Sin hielo, por favor

When testing came to an end on August 15, 2011, my day was just beginning. There was still packing to be done, an apartment to be tidied up, garbage taken out, laundry washed and dried in addition to the post traumatic stress of having taken 3 final exams one after another. But we would be flying out in less than 24 hours, on our way to Bolivia with two stops, one in Miami for a few hours and another in La Paz at 6 am.

It was finally happening.

The medical mission to Montero that we had been planning for an entire semester was coming together. We were leaving.

After finals, I don't think many of us really slept. That was the purpose of the 9 hour flight from Miami to Santa Cruz. And post exams for medical students = the sleep we deprived ourselves of during the semester.* everyone found sleep in one method or another despite being unable to recline back. Recline forward, I suppose?

It was a fairly uneventful flight, nothing much of note until 7 am as we flew above Bolivia and I snapped a picture from the plane of the land lit by the rising sun.It wasn't all though. We still had about an hour drive from the airport in Santa Cruz to Montero where we would be spending the majority of our stay.

Piling our luggage into the bus, we all grabbed a seat and prepared for more sitting. The roads (for those who have experienced the Dutch side of Sint Maarten) were immaculate in comparison. ;)It was a new day and we were awake and ready to go. Well.... most of us were awake...

Back at the Beginning

And so, here we are again, at the beginning of another semester, back from Bolivia and on the island in the midst of the havoc that Irene's passing has caused upon all returning students from the northeastern coast of the US.

There's nothing better than coming back to a place that I consider my home, where I can sleep in my own bed and feel safe, walk along the streets and know most of the people who pass by and be with friends that are my second family. But then again, there's something to be said for working in a foreign country, visiting sights I would never have seen otherwise and meeting people who will never be forgotten.

When we left two weeks ago today, I had yet to feel that sense of excitement, the joy of visiting another country and experiencing a culture different from my own and meeting individuals who will hold a place in my heart forever. But as we drove to the airport in Santa Cruz on Sunday morning, I knew that I didn't want to leave. It was like being at home. Perhaps not home in San Francisco, in the US where comforts are readily available but it reminded me of going to China, of staying in my dad's village and knowing my way around despite being unable to read road signs.

In between clinic and hospital time, we traveled to different homes for follow-up visits and the disparity in health care was clearly evident. In the US, things are sterile, hospitals have an overbearing sense of strict rules but when I visited the clinics and followed nurses to individual homes, I knew that despite the lack of some materials and the different socio-economic status of the two countries, medicine was still the same. They cared. Everyone we worked with strove for the same goal: to see people get better, to help and heal, whether physically or emotionally.

Perhaps this is a bit of a sappy post, but less than two weeks in Montero showed me that I'm on the right track...

After all, where else would I find beautiful sights with fast friends... only hours away from living conditions... that would have the US Health Department up in arms?

Behavioral is teaching us to define culture and ethnicity while becoming more aware and competent, observing and acknowledging without being judgmental. Which brings me to the point that while I may not have grown up in the same cultural group as Bolivian citizens, I felt as if I understood them better than others I have encountered in my educational journey.

The Final Stretch and Food Scarcity

It's an utter complete nightmare.

My fridge is never ever empty. And yet, here I am, sitting on my couch, reading about skin path and thinking about how creepy it is that my bug bites are no longer merely red papules but tiny little fluid filled vesicles while internally wondering about what it is that I'm to eat.

Granted, I know I have to clean things out. I'm leaving for Bolivia in two days. There's absolutely no reason to keep food in the fridge. There's no reason to go out and buy a carton of eggs when they can't be finished in time. But that still doesn't stop me from wanting more food. It's like a disease. =.=

What kind of person am I that I'm reduced to doctoring up a can of soup. A can of soup that I didn't even buy. (On that note, thank you Kathy for leaving things with Karla and good luck on your Step 1!) And the sad part, using one of two eggs that I have left. Yes, that's right. TWO eggs. And now, it's a measly lonely little chicken embryo in a styrofoam carton in the fridge, waiting for when I next need a quick meal.

