Thursday May 16

I found some recipes for Meals in a Mug Made in a Microwave online. The first listed was a quiche. I set out to make it this morning. I cracked the egg in the mug. Grabbed the milk out of the fridge and discovered it was frozen. Delightful. I tried skyping my mom to determine if I could make the egg in the mug since it was already there. She didn't answer. So I covered the mug with a probably-not-microwave-safe-rubbermaid-lid and set the microwave for a few seconds. I checked the egg and put it in for a few more seconds. And a few more seconds. I do not recall how long it took, but it was probably a little long. It was cooked somewhere between hard-boiled-textured and exploding-in-the-microwave. I tore up some stove-top toast and put it in the mug with a few slices of (unfortunately) reduced fat cheddar. Totally edible and much less mess! Success. And then I broke the handle of the mug while holding it. Oh well. What's for lunch?!

Wednesday May 15

I decided to try eggs in the pan again. I scrambled them this time. Bad choice; the pan was an even bigger mess than before. Disgusted, I soaked the pan and set off in search of sponges. While I found some not-what-I-was-looking-for-but-they-made-do-sponges, I also splurged on JIF peanut butter and strawberry jam!

Lunch was another rendition of the tomato, bell pepper salad, but this time I added garbanzo beans and lime. Eh.

Dinner, PB&J. Ah yeah. Nom.

Tuesday May 14

I didn't eat breakfast this morning. I still did not have honey for my cereal. And I hated the thought of washing the pan again with the nasty rag.

Luckily, I had a lunch date with several employees of an organization in town. They took me to a restaurant owned by an ex-patriate. It was delicious. I had a pineapple-cilantro chicken salad. The owner came out and apologized for the fact that there was no lettuce in the salad. I also never found any pineapple or tasted cilantro. But assuming she shops at the same places I do, it's no wondered her menu items must be modified. I was happy to have a protein. I have yet to find any meats, not in the grocery stores or at the market.

After lunch, I stopped by another grocery store. It was relatively luxurious, and the prices matched. I bought:

• limes
• salt
• garlic
• garbanzo beans
• chile
• canned corn and green beans
• cream cheese
• cheddar cheese

A student group that is staying at my hotel went out on a fishing/snorkeling adventure today. One student came back with three fish, a grouper and two jack-somethings, he claims. He asked if he could use my kitchen to cook them up. I said sure, though I was already dreading the smell.

He oiled the pan, stuck the fish in and realized he didn't know what he was doing. He took the pan to the restaurant next door, but they were too busy in the kitchen to do it for him. He came back with some onions, tomatoes and okra. He put the fish in the large pan with the tomatoes and onions and put the medium pan on top as a lid. In the pot he boiled okra. I will admit, his concoction has been the best meal cooked in my apartment yet. Once you got past all the scales and the skin and the stupid bones, the fish was tasty, as were the vegetables. Kudos, Mason. And thanks for sharing!

Monday May 13

I opened the box of puffed wheat and was pleased to find it wasn't stale. I was disappointed to find it lacked any sweeteners. I need honey. Instead of pouring it in a bowl, I ate handfuls from the box. Mmm, appetizing.

After breakfast, I headed to the market! I love the thought of a market.

The market left a little to be desired, but I was pleased to find produce. I bought:

• a zucchini
• half ripe tomatoes
• wilting cilantro
• an unidentified squash/pumpkin thing
• a bell pepper
• a mango

For lunch, I made a bell pepper, mango, tomato, cilantro salad. I also cooked up some pasta and drizzled it with olive oil. Seeing as I have no spices, it was again, only edible. 

At dinner I ate the rest of the pasta, now mostly dried out, the rest of the salad and sauteed half of the zucchini. 

This is not off to a good start. 

Sunday May 12

Sunday morning, I plugged in the stove, turned it on and stuck a frying pan on top. I plopped a generous helping of "butter" and watched it melt. I cracked an egg and let out a breath of relief when I did not find a baby chick. I margarine-d a piece of bread and laid it in the pan next to my egg. Looking good. I grabbed the utensil that looked most like a spatula and went to flip my egg. One half stayed completely glued to the pan and the other half became a jumbled, but flipped, mess. The bread likewise became one with the pan and was a little disheveled when I peeled it from the metal. It sure wasn't a pretty breakfast, but edible. Typical.

The most frustrating part was trying to clean the pan. I did not have a sponge, just a disposable/paper type rag. And cold water. Gross. 

Lunch was ramen noodles and butter. My 18 year old roommate at school taught me that little trick. When I luck upon a more-than-just-edible dinner, I invite him to join. He always seems proud to return the favor by fixing me noodles later in the week. 

Dinner was Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.

Saturday May 11

After landing Saturday afternoon, I headed to the Chinese grocery store around the corner. I bought:

• pasta
• cereal
• ramen noodles
• eggs
• milk 
• margarine - couldn't find butter
• orange juice
• tomato sauce
• olive oil
• bread

The hotel fed me free spaghetti dinner my first night, so the adventures did not begin until breakfast.  

What I've Got

At first glance, my kitchenette looked adequately stocked:

• mini refrigerator
• table top double burner stove
• microwave
• 3 knives
• 5 plates, plenty silverware, 3 bowls, 4 glasses, 3 mugs
• colander
• pot, mini pot, medium pan, large pan
• array of reusable storage containers
• large mixing bowl
• wood cutting board
• sink

After a only few meal attempts, this is how I see my kitchenette:

• mini refrigerator that has frozen my milk
• stove that turns off when it feels like it
• microwave that has called forth my preexisting disdain of microwaves 
• 2 completely dull knives, 1 semi-dull knife
• plates and co. are fine, except that I broke the handle off a mug while holding it
• a colander with gradoo in the holes (is it from my pasta?)
• pots and pans that have no lids and everything sticks to 
• reusable storage containers against which I have no hard feelings
• mixing bowl against which I have no hard feelings
• cutting board that is questionably sanitary
• sink that has no hot water