Bringing a Taste of Home to Chile

Thanksgiving is in three days. Well, less, since Monday is nearly over. And while all of you up north are fussing over pie crust and the weight of your birds, I'm working on my final projects and exams, planning trips to the beach, and winding down here.

Our study abroad program is graciously hosting a Thanksgiving for the gringos on Thursday, and the students were asked to supply the desserts. So what is a New England girl to bake? WHOOPIE PIES, obviously. (Sidenote: I didn't learn these were regional until I went to college in Nashville. SORPRESA!)

However, baking/cooking in Chile has proven to be EXTREMELY difficult, due to the different ingredients, measurements, that whole Celsius things. I've had a few mishaps. Some really gross treats. So my friend Natalie (from New Hampshire-- she knows what's up) and I decided to attempt it anyways.

Issues:
1. They don't have shortening, so we used manteca. Manteca = lard.
2. Finding marshmellow fluff. The only reason I even attempted this desert was because my friend Sarah had found this while we were in La Serena. So I knew it was in the country.
3. Cocoa powder. Just hard to find. We found it, but it was harder than I thought it would be. It was by the hot chocolate mix, in the coffee and tea aisle. OBVIOUSLY...
4. Sugar granules here are HUGE for some reason. Makes some funny textured things.
5. Confectioner's sugar is not sold in boxes. It is sold in little baggies of 100 grams, because no one uses it.
6. Baking soda is only sold at pharmacies, not in the supermarkets. Not even the GIANT Super WalMart-esque markets. Thus, flour comes with baking soda already in it. So you don't get to choose your proportion or anything. Hmm..

First batch was a bit interesting. Kind of bland. Not chocolately. Not sweet. So we adjusted the recipe...

And we made whoopie pies. In Chile. It's stupid to be that proud of, but it kind of is an accomplishment to be able to cook something correctly here.



Also, I bought salad dressing from the store the other day. They only had Thousand Island, but I was in a home mood and splurged. So tonight, I had salad with salad dressing and whoopie pies.


I'd say it was a good day. God bless the USA.