Tiramisu and pasta..

Last week, (which was over a y ear ago) we went out to dinner at Milano's restaurant on Grand Avenue not my first foray. But it looked like there are new owners and place has been revamped a bit. The food is the same, a little flat, not very inviting.

No, not being a snob but sometimes I wonder where the chefs are these days. There are the recent grads, there were those who came from a stint in Europe and other international kitchens. But why is it that even the restaurants with a Michelin rating doesn't seem to be as palatable as the ratings and reviews purport to be. I guess the good ones are on telelvision making theemselve more popular, but who's going to minding the kitchen?

I know that fresh ingredients can be expensive, but there are flavors that appears to be boxed out of Price Club. Sorry Milano, I do like you and the management, they even gave me a coupon for a fund raising that we did at work. Maybe a new chef? The location is great really the restaurant itself is great the foldinng walls are opened during the summertime allowing for dinner al fresco.

But hey, not all of it is downhill, the tiramisu was presented so wonderfully, such an eyecandy.

Please try to visit Milano's maybe an increased patronage will make them review their flavors.

Salud.

I posted this on Facebook and the other images below, I frequent Chinatown, most Sundays when I go to attend Mass at the Cathedral, sometimes I don't really have anything that I want to buy, but I enjoy watching the bustle of activity of the place.

There are the turtles, have not tried it, only heard of turtle soup..

 

WM1: Is there anything that you don't eat?
Me: Oh, I don't think I have tried snakes.
WM2: Oh, not that kind, just regular foods.
Me: Not sure, I eat almost anything, of course there are favorites, that is I will choose pork over veggies anytime.

I have tried them fried or in coconut milk, but the ones that I did try were from rice fields/paddies. Hopefully no fertilizers or DDT were used.

Sea Grapes (weeds)

found on multiply c/o jojo, pending permission

Growing up in the Philippines we have the luxury of access to fresh sea foods. The ubas dagat was introduced to us by my brother. He worked for the Geological Company and was on assignment most of the time.

He was able try different cuisines, food culture, you in Asia we eat almost anything, don't cringe now, you know the most expensive and delicious food are not just a blob of meat. :). Salad would most of the time have vinegar or tomatoes and onions.

I would like to say that it reminds me of caviar, it pops when you chew on it such that the juices, which is a little sea tasting, with the tomatoes can be surprising. I know, I would always describe it as my taste buds is being assaulted by different flavors all at the same time, such that it feels like that my mouth is having a party.

A very good appetizer indeed. Best paired with grilled or fried fish or meat.

 

Am sure that other cultures have discovered this too, I know I have seen versions of this from the Chinese or Japanese cuisine.

 

Courtesy of Alindog

I love mussels, such that there is a bar in my hood called Sidebar that I frequent because of their mussel Mondays. They do miss sometimes, like when their chef used a lot of Pernod such that the flavor is ruined and what I got was a bitter taste.

Speaking of Pernod, I first found out about this drink from the movie Gotcha! many years back, and I still remembered. Anthony Edwards was just starting then.

There are 2 kinds that I know of, there is the New Zealand one, which is black and the Italian which has a green edge like the one pictured above. This shell fish is very versatile, you can make soup, bake, grill, or add to sea food dishes, such as arroz valenciana and many others.

and this one from Sidebar

I remember the first time I had mussels was when Tatay brought some from the market, we wondered how different it was from the other sea shells that we had, and that started our love affair with mussels. Being from the Philippines and in the metropolitan area at that there is always the risk of getting sea food when there is a high pollution level such that consumptions of mussels is not permitted. They call it red tide, I guess, mercury levels were high that it is deemed to be a detrimental to one's health.

Try some, if you haven't.

i'M BACK!

Yeah, somemhow moving to blogspot didn’t cull any creative writing for me, it didn’t feel right to write.. I tried to monetize, heck in this economy who wouldn’t try but google disabled my account, perhaps I keep on clicking at the ads. Not by evil designs mind you, but because the ads were interesting to me.

