American Food

My cooking has been terrible since our arrival.  I blame it on lack of inspiration and a very dark kitchen.  Our kitchen has black marble counter tops and a creative addition of black marble cabinetry.  The pricey marble is paired with cheap cracked terracotta tile and the finishing touches include bars on the windows.  

I step into the kitchen turn on 18 light switches struggling to find the right one and open our fridge.  The fridge is hollow, barren of food.  It hosts eggs, milk, butter and a few lazy carrots.  I sigh deeply and turn to our pantry.  Two weeks ago I spent a small fortune on food but food in Nepal is rarely perishable.  Many Nepali's do not have refrigerators and cook most meals each day with no leftovers.  Even the milk is shelf stable.  Lined in my pantry are square shoe boxed sized cartons of milks.  Their expiration dates are listed for a year in the future.

Dairy products are almost non-existent in Nepal.  As a country with a deep appreciation for cows, the demand for dairy products is low.  If you have a craving for mac n cheese, or ice cream you head to the American club which hosts a small enclave of American products in the commissary.  Last week I spent 16 dollars on a block of cheddar cheese.

Every time I go to the grocery store I consider the American obesity crisis.  There are no fat Nepalis.  Rarely I see an older man with a small paunch belly but the average Nepali is fit.  The average Nepali eats the same meal almost every day - a spicy lentil soup over rice.

Outside of the lack of dairy products the most striking difference when shopping in Nepal is simply a lack of choices.  The store feels like a convenience stop compared to the juggernaut groceries in the states.  There might be one type of canned tomatoes or only one variety of children  's cereal.  Shopping is quickly accomplished without debate.

I once read an article that made a convincing argument for the value of snap judgments.  It stated that when people weighed more options they frequently made poorer choices and felt less satisfied with their choice.  Perhaps prosperity has offered one too many food choices and left the average American unsatisfied. The never ending evaluation of options results in a daily dose of fat inducing decisions.  Or perhaps I'm being too critical because I get to evaluate the problem from afar.