By Jeune Van Keric

A RETIRED teacher, now caterer, who once served in the classrooms of Botswana, is expected to soon release a compilation of recipes.

Included in her book is “Steamed cassava and meat pie” and “Sweet potato custard pudding”, the recipes for two dishes which had grabbed first and second place at two consecutive national root vegetable competitions sponsored by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Trained as a Home Economics (secondary) teacher at the Lilian Dewar College of Education (now Cyril Potter College of Education), Roxanne Warde returned to her alma mater– the Berbice High School– where she served for 15 years. There, she served as Head of Department and Deputy Head Mistress.

It was during 1999 that an opportunity arose for local teachers to serve in Botswana, a country on the African continent.

“I took the opportunity to serve, as I wanted to experience something that was different. And it was indeed different… Initially, I was hit by the culture shock, but I had to quickly compose myself, as I had my daughter, Lizanne, with me. But it’s a decision I do not regret until this day,” she reflected with a smile while seated at her home at Glasgow Village, East Bank Berbice.

“I spent six years at the Semane Community Junior Secondary School, in Serowe Village, the birthplace of many presidents, and I was able to experience much, especially whilst teaching Home Economics.

“To be able to eat a boiled egg back then was only allowed when they (the children) start working. So, when they came to the Home Economics class, they had to prepare varying dishes; I would give them the foods. Their response was as though I was sent from heaven; they would hurriedly put the food items in their pockets. Previously, their teachers would share it among themselves,” Warde recalled.

In Botswana, the main dish is Seawaa, which is made into a semblance of a thick porridge from white corn. It is referred to as ‘polenta’ or ‘pap’; it is served with a meat stew.

During her tour of duty, Warde visited Libya and South Africa, in which latter country lemon grass (a medicinal bush) is blended with masala and other ingredients and added to curries to give it a unique flavour. However, the taste is strange to the Guyanese palate.

After her six-year tour of duty, in 2006, she returned to her homeland and commenced teaching at the New Amsterdam Multilateral Secondary School, where, again, she attained the position as Head of the Home Economics Department. It was during this tenure that she guided students to the FAO’s national awards, which focused on root vegetables, or what is referred to locally as “ground provision”.

Students were able to gain first placement with a dish called “Steamed cassava pie”, which had been included in the FAO’s international recipe book. The following year, the students grabbed the second place with a dish called “Sweet potato custard pudding”.

“I love cooking; I would mix things up and tell my relatives to have a taste, which is most often teasing to the palate… Now, having retired since 2016, I am continuing catering, having done so for organisations and varying functions over the years. It is what keeps me going… I have also taught students in the Citizens Empowerment Programme, which has resulted in some persons becoming employed within agencies. And I am working on my very own recipe book,” Ms. Warde said.