Cooking Class in Mapá

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, one of the recent joys of my Peace Corps experience has been the cooking classes I have been helping to give in coordination with a local institution. The two communities that we are working in, Mapá and Mapá Centro, are located a good distance from the town center so getting there requires both a 4 wheel drive pickup ride and then an hour on foot over several hills and a dry river bed.

The goal of the project is to get the women cooking more nutritiously and with the diverse ingredients that can be found locally. Last week we made beef stew and the women brought all of the necessary vegetables from their gardens or purchased them from their neighbors. The meat was bought in the Sunday market in my town and came from a local farmer as well. The results were delicious (who knew that a stick of cinnamon in stew could taste so good!?) and my time with the women was delightful.

The view from Doña Vicentas house

Cutting veggies