I study Medicine, I cook, I photograph, I eat.
And I do it in that order
Contact: pmmsony@gmail.com
Birds Make Good Neighbors
The Candid Appetite
Fatta In Casa
French Cuisse
From Me To You
Fudehouse
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Hanim Cooks!
Hipsterfood
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Linda Pugliese
It Can Be A Lover
My College Kitchen
Open Challenge to Plastic Foods
Red+Black Apron
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Scaling Back
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Ursine Cuisine
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My newest conquest - a cherry red KitchenAid mixer. I just had to make a Hockney picture out of it because, quite frankly, every KitchenAid deserves to be Hockney-ed.
22 pounds of sexy red gloss and shiny metal. And it makes the most melodic whirring sound. I gave it a test-run yesterday with a No-Bake Coconut Cheesecake Recipe; there wouldn’t be a post on it though since I bought the wrong Agar-agar powder (gelatin substitute) and it turned the mixture green :| Might consider doing a re-post.
I kept patting it and singing Mandarin songs to it. I don’t even understand Mandarin. It’s that beautiful.
Posting this again because 1 year and 86 days later I’ve realized I’ve neglected it and will probably give it a good clean and shine later today to make up for it.
Of immunity and short-lived aspirations
Death is a funny thing. Sometimes you think it can change you, that it can push you to be better and do great things. And while this is true for most people, I want to share what it’s becoming for me.
I remember the first death I ever saw. We were assigned a patient for a case report and the two weeks following up to her death were spent history taking and doing physical exams. And talking about the nursing school she used to go to. And how she used to have thick, wavy hair that cascades down her back. And about boys. And about hair accesories.
The morning of the day she passed away she asked the residents if she could go home. We all took turns comforting her, saying that it’d be better if she stayed here because we’re trying to get her better. Besides, you have us, we said. She agreed and we all went about our day, planning to get her a thank you gift the next day for being so co-operative during our case report workup. I had my evening shift this particular day and during our task briefing I found out that there’s a transfusion planned for her. She didn’t even make it to our “strict-monitoring” list - reserved only for patients who, indelicate as it may seem to say so, are within an inch from death. So imagine my surprise when one of the student-nurses ran to tell us that there’s a patient “turning blue” in one of the rooms. Imagine my horror when I arrived in said room only to see her, seizing and showing signs of decortication and yes, turning blue. We got the crash cart and ambu bag ready and the resident on-call was ready to commence CPR, only to be shooed by the crying mother, saying she doesn’t want any attempts of resuscitation. I watched as she drew her last breaths, rubbing circles on her forearm and reciting short verses in attempts to soothe her. And then she was gone. I quietly gathered my kit and texted my groupmates about her passing. And on the drive home I cried. I cried and swore I would study my hardest and made a promise to myself to keep an attention at hematology and immunology (she was diagnosed with SLE) so that this disease may find its end one day.
But of course that promise lasted as long as any promise made out of misery would. Because before you got over the first death there was another, and another, and it keeps coming until it numbs you. Until it becomes nothing but a medical record you discuss over with your resident as to what causes it to happen. And now as I’m nearing the end of my pediatric rotation, I had entertained hopes that things will change. But as a patient came in to the P-ICU with paraquat intoxication with a predicted 1 week of life left, we merely offered obligatory condolences to the family while we watch for signs as the poison circulates through the kidneys and lungs, eager to see how close the prediction was.
It was spot on.
Thank you! I’m glad you liked it, and to answer your question, there are a few things to consider before you equip your kitchen, so you’ll need to buy cookwares/utensils that:
1: You will use often.
2. Have longetivity.
3. Saves time.
4. Are space friendly.
5. Are easy to clean.
Keeping that in mind, here’s my personal Do’s and Don’ts list:
Do’s:
- Saucepans
- Frying pans
- A Dutch oven, perhaps?
- A toaster oven - you’d be surprised at how capable it is at cooking a lot of things. I personally used one to cook many dishes in this blog.
