Thursday, April 12, 2007

being bi-lingual does not necessarily mean that a person can have a good grasp of all languages, because in my case, even though i speak English and Arabic, i don't actually have any other language skills, i'm thinking of learning either Turkish or Chinese but i haven't decided yet.

the reason i have brought up this topic is because i found myself in stupid predicament at my local Asda.

my parents are performing urmah at this moment in time, my mother is a teacher in an Islamic school, and each year she is in charge of taking a group of girls on urmah in the Easter break, that means that i am looking after my brothers, every body say hooooray.

so on Tuesday i decided to cook spaghetti, i had finished work at 6, so i needed a fairly fast way of cooking spaghetti, i could have done makaroonah imbakbeekah, but i needed an even faster dish, so a bunch of spaghetti in a pan of boiling water with sauce on top, maximum 20 minutes cooking, that's the plan in my head.

the sauce obviously had to be pre-made so i made my way over to the sauce counter, there was a big selection, i was looking for the vegetarian option obviously, something with vegetables preferably.

each sauce i would pick up i would look at the ingredients in the back, and each time a certain word kept popping up, the word was Champignons, i recognised it as being a french word but i instantly thought it was alcohol so i kept putting them back, i then walked away in frustration, and whilst walking throughout the different aisles it occurred to me that it might not actually be champagne maybe it was french word for something else?

so i went back to the sauce counter, i took all the sauces i was looking at, sat on the floor and studied them (people where looking at me, but i was on a mission).

my research found that in the ingredients, next to the word mushroom in brackets was the word Champignons, ok that wasn't enough for me, it could have been alcoholic mushrooms for all i know, well it could have been!!

so i took out my mobile and looked at all my friends names who possible new some french, i found my friends younger sisters number who is studying french gcse, i rang her and asked her what the french word for mushroom was? she didn't know, so i told her that i would be having serious words with her french teacher who clearly does not know how to teach simple words like mushroom.

i then remembered my friend who speaks fluent french, i called her and she answered, i asked her what mushroom is in french and she said Champignons, and i laughed and explained to her why i had rang her, to which she called me an idiot!! in a jokey manner of course.

the funny thing was i didn't realise i had an audience looking and listening to my conversation, so by the time i got of the phone, one guy was cracking up with laughter beside me, shaking his head and generally making me feel like a fool.

so people champignons is not a drunk alcoholic mushroom, it is a mushroom...

22 comments:

The Godfather said...

Cheers Fungus!!!

Anonymous said...

LOOL! wish i'd have been there :o)

lostkitty said...

a mistake anyone cud have made............ glad it was u!!!

LOL!

mani said...

WA.. walahe your hilarious lol.. keep up the absent mindedness :D

Brave Heart said...

makrona bel mashroom, how come
i dont like mashroom any way, and i dont know how people eat it

a_akak said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
a_akak said...

you got me worried, as i probably have all these prepared sauce at home and last night went to do my shopping and guess what "i bought about 8 different types" anyway I have looked at the ingredients which seem fine except for one which has wine in it, so i didnt get that

See, your blog is both educational and comical :)

Fe Aman Allah

Anglo-Libyan said...

so did you end up buyng RAGU? :o)

I have never tried Ragu sauce, I wonder if its any good?? main thing, did your brothers like it?

white african said...

lol @ godfather, you are so never going to forget that nick name.

amena, i looked totally lost that day, my head was spinning with mushrooms.

kitty, i was confused..

mani thanks, lol absent mindedness i guess is my second name.

brave, my god how could you hate mushrooms? i will convert you to liking mushrooms.

akak lol, glad i could be of help, anytime inshallah.

white african said...

ooops missed you there anglo.

i actually cant remmeber what i bought, it was ok, nothing beats libyan sauce, but it was fine, my brothers enjoyed the meal, so that was cool

The Godfather said...

Indeed. I thought it would be appropriate to use that infamous term as you were talking about mushrooms.

Brave Heart said...

i doubt u can do that WA, B.H cant change his believes and habits easyly

Lady_K said...

when i went to Toulouse on a business trip i went to dinner with a friend of mine, and neither of us could really understand much ofthe menu apart from the basics (the menu being in french and all) and i ended up ordering pasta and ham! aaargh, luckily the waiter was really nice and told me what it was b4 i ate it and gave me a fish dish.... i dont know what was worse!

lostkitty said...

wildkat!long time no see mi chika!

white african said...

appropriate indeed godfather, i guess its something i gotta live with.

brave i want you to go to your nearest store and buy a packet of mushrooms, then go home, slice the mushrooms, not to thick or to thin.

get a frying pan, melt some butter, put the mushrooms into the frying pan and stir then allow to cook, add salt and pepper to your liking.

some people put garlic, end by putting some kusboor.

delicious mmmmmmm. try it :)


pasta and ham? wildkat whyyyy? alhamdullilah teh waiter came to teh rescue.

Brave Heart said...

i think, it's easy for me to fight with Iraqi than do what u told me.
i think all my life i cocked 2 or 3 times,it was plain pasta, just boiling water and put pasta on it, and wait for15 minutes and eat it.
i know it's horrible but when u r hungry u can eat any thing like this

white african said...

brave that is so bad, all you need is a bit of salsa on top of teh pasta,

i can give you easy cooking instructions if you want.

MD said...

looool! i think from now on people should just comment 'only u whitey, only you' on her blog

Brave Heart said...

Noooooooooo way BH can't cock,cocking not for men, just for women, i know it sounds as the 10th century, but i want convince my self i'm not wrong.
if want to help me just send ready meals for me

white african said...

brave that is so unhealthy???? what do you eat then, take aways all the time?

you need to blog what you eat on a day to day basis, i cant belive youdont cook sometimes, not even fried eggs?

Lady_K said...

Hey Lost Kitty
looking forward to seeing you in Mcr!

Anonymous said...

Loool. . I Can Imagine U Sitting On The Floor In Asda Reading The Ingredients. . Wish I Was There!! =P