How to Cook

Before I say anything about my experiences of cooking in the jungle, let me recommend that one should always make sure that what appears to be sugar is indeed sugar and not salt. Not checking makes for very bad pancakes indeed…and even worse syrup. In my last few days in the city I went on a desperate search for food in an attempt to purchase all I would need for three months. At one market I grabbed several unmarked plastic bags of what I assumed to be flour and sugar.

The truth came out. I decided to make pancakes on Saturday, in keeping with an old family tradition, for the first time on my own. After a long hour of gathering all ingredients, meticulous, measuring, careful mixing, and intense cooking, I arrived at the table with a plate of pancakes, a small pitcher of syrup, a cup of tang (in place of orange juice), and French-press coffee. When I tested the syrup, however, I found to my surprise, that I had concocted an excellent mixture of highly concentrated salt water. Alas.

Other attempts to provide sustenance for myself have met with success, such as baking bread on a stovetop, which I thought was tricky, and Tuna Alfredo a la Macaroni, dined to Mozart, of course, which I thought was classy. I have not yet resorted to hunting, but with the roosters continuing to crow at 3:30am, we’ll see how long that lasts.