One of the most difficult things to get used to here is the food. Overall, the food is fine and meals tend to consist of rice or noodles with some kind of vegetable, meat and sauce. In their homes, people use a hot plate and a microwave for cooking. There are no ovens as Chinese people do not bake. That being said, I am missing baked goods from home like the treats my mom used to cook for me: muffins, breads, bars, cookies, brownies, pies, cakes etc. If you know me, you know that I have a huge sweet tooth and love anything with sugar so almost completely cutting out desserts here has been a bit impossible. I have turned to Oreos and the occasional Dove or Snickers bar (some of a few foreign items available but expensive).


Today Sean and I attempted to make brownies in my toaster oven. Sean found a brownie mix in the city in a large supermarket that carries a few imported goods. We were excited to try them but for a long time could not find a small pan for baking. You cannot buy measuring cups, cookie sheets, spatulas, vanilla extract, non-stick spray, muffin tins and brownie pans here. We had reached a dead-end and had no more ideas. Fortunately one day while searching for a broom at an odd supermarket close to school we found a small circle plate/pan. If Sean remembers correctly I squealed and jumped up and down in the aisle. After acquiring some measuring cups from another foreign teacher and doing some conversions to see how much mix we should use, we were ready to bake.


I mixed up all of the ingredients in our microwave rice cooker which is now doubling as a mixing bowl. I was especially careful not to spill anything as this was precious brownie mix. We popped the pan into the toaster oven and the next 35 minutes were filled with anxious waiting, fork testing and doubtful peering into the steamy appliance. Though I think we overcooked them a bit (apparently brownie-baking using circle pans in foreign toaster ovens is not an exact science), they turned out great and after testing them, sharing them with some neighbors and "testing" them again they were gone.


It was a great day for brownies =)

2 comments

1. Mama Hawk on October 13, 2009 at 12:57 PM

   This is hilarious. It makes me want to send you cookies and other baked goods, although I doubt they will make it over intact or edible.
   
   Way to go American ingenuity!!!

    
2. Erica on October 14, 2009 at 11:12 AM

   I would go crazy. I made brownies a week or so ago and now will make them again in your honor. Thanks for updating your blog- it's good to keep in touch!