15/4/2014- Walking, Water in Songkran, and Magic... Cake

Hello, fellow readers,

So, for an update, I would like to say that I had a four day holiday. Honestly, I didn’t really know what to do, so I did what I normally do when I approach these standstill points; I read and I walk. Walking is therapeutic for me, because it is one of the few times that I am dedicating time to myself. My thoughts can reorganized, my stresses can be worn down, and my ears can be enticed by the sounds of songs that I had forgotten were one my iPod.  It is one of those things I have found much appreciation for. I’m exercising, making discoveries of restaurants, boutiques, and other knick-knacks, and increasing my opportunities to meet new people. Should I also mention that I am practicing my Thai-speaking skills. Some people, I know, don’t seem to recognize any of this as beneficial. Others, on the other hand, probably do understand the significance. It is the life experience that is important, the people-skills, the adaptability skill-development, and the budgeting. Walking is therapeutic.  Staying inside all day isn’t. I don’t know how people can live a life like that. I think the key characteristic in the personalities of these people is that they have fear: fear of embarrassment, fear of making a mistake, fear of failing, especially a fear of new or experiences. This may be just my opinion, but those people won’t live very exciting or satisfying lives. They will constantly look back and have many regrets, but try to cover it up like the Fox and the Sour Grapes.

Now, let’s return to this four0day holiday. It is Songkran, which is the Thai New Year. In Thailand, I have seen three different New Years celebrated: the Gregorian (with BC/AD) calendar New Year, the Chinese New Year in February, and Songkran. Songkran is a major holiday in Thailand. It typically runs from April 13-April 15, but is celebrated around those days.  As part of the celebration, (I should warn you) many people come out in the streets with water guns, and buckets of water, and will spray or splash any passerby. The less-crazed people will pour water on your hands.  The warning I have: If you want to walk around during Songkran festivities, bag all of your electronics, and expect to get wet. You might even have a white clay wiped onto your face. If you do not like physical contact from anybody, I would suggest that you do not go out at all. I enjoyed the frivolity of the people. Some of them are a little bit more dangerous, because they will ride in the beds of trucks, and throw water at anybody. If you are wearing a Songkran shirt (which is a Hawaiian shirt to many of the Americans I know), you are a voluntary target. If you are a foreigner who wishes to experience a Thai celebration, this is the one to witness. It’s quite a relief, as well, to be splashed with water on a hot day. It’s quite honestly, a big water fight, and many people of all ages participate.

As for other updates: I experimented with a new recipe. It’s called “Magic Cake”  It gets its name from the fact that, with one batter, the cake will, in fact, produce three layers.  It was a collection of firsts for me with this recipe. First, I was making a cake for the first time in Thailand. Secondly, it was my first attempt at making this “magic cake.” Lastly, this was the first time I was whipping egg whites to the point of stiffness. I am not sure which was the most daunting idea.  My reasons: I was still experimenting  with this gas oven, which seems to have three options: Hot, Very Hot, or Off.  Because the recipe demanded for temperature in Fahrenheit, and with the settings of the oven, I would have to keep a watchful eye. One very helpful hint that a good friend gave to me about baking, and I have stuck to it ever since: If you can smell it’s aroma, it is either done, or you have five more minutes.  To be honest, this has held true in every baking experience I had ever since.

Now, about this magic cake; as I mentioned, it created three layers, and you only use one batter. The bottom layer is a dense layer, like hardened custard, I would say that it has the consistency of flan. The middle layer is similar to  Bavarian cream custard, and the top layer is reminiscent of sponge cake. The key part to ensuring the third layer lies in two Steps (1, and 3), accomplish these two, and you will have the three layers as advertised.

Anyways, so there are many flavor options for this cake: Vanilla, chocolate, fruit, lemon, (even pumpkin!) I decided to stick with the classic because this was a first attempt, and I never like to get too crazy with a recipe until I have the feel for it.  Vanilla, it was.

The recipe was fairly simple: it only had 4 steps:

Ingredients:

4 eggs, separated

½ cup and 2 Tbsp.  of sugar

2 tsp. Vanilla extract.

1 stick (8 Tbsp/ 125g) butter, melted.

2 cups () lukewarm milk*

½ cup of flour

*The milk should be room temperature or warm in order for the butter for not to solidify.