- A toaster - because bread is cheap and you’re most likely to eat a lot of it.
- A colander or pasta strainer - same reason as above.
- A coffee maker, because everyone drinks coffee. Or, if you’re looking for something cheaper, an electric kettle.
- A good set of knifes and a sturdy chopping board.
- Blender; for days you want a quick smoothie or slushie.
- A set of plates and adequate number of cutleries, because no one wants to be missing a fork or spoon.
- Can opener, tongs, spatula
- Plastic wrap and aluminum foil.
Don’ts:
1. Blowtorch: Unless you plan on having creme brulee for breakfast or christmas pudding for dessert, it’s safe to keep the flame thrower for much later.
2. Fondue pot
3. Lazy Susan
4. Fancy Chinawares
…you get the point.
I hope this helps! If anyone wants to add to this list, feel free to do so.
Making Devil’s Food Doughnuts
Thanks for playing along, guys! Those who guessed cake, technically you’re not wrong. To Maakogo who guessed Devil’s Food Cake, here’s one for you, because it is exactly that in doughnut form. To Logician Magician who said
“Chocolate cake with a coffee to bring out the taste of the chocolate with a ganache?”
Hats off to you Sir. I’d offer you one but you probably don’t have much of a sweet tooth. And a sweet tooth is definitely needed to enjoy these. I made them for the Sister’s friend’s birthday whose list of indulgences happens to include hefty amounts of sugar, chocolate and pasta. It’s less of a hassle than a whole cake and it’s a lot easier to share.
DEVIL’S FOOD DOUGHNUTS
CHOCOLATE DOUGHNUTS (recipe from LA Times)
[ 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate + 3 tablespoons butter + 3 cups (12.75 ounces) flour + 2 teaspoons baking powder + 1/2 teaspoon baking soda + 1/2 teaspoon salt + 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa + 2 eggs + 2 egg yolks + 1/2 cup sugar + 1/2 cup sour cream + 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla + 1/2 cup strong coffee, cooled + Canola oil for frying ]
In a glass bowl or measuring cup, combine the bittersweet chocolate and butter. Microwave, stirring every 30 seconds or so, until the chocolate and butter have melted and are combined. Set aside.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat together the eggs, egg yolks and sugar until lightened in color, 2 to 3 minutes.
Beat in the sour cream, vanilla and melted chocolate.
Gently beat half of the flour mixture, a spoonful at a time, into the egg mixture, then beat in the coffee. Continue to beat in the rest of the flour mixture, a spoonful at a time, until all of the ingredients are combined and a sticky dough is formed.
On a well-floured surface, roll the dough into a round just over one-half inch in thickness. Using a doughnut cutter, or 2 biscuit cutters (a larger one measuring 3 to 3 1/2 inches in diameter, and a smaller one measuring about 1 inch in diameter), cut the dough into doughnuts, spacing the doughnuts as close as possible.
Collect the scraps and roll out to form another batch of doughnuts (note that this batch may be a little tougher than the first as the dough has been worked).
Fill a deep fryer with oil, or fill a large pot to a depth of at least 3 inches, and heat to a temperature of 350 degrees.
Gently place the doughnuts in the fryer, being careful not to crowd. Fry the doughnuts on each side until puffed and golden, about 4 minutes, flipping every 30 seconds or so.
Drain the doughnuts on a rack and cool slightly.
GANACHE FROSTING:
[ 10 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped + ½ cup water (or cream) + ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter ]
Melt the chopped chocolate with the water (or cream) in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until melted.
Remove the bowl from the pan of water.
Cut the butter into small pieces and whisk them into the chocolate until completely melted and the ganache is smooth.
Cool until spreadable, which may take about 1-2 hours at room temperature (I actually just put it in the fridge to speed up the process)
Frost doughnut as desired.
Enjoy!
