November 21, 2005

Holy Cow!



I'm not much of a hippy though I don't like to shave so I suppose I may have been one in my previous life.

I have never met anyone making their own yogurts--the weird thing is that I've had three separate conversations on yogurt-making in my 8 months of being in Congo. These relatively normal people seriously took me through the art of making a home-made yogurt.

Why, you may ask, do normal, down-to-earth, positively unJoplinesque people make their own yogurts? The reason is that a single, small, unflavored pot of yogurt costs...brace yourselves....$1.50!!! I can tell you're not shocked, but consider if you will, a weekly normal yogurt intake. That's about, what, 4 to 6 yogurts right? You are are paying 6-9 dollars for a bland, boring set of yogurts.

The first time I saw yogurts here, I was so excited (Senegal was definitely yogurt-poor), ran to the display fridge and proudly set my yogurts on the non-functioning cashier belt. Boy was I shocked when the cashier ran the price of the items...But I kept my composure, smiled idiotically while blanching and ran back home to hit myself in the forhead.

It's almost like cows are holy here. As a matter of fact, I'm never seen a single cow in the Congo, even during my visits to the field.

The next time, I bought one yogurt, manufactured my own (using an internet recipe) and let it sit for 24 hours. Excited, I tried it with a little bit of sugar, and was disappointed to find out that it tasted like baby puke. Ok so I've never officially tasted baby puke but I've baby-sat enough to know what it smells like.

A bunch of friends are considering having a BBQ in a few weeks with a live demonstration on how to make yogurts. A sort of Tupperware party for 20 somethings.

The hippies of Kinshasa are at it again.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I recently had the displeasure of trying this carbonated, unflavored yogurt drink purchased by a girl who pretended that she liked it. Of course I, the one with no couth, took a sip and then quickly made a face like a kindergartener and said "yech". She was not impressed. :)

Victoria said...

Haha! Classic, Laura.
D, you can rest assured that our auntie will be allll over your yogurt conundrum. Remember last time we had Christmas with her? She couldn't stop making bread. If anyone would have the solution, it'd be her...

Congogirl said...

Look -- We all got cited on Global Voices Online again -- check it out!

Congogirl said...

Also: I made yogurt, when I was in Congo even.

Carl said...

Will the quotation in Global Voices Online increase the computed value of your blog and if so can you actually sell it?

Anonymous said...

Hear, hear Ammo!

Carl said...

uh oh. i can hear the sound of the wolves gathering in the darkness.

007 in Africa said...

How the heck do you make home-made sparkly yogurt? I always choose the sparkles, mold or no-mold :)

007 in Africa said...

Back off! You're getting absolutely NO money if I sell this blog. Sheesh, and you call yourselves friends...