I need a scalpel and a spatula

Here at Floating Doctors my role up until now was the Director of Public Health, which meant all health education and public health aspects of our project went through or were generated by me. However, Sky and Ben recently asked me to the the Galley Coordinator and chef for the Southern Wind! I am so excited!

I have alway loved cooking since the first time I learned how. I remember watching my dad cook for holidays and helping my mom on weeknights, but one of my strongest memories was learning how to cook when I was in the fifth grade by a babysitter that had come to stay with us while my mom was in the hospital. She was teaching me how to cook french onion soup, and I remember her telling me the best way to help and take care of someone was to know how to cook really well for them. From that moment on, I have always enjoyed cooking for my family, friends, neighbors...anyone! I love being able to be flexible with recipes, experimenting with new spices and foods, and ultimately, being able to make something that makes everyone feel good. There is just something that is so comforting about being in the kitchen...if I hadn't decided to go to school for medicine, I would have gone to culinary school! After this trip I plan to write a cook book... I have a crappy little notebook (I really need to get a nicer one) that I write down recipes that I make up and that people teach me along the way and I hope to turn that into a global cookbook when I return, with recipes from around the world.

It's been quite an experience learning to cook for 12 people (sometimes more) for breakfast, lunch and dinner but I always joke that I feel fairly confident that I could raise a giant family now! It's going to be so different cooking on the boat, but I look forward to the simplicity of it, and the challenge of having to get really creative with what little we have. There is so much planning that goes into setting up and outfitting a galley, but I am definately up to the challenge. I have even kept one wall of the galley blank so that I can paint a mural on it! :)

Any ideas, recipes, tips, etc greatly appreciated! I have my hands full with the World Health Survey, but the added responsibility of the Galley is a lot to handle, so I am accepting all the help I can get!

Bottom line is...... I've never been happier. Heres a picture of me one night cooking for all my boys.