Steytsayd Ilongga

The BEST Cassava Cake Recipe

2010-11-17T22:37:00.001-05:00

I had intended to go on a few months hiatus after the birth of my son. But lo and behold ~ before I knew it, the "months" extended to years. (Can't believe he's turning THREE in a few months!). This doesn't mean that I stopped cooking. But instead of blogging my recipes, I just found storing them on my BB easier and much more convenient.

Anyway, for my first entry in ages, I'm sharing my Cassava Cake recipe. This is such an easy dessert to make and tastes sooo moist and delectable. I guarantee: you'll never look at another Cassava Cake recipe again (I haven't).

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs (room temp.)

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 (13.5 oz.) can coconut milk

3/4 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

2 packs (16 oz./1 lb. each) frozen grated cassava, thawed

1 (12 oz.) bottle coconut sport strings (macapuno) in syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour 1/4 can of condensed milk in a small bowl. Mix it with 1/4 bottle of coconut sport strings. Set aside.

Combine all the the remaining ingredients. Mix well. Pour in a half sheet baking pan or into a regular 8 x 10 foil baking pan. Bake uncovered for an hour.

Spread contents of the small bowl (coconut/milk) evenly over the top of the cassava and bake for an additional 20 - 30 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown.

Serve warm.

Spaghetti Carbonara

2008-05-09T10:38:00.002-04:00

Spaghetti alla "carbonara" was a famous dish in the coal-mining region of Italy. It's a simple dish but creamy and delicious when properly made. Obviously, this is not a meal for those who are diet-conscious. Some recipes call for pancetta or pork jowl, but I used thick-sliced smoked bacon in mine.

Ingredients:

1 pound spaghetti
1/2 pound bacon, cut into matchsticks ( Using kitchen scissors instead of a knife did the trick nicely)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup dry white wine (if in a pinch, substitute with red wine, dry vermouth or plain chicken broth)
3 large eggs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

Boil a big pot of salted water over high heat. Meantime pour olive oil in a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the bacon and fry till golden brown, about 5 minutes. Drop in the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the white wine and simmer for about 4 minutes or until slightly reduced. Stir occasionally. Turn off the heat and put a lid/cover on the skillet.Beat eggs, cheeses,salt and pepper in a small bowl. Cook the pasta until al dente, about 2 minutes short of package directions. On the last minute, quickly reheat the bacon mixture. Drain spaghetti and return to the pasta cooking pot. Quickly add the egg/cheese mixture and the bacon mixture. Combine all ingredients by stirring them vigorously. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve dish immediately.

Creamy Mushroom Soup

2008-03-29T09:59:00.004-04:00

This is a rich, hearty soup that's great for dunking with a big chunk of crusty french bread or ciabatta roll.

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped button mushrooms
1 cup chopped Portobello mushrooms
2 oz. dried wild mushroom mix (comprised of an earthy combination of black chinese mushrooms, nutty porcinis and oyster mushrooms)
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 small onion, minced
1 cup half-and-half
1 (48 oz.) can chicken broth
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Bring a pot of water to a boil then turn off the heat. Drop in the dried wild mushroom mix and let it soak for 20 minutes. Drain and set aside. Discard the liquid (it will have gritty sediments from the dried mushroom).

In the meantime, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour, then saute the onion and the mushrooms until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and the chicken bouillon cube. Cook while stirring occasionally, for another 5 - 7 minutes. Stir in the half-and-half. Heat through, but don't boil. Transfer about half of the soup into a large bowl. Use an immersion or hand blender to puree the soup left on the pot. Pour the soup from the bowl back in the pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with optional chopped chives.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Eight Years and Going Strong...

2008-03-25T12:53:00.003-04:00

P and I celebrated our eight year wedding anniversary this month. Yes, we made it past the so-called "7-Year-Itch" period. I'm sure well make it past midlife crisis and work our way through our second childhood, too! If were lucky enough to make it to the Dementia/Altzheimers stage, then all the better. Every day, we'd meet up and fall in the love with each other all over again. Just like the first time. Notwithstanding hearing aids, dentures, walkers and adult incontinence briefs.

Awww ~ now I'm really getting carried away...

Flash back to the present. We couldn't have dinner out on our special day since baby Sam's too young to lug around in a fancy restaurant, so I opted to cook dinner for three.

Something simple and delicious. Something crispy, crunchy and tasty. I had four fresh D'Artagnan young chicken, each one as big as the palm of my hand. I thought ~ if you could deep-fry a whole turkey, why not 4 whole "teen-age" chickens? Rubbed in Provencal herbs, rock salt, paprika, black pepper and served on top of baby mushroom & asparagus risotto, it tasted way better than turkey.

S thought it was a neat idea to tell her friends that she was able to eat a "whole" chicken all by herself . As an added bonus, she got the four wishbones as well!

P took care of dessert.

It came wrapped in Bordeaux red wrapping paper with a Biendermeier motif.

Inside the elegant engraved wooden box was an Original Sacher~Torte from Vienna.

The history of the world~famous Original Sacher~Torte began in 1832, when the 16~year old apprentice cook Franz Sacher created this dessert at the court of Prince Metternich.

In the meantime, it has become the most famous torte in the world and the hand~written recipe is a "state secret" of the Hotel Sacher Wien. The hotel ~ opened in 1876 by Franz Sacher's son, Eduard ~ is an Austrian institution.

This torte is recommended to be served with unsweetened whipped cream and coffee.

Sorry, I couldn't wait for neither. Yum!

LINK:

https://shop.sacher.com/sacher/HotelSacherWien/index.jsp

Its Easter Time Once Again

2008-03-23T16:57:00.007-04:00

S's unique Easter "eggs"

Our day started with a HUGE breakfast ~ piping hot breakfast sausages, fresh Swedish ham, Schaeller & Webber hard salami,

croissants, sesame bagels, and thanks to Fresh Direct, warm sourdough rolls.

These rolls were delivered frozen. Just popped them in the 400 degree oven for 10-12 minutes and voila! Tasted like I kneaded the dough myself. There was Danish butter, cream cheese and Sarabeth's strawberry rhubarb preserves. All washed down with French roast coffee, hot coco, OJ... We even ate some of the Easter eggs that P and S painted the night before!

Fresh fruits drizzled with honey and dipped in organic French Vanilla yogurt completed the meal. Afterwards I felt like a stuffed hare and had to will myself to stay awake during the 10 AM family mass.

Happy Easter!!

Boiled eggs, anyone?

LINK:

http://www.freshdirect.com/index.jsp

Roasted Duck with Soy-Lime Glaze

2008-02-21T17:40:00.003-05:00

Ingredients:

1 6 pound whole Long Island Pekin (Jurgielewicz) duck, eviscerated, rinsed, dried
2 tablespoon minced ginger
2 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup soy sauce
6 limes, washed, halved, juiced, reserve halves
1 cup brown Turbinado sugar
1 medium sweet potato, peeled, cut in large cubes
2 medium potatoes, cut in large cubes
1 large onion, cut in cubes (same size as the potatoes)
2 medium carrot, cut in cubes
2 tbsp. Canola oil
kosher salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste

In a medium saute pan over medium heat, add oil and saute garlic and ginger until translucent and fragrant, about a minute. Deglaze with soy sauce and add lime juice and sugar and stir to dissolve sugar. Bring to a simmer and reduce by 25% or until thick and bubbly. Pour syrup into a bowl over a bowl of ice to cool, or just chuck the whole pan into the freezer for a few minutes. Massage the duck with the cooled soy syrup inside and out and stuff cavity with reserved lime halves. Marinate for at least 2 hours. Pre-heat oven to 400' degrees. In a large bowl, combine potatoes, sweet potato, carrots and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Dump the veggie mixture into a large baking pan and top with duck. Roast until brown, about 30 minutes, then lower the oven to 375' degrees and cover duck loosely with foil to prevent burning. Cook the duck for about 30 minutes more. Drain and discard excess duck drippings from the pan. For crispier skin, take off the foil and cook for an additional 30 minutes (total cooking time: 1 1/2 hr.), flipping the duck at least once for an even brown color.

Let rest 10 minutes before serving with the roasted vegetables.

Verdict:

Although the duck was very tasty and much of the fat had been rendered, P thought it was still too fatty. I'd use the same glaze again but next time, I think I'll try it on a couple of Poussins instead.

Layered Beef Tortilla Lasagna

2007-05-19T16:57:00.000-04:00

(recipe to follow)

Fried Calamari and Fish with Spicy Anchovy Mayonnaise

2007-05-07T22:46:00.000-04:00

This was adapted from chef Michael Romano's (of Union Square Cafe fame) recipe. For variety, I added the fish. I also soaked the calamari in buttermilk overnight, then drained them out in the morning.

There are two "secret" ingredients that make this recipe work. First is the use of Graham cracker crumbs, which enhanced the coating flavor with its hint of sweetness. And the second one is the club soda. Aside from moistening the squid/fish, it also lightened the coating and added some airiness to it.

The spicy anchovy mayo provides just the right amount of contrast to the sweetness of the Graham cracker crumbs. This is definitely a keeper! Once I tasted it, I knew I'd never look at another calamari the same way again.

For the Anchovy Mayonnaise:

* 1 egg,at room temperature
* 4 to 5 anchovy fillets
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped fine
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
* 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

For the Calamari/Fish:

* 1 pound fresh, clean calamari
* 1/2 pound fresh haddock fillet
* large bottle of club soda, cold
* 4 cups vegetable oil
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 cup graham crackers crumbs
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Make the mayonnaise: In a food processor, combine the egg, anchovies, lemon juice, parsley and cayenne. Blend until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add oil to make a mayonnaise. Transfer sauce to a bowl and refrigerate, covered tightly up to two days, until ready to serve.

Make the calamari/fish: Cut the calamari into 1/4-inch rings. If tentacles are large, halve or quarter them lenghtwise. Slice the haddock fillet into cubes, approximately the same size as the rings.

Pour the club soda into a bowl. Place the calamari and fish in the bowl and let soak for 10 to 15 minutes. While the calamari is soaking, pour the oil into a heavy-bottomed saucepan. To prevent the oil from bubbling over when frying the seafood, the pan should be no more than one-third full.

Heat oil to 360 degrees.

Combine the flour and Graham cracker crumbs in a bowl. Remove the calamari/fish from the club soda in two or three batches for easier frying. Toss each batch in the flour mixture to coat evenly. Shake out excess coating. Gently lower each batch of seafood into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, about two minutes. Remove seafood with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt. The cooked squid/fish can be kept warm in a low oven while you finish the rest.

Serve hot with chilled anchovy mayonnaise.

LINK: http://www.unionsquarecafe.com/

Beef Roulade with Homemade Spaetzle

2007-05-02T23:13:00.000-04:00

This is my version of the German Rouladen - Meat rolls filled with bacon, onions and pickles.

After we had this for dinner, P brought some to work for lunch the next day. He loved it so much that when he came home that evening, again - he ate the rest of the remaining meat rolls for dinner!

Worried about gaining weight, he had one funny request: "Can you make this only once every two months?"

Ingredients:

*10 flank steak fillets, each about 1/4 inch thick and 3 inches wide
*German mustard (Thomy Delikatess-Senf mittelscharf), or any Dijon stone ground mustard
*10 thick sliced bacon (I used Schaller & Weber's smoked ones)
*1 large onion, minced
*1 bottle (10 oz) Heinz sweet relish (you'll need only approx. 1/4 of this)
*2 tablespoons butter
*1 cube beef bouillon
*1 whole dill (Kosher) pickle, slice lenghtwise into 1/3 inch thick strips
*2 tablespoons flour
*1 tablespoon onion powder
*1 tablespoon ground paprika
*salt and pepper to taste

Season both sides of the fillets with onion powder, ground paprika, pepper, and salt. Spread a thin film of mustard on one side of each fillet. Spread a thin layer of sweet relish over the fillet, then lightly sprinkle some minced onion all over it. Place a strip of bacon and a slice of dill pickle on each fillet and form into a roll. Use string or toothpick to hold the roll together.

Heat oven to 350' degrees.

Heat a skillet over medium heat and melt butter. Place the rolls in the butter and saute until brown, then transfer them to a baking pan. Set aside. In the same skillet, saute any remaining minced onion until wilted. Pour in 2 1/2 cups of water. Add the beef bouillon cube. Stir until dissolved. Pour into the baking pan with meat rolls. Cover and bake for 1 hour. Add flour to thicken the sauce. Cook for an additional 30 min - 1 hour, until tender and bubbly.

Cut the strings off and serve with spaetzle and steamed vegetables.

Spaetzle
(Recipe from Tyler Florence)

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tbsp. minced fresh chives

In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt and pepper and nutmeg. In another mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg-milk mixture. Gradually draw in the flour from the sides and combine well; the dough should be smooth and thick. Let the dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Bring 3 quarts of slated water to a boil in a large pot, then reduce to a simmer. To form the spaetzle, hold a large holed colander or slotted spoon over the simmering water and push the dough through the holes with a spatula or spoon. Do this in batches so you don't overcrowd the pot. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the spaetzle floats to the surface, stirring gently to prevent sticking. Dump the spaetzle into a colander and give it a quick rinse with cool water.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add the spaetzle; tossing to coat. Cook the spaetzle for 1 to 2 minutes to give the noodles some color, and then sprinkle with the chopped chives and season with salt and pepper before serving.

