Sunday, March 23, 2008
Quick, Recipes

Letters to the Editor

Make Yeti Ezeanii’s Gambian Damouda

"Blue state” women to blame for prostitution industry?

(Regarding “Hookers, Politicians, and Me,” News & Views, March 16): As a man of all of 20 years, I know that as far as life experience goes I still have a lot to learn, but I have to say that all of my life, from cradle to academia, from Oprah to my college professors, I have been bombarded with the mantra that “Men are s**t!!!” That men are to blame for everything from global warming to Jaime Lynn Spears (yes, I acknowledge the baby-daddy and even the father, but let’s just say that the mom will be receiving her mother of the year award right after pageant moms and Dina Lohan).

Now, will I be the first to admit that the economic, religious and moral core of America was constructed by white men for white men? Yes. Have those same misogynistic values been adopted by the generations thereafter up to and including my own? Yes! But from [Stephanie Ramage’s] article I get the feeling that she underestimates today’s women’s intelligence. Could a woman not use those same values to benefit themselves in much the way many men do, or are they above such baser (see “man”) thoughts?

Let’s not be so quick to forget Sally Fields’ “If women ruled the world there would be no war” Emmy acceptance speech. For now let’s put aside how ignorant and incredibly asinine Sybil was and focus on the lack of media backlash—as in, none at all. Or better yet, if there was, nothing that would’ve amounted to what a man would’ve received if he had said something similar against women in such a venue. This neo-feminist bull that today’s “enlightened and impassioned” women seem so quick to shove down our throats has got to stop.

Research the history of organized prostitution before you spill such self-righteous spew onto your article, or have you forgotten Sally Stanford, Polly Adler, Deborah Jeane Palfrey, Elizabeth Needham and most notably Heidi Fleiss? I’m not here to morally pardon what these men do or how they deceive their loved ones, but maybe not all the issues we have with the legal and illegal practices of the sex industry are the fault of the X chromosome. Maybe the Devil sending out all these women to their clients, exploiting and feeding their addictions while having no trouble getting a good night’s sleep on their mattress that blood, sweat, tears, and all around s**theadery bought is not wearing a red tie at all, but a blue dress.

—Dazed and Abused (as posted on sundaypaper.com)

Don’t legalize it

Stephanie Ramage’s article, “Hookers, Politicians, and Me,” was very thought-provoking. I agree when she says that “people who look like grown men but have the mentality of a 13-year-old get a sexual charge out of doing what’s illegal and getting away with it.” But I disagree with her suggestion that prostitution be legalized. The problem is that these politicians keep trying to lead people without first understanding the basic nature of the human ego.

Power, sex and money have the strongest attraction for the ego. When a person attains a powerful position, that person must vigilantly control himself or herself lest they fall victim to the destructive qualities of the ego. One woman once said that “Prostitution has worked for thousands of years and it still works today because men have not evolved.” No truer words were ever spoken.

Even an Ivy League education is useless against uncontrolled hormones and impulses, as former Gov. Eliot Spitzer so glaringly demonstrated. Lack of sexual control causes men to lose their reasoning. America’s most vicious serial killer, Gary Leon Ridgeway, killed at least 48 women, most of whom were teenage prostitutes. He said he had done it because he didn’t like the control they had over him (!). How can a man blame a prostitute for his own lack of control? To some men, a prostitute represents feminine evil: She exploits their sexual weaknesses and makes them pay for relief. A minister once said that using sex to manipulate people is a form of witchcraft. I still blame the men.

Politicians would do well to study the lives of famous men like Sir Isaac Newton, Beethoven, Nikolai Tesla and others who practiced celibacy or other forms of sexual control. They understood that sexual energy is creative energy that could be channeled into creative projects. They used the energy constructively instead of destructively.

—Lewis Charles, Fairburn

Damouda for the soul

Yeti Ezeanii’s article in The Sunday Paper (“Out of Africa,” Food, March 9), brought to mind a question that only someone like Ms. Ezeanii can answer.

A few years ago, two young men from Senegal visited with me for a day. They spent their time here in the kitchen making a kind of stew or chowder that they called “doumouda.” (I don’t know how it’s spelled, but that is the way I heard it.) They used peanut butter, meat, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, spices (to taste), and enough water for desired thickness. When it was finished, they served it over fluffy rice.

I stayed in the kitchen while they worked so I could watch how it was done. I have been trying to duplicate it ever since without getting it right.

What can you tell me about making it?

—L.W. Calhoun, Atlanta

Editor’s Note: Mr. Calhoun, we forwarded your question to Ms. Ezeanii and she responds as follows.

The chowder you described is of Gambian Origin. Gambia is a small country that is almost completely surrounded by Senegal and both countries share cuisines but call it different names. The term Damouda can be very confusing because both countries have dishes with same name. In Senegal, Damouda is a tomato based stew that is thickened with a little flour, while in Gambia Damouda is a hearty peanut butter and tomato-based stew. It is important to note that the Senegalese have a version of the peanut butter stew called Mafe.

Please be advised when making any peanut butter stews, the peanut butter must be the natural, unsweetened kind. Look for peanut butter that says “natural peanut butter” on the label and look for some oil on the top of the butter. When peanuts are ground to make butter, it is very natural for oil to rise to the top. Also, slow cooking is the key to a successful outcome.

Gambian Damouda
Serves: 6-8 Adults
Time: 2 Hours

• 2 lbs of Lamb (Cubed and washed)
• 1 lb Jar of Natural Peanut butter
• 1 cup of canola oil
• 1 large onion
• 4 Limes (Juiced)
• 2 cans tomato paste
• 3 roma tomatoes
• 3 Bouillon cubes (Maggi brand preferable)
• 2 tsp crushed pepper flakes
• 3 Habanera peppers (optional)
• 1 tsp dried dawadawa (found in African grocery stores)
• 6 carrots (cleaned)
• Salt to taste

Heat oil over medium to high heat in large sauce pan, add meat, stir with wooden or plastic spoon to ensure all parts the meat have browned. Cover the pot and leave for 5 minutes. Puree tomatoes and onions in a food processor. Add tomato puree, tomato paste, peanut butter, pepper flakes, bouillon and dawadawa. into the pot, taking care to stir well after adding each ingredient. The meat should be covered by at least 4 inches of liquid by now. If not, add enough water to make sure the meat is properly covered. Cook uncovered over medium to high heat for 20 minutes. Add lime juice and stir. Taste for salt and adjust accordingly. Cook for additional 45 minutes until stew starts to thicken. Lower heat to low to medium setting, add carrots, optional habanera peppers, cover the pot and simmer for additional 25 minutes. Sauce will thicken to a hearty consistency. Serve hot over steamed jasmine rice.

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