Jared's Food Post

I should preface this story with the following fact which may stun many of you: according to my coworkers, I'm a pretty quiet person. One of the reasons for this is that when I was getting training for my job, one of trainers told us (and I quote): "First year staff should probably just be seen, and not heard". That means that when I'm out at a client, I generally don't talk to anyone except the person I'm with, and I talk to the client if I'm spoken to.

This last week, the audit manager for this client took our engagement team and the executives of our client out for lunch. My audit supervisor told us about a place he ate at called the Honduran Kitchen. We all decided to eat there, based on his recommendation.

Just before we left to go eat, it occurred to me that Honduras is really close to Colombia, where I served my two-year mission back in 2007-2009. While I was there, I ate a dish called "Coconut Rice", which turned out to be my favorite food that I ate while there. I don't like coconut, and I didn't really like rice, so it made no sense that coconut rice should be as delicious as it is. Since I've been home from my mission, I participated in three attempts to make this rice. It's never worked out quite right, and I've been stumped as to how to make this dish.

I realized that since Honduras is in close proximity to Colombia (specifically, the northern part of Colombia), it would make sense that they would have a similar cuisine. I decided to see if they had coconut rice. I actually informed all of my coworkers of this beforehand because I was getting excited to see if they served it. They told me that they were rooting for me to be able to get the meal that I wanted.

After we sat down, a waiter asked for our drink orders. They had a few fruit drinks that I didn't recognize, until he said "And we also have guanabana". I jumped in my seat, startling everyone seated at the table. I yelped in surprise. "You have guanabana?" I asked. They certainly did. Guanabana happens to be my favorite fruit from Colombia, and it makes a delicious juice. "Give me some of that!" I declared affirmatively. Everyone laughed, saying things like "I thought he was so quiet!" after now seeing me in my excited state. When my drink came, I was entranced. It was like I was back in Colombia.

After looking through the menu, I realized that I could order steak and onions and fried plantains, just like we would eat on a nearly daily basis in Colombia. Lo and behold, they also offered "rice cooked in coconut milk and mixed with beans". I wasn't sure about the "beans" part, but that sure sounded like coconut rice to me! I ordered the plate, and now everyone could feel my anticipation. Like I mentioned, I'd been burned in the past when it came to getting this food, and I was hoping that everything would turn out all right.

When I got my plate, I knew they'd done it right. Everything looked just like I'd remembered. When the moment came to taste the coconut rice, everyone watched as I lifted the fork to my mouth. I savored the taste; the beans were there, of course, but they didn't block out the true taste of coconut rice. I had finally found it. Everyone at the table was excited for me.

After cleaning off my plate (I didn't eat the ensalada, like a good little Barranquillan missionary! Some habits die hard!), I walked up to the waiter and ordered an additional side of coconut rice, to-go. I wanted an order for myself to take home and share with my wife, just so she would know what it tasted like. It was truly one of my favorite meals of all time.