American Breakfast

Large rolls, cheese, and juice, that's what every Peruvian I have met eats for breakfast. Now, I don't want to stereotype anybody, but that's what we had every morning and the Peruvian team members seemed to eat with relish (the enjoyment kind of relish, not the pickle kind). They could have it with mantaequilla (butter or margarine) and or jelly (usually strawberry) or just plain. 

Peruvian Breakfast

The kids in the orphanage followed this culinary custom, and it made employing a cook for them easier. Each morning they got up and had breakfast in their quarters with their family group. Lunch and supper were prepared by the cook and served in a dining hall. Sorry, Harry Potter fans, no floating candles, or swooping owls with notes from home.

This orphanage gave us a comfortable place to stay for this year and last. This time David hoped we could spend a little more time showing love to the kids. He came up with the idea of serving them American breakfast: scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, toast and pancakes with maple syrup. Where do you find such American food delights? Well, you go to the grocery store while everyone is stalling a fourteen year old girl's birthday party with games and songs; by everyone I mean Gaby. Jose and David bought pizza, a birthday cake, and soft drinks, and the above mentioned American breakfast ingredients.

By the way if you ever need Betty Crocker pancake mix, the just add water kind, you need go no farther than Ariquipa. Each box comes complete with Box Tops for Education. Well, you better not go farther Arequipa; I'm willing to guess you wouldn't find it in Pedregal.

David cooking sausage.

At any rate, on Wednesday morning we descended upon the orphanage kitchen to improvise. Since the cook didn't need to make scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, toast and pancakes with maple syrup, her kitchen was not equipped to do so. Breakfast is the mother of invention--being a necessity and all. David found two large pots and began cracking eggs.

Electrician Rob figured out how to make a large, gas-fired, stand up, oven cook toast and bacon. It needed electricity to ignite it's pilot or something. Rob plugged it in and it worked--electrical genius! Simple solutions are often best.

My task was pancakes, I recruited Cindy; she did most of the mixing; my job was pouring and flipping. There wasn't a griddle so I turned a large, heavy gauge, sheet metal, pan bottom side up over a gas burner, poured on the oil, and then the batter.

Should be enough.

When the food was ready all of the team members pitched in to serve the kids. There wasn't a picky eater in the house. Now your reaction might be, 'Of course not! Who could resist scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, toast and pancakes with maple syrup?' This is strange food to Peruvians, but no worries, they ate it with relish (the enjoyment kind, not the pickle kind).

Someone from a church the Isenhours used to attend sent some pillowcase dresses. After breakfast Pastor Pablo fitted those to the little girls, and gave out other clothes that had been donated. The boys got wordless gospel disks, and the girls got dolls, and most of the morning the kids were entertained with puppets and singing. American breakfast turned out to be a good way to say, 'thank you' to the kids who let us share their home for a while.

That looks good, can't wait.

Andrea: 'More syrup anyone?'