Wild Things

I skipped S's Greek school play last Friday for the simple reason that the very few Greek words I know (Mousaka, Spanakopita, Tzatziki, Baklava) are ones associated only with food. When I attended last year's hour and a half long program, I must have dozed off several times amidst the continuous drone of Greek speeches - I almost missed her 2-minute speaking part!

Anyway, to make up for it, I took her to see a show at the Linder Theater at the American Museum of Natural History yesterday.

LINK: www.amnh.org

It was a 30 minute educational show called: "It's a Wild Wild World: Predator Show" hosted by wildlife expert Andrew Simmons. For starters, he introduced us to an eagle...

...and then to a big frisky lizard with a bad attitude. We were told that these lizards live up to 15-18 years old and can eat as much as 8-10 mice/week. Hey, I guess if you let loose a few dozen of these in the streets of Chinatown, that should take care of the rodent infestation in no time!

There was also the cranky Snapping Turtle which was just waiting for the perfect opportunity to snap off the handler's thumb - and a cute cuddly black cub that they had borrowed from the zoo.
The main attraction, however, was the 7 year old Albino Python that was given to the host by his friend after inadvertly finding himself in sole custody of the "family pet" after his marriage ended. (A 120 lb. Burmese Python for a pet? No wonder the wife ran!). We learned that Albino snakes thrive well in captivity and do not survive long in the wild. For some reason, they are more susceptible to diseases and are targeted more often by predators since their pale color make them stick out like a sore thumb. They may not be venomous, but could swallow animals 6 times bigger than their mouth. (Watch out!! What is he checking out now?)

Overall, it was a very interesting show and the kids loved it. Afterwards, S requested to see the Dinosaur Exhibit, so we headed straight to the elevator as soon as the show ended. Our goal: The Saurischian Dinosaurs on the 4th floor.

Fido's Heaven

Before we went in the Dinosaur Exhibit hall, we passed by a shell display and I had to point out to S a Bear Paw shell from the Philippines ! We marvelled at the Flying Pterosaurs...

Bones... Bones... and more Bones. And not a dog in sight!

And S striked a pose in front of a large meat-eater: The Allosaurus.

We finally called it a day, but not before grabbing a treat from a friendly street vendor - purple cotton candy!

Baked Paprika Chicken

Lately, P has been preferring chicken to beef. He has a penchant for food with loads of paprika so this is one of his favorite dish. INGREDIENTS: 2 lbs chicken thighs or legs, Chicken rub mix(store-bought or make your own), 1 large onion (diced), 1 large bell pepper (diced), 2 tbsp. vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 cups chicken broth or water, chopped parsley

My own CHICKEN RUB: (from top- clockwise) Mix dried thyme, black pepper, paprika powder, salt, onion powder and adobo powder together in a small bowl.

Clean and wash chicken. (I put the chicken in a big bowl, pour vinegar/lemon juice and loads of kosher salt over them and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Then I rinse chicken THOROUGHLY, taking the slimy film out). Trim the fat and remove skin as you wish (I leave some on - it makes it tastier, yum!). Pat chicken dry with paper towel then sprinkle the seasoning mixture lightly all over it. Let stand for at least an hour (or overnight) in fridge. Heat pan, drizzle the vegetable oil on it. Saute chopped onions and diced bell peppers. Add the tomato paste. Cook for about 5 minutes. Drop chicken in and fry in its own fat until brown. Pour in just enough water or chicken broth to cover the chicken. Cover the pan and simmer for about 20 min. in medium heat, allowing the sauce to reduce and thicken at this time. Add more water or broth as needed to keep it from getting too dry. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Heat up the oven to 350 degrees. Transfer chicken and sauce in a large baking dish. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

S and I eat this with steamed rice while P likes to pair it with rosti (potato pancakes).

Fusilli with Smoked Salmon and Fennel Cream Sauce

I still had half-a-block of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese left in the fridge so I decided to make a quick and delicious Sunday pasta dinner. I used fusilli pasta but this mixture also goes perfectly with tagtiatelle or fettuccine. (Fresh salmon fillet - sliced paper thin on the diagonal is a great substitute for smoked salmon). INGREDIENTS: 1/2 cup (125 ml) heavy cream, 1/4 cup unsalted butter, 8 0z. smoked salmon (I used Norwegian) - sliced paper thin, freshly ground white pepper, salt, 1 tsp. whole fennel seeds, dash of paprika powder, dash of nutmeg powder, chopped parsley, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Optional: 3 tablespoons caviar or any type of roe that you like

Add your choice of pasta to boiling water. While it cooks, combine the cream and butter in a saucepan over low heat. Bring to a boil very slowly. Remove from the heat as soon as the cream boils. Add the salmon, fennel seeds, salt, white pepper, nutmeg and paprika powder to taste. Mix well, mashing about a quarter of the salmon to flavor the sauce.
When the paste is al dente, drain and transfer to a warmed serving dish. Immediately pour the sauce over the pasta, sprinkle on the grated cheese, chopped parsley (and optional caviar) and serve at once.

