The Pretzel

It's just rare enough to be an object of curiosity, and it's just bland enough to not throw off the Argentine taste buds.

How do I know?

Out of one part boredom, and two parts stomach growling, I decided to tackle the pretzel again, this time adding some parmesan cheese on top for extra sabor. Ate lunch, and then packed the rest to carry to the neighbors. Specifically, Romina and Flor.

First stop, Romina. Daniel opened the door and welcomed me in as I waited for Romina to get up from her nap. All three (including their son, Fabri) hesitantly looked at the, how do you say it again?, and took the leap. I was flattered when they immediately responded with wanting more. Then we shared maté and I ended up staying for 3 hours in which we caught up with life, and she invited me to dinner this coming Saturday. We're gonna make pizza!

Afterward, I carried the other set of pretzels to the Quinteros' place. In a way, I felt like Red Riding Hood visiting her grandmother. In place of a basket was my North Park backpack(ito). Any way, I arrived and they welcomed me in for a tea or coffee. They devoured the pretzels, and Silvana wrote down the recipe. Daniel (number two) kept raving, and everyone commented on the unique shape.

The funny part was that everyone who tried them, including Inti from yesterday, talked about how they looked like the food that Homer Simpson always eats. I had to explain the difference, especially how pretzels are normally, though not always, salado, or salty.

What I've learned is it's best to share N. American food that doesn't stray to extreme on flavor, because Argentina doesn't either. They don't eat spicy foods, and I've only seen one Asian restaurant in the city. They talk of the schwarma you can get at Mega Doner, but I'm skeptical. Plus, when I offered some Jif Peanut Butter, it killed me how much they literally despised it.

The other comment is how fun this part of ministry can be; I like just going over to someone's house and talking, well, mostly listening, about said person's life. It makes me think of the importance and the opportunities that exist for all of us. We all have neighbors, and if I remember correctly, Jesus talked about loving them. What would it look like to not overthink the neighbor concept and just knock on the door next to ours?

Just a thought. Chau!