Good Eats (NCL): Shogun Asian Restaurant

2007-04-30T21:47:00.000-04:00

The remaining specialty restaurant we had yet to try offered 3 dining experiences in one:

It featured a Teppanyaki room (Japanese food - alas, fully booked daily), Sushi Bar (which S doesn't care for at all), and the Shogun Asian Restaurant (serves Jap/Thai/Chinese-fusion food). We ended up choosing the latter since its menu had something each one of us liked.

Complimentary edamame for appetizers. Wonton soup. Teriyaki dishes. Grilled fresh fish. Assorted fried rice. Tasty vegetables. P and I both ordered the roasted Peking duck and it came just the way I liked it. Tender and juicy - with crunchy skin.

I had warm banana crepes (yummy "turon") topped with vanilla ice cream for dessert. The perfect ending to a great meal.

The Answer...

2007-04-25T11:59:00.001-04:00

Apparently, yes.

P went to the 2007 Watch and Jewellery Show which was held in Basel, Switzerland a couple of weeks ago. He received quite a number of fancy schmanzy free goodies from some high-end watch companies (silk Ferragamo ties from Breitling, spa gift certificates, Clef Du Vin wine tasting device from Vacheron Constantin, cool calligraphy set from IWC, boxes of fine Swiss chocolates, etc...) , but these are what caught my attention:

Cartier M&M's...

...and a porcelain De Limoges serving plate designed with Cartier's latest (as in: not available till late Summer) watch model: the Ballon Bleu de Cartier.

Cover design (left) by: Charles Burns, Illustration (right) by: Glen Baxter

Ballon what?

The style of the Ballon bleu de Cartier watch is both classic and futuristic. It has a guilloche dial, which is round on the top and round underneath. But if one would look closer, one would notice that the watch is suspended and seem to fit the wrist weightlessly.

The winding mechanism is decorated with a sapphire cabochon, around which the dial orbits. This blue gem is protected by a precious metal arch.

It was set to make its debut on the 2007 edition of the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie in Geneve.

(Photography by: Franck Dieleman)

The watch on the left is a large model (.42 mm) in 18 carat yellow gold case with blued steel sword-shaped hands. It has a varnished silvered Opaline dial and is water resistant up 30 m/100ft.

The one on the right is a medium model (.36.5 mm)in 18 carat rhodium-plated white gold and diamonds.

LINK:

http://www.baselworld.com/go/id/ul/lang/eng/

Good Eats (Norwegian Cruise Line): Le Bistro

2007-04-23T09:45:00.000-04:00

The second specialty restaurant we tried was tres chic Le Bistro. Oh la laa. Magnifique French cuisine. Elegant Versace plates. Fine wine. Great ambiance.

(S working on her Escargots with Garlic Butter)

Aside from the traditional French Onion Soup with Gruyere/Parmesan Cheese, the menu also offered Cream of Forest Mushroom in Crusty Sour Dough Loaf and Beef Consomme. For entree, we had the choice of Nicoise Style Seared Yellow Fin Tuna, Filet Mignon with Foie Gras and/or Sauce Bearnaise, Mille~Feuille of Seabass with Tomato Concasse and Mushroom Duxelles, and a couple more poultry and vegetarian dishes.

Dessert anyone? We couldn't say no to the Creme Brulee and the Apple Tart with French Vanilla ice cream.

Just Asking...

2007-04-21T11:32:00.000-04:00

Question:

Is there such a thing as designer M & M's?

Grilled Honey-Glazed Salmon with Fresh Fruit Salsa

2007-04-20T23:13:00.000-04:00

Marinade:

1 tbsp. Maple syrup

2 tbsp. Teriyaki sauce

1 tbsp. pineapple juice

1 tsp. minced ginger

1 garlic, mashed

1 tbsp. Canola oil

2/3 tsp. salt

dash of pepper

Let 4 slices of fresh salmon sit on this marinade for 30 - 45 minutes. Preheat grill to medium. Place the fish on the grill, skin side down and cook for about 3 minutes then turn the fish 45 degrees and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Turn the fish over and cook for an additional 3 minutes, or until cooked to the desired doneness.

Remove the fish from the grill and serve with the fruit salsa spooned over the fish. Serve immediately.

Fresh Pineapple/Strawberry/Mango Salsa:

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. Wasabi-lime mustard

2 tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice

1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice

3/4 cup small diced pineapple

3/4 cup small diced mango

1/2 cup small diced strawberries

1/4 cup small diced red onion

2 tbsp. chopped fresh mint leaves

1/4 tsp. salt

Optional: 1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped

In a medium non-reactive bowl, combine first 4 ingredients and whisk them briskly. Drop in the rest of the ingredients and gently mix everything thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the salsa to macerate for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.

Good Eats (Norwegian Cruise Line): Cagney's Steakhouse

2007-04-18T22:47:00.000-04:00

Freestyle Dining was available at 6 locations (aside from the 24-hour room service, late snack offerings at the Tivoli Pool Deck and the Casino Buffet). For lite bites/burgers and fast wok dishes, there was the Blue Lagoon Cafe (also open 24 hours), a burger/hotdog station at the Bier Garten Grill, buffet-style dining at the Raffles Court & Terrace, Italian cuisine at La Trattoria, and the two Main Dining Rooms (Windows and The Garden) for long, leisurely meals.

And then there were 5 other restaurants that served 5-course gourmet meals. These charge a minimal cover (from $10-$25/pp, kids below 12 is half-priced) which was just a pittance for the quality of food and service they deliver.

*A note to parents:

If your child chose to order his/her meal from the regular/freestyle kids menu, his/her cover charge will be waived.

The first place we tried was Cagney's Steakhouse. Aside from their (Certified Angus Beef) steaks, the menu also offered jumbo shrimp cocktail, crab cakes with Aioli mayonnaise, Nova Scotia lobster, salmon steak, veal chops, domestic lamb ribs, and rock Cornish game hen to name a few. Dinner entrees came with all sorts of accompaniments and our server actually encouraged us to order more than 2 side dishes (not that we could finish them).

The lobster/crab bisque (above) that I had for starters was so good, it alone was well worth the cover charge.

For the main course, P had the T-bone steak, cooked medium, with creamed spinach and steamed asparagus on the side.

Bacon Meatloaf

2007-04-10T13:59:00.000-04:00

Ingredients:

1/2 pound ground pork

1/2 pound ground beef chuck

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tbsp. paprika powder

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup sour cream

1/2 cup (Panko) breadcrumbs, or quick cooking oats

2 tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped

2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

1 medium onion, minced

1 medium green bell pepper, minced

2 tbsp. butter

bacon, approx. 8 strips

2 - 3 slices day-old bread

Topping:

Mix together:

1/3 cup ketchup

2 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Gently mix the first 11 ingredients together in a large bowl. Heat up butter in a pan and saute onion and bell pepper till wilted. Add the thyme and parsley and turn heat off. Mix onion mixture with the meat.

Lightly grease a pan and arrange 2 - 3 slices of bread in the center. Put the meat on top of the bread slices, making an oval-shaped meatloaf. Don't compact the meat too much or it will result in a dense and tough meatloaf. The bread beneath the meatloaf will absorb the fat while it cooked and should be discarded after loaf is removed or transferred to a serving platter.

(My super kitchen helper)

Spread the topping evenly on top and sides of the loaf. For added moisture and a kick of extra flavor, wrap loaf evenly with strips of bacon. Make sure to tuck the bacon ends under the loaf.

Bake for 1 hour.

Sauce:

1 can condensed Cream of Mushroom soup (10 3/4 oz.)

1 small onion, minced

1 cup milk

1 tsp. (Gravy Master) browning sauce

1 tbsp. butter

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

Mix soup and milk together. Heat up butter and saute onion for 2 minutes. Pour in the soup mixture and bring to a boil. Add the cheese and stir in the browning sauce. Lower the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add fresh parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Drizzle sauce on top of cooked meatloaf or serve on the side.

A perfect comfort-food dinner: Bacon Meatloaf and Sauce with Potato Dumplings and Steamed Vegetables.

Potato Dumplings

2007-04-10T13:55:00.000-04:00

Ingredients:

3 large potatoes, peeled and quartered

2/3 cup plain flour

2 eggs, beaten

Cook the potatoes for 15 - 20 minutes, drain and mash well. Sprinkle the flour over the potatoes with half the egg and stir well. When all the flour is incorporated add the remaining egg.

Turn the potato mixture on to a lightly floured surface and shape into 2 evenly sized oblongs. Bring a pan of salted water to a boil and cook for about 20 minutes.

Leave to cool a little before slicing into portions.

Seafood Lasagna

2007-04-07T10:02:00.000-04:00

Seafood Filling:

* 1 lb. shrimps, shelled, de-veined, diced
* 1 lb. cod fish, diced (roughly the same size as the shrimps)
* 1 lb. squid, discard head/tentacles, slice open, chopped
* unsalted butter
* 2 tablespoons each - basil leaves & parsley, minced
* salt and pepper
* 2 shallots, minced
* 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
* 1 bottle clam juice

Other ingredients:

* 1 box lasagna, 1 lb (454 gm)

* shredded parmigiano-reggiano cheese, 4 oz.

* shredded mozzarella cheese, 4 oz.

* 2/3 cup (Panko) breadcrumbs

Heat 2 tablespoons butter and shallots in pan. Saute squid for about 2 minutes, then add the fish. Cook for another 3 minutes before dropping in the shrimps. Stir in the herbs. Mix well. Pour in the clam juice and let simmer till shrimps are pinkish. Season to taste with salt, pepper and Old Bay Seasoning. Drain seafood and set aside, saving the seafood stock.

Boil lasagna in salted water for 10 minutes or according to the directions on the box. Drain well.

Sauce:

* unsalted butter

* 1/4 cup flour

* 3 tablespoons tomato paste or sun-dried tomato paste

* 1 cup milk

* 1 cup heavy cream

* reserved clam juice/seafood stock, about a cup

* salt, cayenne pepper, onion powder to taste

Combine milk, cream, and stock and set aside. Make a roux using 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter and flour. When cooked, stir in sun-dried tomato paste and whisk in liquids; bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Season well to taste with salt, cayenne pepper, and onion powder.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter 9 X 13 inch pan generously. Layer some lasagna noodles, barely overlapping the edges. Spread some sauce over the top and dot sauce with seafood filling and mixture of shredded parmigiano-reggiano and mozzarella cheese. Layer until pan is filled. Finish with a layer of sauce, sprinkle with Panko breadcrumbs and dot with butter.

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Cumin Coleslaw

2007-03-21T18:36:00.000-04:00

Ingredients:

1 jalapeno pepper, discard seeds, chopped finely

1/2 head of red or green cabbage, shredded

2 medium carrots, shredded

fresh parsley, chopped

2 tbsp. canola oil

juice of 1 lime

dash of cumin

pepper

salt

Combine all ingredients and chill at least an hour before serving.

Great as a light side dish.

Pair it with fried fish or baked chicken (shown).

Lobster Ravioli with Seafood Sauce

2007-03-04T23:32:00.000-05:00

That lobster ravioli I saw in Behind The Bash with Giada de Laurentiis made my mouth water and I intended to make some (or a semblance of it) for dinner. But with only an hour and a half to go before 7 PM, I decided to go for the short-cut version and made a beeline for the grocery's frozen section.

Ahhhh! Thank heavens for frozen lobster ravioli!

Since this doesn't come with cooking directions, I just dropped them in boiling water until they floated - which was about 12 minutes.

Instead of her vanilla bourbon sauce and celeriac puree, I raided my freezer and pantry to make an easy-peasy seafood one:

1 bottle (8 oz.) clam juice

1 bottle (26 oz.) marinara sauce, or make it with fresh tomatoes

1 can (10 oz) chopped clams, drain

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1 pound fresh shrimps, shelled and de-veined

fresh basil and parsley, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

butter or extra virgin olive oil

Saute garlic in onion until golden brown, add the onion and cook till wilted or translucent. Add the shrimps. Saute till pinkish then drop in the chopped clams. Cook for about 3 minutes then pour in the marinara sauce. Cook till sauce becomes bubbly. Sprinkle with fresh chopped basil and parsley.

Pour sauce over lobster ravioli. Dinner is done.

Can I Have a Twinkie?

2007-02-24T23:45:00.000-05:00

S has never heard of a Twinkie before - much less eat one.

That was, until she saw the movie: Bridge to Terabithia.

Since then, she hasn't stopped bugging me for a taste of Maybelle's stolen treat.

Fitiingly, I came across a newspaper article a few days ago about a new book called "Twinkie, Deconstructed" by Steve Ettlinger. It tells what this cakes' 39 ingredients are made of - plus a few other interesting (to put it mildly) uses of its ingredients.

In the meantime, I finally relented to S' constant pestering and picked up some Twinkies for her at the neighborhood deli.

After a couple of bites, she pushed the plate away, wrinkled her nose, and deemed the gooey sponge as "too sticky, too sweet".

Her curiosity was satisfied.

I gladly dumped the rest of it (Tiffany plate not included) in the garbage bin.

That will be her first and last taste.

Here are five of the snack's peculiar elements:

CALCIUM SULFATE - Extract more water from this Twinkie ingredient, and it becomes plaster. "They just dig it up and put it in a bag, it's that pure." says Ettlinger.

There are four other rocks (including salt and limestone) in the recipe.

GLUCOSE - Glucose syrup in the cake and filling adds bulk and sweetness and helps in browning. But mainly, it keeps the cake moist.