1. Beat egg whites until stiff.
2. In another bowl, mix egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla until light in color. Add in melted butter, mix until smooth.  Add milk, stir. Add in flour, stir.
3. Carefully fold in the egg whites into the batter. Pour batter into an 8x8in glass baking pan (I used a circular pan, and it worked fine). Bake at 375°F for 60 minutes, or until golden brown.
4. Let the cake cool for at least 3 hours.

Pretty simply, right? And look!

Now, for the close-up.... Watch it model it's hot self!

And for it to model some clothes...

Well, here is the reality of my experience: I started with Step 2 before I attempted Step 1, because I had never beat egg whites, and I had a fear that maybe the egg whites would lose their “stiffness” by the time I had completed Step 2. It worked out fine, because my milke was at room temperature, which did slightly affect the butter when I was mixing it, BUT because the stove top has a glass cover, which was above the oven (so it ended up getting warmed from the oven heat), I could set the better on it, keeping the butter at a liquid consistency.  For the egg whites, I’m not quite sure how long it took for me to beat the whites, but, I though that I would have to try the “bowl above the head ” test (a test to check the stiffness of the egg whites; if the whites drip onto your head, you didn’t whipe them long enough; if they stay in place, ‘you done good.’ My egg whites were sliding around in the bowl, but they were also staying together in one mass, and it turned out that I could scoop them like ice cream, and they maintained their shape. (Success!) Folinding the egg whites in was fun, because, in order to create the top layer, you need to keep that frothiness of the egg whites, aka don’t mix it extremely thoroughly.

My cake only took about 20-25 minutes to bake because of the extremity of the heat of the oven. In addition, because of the high-heat-producing oven, my cake turned out a little bit more brown that I would have liked, but considering that this was a first attempt, AND the cake wasn’t close to burning, it still is a major success. The only other slight qualm I had with the cake is that, when I first cut into the cake, the custard layer seemed a little too liquidy, and leaked, but the slice of cake I had still maintained its shape, and the custard didn’t actually leak out of the cake when it was served on a plate. Oh! And I would suggest, for a simple garnish, dust the cake slices (Not the cake) with confectioner’s sugar when you serve them. They will look angelic and dainty. I would also possibly suggest adding rum and vanilla bean into the cake (sans the vanilla extract) It would be aesthetically delightful to see the custard with the little specks of the vanilla.

Oh, and as I’m typing this, I just wanted to mention an odd encounter. I went to the main shopping center here in Rayong (Laemtong) to see if the local Apple distributer sold Macbook batteries (because mine unfortunately died) and to see if I could find a suitable belt for my oversized pants (I have already gone through two belts in the last three months). Unfortunately, the store I saw did not distribute the battery as I hoped, so I will need to visit Pattaya (a well-welcomed roadtrip!) and I didn’t find a belt vendor. Oh, well. Anyways, as I was leaving, I passed by a tall foreign woman, who I presumed was either from Sweden, or Russia (many of the foreigners are from these countries). She also was about 5’10-5’11”, which is what I say that she was tall. After I left Laemtong, I decided to go find an indoor coffeehouse so that I could be typing this lovely post for you all! One of them, called “Big M city Rayong Coffee,” had drawn my attention because of the cute westernized souvenirs outside and inside the glass window. Unfortunately due to the holiday, it was closed an extra day. I continued my trek and landed upon Dollars Café, which is a slightly more frilly place (a bit too doily for my taste, but it still serves coffee). About 20 minutes into my stay here, in walks the tall foreign woman with her male-friend. The funny thing is that this coffeehouse is quite a distance away from the shopping center, AND it is on another road. Definitely a coincidence, pleasant nonetheless.

