NonSTOP

This is what happens when I start cooking after a long hiatus away from my kitchen.

Top to Bottom: Coco Chicken with Squash Flower, Mee Siam, Fried Shrimp and Onion in Mang Tomas BBQ Sauce.

My friend, Becky, was just telling me that there are times when she thinks that it's cheaper to eat out than to cook. And I knew exactly where she was coming from!

When you start out on your own, you still try to get a feel of things, and that includes menu planning. I remember that I was SO excited to finally be on my own and be the one to decide what goes into my stomach for dinner (Deciding what to eat is what I really looked forward to when I went on my own. I actually bought an oven even before I even had a bed or a sofa.). Earmarked cookbooks, printed web recipes, and recipe sms from friends filled my kitchen which translated to a full pantry, a full ref, and a weekly grocery bill (90% was food) worth Php1,500.

I knew something was amiss because that amount was my family's weekly grocery bill (and we were 6 big eaters!). As I learned portion control and got better at menu planning, I was able to trim down my weekly groceries to Php400-500 (food and nonfood), but I have yet to control my time in the kitchen.

What makes cooking great is the instant gratification of seeing, smelling, and tasting your own creations. This gratification feels so good that you just want it to go on and on and on, so you keep cooking. Add to that are the perishable ingredients that have been stocked up for days because I had no time to cook over the past week.

What started out as a simple Mee Siam (Thanks to my very thoughtful friend's -Joyce- pasalubong from Sing! Yahoo! ) gave birth to Fried Shrimp and Onion in Mang Tomas Barbecue Sauce and Coco Chicken with Squash Flower. I didn't get to sleep on that night, but my baon and my gratified self is set for the week.

A Discovery on an Old Favorite

I was sick last week and couldn't find the right food to make me feel better (I'm one of the lucky ones who NEVER loses appetite in any situation.). My best friend, Pia, unknowingly came to my rescue when she texted that she brought me durian from Davao.

Oh heaven.

I LOVE DURIAN. After saying a prayer of eternal gratitude for this gift and a side prayer for those who cannot eat this glorious fruit, I got my fork and savored the creamy silky pulp and almost shed a tear when I could no longer feel anything in my mouth save for the seed.

That got me thinking.

I remembered that in one of my provincial trips, the sales guy and moi stopped by one of the street vendors to buy peanuts. The vendor asked me to try the boiled langka (jackfruit) seed. I was bowled over and got hooked on it.

Now, the durian has been compared to the langka. The durian's seeds are as fat as the langka's. Both fruits have been found to smell offensive at one time or another. With these similarities in mind, I decide to boil the seed and see if it would yield a result as delicious as that one provincial trip. So boil I did till the liquid turned purple and I could no longer smell the scent of the durian. Now came the test.

I cracked the seed open. It was a bit mapakla (I guess the closest translation would be "tanning" like that of wine.). I continued to bite into the seed until I could finally taste the "meat".

This is how it looked like:

And the taste --- oh boy! Boiled langka seed, move over! How I wished I had sour cream and chives right at that moment! It felt like the softest baked potato in the world, with a more flavorful and meatier taste. I have learned my lesson and will only change one thing next time. I shall boil it just a bit longer so the whole seed is perfectly moist and tender to the last bite.

Going Home?

When I started living on my own, friends and friends of friends started going back to their family homes. All of them had the same and only reason --- they're tired of living alone and miss the feeling of having family around when they get home. At that time, I thought they were nuts.

And then I experienced the same thing.

I think I'm getting to that point where I miss going home to what I perceive to be family and a warm home. Even if I am able in the kitchen, there's something rewarding about going home after a long day's work and seeing the dining table set for you with the delicious aroma of sauteed onions and/or garlic greeting you as you slowly put down your things. I miss hearing my sister or brother yakking it over the phone in the background as I watch television or read my book. I miss talking the ears off my family with my endless banter and opinions even if no one's really listening. In turn, I miss my siblings and my dad talking my own ears off to tell me about their day or their friends' day. Somehow, being at home, though not always happy, reassured me that someone cared for you (When I'm sick or during storms, this thought perenially comes to mind. If I suddenly die right there and then, how long will it take for my family and friends to discover my body since they are not in the habit of checking up on me now that I've grown up and live on my own?).

I won't deny that I've thought about packing up and just returning to where I grew up. Then, I remember all my reasons for being on my own and I know that I can no longer go back. I just have to move on, and, hopefully, rather than get used to being alone, I will have the opportunity to create my own home, whether I'm single or I'm married.

Until that time, my current coping mechanisms will have to do: constantly playing my cds, inviting friends over for weekend dinners, going out with my sibling at least every 2 weeks, reading books like there's no tomorrow, cooking and baking, surfing the net, sms.

I wonder how people on their own in other countries cope. Or do they need to cope?

