BERBER

I CHECKED THE PANTRY THIS MORNING and found this container on the shelf among my usual seasonings... basil, rosemary, parsley, thyme and coriander. There was the harissa and five spice that I mixed myself, along with the sea salt, garlic, celery salt, celery seeds, and and cardamom. The fennel and cumin were in place as were the chili powder and tumeric. Marjoram... and not bay leaves, but sage in leaf and ground leaf status. The mystery I'm calling down is the appearance of BERBER SEASONING on my uppermost shelf. Where id it come from? I don't know what it goes into, what nation it buffers or what guest (of the few that appear here) could have left it behind. Guests to my home come on rare occaision and live for chili by the pot load. They send chili to other folks homes and come out to reclaim their containers if necessary. There was once a co-worker whose LASAGNA spilled over into our household... from an office POTLUCK event. Seasonings were never exchanged and it was his mom's recipe and handiwork that brought it here for comaprison with my own. She did not use BERBER to make it. I did consider the JAMAICAN JERK CHICKEN recipe that rolled through with my daughter on a one day in town visit. Her chilcren boastfully acclaim an illgotten affiliation with an "over seas" origin as "wanna be Jamaicans" with the one love of Bob Marley, or "could a been fantasy stem from one time King of Ethiopia, Haille Salassie" and the swale of 1960s business venture that became the Rastafari Movement. All this said, I have no idea what that has to do with my pantry. Her boys stand by a black and brown assertion of their entry into life by attaching Rastafarian names and hairstyles to their lives. One other point, none of the boys nor their mother cook when they come here. They generally do not eat when they come here; and they rarely come here. The last to visit claimed to have become vegetarian... berber seasoning is applied to meat. I rest that case.

None of the neighbors trade out or borrow food or seasonings... or utensils.

Not knowing what it is a combination of, I pressed into the situation and pull up cooking references... YUMMLY, FOOD NETWORK along with MADHUR JAFFREY, and PAULA DEEN cookbooks. The closest I get is that there is some reference under ETHIOPIAN SPICES. I don't know any Ethiopians... though I did meet Nigerians while in college over two decades ago. They have not been in my nearness and I'm guessing they returned to Africa... they were in Ann Arbor on student visas. They did not gift it to me.

With the sudden appearance, anyone would think it should be thrown away as a potential assault... perhaps a chemical plant to sabotage the family. FENTENYL and crack is ever bourgeoning in the news. The reddish brown appearance says little to nothing to me... I don't know drugs, never done drugs and never will. What is at hand, is that making the meal I stepped into the pantry to source ingredients for is falling into the hour of the next meal plan. Rather than continue speculating on what where or who dropped it here, I determine that throwing it away is the best move.

In today's world it is unconscionable to eat what falls into your lap without reference. Although I embrace food styles from many nations, ethnicities and levels... gourmet, street food, fast food all in our attempt.. the world population's attempt at broadening the view of what is food, and what food is available for human sustenance, enjoyment and nourishment. That said, I change direction and focus, lifting the JASMINE RICE, three eggs from the fridge and a section of salmon from the freezer. After popping a cup of rice into the steamer with the salmon in the tray above it and a small pan pulled out to poach the eggs in, I grab the alien element and toss it into the trash can.

In 20 minutes I dress three plates and drizzle the fish with oyster sauce and call out DIIIIINNNNAAARRR!