Sardines in a can

On Friday night Sarah, Becky, and I got into a Land Rover with our sleeping mats, sleeping bags, and mosquito nets. Our friend Carlos drove us out to New Matati for our sleepover with our Bible Study girls (9 high school and college-age girls that we have a Bible study with every Wednesday). When we drove up to the orphanage most of our girls were waiting for us. They carried our bags into the room we would be staying in, which was way nicer than we thought.

Once we settled in we walked to the local market and bought some food to cook for dinner. Sarah did most of the cooking with the girls while Becky and I got our hair plaited. They crushed up some peppers and added them to the potato greens and was added to the deep-fried fish. This was put over rice and we ate it communal style. I have to admit I was definitely praying that I would not get sick and I didn't, Praise the Lord.

The whole time we were out there we just laughed and laughed. They are so dramatic but very deep. I was talking to Mary and I asked her what her dreams are for the future. She looked at me with such confidence and said "I want to be a medical Dr. I pray every night that the Lord will give me the chance." I just can't wrap my head around that concept. In most Western Countries education is about effort and abilities. It has little to do with opportunity. What I mean is that if anyone really wants a certain education if they work hard enough and put enough effort to get scholarships, grants, or loans it is actually possible to obtain your goals no matter how lofty they may be or what your financial status is. But here, it is different. It is actually not feasible to go to medical school, especially if you are an orphan. Here there is no government support. There are no grants, scholarships, or loans to apply for. So what then? Just what Mary is doing, her best in school and a whole lot of praying.

Our girls are just so funny. They are so easily amused and entertained. I guess you have to be right? Annie, the oldest, decided she was going to be the MC for the evening and then whipped out her imaginary program and announced we were all listed to do solos. None of us are hugely vocally enclined, but we all had to do it. When they sing, they are so confident. Most of the songs they sing are gospel songs, with the occasional Akon song.

When we were ready to go to bed the girls followed us into the room that we were staying in and sat down. We started to get ready for bed and they just watched every move we made. I am sure they think we are so weird. I have these face washing towels that are disposable and they all wanted to try one. After a little time passed the girls started to settle in on the floor, we asked them where they were going to sleep and they kinda looked at us weird and said "here", like duh it is a sleepover. Becky, Sarah, and I slept on the double bed with this purple mosquito net over it. They tucked edges of the net under the mattress and we felt like we were sleeping in a cage.

All of the girls slept on the floor like sardines in a tin can. At 5am they all got up neatly folded their blankets and were off to morning devos and then started their chores.

Saturdays are washing day and plait day, hence all the little ones with afros. Saturdays are also for playing. We played a game called lappa. It is kind of like dodge ball meets shoe organizing. We played that for a while and Josh (Sarah's husband came to pick us up) came to pick us up. Overall it was so fun. I love those girls.

10 Elements of Basic Kitchen Knowledge

Originally Posted by Columbia University Press in Science, Food

Herve This’s 10 Elements of Basic Kitchen Knowledge

Here is his list for 10 basic elements of kitchen knowledge:

1. Salt dissolves in water.

2. Salt does not dissolve in oil.

3. Oil does not dissolve in water.

4. Water boils at 100 C (212 F).

5. Generally foods contain mostly water (or another fluid).

6. Foods without water or fluid are tough.

7. Some proteins (in eggs, meat, fish) coagulate.

8. Collagen dissolves in water at temperatures higher than 55 C (131 F).

9. Dishes are dispersed systems (combinations of gas, liquid or solid ingredients transformed by cooking).

10. Some chemical processes - such as the Maillard Reaction (browning or caramelizing) - generate new flavors.

[I thought these basic principles would help you understand a few more things about cooking without boring you to death or asking you to read food science books. It is not by any means all encompassing...]

Herve This was the author of a book I read about food science:

Kitchen Mysteries: Revealing the Science of Cooking

Can Sizes and Equivalents

For those of us who cook in bulk, commercial, food service for schools, restaurants, ships (laughing), camps, etc...anything that takes large amounts of canned foods, this will be 'old hat' or 'old news' to some of you!

I want to list some can sizes and equivalents that will help you understand a little bit about recipes in bulk, and the sizing in general. And later this might help you if I post a few BULK recipes.