It’s been a long time since I posted, not that there is nothing to write but there was no occurence, I realized that the fun in cooking is not as joyful as I thought it would be if i am only going to write about it and take pictures. Which, I did, I have so much to share. I think the major event was me moving to a 1920′s apartment building, it is a studio, probably rented to struggling immigrants at that time. I love it, also love that it is close to whole foods, and a few steps to the Cathedral and my workplace. Enormous closet space makes me organize, the downside though is that it doesn’t have a garbage chute nor an insinkerator, everything had to be bagged and brought down to the garage.

The lobby is just beautiful, the decor looked like it had a water fountain, with water gushing out of a lion head. Now it is covered with dirt and a plant ib the middle. There are f posts and greenish brown ceramic tiles.. oh, i just love it. I am waiting for my friends to let me take pictures of them in nice poses to include in my portfolio.

It’s been a year since Tatay passed, it was his birthday 2 days ago, when I was about to shed a tear, Lordy said to me, what is the grief for, he is with me now, if he was with you, you will be complaining about him anyway. Waahhh, He is so right. I had to smile and acknowledge the truth abou that statement. As I said before, I am realizing that he tried to be a good Dad and he was successful because we turned out to be happy kids.

Work is still fun for me, I still enjoy going to work and actually delivering work products, I still work crazy hours, because I start late. A new a new employee/PM raised an eyebrow, when he was going out to lunch and I was just coming in.

Writing from a new mini with a miniature keyboard that I can’t figure out how to network with the momma puter, so I can’t attach pictures.

But I would like to say hello and perhaps pull posts from blogspot and post some of the old drafts. Boy, we have a lot of catching up to do. Hope you’re doing well, dear readers.
Cheers!

Growing up..from boys to men

I can hear grunting and whining, 3 boys spending time with their mom, their routines changed, boys who suddenly can be kids again without the sheath of being grown men (boys). It is great to see them looking up at their mom with such childlike awe, each wanting their brand of affection with their mom. Then there were the conversations, some started in jokes, some serious, there were tears, but there was resolution.

The mom in turn, was fussing, nagging, always telling them what to do, hugging them and kissing them. The joys of motherhood.

To celebrate cookies, burnt offerings were concocted, it was a joyful event. Certainly worth cherishing.

Salud!

Good Will Hunting - the search for the best udon in town

It is Friday night and I have just completed setting up this blogsite with adsense (i need a little moola to supplement my shortened hours), which adsense cancelled my account for an alleged irregular clicks.

Anyway, I love the movie, "Good Will Hunting", have you seen it? It has levels in its plot, that of a a very smart, almost genius young man, continue to work in construction because that is what he knows, his firiends who love him not because of his intellect but because of him.

Then there were those supporters who wanted him live the life that they were unable to or those who just want to exploit his intelligence and those who really cared.

There are always two sides to a coin, huh! One can't say, it is wrong without looking at the reasons why  as things are viewed from different lenses.  It's like what Pope B is saying, if there are a million people  in this world, there are a million ways of exercising one's faith.

Image from Timtim.com

It's also like choosing a restaurant, do we base it on the decor, the write up about the chef, or the experience of early diners? Some would even choose a restaurant because it is the latest buzz, or some wouldn't want to voice their opinions against that latest buzz.  Wait, does this sound like constructive thinking?

Speaking of opinions, I have been to the Coach Sushi several times and have enjoyed morsels of sushi and bowls of udon. Udon is a favorite, I make it at home and still have it outside, and I must say that I was disappointed with the Coach Sushi's Udon.

Udon that I made


The udon that I make has dark broth, has bonito sauce and a little mirin cooking wine.  I know, I know, this is a mainstay in my kitchen, just like fish sauce, and soy sauce.  I noticed in the picture menu that the soup was a little light, I asked if I can taste the broth, and was told that they prepare the broth only when there is a order for it.

