From Dragonfly: Food Creativity

I've talked a lot about creativity in prison, but I have not talked much about the food creativity. This is where commissary and other means to get food comes in. There are plenty of edible meals in the chow hall, but every so often, there is a meal you just don't want/like. Or, you are not feeling up to the walk and long wait. Or, you just need something a little different. Or, like many people, you've been here long enough to prefer your own creations to the kitchen staff's creations. Whatever, the reason, there are choices - as long as you can afford them.

The number one way people get their food for use in their unit is through their commissary purchases. As I've mentioned before, there are many different kinds of items available - for a slightly higher price than we would pay on the outside. Categories of food available include: rice, tortillas, cheese, spices, condiments, coffee, ramen soups, cookies, crackers, pudding, ice cream, candy, chips, packaged meat/soy products, and more! From these purchases, people can make roll-ups, potato logs, cheese cake, tacos, chicken and rice, and much, much more!

There are additional ways (legitimate and not) that people "somehow" get foods. One way is what they can get from their meals in the chow hall. We are allowed to remove any whole piece of fruit and/or dessert with us for later consumption. These tend to be apples or oranges. Dessert is just on Wednesdays and is usually either a home-made cookie or packaged pudding. Some people sneak other parts of their meals out (baked potato, bread, sliced cheese, sugar, butter, and much more). How they sneak it out and where they put it on their body is always a mystery to me! The most illegitimate way inmates get food is through the kitchen. I do not ask questions and know nothing about how people get their additional items from the kitchen (brown sugar, blocks of butter, tomatoes, onions, etc.). All I know is that people have stuff and you never ask how they got it or where they got it from. With these additional items, apple pie, caramel, potato soup, and thinks that smell very yummy are also prepared for meals in the unit.

The next challenge is how inmates cook their meals. In most units, inmates have whatever Tupperware they may have purchased from commissary (or from another inmate), and a hot water spout. The prison got rid of any food they believe required microwaves. I live in the only unit with a microwave - there is one little microwave for 264 women! In units without a microwave, inmates use wax paper (not sure where they get that!) and IRON their food! How else would you melt your cheese??? An additional way food is cooked is through their large thermoses. They fill the thermos with hot, hot water and then put whatever needs to be cooked in a plastic bag in the thermos. This can heat meat, cheese, pizza sauce, etc.

With all these limitations, I still see the most amazing meals being prepared. Pizza is made on Goya crackers or tortillas, with pepperoni and three kinds of cheeses (none of which require refrigeration). Cheesy rice and taco meat rolled into tortillas is wonderful. Baked potato, cheese soup was last night's new adventure in cooking. Cheese cakes made with fruit or just plain vanilla or chocolate are prepared in multiple sizes. Popcorn balls, made with melted marshmallows are the bomb! There's also honey buns with melted chocolate and Graham cracker crumbs, smores, or granola toffee bars that can be made. Noodles (made from the ramen) with beef, chicken, or even seafood is possible! The possibilities are endless!!!

Last night, a fellow Tutor made crepes... a flour tortilla with butter marshmallows, and cinnamon, then another tortilla on top - ironed to perfect crunchy harmony. In my unit, we can prepare this in our microwave, although, we waited over 2 hours to make our dinner last Thursday.

This week is Danbury's birthday. We are trying to plan a special meal, plus dessert for her. Commissary was out of most of the items we needed to purchase, when I was allowed to shop yesterday. South will try to get them on her shopping day - Thursday. If not, we will, undoubtedly, still come up with a fabulous, celebratory meal! It's just a little different how we go about doing it in prison!