In reference to my last post, speaking about future opportunities, there are at least two backup plans that I have in mind for if my current job status doesn’t work that way I hope it will, even with the strategic efforts to make sure I have it. One of the opportunities is to take up with an agency to work in another part of Thailand, and if I like it enough, stick with that, teaching English around Thailand or Asia. The other option is to look into being an au pair, which my friend is currently doing. Of course, because she already has some experience, I have asked her about her experience, what steps she would recommend I take if I decided to go forth with this. Being an au pair would open my access to Europe, for at least a year (and maybe other opportunities to stay there, if I find a way to increase my employment value, or learn business trades that I could utilize to really establish myself). As I mentioned before, I am not ready to stay in in the United States right now, because there is way too much out in the world that I need to experience, see, feel, learn, break, and fix before I “settle down.” Hah, settle down. That’s a term I’m unwilling to accept, even if that means backpacking around on minimal change. Even though it may be difficult, it is doable; there are people have accomplished it and survived to talk about it. Maybe I can be one of those, but we’ll see! I might be able to write a memoir about all my experiences. I think that, in addition to inserting my random dreams as short stories… oh, the possibilities that are available! If I end up as an au pair in the next year or so, I definitely think I would love to be in Spain, learning the trades of the Spanish life. One idea I had in mind for the future is to start a business involving pastries. (I don’t want to share the entire idea yet, as I’m not ready to share it until it’s developed and marketable.

Until next time,

K.

26.2.2014-8.3.2014 (2557)- It's time for a change...I'm going BANANAS

Hello, all!
So, if you haven't picked up today's title, I'm going to ponder the topic of making a change. And, if you have been keeping up with my sporadic writings (to which I am always grateful!), then you also know that I am looking forward to making some serious changes in my life.

Let's begin with the normal updates. It's Saturday, after two weeks of officially teaching. Let's just say: AWESOME. I love it. I must admit that Mondays, though, I dread. Maybe it is because it is the first day of the week and I always feel unprepared but by Wednesday, I'm groovin'. It is a constant learning experience. What activities are working? What activities aren't? Pictures, explanations, translations... Anything and everything is used, and I'm starting to receive attention from it. That is okay, because that also means I can receive a little bit more pocket change. Pocket change can be reeeeeeal nice, especially if it ends up paying my (soon-to-be rent). Spoiler alert: one of my prime options is opening in two weeks. That means I will be looking there, taking pictures, and seeing how my gut feels. Well, that is, if my visa is officially extended with my work permit. (Eek!)
I know that it's been quite a while, but I do have a treat for you all: RECIPES!
And some music, of course. I feel that it is only necessary to have music paired with a recipe post, because music is part of my cooking process.
First, I made my infamous Roasted Banana Bars with Browned Butter Walnut Frosting as a thank you to my HR representative who has been helping me with my work permit and visa application. Some people know how my situation had been going, and know exactly why I opted to make these specifically. The truth is that showing gratitude will not only make the person whom you are thanking feel good, it will also make you feel happier. Plus, when you give back, others are more willing to help you in the future. It's a wise thing to do, so you should always put out what you would like to receive.

Roasted Banana Bars (adapted from my recipes website)
2 c. sliced ripe bananas ( for me when it come to bananas, the more, the merrier
1/3 c. brown sugar
1Tbsp. Butter, cubed
2 1/4 c. flour (sometimes you just don't have that cake flour)

• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/3 cup milk (The recipe requests for 1/4 c. of buttermilk, but I didn't have 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 large eggs

Frosting:

1/4 c. butter

2 c. powdered (confectioners) sugar

1/3 c. cream cheese (or neufschatel cheese if you can find it... not in Thailand) 

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 c. chopped walnuts, toasted.

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, (about 200-205 degrees Celsius).
2. In a small square pan, mix bananas, cubed butter, and brown sugar lightly. Put them in the oven and roast for 30 minutes, stirring the mixture after the first 15 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda and mix thoroughly.
4. In another medium bowl, mix the milk and vanilla extract with the banana mixture.
5. In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy. Add the eggs.
6. Alternating between the two add the flour mix and banana mixture to the sugar and butter, stirring the complete mix.
7. Pour mixture into a rectangular pan (9x13 in) or a muffin pan, and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 Degrees Celsius) for 20 minutes, or do the Toothpick Test.
8. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
9. For the frosting, add the butter to a pan, and turn the heat level to low-medium, stirring frequently until the butter begins turn a light golden color.(Be careful not to have the heat up too high, or the butter will burn! Coming from personal experience)Then let the butter cool slightly.
10. Mix the butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar in bowl until smooth. 
11. Ice that banana-y goodness and sprinkle on dem walnuts!

Also, I made my first attempt at making tomato pies. I know, it sounds a little weird, but it isn't, really. A tomato pie is like a lasagna without the noodles, just all the good stuff. Oh, and it's really easy to make and you can add whatever ingredients you want to the dish.