It is rather disappointing, if it is prepared ás it is ordered, how can the soup be flavorful, does that mean that they are using the udon packets, that is available in the supermarkets.  I hope not, that is cheating.  The tempura taste of rancid oil, it just must not be a good day for the restaurant. I hope it is just one of those days and not a norm.

On another note the udon at the Ichiban has the same blandness, hence the severed relations with them. I only cave in when I don't have diet coke at home, then I would resort to food delivery for that coveted commodity..

Anyway, my quest for good udon is on. Suggestions, anyone? More on noodles in the next posts.

Thoughtful recipe: sinigang and lechon: Actualizations, needs, motivations, the self continues to persist

I am always fascinated about what makes a person say things, their motivations, how they react to stimulus. A wide breadthe of study. I learn from it, there is a saying in Tagalog, "itago ang mabuti, itapon ang masama". Loosely translated, "keep the good, and toss the bad ones". Íf the results are positive, then it must be good, eh!.

At lunch one day, Victoria who's visiting me from LA, she is going to help me move (a story for another day), I was saying that perhaps we do things in response to a need, a need to be appreciated, a need to feel needed, etc. She said, oh that's the actualization theory by Maslow, she continued there is the need to know oneself, which I readily responded as that is our God hole, that indescribable feeling of being lost. Which some responds to by hurting themselves because they need to feel.



Image from Technoped.com

Incidentally, lunch was pork sinigang, a stew of pork belly with tamarind seasoning, radish, eggplant, tomatoes, and spinach, and roasted pork. Two kinds of pork offerings.

The sinigang is cooked by parboiling water (you can also use the rice wash) the tamarind seasoning, tomatoes, onions, add pork until it is fully cooked, then add the radish, followed by eggplant. The spinach should be placed on the pot last,  because it cooks rather quickly.  Season with fish sauce for that savory taste.

 The roast pork or lechon, definitely not up to par to the zubachon of market manila is boiled first and then cooked in the nuwave oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown. The skin will be very crunchy and the fat would have separated itself from the meat.

Word of the wise, be careful when you buy pork belly, I got this from a Korean Market on Telegraph here in Oakland, and found thar there is almost nothing in the middle of the cut, totally disappointing.

As we mature and develop our personas, and know where to get the best cut of pork belly. Sometimes through experience, influence, and acquired knowledge. I said to G, yeah I noticed that there is a certain confidence about me as I age, like good wine ha ha.. She asked me, if it was pronounced, and I said yes, although I can't really say how or what made me draw that conclusion. I am tempered, but then again Lordy has a lot to do about it too.



The Power to Think

I have a host of drafts, drafts of ideas, thougthts, materials that mesmerized me into creating something that I felt worth posting at that time. It all stems from our power to think, make our thoughts soar to an infinite flow of ideas of interpretations, an endless realization of this tremendous gift from God.




Image from spiritwest.com

 Inded, if we don't have that power to think, have our imaginations run wild, we will be eating nothing colorful. I for one will not appreciate the texture, the flavors and the different colors of food. We will be like robots, that don't think and not do anything pleasant. Wait, robots are created by humans if humans didn't think therefore we will not have robots.

It is amazing isn't it that the capability to think is taken for granted and yet without our sense of being will be gone. I wonder if our sense for God will be there.

GTG: Honorary member, the honor of belonging

Jaime Fox on Robert Downey, Jr.,  "you are an honorary black man, because you have been in jail twice".  Statement by a black man to a white man, without offending any sensibilites, becaase it was said a black man on a black subject.

The same thing was mentioned at a dinner party I attended some weeks back, there was a Chinese guy, who has a PhD in Chemistry, not that it mattered, but he will say something negative about the Chinese culture, followed by a clarificatory remark that he is Chinese, therefore he can say it.