Glucose also adds gloss and pliability to shoe leather, prolongs the setting of concrete and keeps hand lotion moist for years.

CELLULOSE GUM - One of the few ingredients with no real home equivalent, this cooked goop from cotton lends slipperiness to the filling - as it also does to rocket fuel. It's also found in Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa, Starbucks low-fat latte, denture adhesives and ceramics glaze.

PHOSPHORUS - Hard to believe the baking powder that makes Twinkies so light is partially made from the element that puts the glow in tracer bullets and the bang in artillery shells. The author went down 1,600 feet in a Wyoming fuel mine and then drove in a jeep for 20 minutes to see it being made.

POLYSORBATE 60 - Thick cream and egg yolks are nature's way of merging water and fat for creaminess. Polysorbate replicates this, but lasts much longer. The emulsifier is made using explosive ethylene oxide.

Yep, digesting that last info is enough to blow anybody's mind out.

LINK: http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/terabithia/

"Far and away the best price that life offers is the chance to work hard at something worth doing." - Theodore Roosevelt

Classic Guacamole...

2007-02-13T08:25:00.000-05:00

This classic Guacamole recipe is from DOS CAMINOS' Executive Chef Scott Lindquist.

(priced at $12.00, made fresh to order, good for 2 people)

(Above: home-made, serves 2 adults and a child, total cost: $6 - $7.00).

(Tequilas not included.)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons finely chopped onions
2 teaspoons minced jalapeno or Serrano chilies, seeds and membranes removed, if desired (they're the hottest part)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large ripe avocados, preferably California Haas, peeled and seeded
2 tablespoons cored, seeded and finely chopped plum tomato (1 small tomato)
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juiced

In a medium-sized bowl, use the back of a spoon to mash 1 tablespoon of the cilantro, 1 teaspoon onion, 1 teaspoon of minced chili, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt together against the bottom of the bowl.

Add the avocados and gently mash them with a fork until chunky-smooth. Fold the remaining cilantro, onion and chili into the mixture. Stir in tomatoes and lime juice, taste to adjust the seasonings and serve with a basket of warm tortilla chips.

Avocado Tips:

* Picking Avocados - Dark-green skinned avocados ripen more evenly as opposed to bright-green skinned ones.

* Handling Avocados - To avoid bruising, save the paper-crate coffee cup holder that you get from Starbucks/Dunkin' Donuts and use it to hold the avocados.

* Storing - Let hard avocados ripen at room temperature (approximately 3 - 4 days)

- When in a rush, put them inside a brown paper bag with an apple (approximately 1 - 2 days)

- If not using them immediately, store the ripe avocados in the vegetables/fruits section of your fridge to stop the ripening process. This should extend their use for about one more week.

LINK:

http://www.brguestrestaurants.com/restaurants/dos_caminos_park/index.php

...and Seven Variations

2007-02-13T08:22:00.000-05:00

ANGEL'S GUACAMOLE:

Add:
1/2 minced garlic clove
1 tablespoon finely chopped tomatillo

Mash above ingredients with the cilantro, onion, chili and salt.

GUACAMOLE WITH ROASTED PUMPKIN AND GOAT CHEESE:

Add:
1 cup pureed pumpkin or butternut squash cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

ARTICHOKE GUACAMOLE WITH TOASTED PINE NUTS:

Omit the cilantro and add:
1 cup marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

GUACAMOLE WITH CRANBERRY APPLE SALSITA:

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 bag of cranberries, fresh or frozen
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest
1/4 cup brown sugar
salt to taste

Heat a saute pan over medium heat, add all the ingredients and simmer until the cranberries begin to burst. Season to taste with salt. Let cool. Fold into classic guacamole.

MANGO GUACAMOLE:

Add:
1 large ripe mango, peeled, seeded and diced (or use another fruit, like fresh berries or papaya)

GUACAMOLE WITH CRAB AND PICKLED JALAPENOS:

Omit the fresh jalapenos and add:
1/4 cup pickled jalapenos (available canned or jarred), chopped
12 Florida stone crab claws, steamed, chilled and cracked (or use 4 ounces crab meat)

Make guacamole recipe above, adding the pickled jalapenos instead of the fresh ones. Place guacamole in a serving bowl and arrange claws around the guacamole, using it as a dip for the claws.

GUACAMOLE WITH CHAMPAGNE GRAPES, SERRANOS AND CILANTRO:

Omit lime juice, use Serranos instead of jalapenos and add:
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup Champagne grapes (or seedless green grapes) sliced in half, reserve a few for garnish

Greek Salad

2007-02-09T10:34:00.000-05:00

Ingredients:

* chopped Romaine lettuce

* seeded cucumbers, sliced and quartered

*slices of yellow/red sweet bell peppers

*sliced pitted black olives

*thinly sliced red onion

*sliced plum tomatoes

*stuffed grape leaves, sliced in half

Top with crumbled herbed Feta cheese.
Drizzle with Balsamic vinegrette dressing.

*Basic Stuffed Grape Leaves (also called Dolmas or Warak Einab) filling:
Rice, onion, parsley, mint, lemon juice

What's for Dinner?

2007-02-02T15:10:00.000-05:00

45-Minute Seafood Dinner

Heat grilling pan.
Wash and pat dry a couple of large Red Snappers. Season fish with salt, ground pepper, and paprika powder. Stuff them with sliced onions, sliced tomatoes and scallions (Optional: thinly sliced ginger). Garnish with thinly sliced lemons. Drizzle fish with olive oil and 2 tbsp. of soy sauce.
On a separate plate, season 1 1/2 pounds of shelled shrimps with salt and pepper.

Wrap fish in banana leaf, then wrap it again in foil. Seal foil edges tightly. Place them on top of the hot grill to cook - about 10 minutes each side.
While the fish is cooking, heat up the wok. Saute a chopped onion, a package of frozen mixed vegetables and 2 beaten eggs in butter over medium heat. Add some cooked steamed rice. Mix everything together. Season with salt and pepper.
Ten minutes before the fish is done, drop a few dollops of butter on the side of the pan and start grilling the shrimps. Do not overcook.
By the time the last shrimp had turned bright orange, the steamed snapper should also be done.

Enjoy...

Holiday Greetings

2006-12-25T11:53:00.000-05:00

Here's wishing everyone happiness all Season long -
and throughout the New Year, too!

Our Christmas Tree

Roasted Butternut Squash

2006-12-05T17:08:00.000-05:00

Rachel Ray's slightly tweaked recipe:

Ingredients:

3 medium butternut squash, cut in half, then slice lengthwise, seeds removed
6 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces and softened
1/2 cup maple syrup
dark brown sugar
freshly grated nutmeg
cinnamon powder
freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 400'F. Place butternut squash on a large baking sheet with the cut side up. Divide the butter pieces among all 12 pieces, smearing it all over the cut side of the squash. Drizzle each piece with maple syrup and season with freshly grated nutmeg, ground pepper, sprinkle of brown sugar, and dash of cinnamon powder.

Roast the squash for 40-60 minutes, or until the flesh is tender when poked with a fork.

Green Bean Casserole

2006-12-04T23:42:00.000-05:00

Dan Smith & Steve McDonagh's slightly tweaked recipe:

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter
2 shallots or 1/2 onion, finely chopped
8 ounces portabello mushrooms, sliced
8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sherry
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed
French's fried onions

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, thyme and sage and saute until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook 5 more minutes. Next add the sherry and stir until thickened. Add the cream and simmer an additional 5 minutes. Set sauce aside.

Melt the remaining butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add the beans, toss to coat with butter and saute until bright green, about 7 minutes. They'll still be crispy. Add the chopped bell pepper and toss together. Season with salt and pepper and place on a platter.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bring the sauce to a simmer and spoon over the beans. Top with French's fried onions. Bake in oven for about 5 minutes or until onions become crunchy. Serve warm.

Gooble! Gobble!

2006-11-23T08:46:00.000-05:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY
TO ALL !

DINNER MENU:

Starters:
Pancit Molo (Wonton Soup)

Entree:
Roasted (20 lb.) Turkey with Cherry/Pecan/Apple Stuffing
Barbeque Spare Ribs

Sides:
Green Bean Casserole with Portabella Mushroom Sauce
Roasted Butternut Squash with Maple Syrup
Roasted Herbed Potatoes
Steamed Brussel Sprouts
Cranberry/Pecan Sauce
Corn Casserole
Red Cabbage

Dessert:
Sweet Potato Pie
Pumpkin Pie
Cassava Cake

(A few recipes to follow)

2006 Cocoa Couture Collection

2006-11-22T23:57:00.000-05:00

One of my decadent fantasies? To be able to slip into a slinky couture dress - and then get to eat it after!

This resplendent wedding gown accented with white chocolate (above, left) was created by Carlos Linzan and Julie Jengali.

Wanna be a cone-head for a day?
This Martin Howard (for Baskin-Robbins) creation (above, left) might just suit you perfectly.
On January & February 2007, Baskin-Robbins will be introducing new chocolate ice cream creations such as the "Swiss Chocolate Treasure" ice cream, and a new Blueberry Lavender ice cream combined with Milk Chocolate.
Doubly-Delicious!!!

Even Rafe bags (above, right) contributed to the show.
I'll take one of these milk/white chocolate sachel over their Kate leather snap bag anyday!

Rachel Leigh and Allison Kelly teamed up with Fritz Knipschildt, and came up with this cute polka-dot mini-dress (above, left).
Speaking of "cute", this funny chocolate balloon clown (above, right) was also created by Fritz & Torben Bang for Knipschildt Chocolatier.

Another chocolate art (above, right) was titled "Jungle Theme".
This was created by Regis Monges, the Pastry Chef from Le Cirque.

LINKS:
http://www.knipschildt.com/flash.html
http://www.lecirque.com/index2.htm
http://www.baskinrobbins.com/

9th Annual Chocolate Show

2006-11-20T08:56:00.000-05:00

When I was a kid watching the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory for the umpteenth time, I had always wondered how it would be like to be surrounded by tons of all-you-can-eat chocolates.
I guess this is the closest feeling that I could get to being inside Wonka's factory.

The annual Chocolate Show was held in Metropolitan Pavilion & Altman Building a couple of weeks ago. The mountains of truffles and chocolate samples occupied 40,000 square feet of the building! Everyone got the chance to take a tour (and sample and/or buy) of chocolate creations and meet the top chocolatiers and pastry chefs from US, Asia, Europe and Africa.

There were a few whimsical and elegant edible art like this pink "KIMONO" (above, left) created by Kiyoko Koizumi for Mary's Chocolate, Japan.

Established in 1950, Mary's Chocolate has specialized in making chocolates (above, left) for the past 56 years in Tokyo, Japan. Mary's was a runner-up to the Grand Prix in the Awards Chocolat at the 8th annual exhibition in Paris. And at last year's exhibition, Mary's was awarded the Special Prize with Honors - the judges unanimously selected Mary's as the world's finest brand.

S wanted to check out the chocolate fountain first. We did find it at Booth 9, which was occupied by Divalicious Chocolate!. Located at Jackie Gordon's, Divalicious Chocolate! Cafe also serves chocolate Slush-alicious, hot chocolate espresso, and lattes. If you can't get enough of your chocolate "fix" there, the chocolate fountains can also be rented out.
This company was voted "Best Party Rental" in New York Magazine.

There was also an area for the little ones called "The Kidzone" which featured cooking classes and games. S participated in one cupcake decorating session during the afternoon. Alas, most kids didn't even have the desire to eat their pretty, sweet creations by this time.

Despite the fact that the cocoa-rush was making me jittery, we couldn't resist buying a box of truffles, a few chocolate bars from Payard and a couple of chocolate lollipops from Michel Cluizel to take home. Francois Payard's Pastry Shop & Bistro is located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Aside from an array of handmade chocolates, they also offer pastries, cakes, petit fours and assorted confections.
Michel Cluizel is based in Normandy and specializes in high content chocolate bars and award-winning 1ers Crus de Plantation.

LINKS:
http://www.chocolateshow.com/
http://www.marychocolatier.com/List.html
http://www.payard.com/home.php
http://www.divaliciouschocolate.com/,
http://www.cluizel.com/

Good Eats: S'MAC (Macaroni & Cheese)

2006-11-14T17:36:00.000-05:00

Alright. Alright. I concede defeat.
The macaroni and cheese in this East Village joint is better than mine.
Just ask S.

Some people may think that a couple of Engineers have no business opening and running a restaurant, but the owners (husband/wife team) and brains behind this place proved all non-believers wrong.
When it came to cooking and selling the ultimate comfort food, they've got it down to a T.
It's a surefire winner!

Short for "Sarita's (wife's first name) Macaroni & Cheese", S'MAC specializes in...
...well - boiled elbow macaroni mixed with cheese!
They have all sorts of combination - from cheddar to gruyere,
from goat cheese to brie.

Just stepping inside this cozy yellow-orange restaurant made S and I feel like we had stumbled inside a huge vat of heavenly, gooey delight!

The place was packed the evening that we dropped by.
There was also a fairly long line of patrons waiting to place their orders.
However, once one of the staff got ours, it took only a mere 5 minutes for the piping hot food to appear on our table.
Talk about fast service.

S tried the "Build-Your-Own" option:
An order of Nosh(smallest) sized all-American cheese,
with a single hotdog,
extra cheese,
and crunchy breadcrumbs on the top.

