[Oldsarge]

Frank must have been from Minnesota or some other part up north. Now if he had been from SoCal or New Mexico or (God forbid!) Texas . . .

On our first safari to Mozambique, the usual Africa Wins Again syndrome set in and we were unable to fly out the day we were scheduled so our outfitter put us back up in the hotel in Baira and took us out to dinner at a tiny restaurant called The Pikinik. I'd been told that in Moz one must try the prawn dinner so we did. Fabulous! The prawns came off the braai smothered in garlic butter and a large pot of piri-piri was put on the table. Crude sort that I am, I stuck my fingertip into the pot, sucked on it and nodded in approval. Next I shoveled some onto my prawns and handed the piri-piri pot to Jim who did the same. "Hey, be careful, that stuff's hot!" called out our worried outfitter. "Nah," we replied, "we're from California. This ain't hot, it's good!" It was my attempts to repeat the experience that led to Bwana Walt's Safari Hot Sauce (coming eventually to a market near you) and the renowned Prawns Mozambique recipe now residing in the archives. However, as I age, I find that I am more likely to order my Aloo Gobi, curry, and Tikka Masala "mild" rather than the way I used to prefer. There may be snow on the roof but the fire in the furnace needs to be kept at glowing coals, now, rather than inferno!