anaise

[anaise]

Pambansang Tinapay

Photo Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:RNJ_PANDESAL.jpg

"A good breakfast is a start of a good day". Breakfast is a staple food in our everyday life, as a Filipino we enjoy our breakfast with bread and coffee. Especially a fresh out of the oven pandesal. We Filipino eat pandesal regularly, it suits the taste of every age group and even different social classes, its taste is relatively sweet despite of what its origin name suggests, which is "pan de sal" the Spanish term of "salt bread". Back in the day pandesal were sold by people who ride bikes and carts, shouting the word "pandesal" as a signal for their customers, nowadays there are bakeries who sold pandesal throughout the whole day making it available for us to buy at anytime. While we are most likely accustomed to buying pandesal every morning we might as well try and learn to make our own pandesal, this is a good way to busy ourselves and to learn new things!

The main ingredients used for making pandesal are: flour, yeast, oil or lard, water, sugar, and salt.

This recipe yields 20 servings.

Before starting, prepare your ingredients and utensils, it's important to ready them in advance so the process of making pandesal will be a lot easier, and of course make sure that everything is clean before you start.

Step 1:

- Put warm water in a small mixing bowl.

- Add the yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar in the bowl.

- Stir the mixture to dissolve (about 10 minutes), wait until it's creamy enough.

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Step 2:

- For this step use a large mixing bowl.

- Put the remaining 15 teaspoons of sugar and oil, mix it until it's all blended and smooth.

- Add a little bit of salt, 1 cup of the flour and 1 cup of the yeast mixture, stir the ingredients well.

- Add 5 cups flour, 1/2 cup at a time, do this until the dough pulls away from the sides of your bowl.

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Step 3:

- Ready a floured surface, this will be the kneading place for your dough.

- Place your dough unto the floured surface and knead them until its smooth and easy to stretch.

- Apply a small amount of oil in a large mixing bowl, place the dough in it and turn to coat the dough with oil.

- Cover your dough with a plastic wrap or a damp towel (if you have katsa then you can use it).

- Let it sit in a warm place until the dough has doubled in volume, wait for about 1 hour.

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Step 4:

- Uncover the dough and place it unto a floured surface again, divide the dough into 4 equal pieces.

- Form each piece into a cylinder and roll out until the 'log' is 1/2 inch in diameter.

- Using a stainless dough cutter for a clean cut but you can also use a sharp knife as an alternative, cut each 'log' into 1/2 inch pieces.

- Place the pieces, flat side down, onto two lightly greased baking sheets.

- Gently press each roll down to flatten.

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Step 5:

- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

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Step 6:

- Cover the rolls with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, wait for about 30 minutes.

- After it doubled in volume add bread crumbs to make it more authentic, you can also add different fillings like cheese and hotdogs if you want.

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Step 7:

- Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

By the time the baking is done, prepare yourself and savor the smell of the freshly baked pandesal. Now that it's finally out, enjoy your bread and share it with your family and friends!

procedure reference: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/16151/pan-de-sal-i/

Note: I followed some basic procedures and also include some of my additional procedures.

[anaise]

Mother of Philippine Pediatrics

Photo Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fe_del_Mundo

From indescribable phenomena to theories and precise reasoning for its existence, from fatal diseases to being curable today the field of Science and Medicine sure had come a long way. Science alongside the studies of medicine helped people to learn, to understand, and to discover. If not for the problems and events that happened to our world, we may never had the courage to seek for improvement and development, for this reason we must always be grateful to the people who sought change and knowledge in exchange for human gain.

Dr. Fe V. del Mundo, a well known pediatrician, Philippine's very own National Scientist and the first woman to ever be admitted in Harvard's Medical School never imagined that she'll took up medicine as her life's long career, in fact it was her deceased younger sister that helped her came up with this decision. When her sister died, this cleared her path and had motivated her to become a Doctor. On an interview she shared that her older sister wanted to become a doctor, it was written in her diary, now gone del Mundo thought that if her sister failed to achieve it then she will become a doctor for her.