I was craving for something with a little twist and the Manchego (manchego cheese, fresh fennel and shallots) fitted the bill perfectly.

LINK:
http://www.smacnyc.com/home.html

CANStruction 2006

2006-11-12T23:29:00.000-05:00

14th Annual Design/Build Competition

To benefit City Harvest, NYC's top architecture and engineering firms created 42 brobdingnagean structures made of thousands of cans of food (plus single-serve applesauce containers, boxes of pasta and bags of candies). These astounding structures are also helping raise public awareness to the fact that we could contribute in feeding the needy in our own little way. That is - one can at a time.

Aptly called CANStruction, this charity's ultimate goal is to end hunger. All the cans used in this exhibit will go straight to the local food banks.

All in good fun and armed with a few cans of Light Chunk Tuna, I dropped by NY Design Center to ogle and cast my vote for my favorite structure. This year's winning entry will be honored with the People's Choice Award and the results will be posted at www.sdanyc.org.

There were a few mythical creatures like Perkin Eastman's bat-like dragon (left) called "Dragon of CAN-a-lot" and HOK Architects' sea serpent (right) called "Make Hunger A Myth".

There were also some of the more common animals like Arquitectonica's hungry-looking croc (left) called "A croc-CAN-diles lament", and STV's herculean frog (right) called "CANphibian". Other animals/bugs that graced the show were a couple of ladybugs, an ant, a snail, a white rabbit, and a golden lion made entirely of Bumblebee's Solid White Albacore.

These jumbo sushi entrees - left is by Desimone Consulting Engineers PLLC simply titled "SUSHI" and the one on the right by NELSON called "CANifornia Roll" was enough to make me salivate.

At least one showroom outshone (literally) the exhibit. Earth Tech presented this cornucopia called "Plenty to Share" inside Metropolitan Lighting Fixture Co. (located on the 5th floor). Omg, the super hi-end chandeliers on display made the whole room glow.
This beaut crystal ball alone (above, right) carries a price tag of$11,985.00!
(How many hungry people will that amount feed?).

Of course, the exhibit would not be complete without paying some homage to NYC. This apple (left) was presented by Handel Architects LLP and given the title: "The Big Apple Says: "Slice Hunger to the Core!".

So, who did I vote for? Well, I'm a sucker for cutesy stuff so my ballot went to Arup's mammoth horse (right) called "TroCAN Horse".

New York Design Center is located at 200 Lexington Avenue (between 32nd & 33rd Street) and the exhibit runs from November 9 - 22, 2006.

Price of admission? One can of food will get you in.

LINKS:
http://www.nydc.com/
http://www.canstruction.com/indexi.html

Pssst!

2006-11-02T10:14:00.000-05:00

As you may have noticed, I have "expanded".
My blog, not my waistline - silly.
I've decided to leave all food-related entries here and toss the rest to my other site.
Check it out at http://steytsaydilonggaliwat.blogspot.com/
See you there!!

"Trick or Treat..."

2006-10-31T09:53:00.000-05:00

"Smell my Feet...
Please give me something
Sweet to Eat... "

Well, here's one treat I'm sure S and her classmates would find hard to resist:

A freshly baked 24-inch (pizza-sized) Mrs. Fields cookie!
(Yep, today is the dentists' favorite day. Get the drills ready!)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!
Mrs. Field's Site:
http://www.mrsfields.com/

Side Dish: Corn Casserole

2006-10-30T17:08:00.000-05:00

This recipe was taken from Paula Deen's "Southern Sides" Episode
(Food Network Channel)

Ingredients:

1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel corn/niblets, drained
1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (8-ounce) package corn muffin mix (recommended: Jiffy)
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, stir together the 2 cans of corn, corn muffin mix, sour cream, and melted butter. Pour into a greased casserole dish. Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and top with Cheddar. Return to oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Let stand for at least 5 minutes and then serve warm.

Hint... Hint...

2006-10-29T12:16:00.000-05:00

Every year, my hubby would always ask me what I wanted for my birthday and for Christmas. And every single time, I'd answer that I'll take whatever he gives me. He himself has no qualms in telling me what he wants. His reason was that at least he knows he'll be getting something he really likes.
Well, that particular question is one of my pet peeves.
For me, the best part of receiving a gift is not knowing what's in the box.

Surprise me!!

Now of course, some guys out there should know that there are a few things you shouldn't be giving your wife or girlfriend for her special day:

#1. Gym membership
#2. Diet books
#3. Sign her up for Zone meal deliveries
#4. Cooking/Kitchen utensils/gadgets (unless she specifically asked for it)
#5. Exercise machines
#6. Cleaning Appliances
#7. Book on how to learn the Art of Massage (this will eventually benefit you, not her)

Back to P. - when he finally told me that he intended to get me some new duds for my birthday, I politely declined. Sorry, but straight men simply do not have a clue on how to shop for women. It's not like buying their own clothes where they could just walk in a store, grab a black L shirt and a pair of 36/33 boot-cut washed pants and then they'd be waltzing out of the door in 10 minutes. With women, its not only about picking the correct size and right color - but the cleavage, the bodice, the lenght, the "tummy-control" factor, and the style has to be perfect as well!
Details. Details. Details.

So anyway, I wanted to end his dilemma (and get him off my back) so I told him to go through my stuff in the bathroom cabinet and get me some beauty products that I had almost used up or looked like they needed to be replaced.
New make-up and maybe a couple of my fave nailpolish would be great.

Instead, I got a whole box of Anti-Wrinkle products.

Deep Collagen Cream, Intensive Recovery Serum, Eye Cream, Purifying Mineral Mask, the whole shebang...
I'm like: Are you trying to tell me something??

Yup, that should be #8 on the list.

Poor P. I guess he could never win.

I did like the 2nd gift better. DK's Gold reminded me of L'Eau D'Issey by Issey Miyake.
You just can't go wrong with smelling like a bouquet of Casablanca Lilies, Jasmine, Acacia (minus the prickly caterpillars) and a hint of Patchouli.

Wait a minute. I guess my hubby did knew me well.
He saved the best one for the last!

Well, I should say he had totally redeemed himself...
So, bring on the creams!!
I'll Slather. Slather. Slather.

Sangria

2006-10-28T12:40:00.000-04:00

This recipe makes about 5-6 pitchers of uber-delicious Sangria.
For best results, make this a day before the party:

* 3 bottles Red Spanish Wine (Rioja)
* 1 bottle dark Spiced Rum (Captain Morgan)
* 1/2 bottle Peach Liquor or Peach Schnapps
* thinly sliced oranges and lemons
* chopped apples
* sliced plums, peaches and apricots
* 3-4 cinnamon sticks
* 4 tablespoons of sugar

Mix everything together in a huge (or several medium-sized) bowl. Cover and leave in fridge overnight.

Make Sangria ice cubes by mixing cranberry juice and orange liquor together and freezing them a couple of days in advance. Store in the freezer in a large ziploc bag until ready to use.
Otherwise, plain ice cubes will do.

Have fun!!
Err... Is the room turning, or is it me?

Starters

2006-10-25T23:51:00.000-04:00

I finally woke up from my 3-day "nap".
The party we had last weekend was a lot of fun - although it was also a looot of work.

We were expecting guests to arrive at 7:30 PM but I got so caught up with making my dips (for Chicken Satay and Crab Cakes) that I still had my shower robe on at 7:15!

As what the "Iron Chef" would say: "The pressure is on".

I had a couple of minutes to jump into my dress before the doorman buzzed to announce the arrival of our first guest.
No time for make-up. No time to style my hair.
I grabbed the first hair claw I could find and hastily twisted my hair into a passable bun.

We did one last quick once-over before the doorbell rang:
Light shell candles - check.

Fresh flowers on vase - check.
Wine on rack - check.

Beer in cooler and freezer - check.
Extra cases available - check.
Shot glasses and lemons/limes on hand - check.
Soda - check.
Ice bucket filled with ice - check.

Crudites/Appetizers ready to be served - check.

From top to bottom:
Edamame, Shrimp Cocktail, and platter with cheese sticks, celery sticks, carrot sticks, and pita bread with tsatziki and hummus dips.

Okay, now where's everyone???

Succotash

2006-10-25T23:49:00.000-04:00

Chow time!

(From top: Chicken Lo Mein, Swordfish Steaks in Dill and Butter Sauce, Rotissierie Chicken, Seafood Paella, German Spiesbraten, Potato Pancakes with Applesauce on side, Korean BBQ Ribs and Succotash with Pearl Onions.

Not Shown: Shrimp Rolls, Cold Noodle Salad, Steamed Jasmine Rice, Crab Cakes & Chicken Satay)

SUCCOTASH - is a Native American staple. The Indians gave this traditional side dish its name which is derived from the word "msickquatash", Nanganset for "boiled kernels of corn". It consists primarily of lima beans and corn. Some cook it with meat (ham hocks or bits of bacon) while others add milk to make this dish creamier. This is typically served during Thanksgiving dinner in many Pennsylvania Dutch homes.

This is my version of this easy-to-make dish (no meat/no milk):
Heat butter and olive oil, saute half an onion (minced) for about 2 minutes or until wilted. Drop in a package of frozen Lima Beans (I used the bigger variety: Butter Beans) and a package of frozen Corn Kernels or Niblets (if you can't get fresh cobs). After about 5 minutes, add a chopped medium-sized Chayote, chopped green and yellow Squash (about 2 of each), chopped large green Bell Pepper, and then some coarsely chopped fresh Okra (5-10 small okras). Mix everything together and cook in high heat, about 5 minutes. Season with Salt and Pepper. Drop in some fresh Pearl Onions about 2 minutes before turning off the heat.

Most guests happily mugged for the camera...

...a few - I had to catch by surprise.

As the music got louder and the drinks flowed, one friend decided to give a short, witty speech. As soon as he finished, another one (who looked like he already had one too many) ambled over and stood on his place.
As everyone cheered and waited for him to speak, he suddenly began waving his plate sheepishly :

"Oh, no... Man, I'm just here to get some more food."

Somehow, we all thought that was even funnier than hearing him give an actual speech.

The chocolate-buttercream Libran cake I asked my friend to make for P and myself was super scrumptious.
And the indestructible edible design doubled up as a "tribal" Halloween mask!

Quick Update

2006-10-17T22:20:00.000-04:00

Okay, I admit I'm slacking off. I have a couple of side dishes to post but I just couldn't find the time to sit and wallow in front of our computer. P and I are busy preparing for a small dinner party on Saturday, and he's intent in cooking for the guests. This means we have to "fight" over oven time by Friday.

I don't even want to think how we can squeeze 20+ people in our small apartment.
I believe we only have half as much chairs!

Hopefully - by the 4th glass of homemade Sangria or by the 5th shot of Kamikaze, no one would even mind perching on the window ledge a bit.

Fish Escovich (Jamaican-style)

2006-10-12T23:08:00.000-04:00

This is basically plain fried fish - Jamaican style.
The fish most commonly used is medium-sized Red Snapper, Butter Fish (below), Porgy or Croaker.

After the fish is cleaned, marinate it in a salt/vinegar/water brine for about an hour.
Season with ground black pepper and salt.
(I'm a "Paprika Person" so I added a dash of ground paprika as well).
Fry till golden-brown and crunchy.
Place cooked fish on paper towels to remove excess oil.

In a small saucepan, bring half a cup of vinegar to a rolling boil.
Drop in some sliced onions, carrot shavings, and slices of small hot pepper.
(I didn't want it too spicy so I mixed in some sliced Jalapenos).
Bring it back to a boil then turn off the heat.
Cover the saucepan and let rest for about 10 minutes.

Just before serving, garnish the fish with the veggies and pour a bit of the spicy vinegar on it.
Served with Cassava Dumpling and Sweet Fried Plantains.

6th B-day Lunch

2006-10-06T22:33:00.000-04:00

I guess a child can never have enough birthday parties, so here we go again. A month after S' birthday, she's ready to blow her candles for the 3rd time.
This time, she celebrated her day with a classroom lunch with her classmates.

BTW, check out S' bangs. That's the result of her aspirations of being a professional hairstylist - plus having an easy access to a pair of blunt scissors.
At least she didn't do what I did when I was six - cut off the hairs on my right eyebrow.

The first graders mugged for the camera while the table was being set up. It was a gas to see how they couldn't wait to eat the sugar flowers and letters on the birthday cake, instead of looking forward to eating the actual cake!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, S !!!

Pigs In A Blanket

2006-10-05T10:46:00.000-04:00

This version takes less than an hour to make and is delicious as a quick pick-me-up snack, school lunch staple, breakfast, or as in this case - great for a kids party. I made about 3 dozens for S' class "Birthday" lunch yesterday and it was an instant hit with her classmates.

To make 2 Dozen Piglets, I needed:
* 1 box Puff Pastry sheets (I used Pepperidge Farm)
* 2 dozen wieners (Peanut Franks)
* cheddar cheese sticks
* Butter spray

Take puff pastry out from the freezer to thaw at least 30 minutes before using them. Pre-heat oven to 375'. Coat franks lightly with butter spray. Unfold pastry on lightly floured surface. Cut pastry into 1-inch strips. Wrap franks and a piece of cheese with the pastry, making sure the cheese is completely covered with dough. Place 2" apart on baking sheet.

Bake for 16-18 minutes or until golden brown. Best when served warm.

