It's a big deal, I tell you! In this part of Warri, Mama Pickle has the most renowned name when it comes to making those crunchy, tasty pickle chips that everybody craves. They'll tell you nobody's pickles taste better than Mama Pickle's!
It goes way back to when Mama was just a little girl. Her father used to make this special pickle recipe. All the secrets and techniques were passed down by hand from generation to generation until it reached Mama's turn.
As Mama grew up too, she kept using the same family recipe that makes her pickle chips so outstanding. They fry them to a perfect golden-brown crunchiness, with just the right amount of vinegar tang and spicy kick to excite your taste buds!
"Mama Pickle! Mama Pickle!" Little children would shout from morning till night anytime the aroma of frying pickles started to waft through the streets. Because once that scent hit the air, everybody would run to Mama's spot to eat those freshly baked chips.
"Buy some, Mama! Buy some!" They would call out, waving their pocket money to get a share of the crispy goodness Mama dished out hot from the fryer. Tender on the inside but ultra crunchy outside - nobody could resist!
Even the elderly wouldn't miss out on the action. They'd make their way there too, groaning and shuffling but still hustling to get their bite before Mama's batch ran out.
"Oh Mama! Now this is a proper pickle!" One man would declare as he munched with satisfaction. "You've shown everyone you have the real secret recipe!"
All types of people would gather round anytime the sizzling magic happened - young and old, big and small. Boys would compete over who got the biggest, most golden-brown pickle slice while the young ladies tried to look elegant in the front row.
"Save me some, Mama!" One little girl would cry out to get Mama's attention. "I have my money ready, I want some too!"
But Mama didn't play favorites. With the oil splashing in the black pot, she would dole out the fresh batches fairly, making sure every customer got their bread and pickle fix for the day.
"Easy now, easy!" Mama would holler to the hungry crowd. "Everyone will eat their fill today, no cutting lines! Form an orderly queue and stop pushing!"
Once Mama started dishing out the goods into brown paper trays, the boys would grab them quickly to start the munching competition - who could eat the most pickles before the supply was gone?
"This is fire! The flavors are exploding in my mouth!" One little kid would yell with delight as he crunched into the spicy slices.
Meanwhile, the young ladies would admire the mouthwatering aroma and snap photos to post on their WhatsApp status, posing with the paper trays like it was a gourmet meal.
"Mama Pickle! You have the number one pickles in this whole area!" The trendy girls would shout in appreciation.
Even news cameras would show up to snap shots of the legendary Mama Pickle and her magical pickle frying skills whenever she was operating in the streets.
"Give us a pose, Mama!" The cameramen would call out as they readied their flashing lights.
And Mama, with sweat glistening on her face and a big warm smile, would pose proudly with her tray of crunchy pickle chips like a celebrity chef.
"More pepper!" She would yell playfully for the cameras. "Anybody who wants the real Mama Pickle experience has to get it nice and spicy hot!"
At those words, shouts would erupt from the hungry crowd all clamoring for the fresh batches. Even the burly men would push their way through the youngsters like kids, waving wads of cash for those irresistible pickle chips.
"Who's holding up Mama? Don't waste time!" The big-bellied men would boom, squeezing between the hungry youths.
Mama didn't play! Rain or shine, once she fired up that black pot in the street, she would fry pickles non-stop all day until her stock was sold out.
And as evening settled, when Mama finally packed up her things to head home, people would still call out her name begging for one last batch. But Mama would just smile, wave, and be on her way because the last pickle had been fried - until tomorrow!l.
That's how Warri celebrates Mama Pickle, the queen of all crunchy, vinegary, spicy kickin' pickles that are never to be missed on the streets. Nobody's pickles can beat Mama's legendary recipe made with decades of skills and secret family ingredients.
Thanks for reading here❤️❤️
I picked the prompt from last week (pickles)