It was a lovely dinner that one, hosted by a friend, it was the first time that I went, she has been inviting me ever since I met her, it was always in conflict with another event or there is no means to get there. This time another friend is going so that was kewl.

It was an interesting mix and so conversation flowed from smoking pot, sex and the stand of the pope on condoms. tesla cars, trips, etc. because of the different background opinions also differs. Some of the remarks:

I was not Catholic but I studied in Catholic schools, so I guess it was okay, by my parents too, to convert me, although they weren't successful. I lived in Italy, even the Italians don't take it that seriously.

Can't stay in Turkey for more than a week, if you like pork, you will start to miss it.

Everything that we say or do is a sin and we are going to go to hell.

There were at least 2 people from different cultures and who have not smoked pot their whole lives. They don't find a reason to.

The sad thing about the media is when they highlight certain issues, for example the comment of the Pope about the use of condoms. They stopped listening after that, they didn't hear the qualifying statement that a prostitute who uses condoms so as not to spread disease is showing remorse and cautions for the exercise of profession and is therefore exercising a Christian conscience. But still the use of condom by a husband and wife as not being accepted in church still holds.

It seems that smoking pot is not gauged by a person's intelligence but rather how content he is with his life, Lordy has to factor in on this right? For where do you gain your contentment and the natural joys of life but from him.

I find that people have their own convictions, whether it is just based on hearsay, well thought of, or plain belief in the truth, and to dissuade them will be a lost cause. Rather to plant the seed of new ideas or to show the benefits and joys reaped from my belief is something worthwhile to do. Respect for others is a virtue stemming from God's desire for us to show compassion and love for one other no matter what circumstance they may have.

Have you hear of the new Tesla cars, these are the new electric cars, manufactured in the Palo Alto and will now be manufactured in the old Nummi plant, efficient production, marketed and sold inhouse. There will be not dealership. A different model altogether but looks promising, they have a waiting list for their 100K priced cars and later they will start to manufacture and sell affordable sedans.

Have not seen these but I heard there were 3 cars, Saturn included, different manufacturers, same size, shape just different logo, now that's making fun of the consumers.

Thanks Mari for such a wonderful dinner, and if you like it, feel free to share your recipe for pinacolada and the other wonderful food that you served.

Note: GTG is get together not got to go, a misnomer wouldn't you say so?

Living Simply

St. Claire, poverty of the soul, living simply, possessed by Jesus...



I am Catholic, you know that, I believe and study the lives of saints. St. Claire is one that I admire, she chose to live simply, so that she will not be distracted and so she can devote her life to Jesus. Sometimes, I have to check myself about my love for the process of preparing food, that I may be remiss, and get too hang up on it. Just as Dave Lettermen mentioned in his tv show, clip above, we are not contented with just one food channel, there has to be a second food channel. Notice how there are restaurants upon restaurants trying to outdo each other as being the best, trying to satisfy that need to be the first to experience, to taste.  So, if I look at that desire deeper, do I see pride?

Ah, we just can't escape from those deadly sins, always tempting us to be distracted from Lordy. So, if I get into too much food entries or restaurant reviews will you remind me about it? I do get carried away sometimes. :)

There has to be purpose and meaning to what I do, not just being able to goble up food and stuff my face ha ha..

Gadgets: French/Dutch Oven

They call it dutch ovens if you can use it on stove top and in the oven Le Crueset and

Staub they are the best to cook with. The flavors are infused cooking time is significantly reduced.

Because it is made of solid iron, it is heavy and therefore a pain when cleaning but that I don't mind it is just a great thing in the kitchen.  A little pricey, but it has a lifetime warranty and they will replace it with regular wear and tear.  Sorry, do I sound like I am a spokesperson for the french ovens? I grew up with iron pots, hardly anything like these ones, also good. You hardly run the risk of burnt offerings and food cooks evenly.  There was a blogpost that I read advising folks who are furnishing their kitchens the first time, not to overdo it.  A rice cooker two of these babies are all that's needed, one for stewing and the other for deep frying.  You don't have to have a separate gadget for everything.