Look at this. Just look!What is this? D=

I'm ashamed. You may not be but I am. A can of "healthy" veggie soup doctored up with a little matouk's, a can of sweet corn and ribbons of smoked ham, all nestling a poached egg.

Now, in an attempt to make my brain the same consistency of the yolk encased in the white albumin of that egg, I will return to my regularly scheduled study.

Good luck to all and to all a good night!

Breasts and Buns

Female reproduction, breast pathology, and the memory of a comment about bunless burgers begins this post about a bakery style Chinese bun reminiscent of childhood, San Francisco Chinatown on a Saturday afternoon and a classic addition to American life along with the previously mentioned burgers.

As the smell of yeast permeates the apartment, I think of how much I don't really like hot dogs or Chinese buns for that matter. But for some reason, the soft bready dough of Chinese style bakeries just calls my name at the strangest moments.Bakery Style Chinese Hot Dog Buns 腸仔包

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 tsp yeast
1 tbs granulated sugar
1/2 - 2/3 cup warm milk
1 tsp salt
2 tbs unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
Sesame seeds
8 hot dogs (I used beef)

In a small bowl, combine yeast, milk and sugar. Let sit for 5-10 minutes to proof the yeast. In another bowl, combine flour and salt. Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients with one egg. Mix to combine. When the dough begins to come together, turn out onto a flat surface and knead. If the dough seems a little dry, add a little water. If the dough is too wet, add 1 tbs of flour at at time. Add the 2 tbs of softened butter cut into small pieces. Knead into the dough until incorporated and the dough is soft and shiny.

Oil a bowl and place the dough in a warm place to rise for ~90 minutes or until doubled in size. Cut into 8 pieces of equal size. Taking each piece, make into an 8-10 inch long log with the middle thicker than the ends. Wrap around the hot dog, leaving very little space between the dough so that when the 2nd rise occurs, the dough meets to close up the space and not show the hot dog.*See that gap in the dough on the top bun? Try and avoid that. ;)

Continue until all 8 hot dogs have been wrapped in dough. Let rise for another ~90 minutes in a warm place.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. As the oven is heating up, beat the second egg and brush on the tops and sides of each bun. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. When the oven is hot, bake for 8 minutes at the preheat temperature. Turn the temperature down to 350 and bake for another 5-8 minutes.Makes 8 buns.

Cupcasms

For some odd reason, every time Candice and I are in LH#2, we end up having the most interesting discussions. The time I'm thinking of right now includes oocytes and embryology with some inventive vocabulary of our own based upon a story about knitting and yarn-gasms. Yes, I realize it sounds vaguely indecent, but between cupcake and cupgasm, which induces a sense of greater fulfillment and joy upon consumption?

Exactly. So without further ado, I present to you the cupcasm that has been on my mind for days on end.
Oreo Cupcake with Oreo Frosting

2 packages of Oreos (I used regular Oreos)

*the cake batter I used made an amazingly light cake but because of that the batter was too thin to keep the Oreo from floating to the top of the cupcake. If you want the sandwich cookie on the bottom of the cupcake liner, choose a denser cake batter.

Hershey's Chocolate Cake
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup boiling water

Oreo Cream Cheese Frosting
1 - 8-oz package cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar, plus extra if needed
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Quick Fix Frosting
1 can of prepared vanilla frosting

Preparation of Cake
Combine sugar, cocoa, both leavening agents (baking soda/powder), salt and flour in a large bowl. Mix to incorporate all the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine oil, eggs, milk and vanilla. Stir to beat up the eggs and mix everything together. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until mostly combined. Pour in a cup of boiling water and stir quickly to incorporate. The batter will look very thin but the hot water begins the action of cooking some of the gluten and helps to produce a light soft cake.