PM Design

One of the paybacks from breaking away from the family mold and stepping out on his own was when one of his handmade designs made it to the spread of New York STITCH's (fashion magazine) Spring 2004 issue.

CAPTION: Bliss Lau Gold Keynote Pocket waist Bag, $200, Sold at Steve Alan Giuseppe Zanotti Designs Gold Strapped Spiked Heel Shoes, $450 Christian Roth at Selima Optique Gold Metal framed Sunglasses, $400 PM Design for Objets Du Desir Brass and Sterling Silver Bracelet, $760.

Guinisang Mongo (Sauteed Mung Bean with Tripe )

Ingredients: 1 cup Mongo (Mung bean), 1/2 lb. tripe, 1/2 lb. beef (for stew or tapa) cut into cubes, 3-4 cups beef broth, 1 large garlic clove, 1 large onion or 2 shallots, 1 large tomato, 1/2 dozen small okras (trim ends), a bag of spinach, vegetable cooking oil, fish sauce (patis), salt, black pepper Optional: 2 small eggplants, bagoong (shrimp fry) . Wash the mongo beans thoroughly and place in pan. Add water, just enough to cover the beans. Let simmer for about 45 minutes or until the beans start breaking up and become mushy. Maintain the water level by adding a little bit of it at a time (Dish is best when creamy, not watery). During this time, boil the tripe and beef/pata in a separate pot of water for about the same length of time. When done, cut the tripe in half-inch strips, the meat - in small or bite size cubes. Save the water for use as beef stock/broth. Set meat aside.

Mince garlic and chop onions/shallots. Dice the tomato. Heat vegetable cooking oil in a large pan or casserole. In medium heat, saute the garlic. Add onion when garlic starts turning golden. Drop in diced tomato when onion starts to become opaque or wilted. Let cook for about 3 minutes. Pour in the mongo along with the water, and bring to a boil. Then add tripe and beef/tapa. Pour in the beef broth. Season with salt, black pepper and fish sauce (patis). Add the okra (and optional cubed eggplants). Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes. When veggies are done, taste and adjust seasonings as needed. You can add the optional bagoong at this time. Bring to a boil and heap the spinach on top. Cover immediately and turn off the heat, letting the steam cook the spinach. Let sit for 15 - 20 minutes. Serve with hot, steaming rice.

ChiLd'S BaNtEr #5: SaY WhAt??

Scene:
While in the middle of sewing a button on a shirt, the phone rang. I gave specific instructions to S not to touch the needle while I take the call. After talking to my friend, I was dismayed to find out that she had cut the thread from the needle.
Me: (upset) Did you do this?!
S: Ummmm... Yeah.
Me: Didn't I tell you to never ever touch the needle?!
S: (protesting) But mama, I didn't! I only touched the thread...
Hmmmm... Did this smarmy little squirt just pulled a fast one on me?

(Cam)photo of the Day: On East Side Street (3/15/06)

"CANNED GOODS"

Caesar Salad

INGREDIENTS: Romaine Lettuce (leaves torn or leave whole), 1 clove Garlic, extra virgin Olive Oil, 1 or 2 Egg yolks (if scared of Salmonella, may use soft-boiled egg yolk/s instead), 3-4 Anchovy fillets, 1 teaspoon (Dijon) Mustard, juice of half a Lemon, fresh Parmigiano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, White Pepper, rock Salt. Optional: Garlic Croutons, Bacon Bits P and I both love Caesar Salad, its fairly easy to make, and were simply tired of the mediocre and expensive ones that they serve in most restaurants. So yesterday, I made some for our dinner. My no-miss recipe: Mash one large garlic clove, pressing it against sides of salad bowl. Add the anchovy fillets, mashing it together with the garlic. Drop in the 2 egg yolks and Dijon mustard. Squeeze in the lemon juice. At this time, whisk the dressing while slowly adding the extra virgin olive oil. When desired amount is reached, add some grated parmigiano cheese until you reach the consistency that you want. Add salt and white pepper to taste. Add more lemon juice if too salty. If using whole Romaine lettuce leaves, coat top of each leaf with the dressing. If leaves are torn, simply toss salad with the dressing. (The optional part: If adding garlic croutons, drop 3-4 cubes/squares in the salad bowl and crush it with the remaining dressing. Then scoop it out with a spoon and distribute it on top of lettuce). Add more grated parmigiano cheese on top, (add the bacon bits if you have them) and tadaaaaaaaa......