My trick for these hard to justify, high ticket items, is to have a separate account that takes a small amount from my paycheck, the cost of coffee or similar expense, before you know it, you have more than enough to purchase.

Cheers!

Food Porn: Holiday Food Pix

Struppoli by Rowena, this was from a recipe by Giada, Rowena was so excited about this dessert.  You know in Pinoy culture, we must have gotten this from our Chinese ancestors, round foods, fruits in the new year, signifies prosperity.

My brother made this crown of ribs with a marinade of different sauces available in his fridge, laced it with a bit of brandy and it came out good, he said. No wonder, his son is a little hyper, I can hear him yelling and running around on the phone.

This is a fritata that I served for breakfast for Victoria and her kids when they visited on Christmas break, the recipe of which, I have shared here, the variation is I didn't saute the tomatoes instead I topped it when I was ready to finish up in the oven.

Nabeyake Odun from Osaka Sushi on Castro in SFO, where I ended up from an appointment in Walnut Creek missing my stop.





Mussels in coconut milk, served at a "Pasasalamat Dinner" hosted by the Klimeks. Another post for another day.

Cassava cake made by Weng in my kitchen, the reason why I have ingredients handy, my friends cook when they visit. Recipe on another post later.

Enjoy!

G is for Good Food and Good Friends

Are you one of  those who can easily move on, tossing outdated magazines without looking back? Just moving forward? I can't, I have a stack of magazines, unlistened outdated podcasts, that I hope to get back to, even drafts of unfinished posts, hoping that I will be able to complete. There is just so much to go back to before one can move forward. Recipe for life.  Here is one of the old posts.

Before we moved to our present office, three units were cramped in one floor while construction is going on in the other floor.  Quasi-strangers were discovering the other members of the firm whom we would otherwise not know.  I had a new neighbor G, I worked with her a few years ago and would just say hello.  I saw her in a Shakespeare in the park show, "The Taming of the Shrew" her son was so young then. Now, her son is already going 18.

I am slow that way, I don't plunge unceremoniusly into things, a Filipino trait, we dance and skirt around until we are sure that it is the right thing to do. Hence, I have alot of treasure friends who are still with me to this day, even friends from Kindergarten.

Anyway, I found that she majored in Nutrition in college and knows her food flavor and color that we became friends and Friday lunch buddies.  We have tasted and compared flavors and appreciated our lunch hours. Hardly do we talk about work or the personalities at work.  We talk more about what we are planning to cook during the weekend. In fact we are going to set a cooking session in her new kitchen, in their new house, but before that we are going to go crazy at the Tokyo Fish Market in Berkeley.

Started to share with her my cooking travails and experimentation and of course the postings here.  She shared some goodies with me too:

.

Cashew Nuts that I enjoyed at a Sound of Music Sing Along, a post for another day

My favorite, persimmons rich vitamin C and has antioxidants

I also got to taste her Christmas cookies, pretty tasty.. I will probably be able to convince her to be a guest blogger here and share with us her wonderful creations.

Thoughtful Recipe Coconut Ice Cream: Personal Summers, a Tribute to Women

I first heard of personal summer in a play called, "Menopause: The Musical". While it was a hilarious play, it brought some realities that women had to deal with, "personal summers".  This significant events in women's lives are very personal and varies in its manifestation. For some, there is a lot of physical challenge, the personal summer occuring in the dead of winter. The imbalance being more pronounced in others than the rest.

There is also that psychological challenge of being incomplete, that something very important is missing that their essence as a woman, effectively changing their beings, making them feel less of a woman.  What they are forgetting that what comes with that phase is that maturity, that wisdom of knowing that only a woman has.

It is really no big deal for a personal summer to arrive. It is great that there is no more of those pesky monthly visits of mother nature, women have to deal with personal summers instead.

