One of the many things I love about mi esposa hermosa is that she is creative in ways that surprise me and that encourage my own creativity. Yesterday, as we discussed what we might do with the awaze paste I made, she suggested using it as a flavoring next time I make congee. Brilliant! Ethiopian-Chinese fusion! Maybe we’ll call it Ethiopinese or Chinopian food. There may be a future in that cuisine.
Later in the day, as we were having the last of the Christmas tamales for lunch (hoping they had not gone back in the almost two weeks they’ve been in the refrigerator), she suggested I try the awaze as an accompaniment to them. It was a wonderful match. Immediately, I began imagining other Mexican-Ethiopian (Mexicopian or Ethioxican, yes?) combinations, including doro wot tacos. Surprise! I discovered that someone else has already come up with the idea!
Then, this morning, as we were having steel-cut oats for breakfast (normally, I use a tad of brown sugar when I prepare it; this time I did not and it was a little bland), she suggested I use the awaze paste. I did not follow her suggestion, but her comment gave me an idea: why not put a bit of soy sauce in the bowl? I did. I prefer savory to sweet. It was good!
All of her recent creative food ideas may be a sign that my wife, who has been in a self-described “non-spurt” (she says she loves to cook “in spurts”), may be ready to enter a “spurt.” When that happens, I am the fortunate beneficiary of wonderful meals. I’m hoping!