As we grow up, we get used to certain things. Smell (mom's cooking), taste (local food), surroundings, environment, climate, friends, language, etc. We get used to ourselves and the way we do things and the way people around us does things. We are comfortable with the places we buy our groceries, clothes, and also where we go for relaxation and holiday destinations. It's like we live in our own little world and stick to our little preferences. The comfort zone is our protection and change is hard to accept.
But once in a while, we get torn away from the comfort zone and suddenly have to adapt to change. It can be quite challenging at times and I think in such cases, it's good to remember our roots.
Moving to another continent 5 years ago, did just THAT for me and my family. We had to adapt to new cultures and a whole different environment, but we just could not get used to the food, so we either had to make a plan, or suffer with every meal.
I experimented with meat mainly. As South Africans, we missed our delicious 'Boerewors' (sausage), 'Biltong' (dried meat, beef jerky) and 'Droëwors' (dried jerky sausage). I had to learn how to make these things myself because in this country, you can't just walk into a shop (like back home), pay for it, and walk out. I used different recipes until I got it right. My family, my guinea pigs!
Recently, I wanted to try something else as a new challenge. I wanted to try and make Russians.
It's quite a process, but seeing as I had all the ingredients and a smoker, I gave it a try and it came out amazing!!!
The process (in pictures below): Grounded the meat finely (mainly pork with fat) and mixed it with the Russian spice that I bought in SA. Filled the casings with it and then smoked them for about 3 hours. Cured it in a pot at just the right temperature and then deep fried it in oil, just as Russians should be cooked.
Came out perfect!
How miserable wouldn't we have been by now if we were unable to adapt to our new life.