The fruition of her hard work finally paid off when she earned her medical degree and graduated as the class valedictorian in UP College of Medicine in year 1933. Del Mundo choose pediatrics as her specialization because of her exposure to the various health conditions affecting children in provinces. Del Mundo received a scholarship offer from the late President Manuel Quezon, granting her to choose from any school in the United States. She accepted the offer and applied to Harvard Medical School. At that time Harvard wasn't accepting any female students but by accident she became the first Filipino woman and the only female to be enrolled at Harvard Medical School.

Photo Source: https://twitter.com/medicalwomenuk/status/938331517205532673

According to her official Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation biography, when del Mundo first went to the dormitory assigned to her from the Harvard University housing, she was surprised to see that all of her dormmates are men. Unknowingly the Harvard officials had admitted a female to their all-male student body. But because her record was very impressive the head of the pediatrics accepted her. Harvard then officially accepted female students 9 years after del Mundo enrolled.

Photo Source: https://www.facebook.com/CycleShackPhilippines/posts/2616292085252107?comment_id=2622464364634879

Despite making name in the field of Medicine and Science in states, Dr. Fe del Mundo insists on going back to offer help and service in the Philippines. She brought major changes on the country's healthcare system. She is a woman of many firsts, especially in the field of medicine, she's the first woman to head a government general hospital (1945), the first Filipino certified by the American Board Of Pediatrics (1947), first female president of the Philippine Pediatric Society (1951-1953) and the Philippine Medical Association. She's also the first president and founder of the Philippine Women's Medical Association.

During World War II, she joined in the International Red Cross and helped children and pregnant women, they created a home to give aid and take care of these people, it is called the Santo Tomas Japanese internment camp that welcomed American and other foreign nationals in the Philippines. Dr. Fe del Mundo also helped fund construction of the first pediatric hospital in the Philippines. She was chair of pediatrics at the Far Eastern University and retired from practice when she reached the age of 94.

On year 1957 Dr. Fe Del Mundo founded The Children's Medical Center Foundation. She also established the Institute of Maternal and Child Health that trains doctors and nurses. She provided healthcare to thousands of poor families by making major breakthroughs in immunization, treatment of jaundice, introducing methods such as BRAT diet for curing diarrheas and being behind the invention of bamboo incubators.

These contributions helped people greatly, it impacted Philippine's healthcare system and make it better. Dr. Fe Del Mundo's unwavering service for her profession and for the country is truly unforgettable and honorable.

Photo Source: https://www.facebook.com/101466908394173/posts/in-an-attempt-to-support-families-in-remote-villages-without-electricity-del-mun/102209341653263/

Google celebrates the 107th birth anniversary of Fe del Mundo with a doodle depicting the Filipina physician caring for a child, a vocation she’s dedicated her life to in a span of over eight decades.

Source: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2018/11/27/google-honors-fe-del-mundo-on-her-107th-birth-anniversary/

Information Sources:

https://www.aappublications.org/content/32/10/52.2

https://medium.com/illumination-curated/the-curious-case-of-fe-del-mundo-the-first-woman-to-get-into-harvard-university-medical-school-fa72713875a7

[anaise]

A Short but Unforgettable Trip

Photo Source: M.studio - stock.adobe.com

Note: Pictures aren't mine because the camera that was used on this trip was burned when we experienced a fire accident way back in 2018.

It's been so long since I last travelled but I can still remember the trip that I had enjoyed. It was February, me and my aunt decided to visit Baguio, this wasn't my first time going to Baguio, in fact I've went there with my family way back. I picked this trip because I've barely remember the trip that I first had in Baguio and my memories from this trip is more fresh in my mind.

It was dawn, so early in the morning. Me and my aunt are getting ready so we're not late for our long ride. Its very important not to miss this because we are to ride a public transportation for our trip, and there's only two bad things that could happen if you miss your allotted schedule: first is you completely miss the chance of going on a trip and second you made it late but find yourself stuck on an unmoving bus because of traffic. The moment we arrived at the bus station (Victory liner) the ticket line was so long, thankfully we had already reserved our bus beforehand, that way our trip will be less hassle and it would go smoothly.

Being in the bus I remembered that listening to music and watching outside the window had kept me distracted and not bored. I'm a type of person who feel nauseous in moving vehicles that's why I'm really thankful I had prepared a long playlist while we're on the road. There are some stops for bathroom breaks in between the trip. I can't fully count how many stops we've had before arriving but every time we have to go out of the bus I always make sure to make the most out of it because the ride is very long.