Our Future Neighbor, Goofy

2006-10-02T11:29:00.000-04:00

P just got back from a weekend business-trip in Orlando, and he finally announced what I was dreading to hear. He's on the brink of cinching a lucrative job offer and wanted to relocate to Florida for good.
By Summer next year.
...so, what do I say?

"Aaargggh!! NO!!!!".

Ok. So I didn't scream that out loud.
I just didn't have the heart to dampen his puppy-dog enthusiasm
- for now.

"What about the insect bites? You're allergic to stings!"
I played on his phobia: "There's a lot of big spiders there. Tons of them!"
"What about the weather? You can't stand it when it gets too hot."
"What about my work? I don't want to lose my seniority."
I stopped short of flopping myself unceremoniously on the floor and wailing.
"BUT I LOVE NEW YORK!! This is my home! I'm happy here!"

"We'll have a garden". he countered.
(Darn! He knows I love plants.)
"And a pool".
(Hrrrmp! 'Cant swim anyway.)
"There's a golf course nearby."
(Hrrmp! Not interested.)
"Discounted tickets to Disney World".
(Hrrrmp! Been there, did that. 5 times.)
"Great restaurants".
(Patttoey! Likewise, here.)
"Lower cost of living".
(Pffftt! Two words - LESS SALARY!)
"We could get a dog. Or two".
(Bleeah! More poop to scoop.)
"There's a lot of work possibilities there for you. I checked already".
(Excuse Me?!!)

Then he hit my weak-spot.
"There's so many Asian grocery stores there. Specialty food shops. And cheaper prices! Fresh veggies. Fresh seafood. You can cook whatever and whenever you want."
"And I saw a lot of Filipinos walking all over the place, too!"
He added for good measure.
Oh, Maaaaaaan. Why do I get the feeling that this is going to be a losing battle for me?

"Besides, were getting old now, Schatzilien. We need to move on and settle down somewhere."
Ouch. I know our _0th bday (yes, were both Librans) is fast approaching but I have never really thought of myself as "Old".
(But they still check my ID in the clubs! I mentally protested).
Who am I kidding?
Maybe I should have taken that lone white hair I found sticking up on my head like a sore thumb as a sign.

Then S chimed in: "I wanna go! I wanna go!"
"Hey, who's side are you on anyway, kiddo?"
I gave her a twisted, evil eye look which sent her shrieking with glee.

He said his Florida-based "business-partner-to-be" had also expressed a desire to get acquainted with the whole family.
"He's a family man with 3 young kids. He understands that I can't make this decision alone, so he really wants to meet you guys."
Hmmm... A plus-point for this guy who seemed so keen on uprooting us from our messy, but comfortable cocoon.

Whatever.
Grudgingly, I agreed to fly over with the whole family after the Holidays to check out the place - airfare and hotel accomodations compliments of "Mr. Tropicana".

In the meantime, I have more pressing matters to attend to:
a couple of small parties to plan, menus to create, a package to mail, groceries to buy,
and a hot oven to turn off...

Treasure Each Day

2006-09-29T23:56:00.000-04:00

Our plan was set: we intended to make a leisurely 8-hour drive back to Chicago, take in a few sights along the way, and be in the city just in time for early dinner and some Windy City sightseeing. We still had some last minute packing to do for our flight back home the next day.

After lunch, we stopped by Iowa's Wallace Winery for some wine tasting.

'Bought a few bottles of Moonlight White, and some bottles of a late-harvest wine called Gewurtztraminer.
Isn't it ironic that we'd come across good wine made from German grape...
...in Iowa?

After P paid for it, a fact suddenly dawned on us: "Wait a minute, we can't even carry them damn bottles in the plane!".
So much for the airline's Cream/Liquid Ban.
Oh well, another good excuse to get drunk tonight.

I was getting a splitting headache from the nonstop madhouse inside the van - the whole day it was talking, laughing, napping, crying, potty-breaks, playing, tantrums, eating, whining, horsing around...

It was almost 8:00 PM when we saw the twinkling city lights beckoning.
It's about time!
I was simply dying to get out and sttrreeeeettcch.

We were all craning our necks to look out of the window when S started to cough.
Then she turned to me and spoke in a raspy, distressed voice:
"Mama, I can't breathe. Feel me".

I placed my hand gently on her chest and felt my heart lurch when I realized that she was wheezing really bad.
S was having an asthma attack!
Her two younger cousins clammed up, sensing that something was wrong.

"Am I going to be okay?" she asked, breathing through her mouth.
"Of course, you'll be just fine." I reassured, as I held her.
Then in Ilonggo (our dialect), I urgently directed my brother to drive to an Emergency Room.

"FAST!"

Thank God he knew the city well and announced that we were just 15 minutes away from the nearest hospital.
The longest 15 minutes of my life.
Gotta keep my cool. Do not panic. Act fast. Think.
Focus. Focus. Focus.

I didn't want S to see me acting like a nervous-wreck and become even more worried.
I think seeing her Dad freaking-out was enough.

S' O2 saturation (gadget attached to her left finger, above right photo) registered 76 when we barged in the ER (ideal level: 95-100). She was promptly given a nebulizer treatment, which relieved her almost immediately.
After a second inhalation treatment and a dose of steroids, she announced that she felt "As good as new".

In less than an hour, she gamely posed for photos as we waited for the doctor to examine and clear her for discharge.

Finally - P and I could breathe again!

During the night, I couldn't help but dwell on how fickle life is.
The day before, S was a picture of a healthy, carefree girl - blowing dandelions into the wind, and patiently coaxing butterflies to land on her finger.

What if she had that asthma attack in the farm?
Or while we were driving through a long stretch of highway?

What a huge difference a day makes.

This made me treasure and appreciate what I have even more.
We all took a moment to give a silent "Thanks".

So, what did we see of Chicago this year?
Well, if we count the road going back to the airport, nothing else.
We didn't even have the time to call and meet up with good friends.
Next time, perhaps.

I'd like to give a special shout-out:
THANKS to the Emergency Room staff/personnel of Provena St. Joseph Medical Center for taking care of S.
But as much as we appreciate everything that they had done, I hope we don't get to meet anyone in a hospital setting again!

LINKS:
http://www.wallacewine.com/
http://www.iowasource.com/food/cooks_1205.html:

Making New Friends

2006-09-27T18:58:00.000-04:00

My Aunt thought we still had time to socialize with the neighbors. One of their good friends (who is of German descent) wanted to meet P in particular, so we decided to drop by his house one afternoon.

Or should I say it looked more like Iowa's version of the White House.

The house's interior was stately and grandiose, complete with an indoor heart-shaped swimming pool, a red heart-shaped jacuzzi, and a grand staircase covered in - pink carpet. If I hadn't known that an elderly couple lived there, I could have sworn I walked in on one of the houses featured in MTV's "Cribs". S must have found the couch in the main living room comfortable - she promptly dozed off a few minutes after taking a seat!

The couple was very gracious and accomodating, and had a lot of interesting stories and funny anecdotes to tell. We found out soon enough that they were also very generous. They made the news a couple of years ago when they gave all of the town's residents a special Christmas gift - they shouldered the entire town's $25,000.00 December electricity bill!

For more on this news:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/offbeat/2004-12-21-iowa-electric_x.htm

Kids Birthday Party - "Barrio Fiesta" theme

2006-09-25T11:29:00.000-04:00

The day came to celebrate the Virgos' birthday (S, her 2 younger cousins, and my brother). My Aunt's been heading the Filipino.-American Association in their community and we were touched and surprised that virtual strangers (to us) showed up in the evening with gifts and balloons for the kids, homemade wine, and more food!

Some helped cook and prepare for the "Barrio Fiesta"- themed dinner...

...and one of her friends even brought in a chocolate/vanilla birthday cake!

Before the chaotic merriment began (which comes with all festivities), we posed for the obligatory group photo. Sitting (L to R) are: my cousin J (husband and kids standing behind her), cousin M who is single and stands 6'7 ft. tall (he wryly attributed his height to "fertilizer overload", recalling a freakish childhood accident in which he got buried up to his armpits when he stumbled into a mound of hog shit), my Aunt (who loves collecting and wearing 4-inch stilletos, never mind that they live in the middle of miles and miles of cornfield), and my Uncle (a jolly fella who after 40 years of marriage, still doesn't know how to tell a fib)...
Standing in the middle is my brother and his family, and to the right is me and my 2 kids (I mean - my hubby and S).

Lechon - Suckling Pig Roast

2006-09-25T10:45:00.000-04:00

WARNING: N
This entry contains graphic images!!

Hundreds of thousands of pigs are being butchered in slaughterhouses each year. Each pig gets about 15 minutes each to be stunned/electrocuted by giant tongs, stabbed in the neck, then carted away to be cleaned and washed in boiling water.

When farmers kill a pig for their own consumption, a few will do so with the use of a sledgehammer. Unfortunately, this can be pretty messy and heartbreaking since pigs are tough and can withstand several forceful blows to the head. They will try to run away, writhe, shriek and squeal in pain until the very end.

Some farmers are more merciful and opt for instant death.

That'll be a single bullet right in between the eyes.

A pig farmer delivered a 150+ lb. one to my Aunt's house early AM during the day of the party.
Here's P, my cousin, and Tequila saying "Adios" to the doomed pig.

Within minutes of being shot, a cable was hooked up to one of the pig's back leg and its limp body was hoisted up by the tractor. Then its throat was slashed to let all the blood drain out.

Then came the long and ardous task of searing and burning its thick hair. The pig was then given a good hosing down with jets of hot water. After that, its skin was scrubbed and scrapped with a rough, heavy-duty brush, water, and a bit of regular dish soap. The innards were removed carefully as not to puncture anything. The heart and liver were saved for future use, the intestines and other parts discarded/buried.

The pig's cavity was then filled out with Tanglad (Lemon Grass/Ginger Grass) and fresh Basil leaves, then laid out in their custom-built pig roaster. It was going to be spit-roasted in constant 450' degree heat for six hours.

By 6:30 PM, the roasted pig was dark golden brown and emitted such a delicious mouth-watering smell.

The beer is cold, and the Lechon is ready to be served!

Here's my cousin and Uncle carving out the meat - who wants first dibs on the crunchy skin?

Target Shooting and Fishing

2006-09-23T18:05:00.000-04:00

Although it is allowed to shoot wild animals (considered as pests) inside your land/property, Deer Hunting Season doesn't begin until December. If someone gets caught hunting off-season, the fines are very steep and it could even mean getting some jail time.
With this in mind, the big boys settled for some clay shooting and target practice. This is where P sustained a small gash on his upper right eyebrow - from the butt of his gun.
Poor baby - he unintentionally "hunted" himself.

When they weren't playing with guns, the guys went fishing...

They did save one afternoon to take the little kids to a small pond.
Here's S catching her very first one!

Fried Rainbrow Trout, anyone?

Tractors Galore

2006-09-22T23:56:00.000-04:00

It's time to have a little tour of the farm - in a tractor. All aboard!

The corn variety left in the fields was for animal feed. The ones (sweet corn) for human consumption had been harvested about a month ago.

Here's my bro, P, and my Uncle checking the corn kernels for moisture. The corn has to be thoroughly dry before it can be harvested. The verdict? A few more weeks to go!

Next up was an even bigger, shiny tractor - S thought this one looked like it belonged in a children's playground.

The soya beans were almost ready to be harvested, too. Hmmm... 'tasted like Edamame.

"Octopus Hair" - Riding in the back of a pick-up truck was a hoot!!!

The Farm House

2006-09-21T22:45:00.000-04:00

We arrived at my Aunt and Uncle's house way past 10:00 PM. The road was pitch black so my Uncle had to meet us in his red pick-up at the main intersection a couple of miles away from their home. The only thing we could see when we got out of the van was the light shining out of their kitchen window and the illuminated pathway leading to their back door.
I felt a coarse, wet tounge on my hand - it was a welcome lick from their waggish Mexican Chihuahua, Tequila.

I was half-expecting a rooster's crow to wake me up the next day. Then I remembered my Aunt had told me that they gave up their chicken coop some years back when they couldn't keep up with the 300+ eggs their hens laid daily. Their chickens got really busy - popping out eggs faster than they could be used, consumed or given away (Cheeky Rooster!).

Nevertheless, we jumped out of bed bright and early to explore the house and the yard.

They had a couple of rooms that we particularly liked. One was a "Safari"-themed room in the basement...

...and another room that had dolls stacked up all over the place.

There were a few sheds in the yard, a huge metal bin used for corn storage, and a tractor garage.
Beyond that were corn and soya bean fields - stretched out as far as my eyes could see.

They had two vegetable gardens. My Aunt's had average-sized okras, cucumbers, peppers, stringbeans, and cantaloupes while my Uncle's garden at the opposite end of the yard had humongous carrots, gargantuan cabbages, jumbo tomatoes and freaky giant lima beans.
No wonder his veggies turned up such super-sized produce - the soil was rich in fertilizer courtesy of a pig sty (they had 30-50 pigs) that stood on its site years ago!

S even got to meet Charlotte's cousin and Babe's descendants.

Road Trip

2006-09-20T23:03:00.000-04:00

September 12, 2006 - 6 PM :
It's been a long day. We've been up 15 hours - spent most of the day sitting in the van with 3 hyperactive kids and 3 other adults. All traces of make-up, eyeshadow, lip gloss, and perfume long gone.

My brother (below, left) had assured us that we have space to stretch out on the 15-seater van that he had secured. What we didn't foresee was that all our luggages and 3 booster seats occupied almost half of the van, leaving us with just enough space to sit up.