I first started off by making my own butter crust... which I unfortunately wasn't a huge fan of.... they crust was just way too crumbly and buttery for me. I like those sturdier, drier crusts, like what you buy in the frozen aisle.

Crust

1 1/2 c. flour

1/4-1/2 c. chilled butter

pinch of salt

1. Mix ingredients together in a bowl, until the mixture separates from the walls of the bowl. Roll dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap, chill for an hour or two.
2. Take dough, mold it to the pan you are using (I only had what looked like a 'muffie' tin, something that is used to make muffin tops.
3. At 350 degrees Fahrenheit, make the  crust until crispy.

Filling

1 medium-large tomato, thinly sliced and towel-dried of juices

1/2 medium white onion, sliced

4 leaves of basil, sliced into thin strips

pinch of salt

pepper

1 clove of garlic, minced

1/4 c. mayo

1/2 c. shredded mozzarella

1-2 Tbsp. Tabasco/Louisiana hot sauce

1. After slicing the vegetables, mix the onions, basil and garlic together, and add half of the mixture to each pre-baked pie crust.
2. Neatly add slices of tomato on top of onion mixture. Top off tomatoes with leftover onion mixture.
3. Mix mayo, cheese and hot sauce in a small bowl. Dol
4. lop the mixture onto the pies and flatten them out.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until the tops are browned and crispy.

Here's the before....

And the after....

Yum! definitely a success and I am hyped to try it again.

Now, on to further news. I am a little on the edge of my seat right now because next week is another "judgement day" kind of thing. Meaning, by next week, I will learn if I can stay or if I will need to fly out. I'm a little worried, but I have a feeling that I will be okay. Maybe I will fly back, maybe I will be able to stay, but either way, I should be fine. Am I saying that I am ready to return to America? Definitely not. 

Now, as I mentioned in earlier posts, I am in the process of looking for a new place to live and the time is coming that my options will start opening up. Not only in my living situation, but in job opportunities. For example, as of this past Thursday, I have two doctors who are interested in either studying with me, or having me teach their children. Either way, I am interested, but for doctors who want to be taught in the evening, I will need to hold off on that until I have my own place. The reason for this is so that my carpool friend need not wait on me into the later hours, and I will still have a place to stay. 

It's funny, actually, that most of my problems lead down to the place I have been staying at. My insomnia, stress, exercise habits, eating habits, happiness, work ethic. schedule during the week, and so on, and my moving to another location will resolve all of these problems so I can focus on real problems that I need to know how to resolve. The only problem that I can see arising from my moving is what will become of my cousin's maturation progress? Since I have been here, and in six months, I have gotten my cousin to sleep in his own bed by himself, to bathe himself, to dry himself off after a bathe, to dress himself, to decide when he is finished with his bath, and to wipe his own butt after going to the bathroom. His seventh birthday was in January, so imagine how long he has literally been spoon-fed his daily duties of getting ready. It takes a lot of fighting, but a lot of love and patience. Now, the fear I have is that everything that I have done towards his progress will be a naught because as soon as I leave, he will be doing what he did before I came. It doesn't help that, for ever night I go out to dinner with a friend or am on an excursion, his parents have him sleep downstairs with them without trying to put him to bed. I am not criticizing the parenting, but I am commenting on one thing: If you want someone or something to do what you want, then you need to reinforce it as often as possible, you can not slack, or else they do not learn, and positive reinforcement encourages them to continue to do what you want, not negative reinforcement (especially if the negative reinforcement hasn't been working.) That's my spiel about that.

All I can say is that, although I am less unhappy, that does not mean I am any happier with my living situation. I have been eating at off hours in order to avoid certain people, I don't eat as much, in general, anymore, I am not "permitted" to exercise, I still wake up three to four times every night, I am always stressed, and I am never really relieved to be back at the house when I come back from work. So, again, I am not improved in my happiness, just less miserable. I think we would call it a little bit more numb. Honestly, I am tired of ranting about it, but when people ask me how my life is outside of work, that's all I can talk about.

*Breath* 

I have been having a wonderful time working at BRH. There are so many supportive and friendly people here, and a lot of them are really smart, they just aren't as able to translate that into English. In comes my job ;) Let's do work, and I don't plan on leaving anytime soon!

Until next time,

K.