At exactly lunch time we've arrived at Baguio, as I remembered, it took us 7-8 hours of travel just to get there. Since the same bus terminal that we rode was near the hotel, in fact there's even a shortcut from the bus terminal to the hotel's open restaurant, I just knew that fact by the time we're off to go back home so this information will be much of help on your first day. While leaving the bus, outside there will be people who will offer you a place to stay, I can't entirely suggest what best place to stay but our stay in the hotel was comfortable and there's a buffet every morning.

Photo Source: https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/microtel/baguio-city-philippines/microtel-by-wyndham-baguio/overview

Accommodations aside, as a person who grew familiar of Manila's climate, Baguio feels so new and so different, it made me feel the same chills I had when I first arrived there. It was sunny but the temperature was not as hot as it looks, it's cold enough to compare to Manila's temperature when it's raining. Aside from a greener environment, uphill and downhill roads the scenery was not so different from the bustling environment of Manila's everyday look, maybe it's because we stayed on Baguio's more "modernized" part, where there are buildings, restaurants and shops everywhere, making it all too familiar and not so different.

Our first destination was Burnham Park , we decided to go there after eating our dinner in the hotel. The park at night was as lively as i expected it to be in daylight. It's a fun place to stay together with your family and friends, the park was full of people but not too crowded, a perfect place for picnics and night walks! There are also some entertaining stuff you can do in the park like riding a mini boat on the lake or riding a small car. We also stumbled upon a vendor who is selling taho, what really amazed me was that they sell strawberry flavored taho, and it is delicious, what tops it is that they sell it hot even if it's already night time, making it a perfect treat to eat when strolling in the cold night park in Baguio.

Photo Source : https://makanpamore.wordpress.com/2015/10/18/taho/

My aunt had some business to do in Baguio so we mostly stroll when its afternoon and night time, on our second day we decided to check the night market, it's not my first time visiting the night market but it definitely feels like a first time experience once again. True to its name the night market only exists when the sun is out, there's this big street that become a place bustling with tents and carts by the time vehicles aren't permitted to use the road. Seeing once again how people wait for that time and as they started to build this market one by one never seizes to amuse me. The night market is a good place to go if you're thinking of buying any items you need or taken a liking in because the prices there are very affordable.

Photo Source: https://baguiocityguide.com/after-re-opening-yesterday-baguio-city-mayor-suspends-night-market-operations/

On the third day my aunt and I decided to make the most out of that day, because by the next day we'll be going back home. Our first itinerary was to visit a rose farm but we hadn't had the chance to, because it rained and public transportation was a lot harder to find, it might took a lot of our time for that day so we change our plan and decided to wait for the rain to stop and walk on the streets of Baguio instead. While walking we stumbled upon book stores, art stores and of course souvenir shops. I know these stores aren't that different from what people are used to seeing in Manila but the stores there has that authenticity feel to them, and despite of being a common shop it feels as fascinating as Baguio itself. The book shop (Mt. Cloud Bookshop) has stacks and stock piled of books in them and that familiar smell of books and their pages is pungent, oddly enough it feels inviting and cozy.

Photo Source: https://lemiapp.com/card/5cf6a27d3c3db042273206d9

As afternoon came me and my aunt went to a famous place (Good Shepherd) that sells well known peanut brittles, Lengua and best selling jams, flavored in strawberry and ube. Even though we have to wait for our order (because the line was so long) it was worth it and its perfect for gifts! I also suggest that you should buy as many strawberries and honey if you happen to visit Baguio because they sell them fresh and cheap there.

Photo Source: https://shopee.ph/atsiiscd

By night time we ate on a restaurant called Good Taste it's a very famous restaurant recommended to us as well, as the restaurant's name suggest the food there was not just good but amazing. For our dinner we ordered Baguio's delicacy Bulalo Steak and Buttered Chicken (the restaurant's best selling food) The food was superb! The food wrapped up our day happy and feeling good.

