Well this weeks cooking efforts was abruptly halted on Sunday when our temperamental old oven decided she had had enough and blew-up. Yes, you read it right – our gas oven had a small explosion!! Luckily, the only casualties of the blast were ‘C’s ‘ leg hair – which were singed to black stubs, and the stench of burnt hair permeated through the apartment!

Although we can laugh about it now, it was a pretty scary incident, and one that could have led to a catastrophic turn of events. We have had problems with the stove since we moved into this apartment – the knobs got ridiculously hot, so hot that I was afraid they were going to melt, the fire in the oven wouldn’t actually extinguish even though we had turned it off etc etc. However the most worrying aspect of it all, was the slight whiff of gas in our kitchen. We complained to ‘C’ employers who are in charge of the maintenance of our apartment and everything in it, and they sent someone over who had apparnelty fixed the oven and had concluded that there was no gas leak.

I remained skeptical – but felt that I couldn’t really argue with someone holding a gas detector in hand, so I let it be. However, as time went by the smell increased and it all accumulated on Sunday morning when ‘C’ was going to make me breakfast. Kablewy!

However on the plus side – yesterday we received a brand spanking new shiny silver oven WITH a griddle!! You can tell its the small things in life that excite me :) 

I was not expecting a new oven! One of the drawbacks of living an expat life – is that in  some situations you have very little say in your home environments. You are assigned your apartment, you are assigned your equipment and you have to make do with what you get – hence my excitement of the new oven. I really was expecting another abused and worn out teenage oven that has seen many a families come and go over the years, but I was nicely surprised.

Unfortunately, I haven’t even had the chance to cook with her yet – and I won’t have the chance for another 2 weeks, because as of tomorrow we are off to Peru! I am incredibly excited. ‘C’ grew up in Lima, and this will be the first time that I will get to see his home town – and where he comes from. I will get to meet his mother, see the house he grew up in and meet all his childhood friends – it’s going to be absolutely lovely (yet slightly intimidating too!). It will also mean I am forced to practice my pretty mediocre Spanish.

Another aspect which I’m thrilled about – is exploring Peruvian food! Having grown up in Asia and Europe I never had the opportunity to taste Peruvian food, in fact I had never heard of anything really special about it – but from what ‘C’ has introduced me to over the last few years – I can honestly say it has been a hidden gem. It is one of the most exciting and vibrant cuisines I have come across – a fusion between Asian, Native Indian and Spanish ingredients which all seem to blend and compliment each other superbly.

However, I should not jump the gun…let me actually go to Peru try the ‘real’ thing…and then I can come home and rave about it :) 

So until the next time I write..

Hasta Luego