Then, there is this thing called pica. It is an extraordinary craving mostly by women, unusual because sometimes it is a craving for non food items. Soap, cigarette ash, my mom when she was conceiving me had a craving for young mango leaf from a specific tree. The tree that is perched  near a river that can be reached from a bridge, ha ha and my dad had to be the one to get it.  It is indeed a psychological phenomenon, which the enterprising ones are capitalizing on by providing food items that comes in different forms, i.e. rock, etc.

That makes us special, eh! As a special treat, how about some coconut ice cream. I followed this recipe  from whole foods, it was perfect. The churning took longer than if I was using dairy, which made me wonder if it was going to work, ha ha...

egg is an important ingredient to ice cream making,

Equipment:

Ice Cream Maker
heavy bottom pot

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 can coconut milk
1 can cream of coconut
1 cup sugar or less
vanilla
coconut flakes


In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, cream and the cream of coconut once the sugar is sufficiently melted, put in a heavy bottom pot. In slow fire heat the mixture without boiling or the eggs will cook and curdle. So as soon as the mixture will stick to the ladle (the test of consistency) transfer to the mixing bowl and cool.

Once cooled, put in the ice cream maker and following the directions of the equipment churn until the desired consistency is achieved. Add remaining ingredients gradually.  If a harder ice cream is desired, put in freezer before enjoying.

 To combat personal summers, ice cream is the best, but you want to make your own so that the sugar is controlled, creaming ingredients can also be substituted, like cassava or tapioca flour instead of cream. The tapioca and flour ideas are from my mom, she used to make ice cream using cassava flour without the ice cream machine.  I can't remember if we enjoyed it, but she is one to experiment.  She became a wife and mother without knowing how to cook, became a grandmother and a great-grandmother cooking up a storm.

Enjoy!

Gadget: Vacuum Cleaner - Sebo

Do you ever feel like you are in a vacuum sometimes, where everything is contained without any outlet or means of relief? It can be excruciating.

Two vacuum cleaners ago, I got tired and purchased this Sebo brand. I would have gotten the Dyson because of this British guy's ad. But I was railroaded by the sales person.  True, I was in hurry, another thing that you shouldn't do while shopping. Marketing and Sales technics really makes you change your decision, another reason why I like shopping online.

The Sebo has its pluses, it cleans really good, but it's not a roomba where it will work on its own, you still have to move your furnitures and do the actual moving of the vacuum to clean the surface.

For some reason I associated it with doing penance, in the Catholic Traditions it is also called confession. Where you actually go to a priest and bring my sins to be cleansed.

How is that for an analogy? :)

Thoughtful Recipe - Forgiveness: Bean soup or casserole

When a blog idea comes to me I put it on a draft and update it when the occurence comes. In this case, I had a draft dated August 2005, a long way but I am sure you will find it interesting enough. 

Forgiveness is such a big word, but what is it really? When do we actually say, we forgive? Then, I had all the ideas about forgiveness. There is forgiveness, when we are able to think of a person whom we feel have offended us without culling any negative emotions. When the feeling of resentment of anger leave our hearts and the need to extract punishment, recrimination, or restitution for a perceived wrong or offense.

A lot of things are riding in this forgiveness.  There has to be anger, pride, jealousy, and other negative feelings that can weigh us down.  Therfore, I will classify it under the darkenss category.  I am now reminded of "the Lord's Prayer", forgive us of our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespas against us, and lead us not into temptation xxx.

The sad thing is, sometimes we harbor anger and demand restittution, when the offender does not even know that they have offended us.  Just imagine that burden that the offendee is carrying, for nothing, you know that to carry such a load is destructing and makes us lose our perspective of being with Lordy.

Think about it, I propose that we get rid of all this feelings and open our arms to prepare for advent, embrace the birth of our Lord Jesus.

