Una entrevista con mi señora, Rosa

I found it a very interesting and rewarding experience to speak with Rosa about grocery shopping and food preparation. I liked talking to her about how things are different or similar in America. When I asked Rosa where she does her shopping, she told me that she goes to the mercado for fruit and fish and gets her carne at la carnecería. Sometimes at home, I go grocery shopping at several places, but usually I make one quick stop at Meijer. I guess when you have so many fresh choices here, you have to make several stops to find the best!

Rosa said she usually goes shopping about once a week, and always has an idea of what she is going to get beforehand. Sometimes she will make a list. I like to do this too, so I don't forget anything on my trips. Rosa said that she has noted a rise in the prices, mostly in the fruit and the fish.

Usually Rosa doesn't really know what she's going to make very far in advance. She said she'll usually think about it the day before or the day of, but she likes to make something different each day. Most of the time, it takes about un medio hora to prepare a meal, and that she doesn't find this excessive, but she said it depends on what she is making, so sometimes it may take a bit longer or shorter. When I asked Rosa what her favorite dishes were, she had a hard time deciding because she enjoys mostly everything, but her top choices included paella and ensaladía.

I asked Rosa if she eats chicken often, like we do in the United States and she said that it is common, but ternera and cerdo are probably more common. I also asked her if she knew what pancakes or bagels were and she said no. I tried to explain them (it was kind of difficult), but she told me that almost every American student she has had asked about pancakes! Maybe I will make some for her at some point. I also tried to explain to her what hummus is, since it's one of my favorite foods. I told her it was a product of garbanzo beans and she was familiar with that.

Overall, I have enjoyed learning a lot about Spanish food and having the chance to try some good homemade dishes made by Rosa. She always wants to make sure that I am enjoying what I'm eating and that I have plenty. It's definitely apparent the work that she puts into making a good meal and I am very appreciative for it all.