Man, I have never eaten so much junk food in my life. I never want to step in another Mc Donalds, Burger King, Subway, and A&W for the next two years!

8 PM:
Were still about 88 miles away from our final destination.
There IS light at the end of the road...

Airport Scene

2006-09-18T23:44:00.000-04:00

Were baaaack!! Back to the city, back to work, back to school...
Yup - back to stress.

'Had a fantastic time at my Uncle/Aunt's farm in Iowa. We ate healthy - picked organic veggies straight from the garden. I can't say "drank healthy", though. Folks out there started guzzling Bud Light from mid-morning till night (which suited P perfectly). I guess they preferred drinking beer to drinking the well water.

We took an early morning flight out from La Guardia. Which meant that we were scarfing down scrambled eggs, bacon, and hash browns in the airport by 6 AM.
S made her purchases the first five minutes after we had checked in:

- Assorted bubblegum
- Pencil with a Statue of Liberty cap (never mind that she already had a Ziploc full of markers)
- Blues Clues and Nicktoons magazine

Alas! 30 minutes before boarding time, there was an announcement that the flight was going to be delayed for another hour due to rainy/cloudy weather conditions in Chicago.
By this time, S had finished half of her take-home homework and some mazes.

Fed up with sitting, we browsed around the shops for a pencil sharpener.
Finding none, she got these instead :

- A multicolored monkey Critter Piller neck pillow
- A pretzel hotdog and juice

Then we went back to our seats and waited ("bored stiff" pose)...
and waited ("wearisome & sleepy look")...

and waited ("bored to death" pose) some more.

Thank God they finally allowed us to embark the plane before S could ask to run through another shop!

Tropical Cooler

2006-09-08T19:40:00.000-04:00

This is going to be my last post until we return from our farming, fishing & hunting adventure. Were taking a short flight to Chicago next week, pick up my bro and his family, then drive 7-8 hours to a remote town in Iowa. We had accepted my Aunts' invitation to visit her house in the farm - and at the same time have a joint b-day bash (my brother, his 2 sons, and S) for all the Virgos in da haus! Maybe we could get a chance to help with their corn harvest? (I meant help in eating the corn). We actually had to squash S' expectations that there'll be some funny animal scenes similar to the movie, The Barnyard.

At any rate, were all tickled. This is going to be some road trip! Before I go, I'm gonna leave 'ya all with my Summer Cooler recipe:

a bottle of Silver White Tequila (store in the freezer)
Pineapple juice
fresh pineapple slices
bunch of fresh mint
Sprite
Grenadine syrup
Optional: peeled fresh lychees
Lots of Ice Cubes

Drop in pineapple slices and lychees in a large clear glass pitcher.
Fill 1/4 of the pitcher with tequila.
Pour in pineapple juice until pitcher is about 3/4 full.
Then add Sprite (for sparkle) until almost to the top.
Leave enough room for a large scoop of ice cubes.
Slowly pour in 2 ounces (or more, to taste) of Grenadine syrup.
Garnish with a bunch of fresh mint leaves.

To serve:
Drop a small piece of pineapple, a whole lychee (warn guests of the seed!), and a couple of crushed mint leaves in each glass.
Pour in the punch.

Miniature umbrella optional.

ENJOY!!

I'm in First Grade!!

2006-09-07T19:20:00.000-04:00

It was S' first day of school today. We were all excited for a lot of different reasons. Me - I'm getting a few hours all for myself again. P - he's running out of new places to take her. And S - obviously, she's getting tired of spending most of her time in the company of two old farts.

She also missed her classmates, friends, and playdates.
P and I were actually hoping that she would be in a bigger class this year.

Unfortunately, no such luck.
They were all of 5 students.

"Hey, where's the schoolbus?"

Crab Cakes with Roasted Pepper-Chive Aioli

2006-09-06T23:29:00.000-04:00

CRAB CAKES:

12 ounces shelled cooked crab (chilling crab meat before mixing it is the secret to great crab cakes)
1/4 cup finely diced celery
minced fresh chives
mayonnaise
1 large egg
2 teaspoons creamy Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce/tabasco
Panko (Japanese-style coarse bread crumbs), or fine dried bread crumbs
2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
1/4 cup chopped, drained canned roasted red peppers
2 teaspoons (or half a lemon) lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic

Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Sort through crab and discard any bits of shell. In a large bowl, combine celery, 1/4 cup minced chives, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, egg, mustard, Old Bay seasoning and hot sauce. Mix well. Add crab and 1/4 cup Panko. Stir gently just to mix.
Put 1 cup Panko in a shallow bowl. Shape crab mixture into approximately 24 cakes, each about 2 inches wide, half an inch thick. Turn each cake in Panko to coat on all sides, pressing gently to make crumbs adhere. Place cakes slightly apart in an oiled baking pan.
Bake for about 15 minutes or until it turns golden brown.
Transfer crabs to a serving platter.

ROASTED PEPPER-CHIVE AIOLI:

In a small bowl, mix 1/3 cup mayonnaise, roasted red peppers, 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives, lemon juice, and garlic.
Makes about 1/2 cup.

Spoon a dollop of Roasted Pepper-Chive Aioli onto each cake. Garnish platter with fresh chives, cut into 1-inch lengths.
Serve hot.

Tapas: "Montado de Tortilla"

2006-09-05T10:30:00.000-04:00

I was watching Food Network-In Demand last week when I saw tapas similar to this one on one of their programs (The Secret Life of HorsD'Oeuvres). It's served at a midtown restaurant called Solera. I'd say "similar" since the host, Jim O' Connor didn't go into details with its recipe.
It looked so appetizing that I just had to try and wing it anyway.
Yup, P and my cousins were my guinea pigs!

TORTA/TORTILLA:
This Spanish omelet is a thick egg and potato cake baked gently in the oven.

1 1/2 pounds potatoes (Yukon Gold is perfect!)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt (add more according to your taste)
7 large eggs
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350'F. Peel the potatoes and cut them into small cubes. In a large pot, bring water to boil with the 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Add the potatoes and simmer until tender, about 12-15 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs, season with salt, and carefully mix in the potatoes. Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof nonstick egg pan. Pour in the potato-egg mixture and cook over low heat, stirring for 2 minutes.
Place the pan on the center rack of the oven and bake until the torta has just set, approximately 15 minutes.
Once the torta is cooked, let it rest for a few minutes, then invert it onto a plate. Allow the torta to set, then slice into small (sushi-size) wedges/squares/rectangles.

WHITE ASPARAGUS: When cooking white asparagus, it must be peeled until no skin remains. It's best simmered in "Blanc" solution (Ratio: 1 tablespoon white vinegar/3 tablespoons flour/one liter of water) for at least 20 minutes .

To assemble - wrap a thin slice of smoked salmon around asparagus and place on top of egg-potato torta. Hold everything together with a small skewer.

Serve cold or at room temperature.

LINK:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_sf/episode/0,1976,FOOD_17616_43516,00.html

Dinner for Agassi Fans

2006-09-04T15:28:00.000-04:00

My cousins dropped by for dinner last night after watching Agassi play his final game in the US Open. I made a few appetizers/tapas (recipes to follow) which seemed to be a big hit with our guests.

CRAZZI ABOUT AGASSI

The adults tried to drown their sadness (caused by Agassi's loss) with an alcohol-infused Summer cooler, while S enjoyed her fruity kiddie version.
See? They're smiling already!

Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

2006-09-04T15:25:00.000-04:00

KEBABS:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 lb) cut into strips
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame, peanut, or olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro (or parsley)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
about 1 teaspoon ginger, crushed
pinch of coarsely ground black pepper
dash of coriander
dash of cumin

In a medium bowl, stir together chicken, soy sauce, sesame oil, coriander, cumin, ginger, garlic and pepper. Place in the refrigerator and let marinate for an hour or overnight.
Preheat barbecue grill to medium-high. If using bamboo skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes. Thread skewers with the chicken. Discard any leftover chicken marinade.
Place chicken on greased barbecue grill (or greased pan, if using oven) and grill for 12 to 15 minutes, turning at least twice or until chicken is cooked through. Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce.

PEANUT SAUCE:

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder (or cayenne)
3 teaspoon tomato paste
3 tablespoons water
1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
3/4 cup 2% milk
1 teaspoon fish sauce (patis, not toyo)

Heat oil in a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook for 2 minutes or until translucent. Mix the chili powder with the tomato paste and water; stir into onions and cook for a minute. Stir in the peanut butter and the milk; reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 4 minutes or until mixture just begins to thicken.

Serve hot with the peanut dipping sauce.

Byahe Tayo

2006-09-01T23:11:00.000-04:00

We received a package from LA some days ago.
It contained one of the prettiest wedding announcements I had ever seen. It had an ornate, textured gold design on the front - tied together by a golden string.
Our friends - Joy and K, are going to have their church wedding in Manila on November. They wrote to say that they would love to have S as one of their flower girls!

They had charted a plane to fly all their guests for a 3-day celebration in Boracay right after the ceremony. It was really thoughtful of them to include a couple of DVD's about the Philippines and Boracay (courtesy of the Phil. Dept. of Tourism) among the travel guides, Metro Manila map and hotel information they sent.
It would have been fab if P and I could re-visit the island where we had our own church wedding almost 6 years ago.
Unfortunately, we don't have enough vacation days left for this year to make it. *Sigh.

I guess we just have to console ourselves by watching this video: http://www.wowphilippines.com.ph/media_source/media_source.asp?Play=byahetayo.wmv

Desperate SeaHorsewives

2006-08-31T10:38:00.000-04:00

A brief article in todays' New York Post confirmed my suspicions about cheating Seahorses (Blog Entry: http://steytsaydilongga.blogspot.com/2006/06/alien-stingers.html. )(photo credit: FUNNY POSTCARD)
Nah, not this kind of "Sea Horse".
(photo credit: ZECA HAUER)
This one...

Under a heading worthy of a Star magazine's cover, someone wrote: REVEALED! SEAHORSE SLUTS - "Visitors to a British aquarium have been given a bizarre assignment: spy on the seahorses to see if they're cheating. It's part of an experiment to test the theory that the tiny creatures mate for life, the BBC reported yesterday."

"Scientists at the Great Yarmouth Sea-Life Center have put tiny colored necklaces on the seahorses, and visitors have been asked to report on who's pairing up. Early results are showing us that males stay faithful to one female, said researcher Terri Harris. However, the females may have more than one male partner, so they are the ones who are more likely to stray.
"It is male seahorses that get pregnant and give birth to live babies."

With the last info, I imagine quite a few women wouldn't mind being reincarnated as female seahorses in the next life.

Read more about this topic at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/norfolk/content/articles/2006/08/25/nature_seahorses_feature.shtml

Steppin' Out: ABSINTHE at the SPIEGELTENT

2006-08-27T16:07:00.000-04:00

A few days ago, we dropped S off for a late night playdate with her favorite "tita" while we watched ABSINTHE - a 2-hour raunchy, "for-adults-only" cabaret/circus/comedy show at Spiegeltent. (Thanks to Theatre Mania for the discounted tickets) . Well surprise. Surprise. When I opened the first page of Daily News' NOW Section this morning, guessed what stared back at me? Two pages of ABSINTHE!

Here's an excerpt from Michelle Icahn's article entitled - ABSINTHE makes the Heart Grow Fonder:
"The house lights dim and the audience members without seats lean against mirrored columns, or stand in the back near a vintage bar. Chairs form a circle around an intimate center stage (we were seated on the front row). A round outer wall is lined with booths, and colorful stained-glass windows glisten. A beautiful brunette (Irish bombshell Camille O' Sullivan) in a formfitting dress steps onto the stage, and glows in the spotlight - "Absinthe" is about to begin. As one of the main attractions at Spiegeltent, a months-long event at South Street Seaport's Pier 17, "Absinthe" is a circus-meets-burlesque show consisting of several sexy, eye-popping acts..."
(Photo: Prudence Upton)
This is Miss Behave, who's scarlet rubber dress matched the lopsided expressions on her rubber-like face. She drank wine and beer throughout the show, then amused everyone with her insane antics. The audience watched in awe as she placed (and swallowed) a variety of objects in her mouth.
The shock value was nothing though compared to the tricks of a sexy Spanish magician. She kept the audience guessing where she hid a tiny red hanky. (Hint: An orifice!)
(Photo: Prudence Upton)
Acrobat David O' Mer was the show's last act, to the delight of all the ladies (and gays) in the crowd. Almost everyone on the first 2 rows got doused (deliberately, I suspect) by cold water from his tub - heck, who cares?
After the show, most of the audience chilled out at the Beer Garden (Heartland Brewery), with its fantastic Brooklyn Bridge view. The show's cast members/performers even came out to mingle with the crowd.
Music was provided by Vintage DJ until the wee hours of the morning.

ABSINTHE

2006-08-27T16:04:00.000-04:00

Camille O' Sullivan (far left) standing outside the 1920's inspired Spiegeltent structure.

For more on ABSINTHE, visit http://www.spiegelworld.com/

Family Event: German-American Volksfest

2006-08-24T23:26:00.000-04:00

The Plattduetsche Volksfest Vereen of New York and New Jersey presented the 132nd Annual Volksfest in North Bergen, NJ last weekend.

Authentic German food was available along with traditional American fare (hot dogs and burgers). We sampled wursts, apple struedel, potato pancakes (shown)...

