Saturday 19 January 2008

Z receives a compliment

"Don't think I'm being racist or anything" he said, "but for a white country-woman, you cook really good rice". There were snorts of laughter from his girlfriend and my son. "No, really," he emphasised, "that rice you cooked last time I came was as good as my granny's."

Well, thanks, Zain.

11 comments:

Dave said...

A Roman recipe for you:

I. Alaudarum M cape.
II. Linguas exseca et sepone.
III. Alaudas abice.
IV. Linguas mitte in sartaginem cum paulo olei et frige cito.
V. Eas traice ad patellam calidam. Quattuor sufficit.

badgerdaddy said...

That IS a compliment - rice as good as a relative? Blimey!

Reminds me of a friend of mine, shattered his ankle and lower leg, needed pins and serious operations. He was in hospital, foot suspended above bed, in a backless gown so his tackle was on show for all the world to see. To his delight, a black nurse commented – "For a white boy, you're pretty well endowed", with a big smile.

Unknown said...

hehehe that's an interesting compliment, but i take them any way they come, so yay for you!

Anonymous said...

Yes, that is a great compliment. So what is your recipe? In English please.

Z said...

Blimey, Dave, I'm going to have to get out the dictionary. I see something about tongues, roasting quickly and a hot kneecap (huh?). Four are quite enough, I should think. I'll be back later with a translation. After dinner.

Oh gosh, are those larks' tongues?

Indeed, Badgerdaddy, a Pakistani granny, no less. He saw the big bag of Basmati rice under the kitchen table (too big to fit in the cupboard) and chuckled.

I think the key is soaking the rice well and rinsing it; that's what matters. I'll post the recipe when I've translated Dave's, which I don't think I'll be cooking.

Z said...

I. 1,000 larks' heads.
II. Cut out and reserve the tongues.
III. Throw away the larks.
IV. Put the tongues in a frying pan with a little oil and roast quickly.
V. Serve them in a small pan. Four are enough.

So, this is a recipe for 250 abstemious people? I'm sure I could manage a lot more than four larks' tongues.

I do not need Latin lessons from anyone but you, dear Dave.

Z said...

Oh, I left out hot or warm, for calidam. A hot small pan, or possibly a kneecap.

luckyzmom said...

People that did not grow up with rice as a daily part of their meals do not usually cook rice very well. So, that was truly a great compliment.

Anonymous said...

Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur.

Dave said...

Sorry, I mean 'enough for four', or 'serves four'. ie 250 each.

Z said...

Ah, Dave, I see what you mean. Was the recipe ambiguous or was it simply my bad translation?

Hello, you know?, - I really have forgotten all grammar, is 'sit' the subjunctive? To the effect that 'those who can speak in Latin make the sound of heaven' I think.

Zain is a very polite young man, Zmom.