Questa è Enida

There is a story behind this Beef Stroganoff dinner I made last night.

Kitreena has been enjoying lunch from the school cafeteria. It all started when I sent her back, traveling on her own to Moscow from Singapore about a month ago – while I spent the extra two weeks in Malaysia. And since Daddy would not have time to cook or pack lunch for the daughter, Kitreena was finally introduced to the cafeteria food (despite Mommy’s suspicion of where those cafeteria staff’s index fingers have been).

Beef Stroganoff, once every two or three weeks, appears among four choices in one of the days’ menu. Kitreena, a big fan of Beef Kurma, naturally was overjoyed when she first saw it. Well, I am sure you can tell what has been her favorite since. She has been giving nothing so far but all the good reviews on the cafeteria food. I must admit though, I can’t dismiss what she said altogether. I have had a couple of meals there myself, and to be fair, the food is good for a school-cafeteria standard. Plus, it is the closest eatery to us on this hill. No, I lied. It is the only eatery on this hill. I shall say no more.

And now that I have come home, unfortunately fortunately, Kitreena still wants to continue getting lunch packs from the cafeteria. I believe it is mainly her way of ‘fitting in’ with her mates. And I also believe I am saying this because I am in denial. Nonetheless, I only let her do so  twice a week now. Apparently parents here are making use of the facilities and what privileges they have. This lunch-packing business can be time consuming, if one doesn’t have time and cannot make time to begin with. Worse, if one doesn’t find joy in doing it. I got time!

Okay, the Beef Stroganoff story is…
I told Kitreena that I make better BS than what she gets from the school cafeteria. (Yeah, both BS’s, I admit to that too.) “But the real challenge is the Mashed Potato, Mom. You’ve never made Mashed Potato.” she said. ‘Yes I have, too! Hello! I have watched your Grandma Johnson making it sooooo many times! So many that it felt like it was I who was making it every time!’ But of course, that is just my BS thinking. No. You’re right. I confess. By golly hail Mary, I never made Mashed Potato.

Lo and behold, yesterday’s Beef Stroganoff was no bs for Kitreena. I shall say, ehem! I passed the challenge. She was so impressed with both my BS and MP that she actually is going to pass on the Beef Stroganoff on Macaroni next week! No bs, but hello! Nobody makes Macaroni like Mommy does.