...roast beef & pork sandwiches, and fleischkaese (shown) - also known as leberkaese. In Bavaria, this beef and pork loaf is typically pan fried and then served with a fried egg on top. It is usually accompanied by potato salad on the side. Kids love it (tastes like bologna!) and most of them prefer to eat it cold. The festivals' big draw for the men was the seemingly endless supply of German beer. While the adults were busy drinking, the kids were having a jolly good time with the huge Castle Bounce, clowns and games.

Lively musical entertainment was provided by German Quartet, Q-Stall. Everyone was encouraged to sing and dance with the band. After a couple of rounds of beer, no one really cared if you were skipping around with two left feet!
BTW, the German-American Steuben Parade will be held in NYC on Sept. 16, 2006.

LINKS:
http://www.volksfest.org/
http://www.germanparadenyc.org/html/queen_2006.html

Good Eats: ITALIAN FOOD!!

2006-08-22T18:34:00.000-04:00

Located a couple of blocks away from the Loews Orpheum 7 theatre, this restaurant is a great place to stop by for a leisurely dinner after the movies. Prices are reasonable, the waiters (why all-male?) are attentive, and the food - savory. Pesce Pasta's at 1562 Third Avenue, between 87-88th Street.
They have different kinds of antipasti but whenever we drop by, we prefer to share a large order of fleshy mussels in a broth of garlic, chopped tomatoes and onions for starters.

The last time we went in for dinner, S thought the Cheese Ravioli was simply fab. The Mixed Grilled Seafood was also fresh. P had the rich and flavorful Seafood Lasagna in pink cream sauce. All main courses were served with a choice of steamed vegetables or pasta with marinara sauce.

S didn't want to forgo the obvious Tiramisu for another dessert. It was apparent that she (and her pert nose) enjoyed every creamy bit of it.

Banana-Jackfruit Turon

2006-08-20T23:36:00.000-04:00

What could I make with left-over Spring Roll pastry/shell?
Here's a simple, easy-to-make, delicious dessert:

Get a few plantains (the more "rotten" it looks, the sweeter it'll be),

Peel and slice them into 4 lengthwise strips, then cut into three.

Wrap plantains and a few jackfruit (langka) strips in pastry shell (2 plantains & 1 jackfruit strip per pastry) then fry them until golden brown.

Sprinkle some sesame seeds on top and serve as is, or drizzled with caramel sauce.

Photo of the Day: Airborne Boats

2006-08-17T16:26:00.000-04:00

"Big Pleasure Point"

More than 40 used boats were utilized to make this 40-ft. tall, 55-ft. wide sculpture. It was created by LA-based artist Nancy Rubins and is currently on exhibit at Josie Robertson Plaza, Lincoln Center until Sept. 4, 2006.

For more on the artist and the exhibit: http://www.playbillarts.com/features/article/4652.html

NYC Event: Lincoln Center Carnival!

2006-08-15T22:35:00.000-04:00

Last Thursday, Lincoln Center hosted an Out-of-Doors Event dedicated to "Caribbean Cultural Center: 30 Years of Carnival".
It started at 3 PM and featured performances and workshops for young children and families. Kids were able to fashion different houses from assorted, sparkly sequins...

and create colorful noisemakers using plastic cups and lentil beans.

S with gorgeous "Miss Trinidad & Tobago".
Musical entertainment was provided by an Afro-Caribbean Punta Ensemble and Haitian Rara Music, to name a few. The highlight of the event was a huge evening concert featuring Mighty Sparrow, otherwise known as the "Calypso King of the World" and "Soca Sensation" - Rupee.

Ending the afternoon music session was Ologunde, playing fast and energetic Samba Music. If you think this Brazilian dancer looks hot facing front...

...wait until she turns around!!

Summer Day-Camp Ends

2006-08-14T23:33:00.000-04:00

During our initial inquiry, P and I were told that this particular Day Camp was accepting enrollment for all kids ages 6 years and above. Since S was almost 6 (she's a few months shy of her 6th b-day), they eventually considered her. Initially, we had a few concerns about how she would handle being the youngest kid in camp. This feeling soon dissipated when we saw her thrive in the company of her peers and caring Counselors.

Well what do you know - in what seemed like a blink of an eye, four weeks is over!

For their last day in Camp, the kids had prepared an hour-long Talent Night Show entitled "A Walk In Time" for their parents and loved ones. The boys stood out in their bright red shirts while the girls wore white, their hair tied back in neat buns.
There was singing, dancing, gymnastics, step performances, guitar playing, and hilarious skits.

One of the evening's crowd pleaser was a lively dance number to the beat of Chris Brown's "Gimme That".

After the program, S requested to pose with two of her favorite Counselors.
Then the Program Director made a surprise announcement that they were presenting 2 Awards (Best Athlete and Best in Arts & Crafts) for each age group.

P and I were both speechless when they called S' name as the recipient of both (as in, all) of the awards for the 6-7 year-old group!
A few days into camp, she had told us that she was enjoying herself - we simply had no idea it was this much.
(This may seem mundane to some, but do indulge me a bit while I gush. I haven't received any awards nor certificates when I was a little kid. Nope - not even for "Perfect Attendance" *sigh*).

Of course, P took the gene credit for the "Creative Jeweler" one. Here's S posing with her proud Dad.

"Gimme That" Video: http://mp.aol.com/video.index.adp?pmmsid=1483983&referer=http%3A//music.aol.com/artist/chris-brown/724933/main&mode=1

Good Eats: THAI FOOD!! (Queens)

2006-08-10T10:40:00.000-04:00

" You might not eat Thai food anywhere else in New York City again..."
- Time Out, New York

Don't let the storefronts' austere "bank-office look" fool you. Zagat had included SriPraPhai on its list of the Top 50 Best Restaurants in the city. NY Citysearch had given it a whopping 9.4 Overall Rating, and NY Magazine's recent survey of "101 Best Cheap Eats in NYC" lists it at #5.

The restaurant is located at 64-13 39th Avenue (between 64th and 65th Street) in Woodside, Queens. Take the #7 Train to 61st St. - Woodside Station and walk up along Roosevelt Avenue. At 65th Street, make a quick left turn to 39th Avenue - it's right across the street.

For appetizers, we tried the Fried Calamari with Chili Sauce

and the Steamed (super-plump) Mussels with Lemon Grass, Chili and Basil.

The Fried Fish (Red Snapper) with Green Mango Sauce was a spicy/tangy/sweet/salty/minty/crunchy gastronomical deeelight!

We also had the very tasty Pad Thai (Saute rice noodles with bean sprouts and shrimps). We were unable to try the popular Catfish Salad because we simply had no more room for it. This certainly is a good excuse to come back...

LINKS:
http://www.zagat.com/verticals/Menu.aspx?VID=8&R=51870&HID=500002351
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/restaurants/cheapeats/2006/18479/index1.html

Avocado-Macapuno Ice Candy

2006-08-08T22:28:00.000-04:00

S has a penchant for Ice-pops, but the taste of store-bought ones is nothing compared to the homemade ice candy that I used to make back home. I wanted to let her have a taste of my special childhood Summer treat, so we devoted a couple of hours making Avocado-Macapuno (coconut sport or mutant coconut) Ice Candy. Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup heavy cream
2. 1 1/2 cup whole milk
3. 3 avocados (Haas)
4. 1 cup sugar
5. 1 tsp. lemon extract
6. Macapuno

Place the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl or blender. Mix till it becomes smooth and creamy, leaving some avocado bits for consistency. Pour into plastic ice candy wrappers (Thanks to my sis in Iloilo who sent me hundreds) or plastic ice cube containers. Drop 2-3 strands of Macapuno into each plastic bag before tying them tightly. Makes 15 - 17 ice candies (not counting the one that S sampled before we even froze them).

For best results, freeze overnight.

Creamylicious!!!

We LOVE Lifeguards!!

2006-08-06T23:49:00.000-04:00

We always think that lifeguards, with their tanned, toned bods are just a part of Summer's "eye candy". They perch on their small white tower all day - occasionally blowing their whistle to warn some blockhead that they're swimming too far away from shore, flex some muscles, then get busy slathering themselves with suntan lotion. Today, a sure tragedy for one family was averted by these bronzed hunks. We finally got to see the lifeguards IN ACTION!!

It started with a sighting of heads bobbing in the water. Faster than you can say "Omigodsomeone'sdrowning!", a couple of lifeguards darted past where we were sitting and had already sprinted to the water - swimming to not one, but two swimmers in distress.

A helicopter (Search & Rescue, I presume) hovered above as they swam their way back to the shore, ferrying the exhausted swimmers on their neon orange buoys.

Yeeeey! Thank goodness the man (in black speedos) and a young girl made it. They looked pretty shaken but were able to walk to solid ground.

Lifeguards: Our Summer Heroes!!

Lasang Pinoy 12: Distinctly Pinoy with a Twang

2006-08-01T22:50:00.000-04:00

Pecan-Herb Crusted Chilean Sea Bass & Vegetable Shrimp Roll (Lumpia)on Field Greens with Wasabi-Lime Vinaigrette Dressing

Served with Steamed Coconut Rice

LP: 12

2006-08-01T22:44:00.000-04:00

This is one of hubby's favorite dishes and I guess he has Ces to partly thank (aside from the fact that with the onslaught of scorching 100-degree days, it's actually cooler to hang out in the kitchen!) for its re-appearance on the dinner table tonight. She's hosting "Lasang Pinoy XII: Distinctly Pinoy with a Twang" and I thought this was an appropriate entry for her wonderful theme. Pecan-Herb Crusted Chilean Sea Bass: A big slab (shown above: 1 3/4 lb.) is good enough for 2-3 servings. Wash, pat dry, slice (discard big bones), and lightly season with salt, pepper, and paprika powder. Heat a baking dish in the oven set at 375'. Dip one side of fish on beaten egg then press firmly on crust. Heat small amount of oil on a skillet and pan-fry crusted side till seared (about 2 - 3 min.) Transfer the fish to the hot baking dish (crust-side up) and bake for 15 minutes. Let it sit on paper towels to drain excess oil while preparing the rest of the dish.

Crust Ingredients:

* Ground Pecan Nuts
* Bread Crumbs
* Chopped fresh Parsley
* about 2 tbsp. Cornstarch

Vegetable Shrimp Roll:

To cut the cooking time, I had made these a day in advance and froze them. It doesn't need de-frosting prior to frying. Fry till golden brown. Place on paper towels to drain out excess oil.

Cooking Filling: Heat oil in large pan or wok. Saute onion and stringbeans over high heat till wilted. Add the shredded carrots and cabbage. Season with 2 packets of GOYA Salad & Vegetable Seasoning Powder. Pour in half a cup of the liquid used to boil/steam shrimps. Cook till most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the optional ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper as needed. Transfer to a large strainer and let drain thoroughly (30 minutes or even overnight in the fridge).

Place 2 tablespoons of vegetables and a shrimp on each pastry wrapper. Wrap it and seal edges with a brush of egg white. Makes 17-20 rolls.

Filling Ingredients:
* 1 pound of large shrimps - steamed/boiled (Reserve 1/2 cup of cooking liquid), shelled, de-veined, and lightly seasoned with salt/pepper/paprika powder
* A cup of stringbeans, chopped
* 1 onion, chopped
* 2 carrots, julienned
* 1 1/2 lb. shredded cabbage
* Spring Roll Pastry (Tyj) wrappers
* 2 packets GOYA Salad & Vegetable Seasoning Powder
* Salt and pepper to taste
* Egg white

Optional Ingredients: firm tofu (sliced thinly), pine nuts, bean sprouts
Time Saver: Use 2 (16 oz.) bags of DOLE Classic Cole Slaw instead of chopping your own cabbage and carrots.

Wasabi-Lime Vinaigrette Dressing:

* Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1/4 cup
* a dollop of Wasabi-Lime Mustard, approx. half a teaspoon
* Pear-Infused (White) Balsamic Vinegar, 2-3 tablespoons
* dash of Salt
* pinch of White Pepper
* pinch of Sugar

Briskly whisk all the ingredients together and drizzle over fish, greens, and spring roll.

Good Eats: PIZZA!!

2006-07-31T23:49:00.000-04:00

LOMBARDI'SGennaro Lombardi opened what claims to be the city's first Neapolitan Pizzeria in 1905. It is fittingly located at Little Italy, 32 Spring Street between Mott and Mulberry Sts.
Nearest Subway Station: # 6 Train to Spring Street

We tried the pie with Wild Fresh Mushrooms and sampled one topped with Rosa Grande Pepperoni. Now we know why this place is still a contender for the best pizza in the city! Both came with its signature black and crispy crusts.

Check out their site at: http://www.lombardispizza.com/pages/1/index.htm

Steppin' Out: PACHA, NYC

2006-07-28T13:05:00.000-04:00

Went out to PACHA's "Afterwork Party" last night with a few friends. This was one of PACHA-Ibiza's (Spain) sister-club. Of the 4 levels, only two (2nd and 3rd floor) were accessible. There was a private corporate party on the Main Floor, and the Fourth Level was an exclusive lounge reserved only for VIP's and club-card holders. Obviously, we were neither... helloooo. Because of the heavy turn-out, we had to wait for 20 minutes to get in even if we were on the "Guest List". Due partly to the Coronas that I had imbibed, this small inconvenience didn't hamper me from having a ball. Most over-played song of the night: Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy".