Assembly
Line two muffin pans with cupcake liners and place an oreo in the bottom of each liner. You'll need about 30 oreos. If you don't have extra muffin pans, just line and fill as you go. Pour the batter over the oreos, filling the cupcake liner 1/2 to 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until done. This particular cake batter is a little thin so the oreo will rise to the top of the cupcake as it bakes so if you want the sandwich cookie to remain as the base of the cupcake, use a thicker batter to hold the cookie down.Frosting Preparation
Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and milk, beating until well incorporated and no lumps remain. Add the second cup of powdered sugar and vanillia, mixing well again. If the consistency is too thin, add more powdered sugar. If too thick, add a little more milk.
Fill a ziploc bag with oreos, starting with half a package. Using a rolling pin or a mallet, crush the cookies into small pieces. Add into the cream cheese frosting and stir together. Frost the cupcakes with about 2 tbs of frosting.Frosting Cheat
So this is not the first time I have ever used prepared, canned frosting and neither will it be the last. And I am not ashamed to admit that I have a soft spot in my heart for overly sweet vanilla flavored concoctions. As with above, crush some oreos and add them into the frosting. If you like, add a little extra something (whiskey perhaps?) to keep the frosting from getting too hard. ;)

*Here's the cupcake cut in half...
Oreo... cake... frosting... it doesn't get any better...

Bliss in a Bite

Heaven and hell meet in this delectable treat of rich ganache, crumbly crust and pure melt in your mouth goodness. What are calories when the pleasure of spooning melted chocolate overrides any other desire or feeling of guilt?

Perhaps this isn't the best recipe for one's waistline, but in all seriousness, what does it matter when sitting in a lecture hall for 8+ hours a day isn't particularly flattering either? o.O Exactly. So just sit, take a spoon into your hand, watch the light slowly die from the shuttered blinds and immerse yourself in a little you time. ;)

Ganache Tart

Walnut Crust
2 - 6 oz. bags (approx. 3 cups) of walnuts, or any other nut you like
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 stick (8 tbs) unsalted butter

Chocolate Ganache
1 cup whipping cream
16 oz (2 2/3 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 tbs unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla (or almond extract, whiskey, irish cream, something to give it a little extra flavor)
Preparation

Walnut Crust
Using a food processor (or blender, like I did), pulse the walnuts into a fine grind. This is the basis of the crust and yields a nutty, crumbly crust without much trouble. Placing the ground walnuts into a bowl, add the sugar, mixing a bit. Melt the butter in the microwave and pour into the walnut mixture, mixing until all of the nuts are coated in butter. Taking a tart shell (or aluminum dish - anything oven safe), pat the mixture into an even layer, going up the sides to create a crust for the ganache filling. (I had enough to make one large tart and 4 individual muffin tin sized tarts)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and bake for 10 minutes or until the tart shell is slightly brown on the edges. Remove and let cool.

Ganache
Heat the cream and butter together in a small pot until the butter is melted and cream is warmed through. Turn off the stove, take the cream mixture off the heat and pour in the chocolate. Let sit for 5-10 minutes as the heat of the cream softens and melts the chocolate. Stir until completely incorporated and smooth. Add in the vanilla at the end.

*You may use other combinations of chocolate, such as dark, white. milk chocolate. However, the ratio of cream to chocolate will change slightly due to the water and fat content in the different types of chocolate. This is where I stop paying attention to measurements and add cream/chocolate depending upon the texture of the ganache mixture.

Assembly
Pour the ganache mixture into the tart shell. Tap on the counter lightly to even out the chocolate. Decorate with slivered almonds or extra chocolate chips placed at evenly spaced intervals along the circumference of the tart.Cool in the fridge for 1-2 hours or until the ganache has set up. Slice with a knife dipped into warm water to prevent the ganache from sticking. If the ganache begins to get too soft, cool in the fridge for a few minutes before resuming slicing.