Cordylobia anthropophaga

Today, we learn about Cordylobia anthropophaga, also known as the Putzi fly. What a great way to follow a post about food! So, our new and beloved dog, Dipsy, was kind enough to discover the treacherous and evil Putzi fly parasitic larvae yesterday. She had a boil that was growing and growing. Nigel recognized it as a Putzi bite and Heidi recommended vaseline to cover the excrement hole, suffocating the larvae inside. Sure enough, after just a few seconds covered in Chapstick (fresh out of vaseline), this little guy wriggled out far enough to be pulled out with tweezers. Makes me a little itchy just thinking about it. Mad props to those of you who have endured these in your own skin (you know who you are). You have our greatest respect.

Traditional Food for the Not-so-traditional: Black-eyed Bean Salad with Cardamom Rooibos Sun Tea

Our good friend, Peggy, says you should eat black-eyed peas on New Years Day (a southern tradition). Luckily, these are cheap and plentiful here in Bots. This is one of my favorite lunches with ingredients that are available in America and Botswana. I've made it with other types of beans, but black-eyed peas are pretty perfect. The spices are all optional and everything is flexible. Plus, if you make a mother-load of beans at one time, you can eat for a while without having to use a heat source.

Black-eyed Bean Salad with Cardamom Rooibos Sun Tea

Black-eyed Bean Salad

1 can of black eyed peas (or follow the directions below)*

3 diced tomatoes

1 diced onion

1/2 cup peas

½ cup corn

4 jalapenos (take out some of the seeds for less heat)

3 cups shredded rape (kale, swiss chard, or spinach works too)

1/8 c. lemon juice

1/2 t. coriander

1 t. cumin

salt/pepper to taste

cilantro

Toss all the raw ingredients and chill for at least an hour. If you are lucky enough to have some, sprinkle some cilantro on top (Thanks Andrew and Jen!)

*Black-eyed Beans 

500 g dried black-eyed peas

Water to cover +1 inch

2 cubes chicken bullion

A lot of garlic (I use about 4 T. powder or 5-6 cloves)

Salt/pepper to taste

1/8 c. apple cider vinegar

Sort, rinse, and soak the beans overnight in water with bullion and spices. In the morning, add more water if necessary, bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer for almost an hour (I do this really early in the morning with the doors and windows open. Bonus: I feel like all the garlic makes mosquitos run away. This could just be in my headJ). Test the beans to see if they are fully cooked, add vinegar, and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen the tasty bits. Turn off the heat and let the beans sit with the lid still on the pot until cool-ish. Reserve 2 cups for the salad. The rest can be frozen for later.

Cardamom Rooibos Sun Tea

Cardamom Rooibos Sun Tea

1 rooibos tea bag

Ginger root

Lemon

A few cardamom pods

Water

I cut several thin slivers of ginger and lemon and crack the cardamom pods before combining with water and rooibos tea in an old glass peanut butter jar (Any glass jar with a lid will work). Place in the sun for 4-5 hours (If you’re in Bots, it will be brewed in only an hour or two. Use a potholder!)

Solid at Room Temperature

Hide your eyes! Owen models proper cooking attire.

It’s hot.  According to physicists, a lot of matter is supposed to be solid at room temperature. What happens when this matter has been liquid for so long, that you start to wonder “whose room is this they were speaking of and how did they get such amazing climate control?” I know this doesn’t apply to you all who are suffering in subzero wind chills, but perhaps you will enjoy just a few tips we have learned from locals…

1. Lean out. You know how Americans are supposed to “lean in” and “git ‘er done?” Just don’t. Lean out. Lean waaaay back. The further back you lean, the slower you naturally walk, and the less you have to “git done.” I learned this one from my former counterpart, Kabelo. He got to work every day at 7:30 and tried to sit really still until 4:30. That, he said, is the trick to living in Botswana.

2. Don’t touch. No hugging. There is a season for that. This is not it. Don’t even let your own skin touch itself. Crossing your legs? Do you really want that puddle of sweat in your shoe from the stream of sweat running down your leg? I didn’t think so.

3. Lay on the floor, in a doorway, with as few clothes as possible. In the desert, the shade makes a huge difference. Even if the temperature is only in the upper 90s or 100s, the sun will DESTROY you! Tile or cement floors are cool, even if corrugated metal rooftops are not. A little breeze is a gift from God. Be thankful!

4. Letsatsi le letsatsi, go letsatsi (every day, its sunny).  In Setswana, the sun is so inescapable that it just means day. If you absolutely HAVE to move, at least stay out of the sun. Everyone carries an umbrella.

5. Have a Mayo (or a Cooltime). Yes, it sounds gross. We don’t mean mayonnaise. It’s kind of like a frozen Goghurt. Better yet, freeze a peeled kiwi, papaya, or mango. Yum! Have a salted tomato or cucumber- electrolytes.

6. Dunk your sheets or pajamas. When I first heard that people did this, I swore I would never be comfortable sleeping wet. It turns out, I was wrong. Evaporative cooling is a wonderful thing.

7. Remember to recharge. We don’t mean at the spa. Do NOT forget to plug in your solar panel and keep the battery charged thoroughly enough to deliver an artificial wind tunnel when you need it most.

8. Morning water is better. Morning everything is better (sometimes the busiest times in the neighborhood are 4am-7am). Water coming from the tap in the afternoon is hot hot. Run water in the morning for a cool bucket bath after work.

9. Move to Kansas. I hear it’s beautiful this time of year…all that sleet J