Here again is another installment of what I like to call the Great Listing of 2003. This time around I'd like to give you a glimpse into the social connections I've made around the world this year. So without further ado, I give you . .
Andy Morrison's Top Seven New Friends 2003:
1) Bernard Chebani - What can I say about this guy? He's an up-and-coming Librarian of sorts from Botswana who dances in "Breakin" style street fights, thinks George Bush is the world's foremost leader, and can cook a mean fatcake. Joe should also be mentioned here. I've never seen such a skinny guy drink so damn much. The two of them definately kept me smiling through the semester abroad.
2) Sven of Norway - Ok, so Darcy and I never really got this guy's name, we just decided to call him Sven. He was the only other person at our expensive tourist hotel (and the only one in town) in Vik, a small village along the largest fjord in the world. Sven chatted with us for a long while at dinner, and had actually been to both Tacoma and Salem in his travels as a sort of 'logging consultant for hire.' Picture tall, balding, reddish-blond scruff covering a beet red face, and his hands and clothes covered in dirt and tree sap. I think he was eating fish.
3) Mark Guest - This cheeky brit was one of the friendliest guys I met during my time abroad. He's Chris Tiedeman only bigger and consistently more drunk. Also worth mentioning here is Dave Hughes who met me on the train to Aber for the first time. A hilarious guy with tons of random jokes and the funniest accent. He's the one who introduced me to Guesty.
4) Dave of Scotland - Lindsey and I saw this guy while we were eating lunch at a small Scottish hotel in Glencoe. He was huge, totally bald, and missing all but two teeth. While we never actually talked to the guy, we watched as he raked up his buddies in the strangest game of billiards I think I've ever seen.
5) Doris and Lenny - I've already explained these guys, and I had to put them in as one entry because I never see them apart.
6) Jess Thompson - Funny girl that gives me rides to the art museum. Worthy of mentioning simply for the great white elephant 'Santa and Mrs. Clause in their underwear' dolls that we submitted to the annual art museum gift exchange.
7) Old Man in Wolverhampton - He was the crazy character that chatted with Joe and I over breakfast while simultaneously drooling an orangish mucous and wetting himself. An old vet who had an uncanny ability to multi-task.
And there you have it. Tomorrow, look foreward to a top gifts listing in the spirit of the holiday.
Bernard! I'm glad you cleared things up about the fatcakes. They definitely deserve a description. In response to your question, sadly I have seen no fat cakeladies or, come to think of it, fatcake ladies. (Apparently fatcake ladies sell fatcakes, but I thought Bernard was talking about a cake lady, who happened to be fat, oops.) I would however like to see your invisible men in Africa. I'll see the cow bone-spitting snakes and the alligators hanging in the trees on the same trip! Take care. :)
Posted by: lindsey at February 2, 2004 7:18 PM
How to cook fatcakes
I think this guy Andy Morrison is not a good communicator! Im saying this because most of his friends dont have any idea what fatcakes are. Just to do you this favour.... not you Andy... but visitors to this site, I will explain.
Well, to start with, fatcakes are not pancakes, although there are similarities. Now fatcakes are fat, meaning that they are full of oil and ....please pay attention... they are bigger in size. The idea of fatcakes is primarily to feed stomachs that are routinely empty.. well, lets dont labour on this point, it is not a major talking point. Consciences might be bruised here.
Basically to prepare fatcakes, you need the following ingredients: bread flour (preferrably self-raising flour), cooking oil, sugar, salt (just little please, you need a lot of salt when exorcising poltergeists - any chance that you fellas know a poltergeist? Its a small invisible man, come to Africa if you want to see one).Sorry I'm digressing.
Where am I? Oh ya, ingredients. I think I have recounted them all, of course you need warm water to mix the dough. Well, the ingredients cant be many bearing in mind where the cooking will be done: basically anywhere in Africa...just about anywhere. Funny, if you paid any attention, the ingredients suggested are almost ubiquitors, or else just about anyone can afford them; I dont know in terms of quality and nutrition value if there is any reason to bake fatcakes. Anyway, no one is to blame here, if you want to point a finger, do so to the early Indian traders, they introduced this food to Africa.
Once the dough has been mixed, either thick or with a lot of water, you scoop some of it and basically deep fry; incidentally, deep fry suggests that a lot of oil is required and used. Leave the dough until it browns; there you are, you have your fatcakes!
There goes correction of the day! Check this website regularly for more corrections. By the way Lindsey have you met any fatcake lady recently?
Posted by: bernard at February 2, 2004 2:36 AM