Hello everyone!

Welcome to the “new/old” Sound Kitchen. We’ve put the programme back together: instead of two smaller programmes on two days, the Sound Kitchen is now one programme on one day – Saturday, at 4:52, 6:22, and 7:52 universal time.

You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you have grown accustomed to hearing: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews and great music … so tune in every Saturday!

Update for the The Sound Kitchen Listeners Cookbook : it looks as if it will be up and online next week – the development team is doing the final testing. I am pleased with its “look” – there is a map of the world, with little forks in the countries from which recipes were sent. For example, if you click on the Nigeria fork, you’ll find (amongst others) a recipe for Red Lizard Soup. If you click on the India fork, you’ll find a recipe for Kerala Theeyal. If you sent in your photo, it will be next to your recipe.

This week’s question was read on 27 May, about the Nato meeting held earlier in the week in Chicago, on 20 and 21 May. I asked you to send me what was on their agenda.

The answer: there were three main items on their agenda, the most important of which was how to ensure a smooth and sustainable transition in Afghanistan. Nato reaffirmed their plans to shift military leadership to Afghan national security forces during 2013, and to remove remaining Nato combat troops by the end of 2014. The summit statement stressed that the transition to Afghan control was "irreversible," and that no combat mission would remain after the end of 2014, when 130,000 NATO-led troops are scheduled to leave.

Also on the agenda: how to shrink the gap between U.S. and European military capabilities, and how to extend Nato's relationships with international partners.
The winners this week are: Mrs. Fatima Rizwan from Lahore, Pakistan; Mr. Hadi Ahmed Ali, from Karachi, Pakistan; Shiuly Khatun from Sirajganj, Bangladesh; S. Kannan from Thiruvarur, India, and Mr. Charles Harlich, from Hightstown, New Jersey, in the US.

Congratulations, winners!

This week’s question was inspired by a letter from my dear brother Pramod Maheshwari in Fathepur, Shekhawati, India. Pramod told me it was close to 50 degrees in Fathepur, which makes me wrinkle my brow just thinking about it: 50 degrees! 50 degrees celsius – that’s 122 in farenheit! That’s hot!

A lot of you live in countries that get really hot, and even if you are Danish and your idea of hot is different from someone who lives in Nigeria, you still have a feeling of being hot, even if it is at 20 degrees celsius, or 68 degrees farenheit, right? I am qualifying this so that you see there is no excuse for not participating, even if you live in the North Pole. I want you to write in and tell us how you keep cool! What is your best trick for staying cool in hot weather?

We’re coming up on the summer break, which means it’s almost time for the Sound Kitchen Special Recipes. That also means you have plenty of time to get your thoughts together and your pen to paper – all the way until 27 August. The winners, chosen at random, will be announced on the 1 September program. As always, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and tell me if you are a Mr or a Mrs or a Ms or a Miss – I don’t want to get it wrong!

Send your answers to:

english.service@rfi.fr

or

Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
BP 9516
75016 Paris
France

or

By SMS. Now you can send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen cell phone !!!!

Dial your country’s international access code, or “+”, then 33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text.

Remember, it’s not just the quiz that wins you a prize. If your essay goes on the air, you’ll find a package in the mail from the Sound Kitchen. Write in about your community heroes – the people in your community who are quietly working to make the world a better place, in whatever way they can. I am still looking for your “This I Believe” essays, too. Tell us about the principles that guide your life … what you have found to be true from your very own personal experience. Or write in with your most memorable moment, and/or your proudest achievement.

Send your mini book reviews, your musical requests, your secret “guilty” pleasure (mine’s chocolate!), your tricks for remembering things, your favourite quotations and proverbs, descriptions of the local festivals you participate in, your weirdest dream, or just your general all-around thoughts to:

thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr

Include a phone number, if you can. I’d like to call you and put you on the air … and send a "thank you" gift for participating.

I look forward to hearing from you soon!

All the best,

Susan