The Butterfly

Who? | A brief history | Why KB? | Yet another blog? |22 Things

Who?

Ozoz. Nigerian-born, Liverpool-schooled (in part) and now living and working in The Netherlands Nigeria. Also a Child of God, Wife to One (critic extraordinaire) and full-time working Mama of Three.  Did I mention food-struck?

For the first 9 years of my life, I hated food and really loved sugar. I redefined the concept of food storage and preservation as a child- often going to bed with my dinner in my mouth (which always seemed to miraculously reappear behind the deep freezer!). Ask my mum who can’t believe it when she sees me these days, a little bit round.

A brief history

‘Thank you Wimpy, you saved my life’. That’s what the headlines should have said in the summer of ’85 when my dad took my older sis and I to Edinburgh. We went to the festival which rocked. We saw the marches, walked in the gardens and caught a glimpse of the floral clock, all on the fateful day when…… hunger struck!I was 9 years old and had never experienced a day’s hunger in my entire life. This girl suddenly found herself ravenous and starving so that when we arrived at Wimpy, I literally fell on my kid’s meal – something or the other with fries, can’t remember exactly what it was but I ate it and washed it down with Mirinda. My dad, in shock watched me for the first time in his entire life, eat my way through a meal with neither threat nor tears! In delight, bless his soul, he asked if I wanted a second meal and having savoured the flavour of junk food, I said yes! yes!! yes!!! and I ate it ALL up. And then I cried. Full and over-fed to the point of pain. Never before had that happened. My little stomach had been stretched beyond its bounds….and it hasn’t looked back since. Poor thing, ….. sometimes.

Why KB?

I’ve evolved in distinct phases – like the butterfly. I am flighty. I am constantly seeking…. content with my life but still in search of more. I am big on combinations – cross-pollinating and cross-fertilization. I’m big on flavours and textures. I love pretty. And colour.

Yet another blog?

Yes, to add to the millions in the blogosphere! Well, I have too many notebooks. Too many recipes in my head. Uncooked, unloved, unshared. I can’t go on like this. When I discovered that there were other food fiends out there like me, who oohed and ahhed and poohed (over their goof s and gaffes), I realized I didn’t have to stay pen-glued-to-paper. Actually, even though I’d been reading blogs for a couple of years, it never occurred to me I could start my own. Late last year though, I finally stepped off the edge when P (my Mexican amiga) started a blog.

I love food. Talking, feasting, seeing, photographing, writing, dreaming, scheming, shopping, reading. I love all action words to do with food. And as my man says, since the inevitable is unavoidable – here I am.

21 Things

1. I’m a born foodie… well, forget the 9-year post-birth period. They don’t count.
2. I’m always up to and in the middle of something.
3. When he was 2 years old, I thought my son was a natural cook because he was addicted to spoons, till I read Talent is overrated.
4. My girls love to cook with me, sometimes they don’t eat, can’t eat the things we’ve made like my granary pizza…. sorry no pictures yet. I’ll try and repeat the miserable feat and tell.
5. I dispel the myth that all black men can dance.
6. I’m constantly craving something.
7. I hate to throw things away. I’m a proud collector of many a thing – buttons, cookbooks and other ‘stuff’.
8. I love to shop.
9. I’d rather shop for veg than shoes.
10. And yes, I’m female.
11. You’ll find me headed to the ‘sales aisles’ when I go into a home shop.
12. There are designer bags in our home, they don’t belong to me or the kids.
13. I almost always have a pen(cil) and notebook with me.
14. I vacillate between absolutely organized chaos (my kids are my excuse) and compulsive cleaning.
15. I love combinations – food, talk and photos, what more could a girl wish for? Don’t ask me or I’ll tell.
16. I love to take bite-sized slices of life and grow in leaps and bounds.
17. Sometimes I eat a whole dinner standing up, before dinnertime.
18. I am a little good at improvising.
19. I make a recipe as is…. on very rare occasion.
20. I feel really blessed to be who I am and have all I have.
21. I want more, but I’m thankful to God for today.

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