What a comfortable feeling to be rid of that heavy load and live life in a fully present manner. As a start, I would like to offer a recipe, comfortable for this season, this weather, and just filling in an inexepensive way.

Ingredients:

     1  bag of dried beans (soaked in water overnight)
     1  medium sized onions
     1 smoked ham hocks
     1 heart of celery (hh)
     1 carrots
     1/2 bag green peas
     1 can tomato sauce
     basil
     salt and pepper

Optional ingredients

   garlic powder
   shredded cheese
   creme fraiche or sour cream

Tools/Utensils

   slow cooker/crockpot
   Stainless Slotted Spoon 
   Mandoline Slicer

Directions

Wash the ham hocks and trim of impurities (left over hairs, etc) then place in crock pot covered with enough water. Leave on medium, the instructions will sometimes say for 3 hours, but I like to leave it on so that favors will be infused in the soup.  You can already add, some celery and carrots to add flavor.  When the ham hocks are tender and the bones can be separated from the meat, actually the meat should be almost part of the soup.  Scoop everything from the pot, remove bones from the hh and cut or shred the separated meat into bite size pieces.  If you put vegetables into the soup, you can run it through a sieve so that the juice is extracted, put the juice back in the pot.  You can also run the soup in the sieve so that you will get a clean soup. Put in onions, tomato sauce, garlic powder (optional), drained soaked-beans, start building your flavors, continue to cook until tender, put in other vegetables.

Season to taste. Serve topped with grated cheese, creme fraiche or sour cream. You can also add chopped green or regular onions. Toasted baguette or warm flour tortilla is a good accompaniment.

I'm imagining that because this is so rich, it will go well with a pino noir or a chianti.. alright it is also best enjoyed with a Diet Coke, you need to burp it out ha ha..

Notes: 

A package of ham hocks will yield more than what you need for the soup (too much, as anything else will remove the balance.) once you have boiled, deboned, and shredded the meat, you can freeze half for future use.

After adding all the ingredients you can determine if you need to add more water. The starch from the beans and other vegetables will add a thickening agent.

Thoughtful recipes: Saturday fritata and blueberry muffins

Saturday was the last day of our Bible Study for the year, it has evolved a great many times.  Now, people are moving on, a friend and I decided to stick to it, since we have declared every other Saturday, as time reserved for that purpose and to hang out, discover new restaurants, scour through repurpose items, look for interesting craft items, pray, and adore Him. It has bee 5 years for me, to others more. It has seen happier moments, of babies, marriages, of someone's passing, the breakdown of marriages, travels, life - trials and tribulations.

I was finishing making breakfast, in between talking about old age, personal summers, and the requirements for a successful aging, personality. Which I beg to differ, personality is the result of environment and its influences, even chemical imbalance in the brain, whereas character breeds from the soul.

A podcasted HBR interview on the Starbucks turnaround from the brink of destruction to a continuing growth, touched on social construction and social constructivism. If I remember correctly, this was a 1976 sociology theory. Social construction, it seems is a response to certain scenarios. Clearly, a response to external reaction,  or the general precepts, that unconsciously forms our opinions. Is it cultural? It is not too individualistic because it is being formed from what is obvious.  This is of course, different from the infantile attitude where one is bereft of rational or logical way of thinking. Rather. the thinking process is centered on emotions, which when examined closely is more of the id.  An unChristian way to do, or the Michavellian way where it is not just the attention that is sought but how they will benefit though fair means or foul. For some reason, CS Lewis"' Mere Christianity, came to mind. Where he said, if kindness is not inherent in you, that means you have have not earned the virtue, it is okay to preted to be kind, as it will grow into you, virtousness will come. Is it virtousness or virtousity?

Whooow, I am digressing, I was going to share with you, what I served during this breakfast. Honestly, I was going to suggest to just meet at a diner, but L was rather rushed during her turn, and I felt I need to return the compliment. :)

Cooking is such a joy for me, it is also while cooking that I formulate all this ideas, the beginning of a social construction :).