Prior to entering the club, the security had to do their customary "bag-search". I was amused to learn that a particular item was banned from the club. Cameras? Allowed. Cell phones? Allowed. Chewing Gum? Absolutely NOT. Seriously. The garbage can near the entrance was half-filled with discarded gum packets.
This was one of the lounges on the 3rd floor...

...and here's a shot of the dance floor - with DJ Camilo, DJ Lucho, and DJ Xplor spinning Hip Hop, Reggae, Classics, House and some caliente Salsa.

The wall on the 2nd floor's bar was decorated with a row of giant mosaic hands covered in sparkling, golden glass. 'Checked out the bathroom and - surprise, surprise. Even the toilet seat was illuminated! Was this idea conceived to aid drunk patrons in aiming?

Four and a half hours later, I remembered that I still had to put together S' stuff for her Camp's field trip today. So by 2 AM, I was at home. Standing over our kitchen counter. Stuffing myself with a bowl of left-over Mac n' Cheese.
There will always be another time to party late. In the meantime, "Mommy-duty" calls...

For more cool PACHA photos, click on "Darkroom" at http://www.pachanyc.com/

Good Eats: ASIAN FUSION!! (Manhattan)

2006-07-25T23:23:00.000-04:00

Sporting a catchy name ("Kumain" in Tagalog means "to eat"), Kuma Inn is located at 113 Ludlow St. (2nd Floor) between Delancey and Rivington. The closest subway station is the F Train at Delancey, about a block away from the restaurant.
As we passed through the nondescript entrance to ascend up the steep wooden stairs, P wondered out loud to S: "What kind of exotic place is Mama taking us to this time?". He had no choice but to proceed, though. The other day, he took us out for dinner at this BBQ joint at 73rd Street and 3rd Avenue. Everything we ordered (save for the heavenly frozen drinks) turned up drowning in barbecue sauce. Today, it was my turn to call the shots.
Once we got to the 2nd floor, we were met with a welcoming icy blast of AC. "Aaaah - such a relief!" (For the record, the restaurant staff was much warmer). The place was quaintly decorated with bamboo motif, pretty cozy (they only had about a dozen tables), and very clean. There were even several lighted candles in the bathroom.

Needless to say, "Picky P" was pleased and instantly went "loco" over the Sake (Rice Wine) Sangria. He didn't hesitate to ordered a pitcher. (BTW, he's gonna kill me if he finds out I posted this particular pic of him). Meanwhile, S settled for the delish Mango Juice. For such a small place, they had a pretty extensive sake list.
They had Thai-Filipino-Chinese cuisine served tapas-style, meaning everything comes in small servings (or plates) and have relatively cheap prices. Lucky for them, we were starving. The chef, King Phojanakong is half Filipino (mom) and half Thai (dad). His impressive resume' included cooking for David Bouley (of Danube) and Daniel Boulud (of Bistro Moderne).

Although one of their signature dishes: Pan Seared Ocean Scallops with Bacon wasn't available, the food we ordered did not disappoint. I heard the Shrimp Shumai (shown) was really good (P and S devoured it all before I could even bat an eyelash), even as the Vegetable Dumplings were a tad chewy. The fresh Grilled Baby Octopus with Pickled Bamboo Shoots (shown) was scrumptious. P and S didn't seem to mind the occasional black ink squirts.

We also had the Whole Grilled Sardines (shown), the Fried Springrolls/Lumpia, and the Lechon Kawali with Achara (shown), paired with a bowl of sticky rice and a serving of steamed rice. Each time, we managed to clean up our plates.

For dessert, the intense flavor of Black Cherry Gelato (shown) was to die for. I was fortunate enough that the Fried Plantains (Turon) with Caramel Sauce (shown) held S' undivided attention. Kuma Inn is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 6 PM till 12 Midnight. Cash Only.

LINKS:* http://www.kumainn.com/profile.html
* https://www.davidbouley.com/
* http://danielboulud.com/

Lake Welch Beach

2006-07-23T15:22:00.000-04:00

Lake Welch Beach is the largest (man-made) sandy beach in Harriman State Park and possibly one of the largest inland beach in the US.

It is ideal for swimming, picnicking (BBQ!!) and fishing. They also have a few of the friendliest lifeguards around! For those who'd rather concentrate on the "swimming" part, facilities include a small restaurant serving picnic staples such as Burgers, Fries, Fried Chicken, Chicken Nuggets, and Hot Dogs. An adjacent store also sell bags of BBQ coals, towels, plastic toys and other basic necessities that people might need for the beach.

Here's S and her buddies taking an ice cream/ice cone break.

LINK: http://www.nysparks.com/parks/info.asp?parkID=74

A Good Deed Is Never Forgotten

2006-07-21T19:40:00.000-04:00

About two years ago, Filipino cab driver Nestor Sulpico made headlines when he reunited a bag of valuable pearls with its amnesic owner after he found them on the back seat of his cab. I was pleasantly surprised when his picture and story turned up again on the Sunday issue (July 16) of the Daily News. This article was written by Jose Martinez for the "Whatever Happened To...?" section of the paper.

"One very good deed helped change the life of the cabbie hailed as "New York's most honest taxi driver". When Nestor Sulpico returned $70,000 of rare South Pacific black pearls to a forgetful rider who left them in his cab, he used his $5,000 reward to fund his daughter's nursing education in their native Philippines.
He showed up on the front page of Daily News and was saluted by Mayor Bloomberg. He also was transformed into a celebrity back home, where he was honored by the government and given a $3,000 gift by the country's President.
"I'm just a regular person doing a regular thing," Sulpico said. "But I was - what do you call it - lionized back there in the Philippines."
Now driving a Lincoln Town Car, and occasionally getting behind the wheel of his yellow cab, Sulpico said he regularly finds wallets and mobile phones left behind in the backseat.
And just as he did on July 14, 2004 - when he returned the pearls to hedge-fund manager Lawrence Policastro - he tries to track down the owner of the misplaced phone or wallet.
"I can't really keep anything that is not mine," Sulpico said. "I'm used to working hard and not earning money easily."
Sulpico, 49, had been driving a cab for less than a month when he made his biggest backseat find. Using a cell phone left in the cab, he dialed Policastro's home to report he had the pearls.
Then he drove up to Rowayton, Conn., to return the pearls to Policastro, who threw his arms around the humble hack, proclaimed, "I love cabbies," and promised a generous reward.
For months after his good deed, Sulpico was recognized by the people he was driving around the city. He turned up on television news shows that aired all over the country, and was honored by Taxi and Limousine Commission chief Matthew Daus.
Sulpico also was awarded a scholarship to the Phillips Beth Israel School of Nursing. He starts classes this fall.
"Finding those pearls was my passport to a better life," Sulpico said.
But the Queens cabbie said he is not planning to give up hacking even after he starts nursing school.
"I like New York, and it just fascinates me to meet all kinds of people," he said. "That's what keeps me going."

Ilonggo Ini!!

Kiddie Treat: Victorian Gardens at Central Park

2006-07-20T23:23:00.000-04:00

Every Summer, from May till after September's Labor Day, the Wollman Rink in Central Park transforms into the Victorian Gardens Amusement Park.

Directions by Bus: We took the M2 Bus to 64th Street (East side), proceeded to Central Park using the 5th Avenue Zoo entrance, veered to the left, then followed the directions to "Wollman Rink" - it was about a 10-15 minute walk.

The Amusement Park is open 7 days a week - from 11 AM till 7 PM on Weekdays, and from 10 AM till 8 PM on Weekends and Holidays. Occasionally, a celebrity will book the Park for a private party, or sometimes there'll be some sort of Fundraising Event going on. With this in mind, it's always a good idea to double-check the Parks' Operating Hours before heading there. Admission is $6.50/pp (little toddlers are free) and it costs $2.00 (or 2 tickets) for one ride. S announced that she intended to get on the rides "3,842 times", so I guess paying an additional $12.00 for a wristband (entitles the child to unlimited rides) actually ended up as being cost-effective for me. Besides, this allowed me to stretch out on a bench for some relatively peaceful "me-time" (I was armed with a juicy gossip mag and some Cherry Icee) while she ran amok for a couple hours. On the safety issue - the Park is fairly small and is situated in an enclosed space (there's only one EXIT), so it allows the parents to have their kid/s within vision at all times.

Among S' favorite rides were the Mini Mouse roller coaster, Aeromax...

... Family Swinger, Samba Balloon...

...and the Convoy.

LINK: http://www.victoriangardensnyc.com/rides.html

Is It Time to Open the "Ba-ul"?

2006-07-19T19:36:00.000-04:00

In The Post's July 12th issue, Todd Venezia wrote a brief note about the Philippine peso in the paper's "Weird but True" section.

"The value of the Philippine peso is rising - not because the currency is so stable, but because the metal it's made of is so valuable.
Authorities recently stopped a container full of 3 million one-peso coins - which each contain 75 percent copper - being illegally shipped abroad to be melted down.
The price of the metal has risen so much that on the black market each coin is worth nearly four times as much as face value."

German Potato Salad

2006-07-18T09:33:00.000-04:00

Ingredients:

2 pounds small red potatoes, scrubbed and quartered into bite size pieces
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
1/2 cup paper-thin sliced shallots, or 1/2 red onion, sliced paper-thin
1/4 pound thick-cut bacon (about 4 slices) cut into 1/4-inch slices
Pinch of sugar
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tbsp. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley or chives or a combination of both
Optional: 1 tbsp. mustard seeds

Bring the potatoes and four quarts of cold water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Add the salt and cook until potatoes are tender but firm when poked with a knife, about 6-8 minutes.

Drain the potatoes reserving 1/3 cup of the cooking liquid. Add 3 tablespoons vinegar to the potatoes, stir gently and let stand for 1 minute. Add the sliced shallots or red onion and stir to combine.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Toast the optional mustard seeds until very lightly browned, about 1-2 minutes. Remove and set aside. Cook the bacon until well browned and crispy. Remove to paper towels and pour off all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat. Add the remaining vinegar, reserved cooking water, and a pinch of sugar. Swirl the ingredients together and cook for a minute.

Pour over the potato mixture. Add the optional mustard seeds, bacon, freshly ground pepper to taste, and parsley and/or chives. Toss gently to combine. Taste for seasonings, adding salt if necessary. Turn onto a serving bowl or platter and serve immediately.

Serves 6 as a side dish.

Avenue des Champs-Elysees

2006-07-16T22:24:00.000-04:00

The "Main Street" on the Right Bank is Avenue des Champs-Elysees, beginning at the Arc de Triomphe and running all the way to Place de la Concorde, a 45 min. to an hour leisurely walk. With Paris being the "City of Light", it is recommended to amble around during the night when all the trees along the streets are lit up. (How romantic!) The Arc de Triomphe is the largest triumphal arch in the world. It stands 163 ft. high and is 147 ft. wide.

CARTIER Store (P, can I have the gold LOVE bracelet, pleeaase!??)
The Place de la Concorde is situated between Champs-Elysees and the Tuileries Garden along the Seine River. It was built in 1763 by architect J. Gabriel to celebrate the glory of then almighty King, Louis XV. Unfortunately, it was also on this spot that the King saw the beheading of his successor and grandson Louis XVI during the French Revolution (1793).
Oh, FYI - for those who have seen "The Devil Wears Prada", this is the fountain where Andrea (played by Anne Hathaway) chucks the company-issued cell phone during one of the final scenes of the movie.

This 3,200 year-old Obelisk from the ruins of the temple at Luxor was offered to French King Charles X in 1829 by Muhammad Ali (no relation to the boxer), Viceroy of Egypt. It stands 23 meters tall, weighs 220 tons, and is covered with hieroglyphs.

A couple of blocks away stood La Madeline (Church of Madeline). Built in 1764 with huge Corinthian pillars, it initially served as a Greek temple (1790) until Louis XVIII decided in 1814 that it should become a church. In 1843, it eventually did.

LINK: "The Devil Wears Prada" movie trailer: http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/thedevilwearsprada/
Cartier's LOVE bracelet: http://fashiontribes.typepad.com/main/2006/04/how_do_you_show.html

Galeries Lafayette

2006-07-15T21:59:00.000-04:00

To get to Galeries Lafayette, we took the # 7 pink line to Opera. The station's about a block away from this 10-story store. Although Forum des Halles is the largest shopping mall in Paris, Galeries Lafayette is certainly more popular. It is open Monday to Saturday from 9:30 AM to 7:30 PM. On Thursdays, it stays open till 9 PM.

Expensive. Expensive. Ridiculously expensive stuff. A thick, light blue Lacoste sweater still had its regular price tag on (220 Euros) - and it's already Summer! By the time all the tulips had withered in Central Park, the same sweater in the States would have sold for 75% less! Whatever... BTW, for all Havaianas flip-flop fans out there, you're going to literally flip-out in the Women's Shoes section (located on the First Floor). For 22 Euros a pair, you can actually have your very own custom-made Havaianas assembled while you wait! Yep, you can pick your own Havaianas strap (lotsa colors to choose from), base, and logo. Makes a nice souvenir...

We bought a few stuff from the Gourmet Foodstore located at the Cellar, then had a glass of wine at Le Bar Rouge. Then P led me to the center of the Main Floor/Welcome Area where the Cosmetic Section was. He asked me to look up, and tadaaaaaaaa! 'Simply loved the glass and steel dome!!

LINK: http://www.galerieslafayette.com/index.do