Good Eats: FILIPINO FOOD!! (Queens Area)

DIRECTIONS: You can get there either by bus or train. The route that I took started at Grand Central - 42nd Street Subway Station. Took 2 flights of stairs down to the # 7 Train platform to catch the train bound for Flushing - Main Street. After a 15-20 min. ride, got off at 69 - Fisk Avenue Station and found myself right smack in the middle of Woodside, Queens. (Just don't ask me why the street sign reads "69 St., Roosevelt" instead of "69 St., Fisk"). At last!! A taste of Spring! It was 71 degrees yesterday and I couldn't let the day pass by without going out and enjoying the unusually warm weather. Besides, I had the urge to binge on Filipino food and where else can I best satiate this craving than in Woodside, Queens? I left home at around 10 AM, giving myself ample time to make it back before S's school bus beat me to my door! As soon as I got out of the Subway Station, I found myself in the the corner of 69th St. and Roosevelt Avenue. It felt more like being in "Little Manila" (or as in my case, "Little Iloilo") than being in Queens, NY! Aside from the 5 Filipino restaurants within a 2-block radius, there were two Balikbayan Box mailing depots, a Filipino owned hair salon, Novelty shops... My first stop was the Ihawan Restaurant located around the corner of 70th St. and Roosevelt. It is a 2-storey establishment, the restaurant occupying the Second Floor. I made a beeline for the First Floor's Take-Out Counter. This is where their Kitchen and Grilling Station are located. The most popular, and delicious item they have is also the cheapest: Pork BBQ and Chicken BBQ at $2.00 per generous stick. I ordered 2 of each. 3 Pork Belly's sell for $2.25 a piece. I also added an order (about half a pint) of Beef Lengua with Mushroom Sauce ($6.75) and 2 orders of Dinuguan ($5.00/order). Their Pancit Bihon ($4.50) was tasty although I wish they had added more veggies to it. I wanted 2 orders just the same. Of course, I couldn't go home without S's favorite, creamy Avocado Con Hielo ($3.50/glass). It is to die for - this alone was enough reason for me to make the trek all the way to Queens! The woman behind the counter told me it'll take about 20 minutes to process my Take-Out order. To kill time, I retraced my steps back to the corner of 69th St where Krystal's Cafe and Restaurant was located.
Krystal's Cafe has a bakery on the First floor and offers a daily all-you-can-eat buffet on the Second floor. For today's lunch, they had Kare-Kare (with bagoong on the side), Pinakbet, Fried Chicken (crunchy!), Sotanghon Guisado, Ginisang Mongo (bleaah, watery!), Sweet and Sour Fish, White Rice, unlimited Soda served in plastic cups, and an assortment of cakes and pastries (Ube, Pandan, Napoleons) for dessert. All this for a very reasonable price of $6.25 (includes tax!). Not bad at all!

After a quickie lunch, I grabbed "dessert to-go" downstairs and headed to the Phil-Am Grocery Store (cor. of 71st st) in search of eggplant, okra, Mung bean, and other goodies. Satisfied with my purchases, I was home in less than an hour, savoring a delectable Ube roll slice while the Avocado Con Hielo sat in the freezer - awaiting S's arrival from school.
http://www.bridgeandtunnelclub.com/bigmap/queens/menus/ihawan.htm

Steppin' Out: Cafe Wha!, NYC

CAFE WHA?
http://www.cafewha.com/

As if partying in Mexico wasn't enough, I stepped out with a few of my friends for a night of music, Corona beer buckets, Cuervo tequila shots, and aisle dancing last night. P was gracious enough to stay with S while Mama went out to "play". We checked out The Wha?, one of my all-time-fave band perform.

I haven't seen their show in several months, so it sucked that a couple of regular singers/performers (Elan and Jason) weren't there. Still, it wasn't a bad night. They had a few special guest performers: one was Soca singer Joe Barnes (white shirt/black hat) who got everyone grinding their hips with his rendition of the "Dollar Song" and the party classic: "(Feelin') Hot!Hot!Hot!", and then there was this Latino guy who did an uber fantastic rendition of Elvis Crespo's "SuaveMente". I was hoping he'd also sing Juanes' "Camisa Negra" but no such luck.

We ended up at Hopkee Restaurant in Chinatown at around 4:30 AM, scarfing down Pan Fried Flounder, Vegetable Mei Fun (pansit bihon), Pork Chops with Hot Peppers, and Chicken & Corn Soup. The good news was - ...I didn't have any hangover today. The bad news was - ...I lost my 3-month old phone!!

Adios, Mexico!!

SO LONG, CANCUN!!Woke up at the crack of dawn to make sure we had packed everything. Threw out all the stuff that we didn't intend to bring back home. We wanted to squeeze in a few more hours basking under the hot sun so we headed straight to the beach right after our early breakfast. Thank goodness P's stomach had settled down by this time...


We had a wonderful time here in Mexico, but it was time to go. Believe it or not, we kinda miss cold NYC! Snow, freezing wind, dirty slushes, traffic, our own beds, school, nope - not work...

So till next time - Hasta La Vista, Baby!!!