What is this; a kitchen for ANTS!?!?

Cooking in the tiny kitchen we have is a unique challenge.  Also, lack of a grill is tough.  It’s a struggle some days to figure out what or how to make what I’m thinking of or what I can invent based on what produce was in the market that day or what we have in house.  Plus, we have a two burner stove top that is so small I can’t fit two pans at the same time… Not if I’m cooking for a family.  So, I need to create, invent, and figure out how to make it work.  

As you can see, I’ve figured it out… At least to an extent.  

All in all, I’m happy with the results and the flavors were spot on.  The pork chops were overcooked by about 2 minutes.  I’m still trying to get a feel for the grill.  Since it varies by day depending on the weather and the AC and the fan and all that.  In an indoor space trying to vent it enough to not smoke out the house can create weird airflow that affects temp and hot spots.  The potatoes, which J said looked like a restaurant type plate (thanks Hun), and some Bok Choy.  Kiddo calls it Yuk Choy, so she got a snow pear.  The wedges in the pic, I have to admit, were taken later in the evening, as J and I snacked on some later with some chili flakes and heat added.  Those, I can use the air fryer to make.  

Like the challenges of Thailand and moving here.  

It’s about adapting and making do with what we know, what we can figure out, and what we can make up on the fly.

Because, (if I can refer back to yesterday’s post), some things are lost in translation.

I was at the mall a few months back and I was looking for storage media to put some music on to give to our good friend Schmittah (Shout out to B) and I walked into an electronic shop.  You’d need to see and experience a SEA Mall to even understand what I mean, but it’s basically a computer store, either ready to buy and fly with or parts and components to DIY build and the like.  Flash drive, thumb drive, portable storage…. Translating that in Google Translate and trying to ask employees that way wasn’t working.

I was told later that it’s called SanDisk or USB Drive.  SanDisk being a brand, but I guess it was the first and a HUGE supplier in the early days of tech boom in Thai, so, like Kleenex, it kinda stuck.  And ThumbDrive works, but the literal translation of that, according to Nanny Beer, is finger car, so using Google Translate was basically saying something strange (Welcome to the jungle, we’ve got an amusement area) and not getting me anywhere.

Adapt.  Figure it out.  Make it up on the fly.

Sunscreen translated to Sun Door.  Looking for that (on day 20 in country) was a challenge, but when Sunscreen didn’t work, Sun Protection Lotion.  OK, but how to do thumb drive when the translation was just getting me silly looks.  After the fact, I realized I could have just googled the item and that might have worked, but I’ve had that issue before as well.

See, when we were first setting up here, we wanted a sound bar for the TV.  Sound bar wasn’t translating, so I looked up sound bar on google and showed the employees a picture of it.  “Which, which, which?”  What do you recommend as the best?  “No.  Which?”  So, I pointed at a random one, JBL or Sony or some mid-price name brand.  They lit up, started running about, checking computers.  Finally one asked “Show again.  Show which.”  So, I pulled it back up and showed a picture.  “See?  Take?”  Gesturing for my phone.  Ok, here.  They gather round and poke my phone and take off frantically again.  At this point, I’m given my phone back.  They had clicked on the link and found the part and product number and were trying to find.

I just wanted a sound bar.  Any sound bar.  What you got that’s good.  Not a specific one.  That got lost in translation.  So, I bailed and ordered online.  Many thank yous and a bunch of, “Get to you, get to you.  Wait.  Get you.  Delivery.  Today.”  No, no.  Thank you.  Khxbkhun.

Remembering all that, I was lost in translation and wanted to know about thumb drives, where to find them in this small, yet strangely well stocked electronics store.  Then it hit me.

I held up my thumb.  The three guys and lady I was addressing looked at each other and said something in Thai.  I can only assume it was the word thumb.  I can’t even remember or mimic the word.  But, they all looked back and smiled, giving me a thumbs up back.  OK, time to shoot my shot and see if it makes sense or if I’d just get another thumbs up.  Then, I mimicked driving a car.  Four Thai people looked at me like I lost my damned mind.  Then, one of the guys said something to the lady there who said something back and then the other two guys laughed and smiled.  “SanDisk?”  SanDisk… what’s a San… OH!  Chi Chi (Chai Chai).  Okok!  The guy who figured it out took me over to a shelf area with a ton of thumb drives.  

Cooking is like that.  

Make it up and hope that the results turn out ok… Even if a bit overcooked.  Lesson learned and next time will be better.  Or, from this experience I will know next time what to do or how to overcome a bit better.  

I’m missing a lot of my old tools.  A lot of my gear couldn’t make the overseas trip.  Some of it that I did bring can’t be used due to space so they are happily stored away until we get more space or I can figure out how to evoke blackholes at will for extra space.  But, we eat everyday.  So, I’ll call it a win and a new skill set and problem solving ability are gained.  I can’t wait to get back to a full kitchen and getting new gear to play with will be great.  Because, I think I can do more in that space, since I know how to do the most in the space I have now.

It’s always a learning experience.  It’s a challenge.  But it keeps me thinking and on my toes.

Let’s go, Kiddo… You can small the garlic and then help me sprinkle the seasoning on the potatoes wedges.