During
their Fieldbase training all the volunteers were given a challenge to prepare a
meal in 30 minutes with Raleigh rations. They were given 30 rupees (50 pence)
per team to buy some vegetables from the village of Jayapura to add to the
rations of sauce, noodles, pasta, onions, tomatoes and chillies. The meal had
to be cooked on Trangias within the 30 minute time limit.
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| Some of the Raleigh rations available |
The competition was a good opportunity for
all the volunteers to exchange cultural cooking ideas.
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| From L to R:Nagesha, Vijay, Jo, Kayleigh, Ashleigh and Luke sharing ideas. |
The competition was introduced by Eleri
(Deputy Programme Manager) and judged by three very experienced food experts –
Paul (Country Programme Leader), Anna (Logistics Manager) and Gemma
(Administrator).
The food was presented by the teams wearing
a variety of costumes – sari’s, chefs hat and head dresses of fine coconut
leaves. Attempts were made to impress
the judges by playing local music, drums, using a member of the team to be a
food trolley, using leaves as fan to keep them cool and two volunteers knelt
down so that the judges could put their feet up!! Bribery in the form of
cigarettes and money was used in an attempt to get extra points.
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| Some of the delicious food prepared above and below |
On presenting their food to the judges the
teams had to explain the ingredients, how the food was made and the flavour of
the dishes. The judges faces were very expressive, in delight and a few times horror, while
tasting the food.
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| Kayleigh the chef |
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| Wonderful food presentation |
After tasting each and every dish very
carefully , some dishes more than others, the judging panel took a very long
time to come to a final decision.
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| Entertainment whilst awaiting the decision |
Eventually the judges decided on four awards: best looking dish, the best tasting dish, the best dessert and an overall winner. The overall wining team were awarded a very delicious chocolate cake, which was eaten very quickly after the competition ended.
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| Jade and Becky celebrating after winning. |
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| The winners being applauded |
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| The winning team
More entries from the groups will be posted here as soon as they arrive with us from the villages.
Keep sending in the messages as they are very much appreciated by everyone.
|
Jo Brown |India Yankee 1
ReplyDeleteHi Jo
Great to hear news of some of your challenges, so far, and of course thrilled to see you were part of the winning team in the cooking competition. I look forward to sampling some of your new cooking skills. I just about survived my first sportive and felt like we had found every hill in Derbyshire to cycle over. Hope you're having fun, but finding it a challenge at the same a time.
Lots of love Mum x
Brilliant - I have a feeling you'll be on cooking duty when you get home Jake (IR6)!
ReplyDeletePippa's busy baking cakes and Nana will be doing her 'special meal' so I'll just leave you lot to the kitchen ;-)
Hope you're keeping a diary and taking lots of photos...
much love, Mum xxx
Edward Austin IY3
ReplyDeleteHi Ed Spotted half of your face on one of the pics. Food looks great! All those skills learnt as a poverty stricken student must have helped with the challenge.Hope you are having a great time. I have located your village on Google it looks tiny.
We are all fine looking forward to our holiday.I'll raise a glass of the black stuff to you whilst in Dublin. Lots of love Mum and Dad xx
Luke (IR6)
ReplyDeleteHi Luke how did the cooking challenge go? Considering you can't cook an egg properly at home, I hope you're learning a few new skills! Your face is still looking very red, did you remember the sun cream haha. Home is very cold and boring apart from millie destroying another ipod case! Mum has paid your camp america next instalment so you're still ripping her off on the other side of the world hahaha! Hope you're having fun, looks like it! Take lots of photos with my cam! You're missing nothing at home!
Lots of love Mum and Ashlee! xxx
heather nicholls ir5 looks like your having fun and its good to see you smiling face have even more fun and take care love mum and dad xxx
ReplyDeleteAshley (India Romeo6)
ReplyDeleteSpotted you in two pictures you look happy. How was the Ready Steady Cook Competition?. Hope you are having the time of your life. Dyl. nan and grand dad sent their love. love Mum
Hi to Dan in IY3 ,hope you picked up some tips on the cooking challenge looking forward to some nice curries when you get home.Everything fine here, hope you enjoying the experience and having fun.Love Mum Dad and Tianna
ReplyDeletethere will be no currys when I get home for a few months! got your letters the other day thank you very much for it all and the newspaper article is good! make sure you preserve some copies please, hope your not too jealous of the weather out here and if your not then you should be! had a Indian mud bath the other day and then swam in a river, take it easy all of you!, from Dan xxx
DeleteJo Yankee 1,
ReplyDeleteHey Jo. Winning team hey! Those cooking lessons I gave you finally paid off. Hope your having a smashing time. Keep your eye on the snail mail.
Love, Joe x
Hi Dan trust you are in good health and hope you have not lost too much weight .Don t know what to do with the surplus eggs ? How is the dog hope you will not be too upset when you have to leave him behind Take care love Nan and Grandad xx
ReplyDeleteyeah I am in good health, having a really good time, enjoying the weather! not looking forward to the cold weather in the UK, taking a trip to abbey falls on Sunday and we are stopping at the golden temple, construction on the eco-sanitation toilets begins tomorrow, hope your both okay take it steady and make plenty of omelettes! from Dan xxx
DeleteHey Jo, I hope you're well. Of course you were on the winning team of the cooking competition! Congratulations. It looks like you're having a great time and are very smiley. Last weekend we had a great time in London catching up with everyone for Kerry's birthday, we missed you a lot! Richard, Peter and James have made it to Vladivostock, at last!! I'm still on the job hunt. Happy Bonfire Night! Lots of love, Lucy xxx
ReplyDeleteHi Jade, Missing you and great to see you won the cooking competition. Taught you well. Hope you are having a great time, love you lots Mama XXXXX
ReplyDeleteHey Becky, well don't on winning a chocolate cake, I'm not surprised it didn't last long :p looks like your having an amazing time! Looking forward to hearing from you and hope each day is asa amazing as the last xxx Emily x
ReplyDelete