Meat World!

There are a million varieties of meat here in South Africa. Besides the usual beef, pork, lamb chicken and ostrich, there are a million different cuts of meat that aren't widely available in the States, at least not to my knowledge. One can buy packets of chicken necks, gizzards, sheep stomach (cleaned or unclean), ox heels, ox tails, ox trotters, lamb knuckles, sliced lamb neck, lamb kidneys, any type of liver you want (beef, chicken or lamb), walkie talkies (chicken heads and feet), plus the usual chops, steaks, mince, etc.

I am on a quest to figure out just how to cook and use these different meats. Ox tail is incredibly good in soup. Lamb knuckles are apparently good in curries. Liver is good sauteed with onions and peri peri sauce, and served with rice.

One thing I have come to appreciate is bone-in meat. In the States we're so used to having the bones taken out of our meat, that it was new for me to slurp the marrow out of bones in my stew. The flavour of a South African potjiekos (sort of like stew, only cooked in a three-legged cast iron pot over an open fire) is unparalleled.

I didn't realise how "packaged" American society was until I moved to Africa and had to actually take the meat off the bones myself (although a South African would ask why on earth you would do such a thing!), make macaroni and cheese from scratch, and buy juice fresh with no preservatives. I have to say, despite the fact that cooking takes a bit more prep time, I wouldn't trade it for the world. My kitchen smells good (beef shins for dinner tonight), I like working with my hands, the conversations that take place in my kitchen while food is being prepped and cooked is sweet, and I am learning how much "convenience" I can live without. The funny thing is, I don't find life here all that "inconvenient". I rather like it... chicken feet and all.