Don't get me wrong. This isn't about not wanting to be alone anymore (I do like being alone most of the time.). I guess it's more about getting nostalgic about matters that I always took for granted. Or maybe it's missing the comfort of knowing that someone will always be on the lookout for you no matter what happens. Yeah yeah. I know that, in the end, you just have to look out for yourself, but am being realistic here. It IS nice to be taken cared of every now and then, right?

Here's a simple recipe I've concocted when you get to feel this way. No need for measurements. Your best gauge is your palate.

COMFORT ME ULAM
1. Saute lots of minced garlic (I used a head of garlic!) in a little Golden Fiesta Cooking Oil only until you begin to smell the appetizing aroma of the garlic. Add sliced radish.
2. Place 1 whole small fish (I used a member of the lapu-lapu family locally known as Ulpot.) and saute for a few seconds.
3. Add shrimp broth to your heart's delight (I had this because I cooked shrimp the week before and the recipe called for peeled and beheaded shrimp. I LOVE these parts so I couldn't just throw them away. Decided to boil, strain, and freeze the broth for later use.).
4. Simmer and season with salt to taste.
5. Eat and feel a little better.

Vicky Wallace's "Bohol Bee Farm"


Lunching al fresco in the Bee Farm.

Hello Everyone!

Wow. It has been some time since I last posted here. Hate to admit it, but work has gotten in the way. Well, that's not exactly true. Both work and a very active food life have grabbed my attention away from blogging. Am back! Hopefully, more frequently. : )

To start the year right and end the previous year, would like to share with you some finds. This time, with more pictures. Happy eating!

Bohol Bee Farm
My friends, MikeMo (who happens to be a covert foodie and travel expert), Ana Mo, and I made a last minute decision to go to Bohol after a presentation in Cebu. Being someone who plans ahead when it comes to travelling, this trip drove me crazy (Thank goodness for connections, OC friends, and neighborhood drugstores!), but made me realize how spontaneity can liven up any trip. Without any idea where to sleep nor eat (No sleep, I can take. No eating, I'm gonna wage a war!), we ventured into unknown territory armored only with MikeMo's supposed experience in Bohol and our desire to experience the wonderful waters of Bohol.

We stayed in Alona Q, one of Panglao's beach resorts. It was a basic resort with a small beachfront, but was happy with it because it was clean (particularly the bathroom!) and allowed me to explore the waters of Panglao. Didn't get to eat here because we had to

Food Trip

Been trying out some really yummy food lately and wanted to share with you some of these great finds (Was really trying to fix my hello+picasa so you can visualize some of these discoveries, but I couldn't wait anymore!).

Eating just can't stop....

Armando's Pizza of Camalig - I have been looking for this place since way back 1998. For some strange reason, as popular as this place is supposed to be, no one I've met has ever tried it until I met this officemate-cum-fave singer of mine, Cybelle. I have Cybelle to thank for finally showing me this hole-in-the-wall delicious pizza place.

Armando's pizza has a thin crispy crust that doesn't scrimp on ingredients. The ingredients are so fresh and well-cooked that even the green pepper becomes something to crave for! This is also THE pizza for lovers of toppings till the crust end. Only P165 for a pizza good for 3-4 persons. Try the Armando's Special and the Mexican variant. Ang saraaap! Oh, while you're there, do try their baked spaghetti with corned beef (only P39, big for one and I'm talking about my appetite here!). The noodles are chewy yet al dente and is deliciously complemented by a sweet spicy sauce with very malinamnam strips of corned beef. Truly worth a trip to Angeles City, Pampanga!

Armando's Pizza can be found in Sto. Rosario Street, Angeles City.

Brown Sugar Muffins - I hated muffins. I find them dry and corny. Until I found this. I just had a haircut in my favorite salon and was walking around the Old Greenbelt to kill time. While thinking of where to go, my sense of smell was heightened with the yummy fragrance of freshly baked cake. I was intrigued so I let my nose do the walking and I stumbled upon Brown Sugar Muffins. I haven't stopped going there since.

Brown Sugar Muffins look like your regular muffins, but that's where all similarity ends. Each muffin is moist and very flavorful. My ultimate favorite is their Belgian Chocolate muffin is a chocolate muffin which is lighter than but as moist as a chocolate cake, not too sweet, and is complemented by white choco chips that taste more like luscious cream than white choco (I'm not a fan of white choco.). It's the Belgian chocolate that lingers in your mouth and not the sweetness of the sugar that makes one eat one bite after the other.

Try also their other yummy variants --- carrot (My 2nd favorite! Contrary to popular belief, this does NOT taste like carrot cake!), banana almond, orange, cheese, butter (You can actually interchange the butter and the cheese. They taste almost the same.), and blueberry. Each muffin costs P40, but I suggest you go for the minis at P85 per bag (6 pcs). You get to try more variants and the smaller size doesn't make you less satisfied. Oh, by the way, this is owned by the ones who own the franchise of Auntie Anne's. This is a local creation. Isn't that cool???

Brown Sugar Muffins is found in the ground level of Greenbelt 1. Beside Delifrance.

