Missing Ingredients and Unexpected Pleasures

I love cooking! I get a really good feeling from feeding people. I can't really explain it, but it is one of the things that makes me the happiest: when I cook and people enjoy it. I think I'm going to have very plump toddlers and my husband will need an intensive gym workout plan plus a personal trainer (I hate obese people). Maybe it makes me feel womanly (cue slurs from modern 'feminists' ,lol).  

The weird thing is that I'm not adventurous with things I eat, just things that I cook! I cook/bake quite a number of things but don't eat myself, because they're a little too risky for me!

Unbelievable, isn't it? But I usually have friends who are kind enough to perform quality assurance functions.

I want to moan about the lack of 'exotic' ingredients available locally. I have been looking all over for lavender and curd cheese for a while now *sigh*. I can be very determined in my ingredient quests, even waiting for months for what I want to be shipped, or for someone to come down and bring it to me. If I was this dedicated to my books I would be sweeping prizes into my hat. smh. (somewhere my dad is weeping,lol)

If you ever see me very excited and bouncing off the aisles of a supermarket it is probably because they have a product I've been searching for. I have even screamed in glee once; I am certain the woman next to me concluded that I was retarded. The sad thing is when after searching for aaaages you find the product you need and it is RIDICULOUSLY over priced -______- . These are the times it pains me that I'm not yet RRRRrich, I would rather hop on a plane to go and get it myself, than allow myself to be ripped off.  So through no fault of mine I'm now becoming somewhat of an expert at ingredient substitutions. 

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When I'm in the UK a large part of my diet consists of KFC popcorn chicken. So when a branch of KFC was opened in Accra I was so chuffed; I would finally get popcorn chicken but nope, it was't meant to be 

I leave a note in the suggestion box when I go there asking for popcorn chicken.
Anyway,I was so determined to get my chicken popcorn that I decided to make some. I went on youtube and searched for a recipe for it....And there appeared the stumbling block number: at 1.36 of the video : Panko breadcrumbs, which the cook recommended for the best results.



I went on a quest and the panko breadcrumbs eluded me for mooooooonths despite my best efforts!! I have to admit, I gave up,n'adzzen?? Then I randomly saw them in a shop at Osu where I buy cake making supplies. Look!You simply cannot imagine my excitement!!  I had to contain myself or there would have been an impromptu acrobatic display. Isn't it lovely when you lose hope but secretly still wish and then BAM! it's there?

FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!! moral: never give up! :D

I can FINALLY make my popcorn chicken! This weekend is as good as any, have a few engagements and a cake to bake but I will make time. I even intend to go back to the shop stock up on it, for future use.

I hate peeling and puréeing garlic, and would do anything to avoid it. Happened across some of this, which used to save me the trouble at MaxMart, 37:

I wasn't looking for the garlic but I was happy to see it. I can't wait to have another pleasant surprise. if all surprises were this pleasant I might start to like them. 

Have you been looking for some elusive 'ingredient', not necessarily for a meal but maybe even a pair of shoes to complete an outfit (don't get me started on that!) or a particular accessory or a computer cable or something or some special kind of paper or decoration?? It can be very hard to find 'particular' things in Ghana sometimes isn't it?!? So when you stumble upon it BUY it! shaarrrrp! ;)