Anyway, the blueberry muffin was from James McNair's Breakfast, except that I thought I had maple syrup, alas! I threw it away, there was maple sugar which I can't find.  It turned out a little light, which is good. It didn't contribute to the grief of my arteries.

Here's the recipe:

Then I made fritata, like most of the items that I create is dependent on what is in the fridge, so for this:

Ingredients:

olive oil to saute

half a head of onion cubed

zuchini, cut in cubesbaby spinach (i like to cut the stems - this is an optional step)

4 eggs
milk or water as a softening agent for eggs
basil, optional
pepper and salt
cheese (can be cubed or grated) (I can't find my cheese grater so I used the
citrus zester, it worked.

Preheaat oven in 250 or don't turn off your oven after you have removed your muffins, in a medium-sized pan, heat olive oil, then caramelized the onions, followed by the zuchini, sprinkle a little salt (not sure it if changes the water content of the zuchini, once it is wilted, add the spinach. While this is cooking, in a mixing bowl beat the eggs with the milk, add a little salt and pepper. Once the spinach is wilted, but not totally cooked, pour in the egg, fold a little so that the egg mixture will sit at the bottom of the pan. At this time, you want the fire to be on low or medium, once the egg has settled or firmed a little, top with cheese, finish  cooking in the oven, broiled but very slow and should be in the middle position. You are only cooking the top and melting the cheese without burning. Serve on pan, can be served with creme fraiche or sour cream. Side of bacon, fresh fruit for dessert, which I forgot to serve.

I like to make meals where there is versatility and flexibiity of ingredients, that I am not tied to one method and limited to certain ingredients.  There is no creation in the process but rather the implementation or the execution of someone else's creation.

Wait, that is just 3 hours or so of my Saturday, there is more gastronomic activities done during the weekend.

Enjoy!



Pinoy Recipe: Chicken Afritada

The following is an exchange of email from a friend about chicken afritada.

De:  So, R is planning to invite his co-workers over for dinner and he commented how much he liked your simple dish of chicken stew from the last time you had us over. I'd like to try to make that for this dinner...the dish with chicken, tomato paste, potatoes, and veggies...I hope you recognize which one I'm talking about. So when you have a chance, can you email me the recipe?

Me:  So, because I don't follow a recipe I am giving you a recipe, with tips on how I make it.
I don't particularly like to see the shape of a leg, it does not absorb the flavor in cooking process, it is not too economical, and if you are serving more than 1 viand, as Pinoys are wont to do then there will be a lot of left overs of the guests' plates.

Afritada Recipe from a Filipino Cookboosk

The image of afritada from the cookbook

So, I cut the chicken into 1 inch bits the rest of the ingredients are cut in the same size (this is so that it is convenient to eat, nothing falling off the flatware)

If you want it to be a little sweet, add raisins, or a little sour add pickle relish, and olives for a little saltiness. You can add all of these too ..

 Ingredients:

     Olive Oil
     chicken thighs
     2 pcs good sized potatoes
     2 pcs potatoes (red skin)
     1 pc carrot
     bell pepper
     fish sauce
     ground pepper
     raisins
     olives
     onions
     garlic

What I do is in a heavy bottom pot, i saute the diced onions, tomatoes in olive oil, then the chicken until a liltle brown, add tomatoes, add the potatoes and carrots, enough water to cover the chicken, let simmer for hours, halfway through you can add pickles, olives, and raisins (optional)..the water would have evaporated leaving a thicker, flavorful sauce.  season to taste. This is best when the potatoes are really cooked that it renders as a thickening agent.  When it is almost done, add the bell pepper.



My version

As a variation (because of the versatility of the ingredients). If you add basil and other herbs it will have italian flavors cumin will be mexican. etc.

De: Thank you so much for taking the time to send this. I love how you write...even with a simple message as below, you have a way with words. I had to look up the definition of viand (an item of food)!