Hatsuhana Tei - This is a MUST for authentic Japanese resto fans. Hidden, hidden, hidden from the general public, but is placed in a hotel-like ambiance is this delicious Japanese resto. My friend, Amor, introduced me to this place to convince me that this will beat my fave Japanese restos in Little Tokyo (this is the local Japanese community's version of Chinatown in Pasong Tamo, Makati.). She was right.

Longing to see more than katsudon, chicken teriyaki, tuna sashimi, california maki, and yakisoba in a Japanese restaurant's menu, I am motivated to constantly search for one that most Japanese go to. I have found it in Little Tokyo, but I have found and have been delighted with Hatsuhana Tei. They have an impressive list of original sushi and sashimis (even their spicy tuna is different from those served in more popular Japanese restos.) and have more flavorful rice dishes.

What's good about this place is that it doesn't intimidate you the way most authentic Japanese restos would. They have more pictures and English descriptions on their Japanese menu. What the menu can't tell you, the staff can. And the servings are generous. Go Japanese at Hatsuhana Tei, 2nd floor of Herald Suites (Yes, it's in a hotel, but the price range is the same as your favorite Japanese resto -P200-400- per dish.), Pasong Tamo, Makati. Almost across Makati Cinema Square.

Suzhou - During lunch break in a wine class, Chef Gene Gonzalez asked if I've tried Formosa cooking. I was intrigued at why Gene would recommend such a place as Formosa cooking has always impressed me as noodle dishes with good bite and flavor, so off we went to this small unassuming place near Cafe Ysabel. The 3 of us ordered only 3 dishes for sharing and I was afraid that these would not be enough. Gene, wearing his all-knowing look told me, "Just wait and see first." This is one guy I hold in high regard when it comes to food, so I followed his advice.

First came the Steamed Beef with special sauce. The tender beef was sliced thinly and looked like roast beef, but it was juicier and less oily than the roast beef. What made this dish stand out is its soy sauce-based sauce that had a strong garlic taste and, when mixed with the beef, brought out the delicious beef juice and would just make you want to eat, eat, and eat it with the salted fish fried rice.

Now when it comes to salted fish fried rice, North Park would always top my list. Now I don't know how to categorize Suzhou's version. It doesn't taste anything like North Park's, but it is as good. The rice is moist, but not oily; very flavorful, but doesn't overpower the viand; and can be eaten on its own. It gives one the impression that it was cooked in broth rather than fried in oil. Grabe. Ang sarap!!!!

Oh and how can I forget the Hot and Sour Soup??? Hot and Sour Soups are a dime a dozen in most Chinese restos that serve homestyle dishes (Heck, even Knorr has an instant mix for this!), so imagine my delight at tasting Suzhou's version --- It was very flavorful, but one can distinguish the flavors that were mixed in it if only we were familiar with Chinese named ingredients. The spicy taste of the soup doesn't burn the tongue. Instead, it tickles the palate and makes you look forward to having the next spoonful. The soft tofu doesn't crumble in your mouth. It melts, together with all the other ingredients they've put into the soup.

I've gone to this place over and over again, but I think these 3 dishes are the most outstanding. Try this place out and I guarantee you'll find yourself visiting it again and again. Who wouldn't? Prices are very reasonable (Most dishes are below P200 and servings can be shared by 2-3 hungry persons. Food is delicious. Ambiance is like being at home.).

Suzhou is located in A.Mabini Street, San Juan, MM.


Tsokolate Eh! - Long have I dreamt of having my own chocolate place, especially one that can stand up to all these coffee places. I'm no fan of coffee, but I just love the ambiance of these coffee shops and was hoping that someday, my favorite chocolate drink can be enjoyed in such a place (To this day, I have yet to find a coffee place that serves good hot chocolate.). I just may have found it.

While enjoying in the discovery of the newly face-lifted SM Makati, my sister, Tricia, and I just had to sit down and get some merienda to soothe our tired feet and grumbling tummies. We chanced upon this place that looked like a coffee place, but claims to serve delicious hot tsokolate eh! We just had to give it a try.

The verdict: The hot tsokolate eh was delicious! It was the kind of tsokolate eh flavor that I was looking for --- smooth and tasted just like the tableas cooked well at home. They could still improve on the consistency though. I like my tsokolate eh thick. Their consistency was similar to the hot chocolate of most fastfood joints, but had more tsokolate grains.

I liked the fact that the steaming hot tsokolate was served in local ceramic mugs that look like tree barks. The mugs heightened the pleasure of drinking this beverage that brought back happy childhood memories and just made one feel good about being Pinoy. It just wouldn't be the same if it were served in a styro cup or an ordinary ceramic or glass mug.

Check out this place and try out their native merienda as well. I only got to try the kesong puti pan de sal (Via Mare still rules!).

Tsokolate Eh! is owned by the owners of Kitaro (which was a pleasant surprise because I'm not too keen on Kitaro). It's found at the 2nd or 3rd level (I forget right now.) of SM Makati, just outside the native crafts department.