When the healthcare volunteers are in town, there is always a day or two when we are not up in the hills and need to go to a restaurant in Otavalo for lunch. As we were thinking about where to go, I suggested that maybe we should just pay one of our friends in Quichinche to cook for us. I know many people would appreciate the extra money and we could get the volunteers some authentic home-cooked food. Everyone was open to the idea, and I suggested we ask Susana if she would like to host. In our months of staying there, we had never gotten sick from her cooking, and new she was an exceptionally conscientious hostess. It was agreed, and Amy and I asked Susan what she thought. She was so surprised that we had thought of her, and immediately set about making a shopping list, without even asking what we were going to pay her.
True to form, Susana pulled out all the stops and made some awesome food. Here you can see her hard at work, dishes piled up as she scurries to get everything ready all at once, on one little oven. Note that she was cooking for over 30 people. This is no easy thing anyway, but in the more rustic conditions here, it is even more difficult.
Here is the crowd gathered in Susana's front room, where we helped her to put out some tables.
The dinner included a tuna and vegetable salad, followed quinoa soup and then by beans with mint leaves and rice. Seriously delicious, and everyone was impressed.
Here is the hostess herself. She did such a wonderful job, and was so pleased to hear all the wonderful comments from the group. Hopefully they continue to use her in the future.
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