Photo Source: https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2021/05/14/good-taste-founder-dies/

By the time we have to take our leave the same measures are done, we scheduled our departure ahead of time and wait patiently for our bus. The trip in Baguio was quite short , not all too many tourist spots mentioned in my travelogue and that's because our trip there was not really for visiting tourists spots but to unwind and feel a new environment for a change. I really wanted to share the common and everyday places in Baguio because I had felt a different sentiment out of all the supposedly common places there. It all felt familiar but different at the same time, it's not as grand or as long but its unforgettable. This trip was a fun trip for me and every time I reminisce about it I can't help but be happy and feel satisfied.

[anaise]

Fearing What You Loved

Photo source: https://www.thesparkng.com/hub/the-a-r-t-in-nature/

Fearing What you Loved

(Human Interest Article)

There was a man near our house, he's our neighbor. His appearance and stature long passed its youthfulness, grey hair, wrinkled face, and poor posture. He's a good man, in fact our family is close with him, his daughter who's a lot older than me, we have talked before and had some conversations here and there. I know him but I don't know him personally and neither had I ever talked to him before. One day I happened to see him painting on a canvas outside their house, I just came from school that day. You see I love art works, particularly paintings, that's why when I saw him painting I was curious, I tried to look at what he is painting but to no avail I can't see it. Since he's facing the plants I guessed that it's the plants he's painting.

The next day came and I saw him painting once again, since I can't see whatever that he's painting I just then look at the painting materials on the ground. There were brushes and tubes of paint all together in a box, and because I'm an art enthusiast myself I noticed some very expensive paint tubes and paint brushes in that box, they don't look used but they don't look new as well. I try not to stay for too long or I may get caught so I decided that I'll just to talk to his daughter when I get a chance then maybe I can ask her some questions myself because I was getting more curious.

Sunday came and I happened to see her (our neighbor's daughter) outside their house watering plants. We're not quite close but we are well acquainted to each other so I started off by saying hello and sharing that I love paintings and is very interested in them, I then asked if her father happened to be an artist because I saw him painting while I was on my way home a few days ago. Right after I said that she looked at me like she did not just heard what I said, and maybe that's the case because she asked me to repeat what I said one more time. I repeated what I said and her eyes suddenly reflected a pool of emotions. I immediately asked if she's okay and she waves of my concern and told me that she's fine. She then said that yes her father used to be an artist, and it's been so long since her father last hold a brush or anything that's related to art. We talked for a while (for about 3 hours) then she decided to say good bye because she still needs to do something else.

After talking to her I learned that her father used to work as an artist who does commissions and requests back on the earlier days. Even though self portraits and art commissions are getting less popular because of cameras and photography by that time, her father's income can still sustain their family needs, as their family expands and with needs gradually getting higher his father decided to exclusively work under a person who promised to sell her father's work at a higher price and find the best potential buyers for him. The promised amount of pay his father will get will sufficiently support their family. On the first few months of her father's work they are getting by with their everyday expenses.

Her father never minds to over work and to paint, even if he's exhausted and tiredness is evident in his face. Whenever she would ask him to rest or took a day off, her father would just say that he doesn't need it and there will be no difference because weather it's work or pass time, he'll be painting still. With that kind of assertiveness from her father they never really tried to reason with him anymore or make him stop painting, instead they only asked him to rest if he can because they are concerned with his health. With his love and passion for his work they never once expected that there will be a day where her father will hate painting and anything that is related to art. None of them know what to do when their father came home one night and burned all of his paintings and sketches. From then on they never really new what had happened, he just started getting angry or show indifference towards something that is related to painting and art. Some other times his whole body would be shaking as if its afraid of these things. They were younger back then and cannot do anything but to help their parents, and that includes avoiding anything that involves their father's love for art. By the time they started earning their own money she immediately scheduled an appointment for her father to know the reason of his sudden indifference and hate for something that he loves so much. The doctor then diagnosed her father experiencing Post-traumatic disorder, it was said that her father for sure had a very traumatic experience and that he's being reminded of these traumatic experiences every time he see anything that is related to art.

After hearing that story I realized why she was so thankful and grateful that I approached her because as she said, she never once saw her father touch his art supplies, she wouldn't want to force him either but she needs at least an assurance that he's healing and giving himself a chance to recover once again. Her father's story made me think and ponder, it was so sad and it's something that we most likely did not expect to happen. I felt lucky seeing someone doing the things that they had feared in such a long time. It made me feel relieved to know that in the near future all scars of his past will be healed and he will find the joy painting once gave him before.