on for over a year. I have had the unique privilege of giving music lessons to 12 students in Trinidad. When I taught piano lessons on our mission in Thailand, I discovered how challenging it is to have them playing in church by the end of our mission. So when I found such a demand for music, I drew upon my guitar teaching experience and created a method for hymn playing that is wonderfully rich, but simple. I immediately began arranging music and as my students have progressed, I've continued adding new hymns to their repertoire.
Last month I published it into a compilation of over 80 hymns. What a joy it has been to see them progress and I have high hopes that they will continue after we go home.
Next, I'm excited to tell you about a wonderful event put on by our Couva Ward Relief Society... just for Sister Lindorf! Let me explain...
Since a lot of the West Indies cuisine is a blend of East Indian and African dishes, many of them are based on beans. I'm not sure our sisters really believed me however, when I told them that in our family I am known as the "Bean Queen!" When I saw the bean isle (YES, there are entire isles devoted to beans) at the grocery store, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. There is rarely a day that our trusty crockpot is not cooking up a savory pot of beans for our next meal.
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| No trick photography... This whole isle is BEANS! |
Meanwhile there is a dish that you can buy from the street vendors called "Doubles" that is divine! It is a scrumptious blend of tender fry-bread and exotically spiced beans that melts in your mouth. So I thought, "This should be no problem for the Bean Queen." Not so! My recipe from the internet was a total disaster. As soon as the sisters at church heard about my miserable experience, they secretly planned a Doubles Cooking Class just for me! Sister Griffeth firmly declared, "You can't just READ about cooking Doubles, you have to SEE it done and get your hands in it!" So we did!
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| In Trinidad, a "hand mixer" is your hand! |
Bear in mind, these are carefully guarded, family recipes handed down from generation to generation. However, throughout the class, they would gleam with delight as they whispered some special instruction for this part or that part, that would make them turn out perfectly! So I can't share the recipe... no, no! But the pictures are worth a thousand words and I'll tell you what... I'll make Doubles for YOU when you come to visit us in Oregon! How's that?
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| ...Done a special way to keep them "tender." |
The lively chatter and bantor was probably my favorite part. You would never know that the heat in our little church kitchen was oppressive... Especially with the deep frying and no AC! But they roll with it and have an enjoyable time.
Now the yumminess really begins! Spices and peppers go into the chana mixture (what we call chickpeas or garbanzo beans).
And the real flavor comes from these special toppings, which each person adds according to their tastes. As you can probably tell, each of these were brought by different sisters, previously prepared at home. THIS part of the secret recipe they didn't really plan to share. And yet, they just couldn't resist... I found myself being quietly pulled aside at different moments, so that they could tell me in hushed tones why THEIR topping was so exquisite.... MMMMmmmmm.... Makes my mouth water telling you about it!
Let me give you a little run down, to give you an idea of your choices. One topping is simply called "pepper" and you can probably guess why! Other toppings would be based in a tart fruit, like green mango or cranberries. The green one you can see on the far right is a pureed broad leaf plant called callaloo, which looks like what we call elephant ears. They each have their own unique flavors and will fall anywhere on the full range scale of spicy hot and/or tart sweet. I will never be able to duplicate them, for sure!
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| Calalloo Plant |
NOW TO BUILD YOUR "DOUBLES" FEAST!
Start with fry bread and chana...
Special toppings to taste...
And another fry bread on top!
Now you may think that you eat this delectable delight like a sandwich... not so! The chana and toppings are a little soupy (on purpose), so in a pinch/scoop motion you use your top fry bread to swoop up a bit warm, finger-licking filling with every bite. Then you finish what filling is left with the bottom fry bread... Hence, the name: "Doubles." Its kind of an art form and I mostly just end up messy! :o]
To finish, how can I resist talking about General Conference? Over the past year, we've been working through the logistics of having General Conference available to our ward at the chapel. This time the elements all came together... We had a fast internet connection for live streaming, a flat-screen TV to show it on, AND we've been talking it up for the past month.
To top off a wonderful experience, the Priesthood organized a "picnic" between the two Saturday sessions!
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| Our Elder's Quorum President, Brother Phillip. |
As an added bonus, we all rejoiced together as we sustained our Mission President who went home last July, Claude Gamiette, as a new Area Seventy. He is so beloved by all of us and we pray the Lord will bless him and his dear family in this new calling.
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| Outgoing Pres Gamiette on the left, and incoming Pres Mehr on the right. |
We are sad/happy to report that we have just over a month to finish our mission. We love these dear people with all of our hearts! We pray the Lord will sustain us to finish STRONG! :)
Love, Sister Lindorf