#10 can. The number ten can, most prominently recognized by most of us in the business is labeled below as being 12 cups but I am almost certain I have had up to 1 to 1 1/2 cups difference in product with a #10 can...so I would say the below equivalents may not be definitive but a good guide to go by...

Can Sizes and Equivalents

Many recipes specify a can size rather than a volume amount. This chart will also come in handy to determine how much to buy.

Can Sizes
8 ounces	8 ounces	1 cup
Picnic	10-1/2 to 12 ounces	1-1/4 cups
12 ounces vacuum	12 ounces	1-1/2 cups
#1	11 ounces	1-1/3 cup
#1 tall	16 ounces	2 cups
#1 square	16 ounces	2 cups
#2	1 pound 4 ounces or 1 pint 2 fluid ounces	2-1/2 cups
#2-1/2	1 pound 13 ounces	3-1/2 cups
#2-1/2 square	31 ounces	scant 4 cups
#3		4 cups
#3 squat		2-3/4 cups
#5		7-1/3 cups
#10		12 cups
#300	14 to 16 ounces	1-3/4 cups
#303	16 to 17 ounces	2 cups
Baby food jar	3-1/2 to 8 ounces	depends on size
Condensed milk	15 ounces	1-1/3 cups
Evaporated milk	6 ounces	2/3 cup
Evaporated milk	14-1/2 ounces	1-2/3 cups
Frozen juice concentrate	6 ounces	3/4 cup

I want to give credit where its due and thank About.com for having such a beautiful chart that I could 'borrow' for this post. (I was about to make it myself in excel, but this is less painful)

Coming up this week a green bean casserole recipe made with #10 & #5 can products...tested several times by my own 400+ International volunteer taste testers.

The workers are few!

From time to time the kitchen thins out, and I mean thin like stretching.

We have some important guests coming from the states, a pastors conference, and a few other events that will be happening on board in the coming weeks.  And during this time the galley will need to do its daily job feeding the crew and keep up with visitors, special requests, functions, and a few other meals.

This is not so bad, except that right now we have two rotating cooking teams (and thats normal) with only 2 cooks on each one (thats not normal).

This is what the cooking teams 'look' like right now: 1 Team Leader (cook), 1 Cook (or assistant cook), 2 salad prep, 1 baker, and 1 dishwasher...and yes, we are still feeding 400+ (approximately).  And of course I cook and help out where needed.

As Chief Cook (my title right now, it changes to Galley Manager) its my job to run the kitchen and to work with both cooking teams as they are on a rotation (2 on, 2 off, 3 on, 2 off, 2 on, 3 off - thats a 2 week schedule) working long days, 10 1/2 to 12 hours and maybe more if there are special events or functions.  These days are long physically and mentally draining  and most of our workers are new to food service(and some are new to working this hard).

The most amazing thing is that these people are volunteers, people who have given their time (crew fees & insurance) to come help the less fortunate.  You know what else?  They will probably never get direct credit for helping out the people we try to serve in these countries and medical situations.  Why not?  Because we are behind the scenes, and thats where some of us are happy to stay...and because we support and build the framework for keeping the body (organizationally and physically) fed!

I don't really know why people would come to do this specifically in food service...dedication, passion, compassion, sympathy, because they can, etc...???  Or maybe their just willing to do it wherever they are placed and can be of help/service to keep the body strong and support in whatever way possible.

Its easier to realize why I do it, this is my background, my passion.  And who wouldn't want to really feel and/or be able to make a difference?

But really its because I'm crazy.  There I said it.  I feel better.

Winner Update

Food Services News

2008 Culinary Challenge Winner (AFM)

*Congratulations to Tatyana, winner of the Culinary Challenge. Tatyana directed the cooking team in preparing Curry Chicken with rice, vegetables, and a cabbage & pasta salad. Thanks to all of the contestants; Tatyana, Mark and Peggy, and the team of Peter and Josh for their hard work and creativity. Thanks are also due to the crew for taking the time to vote (and eat) and to the cooking teams for all of their work in helping the contestants prepare their meals. You all helped to make the Culinary Challenge a smashing success. We hope to hold another one in the future, perhaps with a bit of a twist.

[*Edited from an internal article announcing the winner, and many thanks for all involved...just in case you missed it]