Have you ever wondered what it’s like inside the homes of San Mateo? Lynda Brown, who volunteered with a service learning team from Drake University, accepted the invitation to look inside and captured this great story.
If you’d seen Marlaney you’d remember her – her huge smile, her ability to communicate well despite limited English and the fact that she’s always working hard. Be it digging sand from the lagoon, working as a cleaner, or as the case was today – making those delicious plantain chips you can buy along the beach.
Marlaney’s kitchen is newly renovated, with everything you need to make delicious food in Belize – a bench, a roof, and a source of heat. She was as proud of her new kitchen as anyone I ever met.
First she peeled the plantains and slices them using a hand made mandolin slicer made from a knife and several pieces of wood (which worked far better than my store bought slicer).
After soaking and drying the plantain strips, it was time to flash fry them.
Oh yeah – they look GOOD. The smell was amazing and by this time the neighbors began to come around looking to buy a tasty morning snack
Next came packaging, where Marlaney again showed her ingenuity, proving that a t-light candle works well as a package sealer.
Done, and most definitely good enough to eat.
Thank Marlaney for so generously opening your home. And thank you Linda for spending a morning in San Mateo and taking these great photos and sharing your story with us.