Credit Cards And Pizza

‘I’m sorry sir, but your card has been denied’.

Horror! Shock! There must be a mistake! I just made a payment last week! Do you know anybody who admits that they maxed the card because they used it twice a day to order food from Skip the Dishes and Uber Eats during the virus stand-off?

We’re at home. We lost our jobs because of a health condition called COVID-19. Fortunately, we live in Canada so the government and opposition parties stopped squabbling for a change and jointly agreed to give us some money to tide us over (CERB), until the storm passes. Thanks very much. Much appreciated.

We are at home waiting. We eat while we wait, or should I say we call the toll-free number or go online to order pizza, a piece of food that does not make any commitments. Pizza doesn’t commit that you will be full afterwards. It doesn’t commit that it will provide any nutrients. Pizza definitely doesn't commit to be kind to your teeth. We love it nonetheless.

The appetite doesn’t have a limit but credit cards do, even if you are a CC junkie and carry five. Take-out is supposed to be a treat, like ordering food because there’s a snow storm or it’s Friday. COVID-19 has made everyday a Friday. That is why we have escalated take-out food.  

HOME COOKING

Onions and tomatoes are the main ingredients.

We are at home waiting, so we can cook while we wait. We all have stoves and microwaves. Let’s leave out microwaves for a second. Some people like my sister Nomkhosi, can cook a 3-course meal in the microwave. I use it to warm milk and defrosting.

Obviously you have pots if you have a stove. The items on this photo are your basics. You chop them and slowly cook in olive oil with a little salt for 10 minutes. It’s okay if you don’t have ginger or carrots. This basic foundation will help you make many meals.

1. Place chicken pieces on the foundation, add some water and cook slowly for 15 minutes. Eat with green salad or rice.

2. Cut liver into medium size pieces. Place them on the foundation, pump up the heat and cook for 5 minutes. Eat with bread, Italian polenta or stiff corn meal.

3. Open can of baked beans, place on foundation, cook for 5, eat with bread or rice.

4. Soak beans overnight or a few hours. Cook for 40 minutes, depending on type of beans. Place them on top of foundation and simmer for 10. Eat with bread or rice.

5. Defrost peas, place on foundation and cook for 6. Don’t overcook, you’ll lose crunchiness. Eat with rice or orzo, tiny pasta also called risoni.

6. Place salmon or white fish on foundation, pump up heat, cook for 5, serve with rice or orzo.

7. Place sliced mushrooms on foundation, pump up heat and cook for 5. Mushrooms have a lot of water, that is why you’re cranking up the heat.

8. Place sliced beef on the foundation, add a cup of water. Cook slowly for 15. Eat with bread, rice, pasta or stiff corn meal.

Salads: mix chopped lettuce with tomatoes and cucumber in a salad bowl or tin foil. Add blue cheese salad dressing and mix with a wooden spoon.

Potato salad: Boil potatoes in salted water for 10.  Drain and leave to cool. Boil eggs for 5. Leave to cool. Peel eggs, chop’um and throw them in chopped potatoes. Marry everybody with fresh cream, mayonnaise or light salad dressing.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.