Making Cherry-Lemon Ice Float
If anyone was counting, I actually owe you guys one more post for the [ancient] lemon spam but didn’t have the time to edit the photos and post it up. So this one goes out to those who suggested lemon ice and to some extent also to those who suggested lemonade. It’s sort of like a float, if you please, but without the creamy ice cream (although you could find a recipe for that in the Watermelon Soda Float post if it’s your fancy). A fair warning - don’t be fooled because the difference in calories between the two drinks are minuscule thanks to the copious amount of sugar in this lemon ice, but hey, isn’t indulging in sweet cold treats a part of what all those summer workouts are for?
LEMON ICE:
[ Juice of 3 lemons + 1 3/4 cup water + 1 1/3 cup sugar ] OPTIONAL: 3 pieces of lemon peel.
Combine water with sugar (and lemon peel, if using) in a pot and heat for several minutes, until the water is hot. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
Add the lemon juice into the sugar water and stir. 
Pour into a 9-inch baking dish, and stir to combine. Put it in the freezer.
After 1 hour, rake it with fork to break up the ice crystals. Repeat raking with fork every hour until the desired consistency is reached (usually around 3-4 hours from the time you first put it in the freezer).
Now, you can just eat it as it is and it would be a wonderful little summer treat. But should you wish to take it a step further and submerged it in flavoured soda or sparkling water with pieces of fresh (or canned, for that matter) fruits, well, then your efforts will be highly rewarded.
Just make sure you chill your glass in the freezer beforehand.
And alternate scoops of lemon-ice with your chosen fruit.
Before submerging the whole thing underwater. And sticking a straw in it.
LEMON ICE:
[ Juice of 3 lemons + 1 3/4 cup water + 1 1/3 cup sugar ] OPTIONAL: 3 pieces of lemon peel.
- Combine water with sugar (and lemon peel, if using) in a pot and heat for several minutes, until the water is hot. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
- Add the lemon juice into the sugar water and stir.
- Pour into a 9-inch baking dish, and stir to combine. Put it in the freezer.
- After 1 hour, rake it with fork to break up the ice crystals.
- Repeat raking with fork every hour until the desired consistency is reached (usually around 3-4 hours from the time you first put it in the freezer).
Now, you can just eat it as it is and it would be a wonderful little summer treat. But should you wish to take it a step further and submerged it in flavoured soda or sparkling water with pieces of fresh (or canned, for that matter) fruits, well, then your efforts will be highly rewarded.
Just make sure you chill your glass in the freezer beforehand and alternate scoops of lemon-ice with your chosen fruit before submerging the whole thing underwater. And sticking a straw in it.
I’ll also leave a photo of the set-up I used for this session, in case anyone’s curious:
Enjoy!
(photo credit: Modernist Cuisine via SmithsonianMag)
Almost a week ago I received an e-mail from Shoko Wanger asking me if I would like to participate in an ongoing series on Joanna Goddard’s blog, A cup of Jo, called “The Best ____ You’ll Ever Have” (fill in the blank with your chosen dish). I immediately said yes (after a few bouts of gushing and OMG!s thrown here and there) and after scanning through the list of food, which ranges from breakfast granola to mojito, I chose the Hamburger. And now I have until the end of October to come up with a post on the best burger you can ever have.
I’ll do my homework, believe me, and begin my research on what makes a good patty and its accompaniments once I’m done with my Pediatrics post-test . In the meantime, I’d like to know what you guys think should be included in the “perfect burger”. Are you pro or against the slices of pickles? Ketchup or tomato compote? Microgreens or good ol’ lettuce? Which type of cheese should blanket the patty?
Sounds like a foodwish to me! It shall now be added to the list of food to [eventually] make, which also includes previously made foodwishes:
Rojak Sotong
Bowtie Pasta Soup
Melonpan
Nutella Croissant
Xiaolongbao
Butter Chicken
Kaachi Biryani
Sweet Potato Puree Soup
