Americans get a bad rap for being obsessed with food. It’s true, we do like our cuisine, but it’s also true that people from every country and culture love to prepare, talk about, and eat good food. Eating is common to all mankind; it brings us together, and delightful memories are often made around a shared table. Although our tastes differ, let’s face it: we all relish a good meal.

Our host country boasts a huge variety of delicious fruits. The fresh bananas, mangos, and pineapples put the Walmart and Kroger produce aisles to shame. However, our city is noted not for its fruit but for its unique love of pork. We even have a popular restaurant called Porky’s!

Pork is available everywhere in town. Along with a wide variety of fish and seafood, pork is the staple meat. Our boys love going to the supermarket where they can see things like this:

And when the guys from the hangar go out for lunch, they usually choose a place where they can polish off a few bones.

Frying is a delicious and safe way to enjoy many foods here. Gorengan (fried snacks) are available at kiosks on almost every street or in the parking lots of convenience stores. One tasty treat is called perkedel (PERK-uh-DALE), which is a fritter usually made from either corn or potato. In our area, perkedel kentang (potato fritters) often contain minced pork or smoked tuna for extra flavor.

Without further ado, I’d like to welcome you to “Cooking with Carol,” which is always an adventure. (I like to measure with my heart, and my heart is a wayward and changeable thing.) I’m not going to give you any measurements for the following recipe. Use your own natural gumption and lots of garlic!

Let’s make perkedel kentang, American breakfast style! You’ll need:

Potatoes, peeled and chopped
Bacon, cooked and crumbled (or other minced meat)
Fresh green onions or chives, minced
Shallots, minced, opt.
Fresh garlic, grated or minced
Parsley, opt.
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg, beaten
Oil for frying

Cook the potatoes by frying or boiling until soft. (I wouldn’t recommend using leftover mashed potatoes for this recipe because they are too soft and will fall apart during frying.) Once thoroughly cooked, smash the potatoes and mix well with the bacon, green onions, shallots, garlic, and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Heat some oil in a pan and shape the potato mixture into patties. Dip each patty in the beaten egg before frying. Fry until the outside is golden brown. It’s that simple!

Whatever you eat today, be intentional and make some sweet memories over your next meal…and think of us the next time you eat pork!