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Friends provide comfort. Old friends serve like postcards from home. And like postcards, they bring forth warmth, joy, laughter and memories. Yes, memories! And at my age I have tons and tons of them. So when I spent the weekend with some of my high school friends, 48 hours was not enough to cover the 20 years of catching up we had to do. And every minute coun
I'm in an ALOHA state of mind. Nope, I'm not going to Hawaii. But Aloha - as it is commonly used - is a greeting to say "hello" and also to mean "goodbye". And that's how it's going to be around here. The next few weeks will be filled with lots of warm hugs and ::::waving:::: alohas: kids coming home from college, family reunions, high-school mini reunion, celebrati
I love Saturdays! And Sundays as well... Saturdays start the weekend off with a whiff of java coming from the kitchen as the morning rises. My heart skips upon realizing that my husband is up and is busy in my turf- the kitchen. How my heart dances with the rhythm of the sound of a sizzling pan, running water, the clicking of plates and often times the low tone of my husband's humming
How do you profess your love to your mom when she is more than 8,000 miles away? You see bridging that gap, I have developed a kind of sixth sense that is part memory - remembering my most treasured moments with her, and part imagination - wishing I'm with her and forgetting about the distance between us. Mixing these two parts in my head has allowed me to cope with being so far a
If there's anything that screams EAT ME it is a plate of crispy fried chicken. This is exactly what happened to me when I re-posted my Fried Chicken A la Jollibee on my Facebook page. The image of this all-time favorite Filipino-style chicken dish got stuck in my head. And no matter how much I tell myself not to give in (as I am trying to clean up our diet) I c
Let me tell you - I am having so much fun lately teaching my Modern Asian Cooking Series. You see, I have been all over St. Louis and its neighboring towns sharing the love for cooking Asian food. I know a lot of people out there are intimidated cooking cuisines from different cultures... but the feedback I am getting from the cooking school managers and the participants themselves
When the cat's away, the mice will play. Indeed, that's exactly what I did when he was away. No silly, wipe off that naughty smile on your face. You see if you follow my blog, you will notice that my new post veers away from my usual flavor profile. And when you cook for yourself, it gives you a chance to be playful. That's the kind of play I'm talking about - being creative in the k
He called me from work last week and asked "What are you having for lunch?" "A Spinach Wrap!" was my reply. And he said "It sounds healthy and refreshing! That's good!" Then, the next day, he called again and asked the same question and I replied "Spinach Wrap" "Hmm, Yum Again!" he said. And for the remainder of the
If pork chops were characters in a play and I am the writer, they will definitely fall into the main character. Where will Kermit be without Miss Piggy? The pork chop is the star of the play - acting along with the most valuable supporting casts, including veggies shrimps, crabs and steaks. They are always a good fit for a feel good story. Much like a Julia Roberts-Hugh Grant romanti
I feel like having a Spring Fling. OK, calm down now, I was referring to the weather. Spring has remained elusive... well, especially here in St. Louis and in most parts of the East Coast. But this morning, the gentle warmth of the sun touching my skin made me instantly fall in love with the season. It's about time to park those winter layers inside the closet... put away those boot
Around this time last year, I had the privilege of observing Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Tuguegarao (my hometown). After more than fifteen years, it was wonderful to be part of the festivities again. I thought it would be interesting to share with you the experience I had through my pictures. This is Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral, the seat of the Archdiocese of Tuguega
I love it when my husband cooks with me in the kitchen. Well OK, maybe sometimes! There are times when we disagree, and oh you don't want to hear that part of the story. : ) But I can say that for the recipe I'm about to share, it states that "I'm lucky I fell in love with my best friend". Yep, this is definitely one of the best collaborative cooking experiments that we've don
Mum - breathe... take a break! This was my daughter's message as I was telling her how intense this Coco Cooking Contest has become. Call it madness but I have been totally obsessed with trying to win this cooking challenge via online voting. I'm afraid some of my friends would now avoid me when they see me online on FB. : ) They must have been irked with my appeal to p
I will always be a small town girl. There are the good and beautiful memories from our childhood that we all rediscover more intensely as we grow older. This is more so if you are far away from home. For instance, when you mention coconut milk to me, I reminisce about the special merienda (afternoon snack) that my grandma prepared, which served as a reward after
The plethora of food diaries seen in blogs, magazines and even TV shows, has opened the door to a more accepting food culture. It is now fashionable to try something different. What was deemed intimidating is now called fresh, bold and ground-breaking. Anthony Bourdain was way ahead of his time. From dining at a sushi bar to feasting on prime rib steaks, it is now cool to enjoy
Pompano is one of my favorite fish species to bake. It does have a high fat content - as more than half of its calorie breakdown is from fat (with the remainder being composed of protein). But no worries, as most of the fat is unsaturated - the "good type" of fat that is linked to having beneficial effects on cholesterol levels. I love the texture of pompano especially if
Once we hit our 40's, eating healthy should become the norm rather than a fad. But let's face it, we still enjoy a slice of decadent chocolate cake or a slab of juicy steak when opportunity knocks. We all have our guilty pleasures when it comes to food. And the holidays seem to make it worse, as the extended family gathers and (maybe for most of us) we put up with each other's compan
If you hear my brother-in-law, Benedict, and I "arguing" in the kitchen, you may think we are often at each other's throat. But the truth is we're not. We enjoy each other's company, we grew up in the same hometown and our parents have been close friends for decades. Our "arguments" stem from our different styles of cooking. He's more of a traditionalist while I have a more
The Fiesta Filipino cooking class that I conducted at the Kitchen Conservatory was a great success. This was a dream come true for me, as I am very passionate about sharing Filipino food recipes to a wider audience. It was a delight to have more than ten people attend my class. Yep it was a fun-hands-on cooking class; they demystified the culinary process of making lati
A New Year brings in new hope, new dreams... and endless possibilities. I love the "gifts" of the new year. I'm ecstatic, in fact, I am all fired up and ready to face 2013. I hope you are too! Now if it is obvious to you that my smile is showing from ear to ear, let me tell you why. Remember my Modern Asian Cooking Series I launched late last year? Well it's
I know everyone is busy at this time of the year...and so I'm offering this simple song and this simple recipe to bring you the holiday spirit.May the magic of Christmas be yours...Merry Christmas! Ginger Pizookie with Pineapple Custard Ingredients: 2 cups flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1 1/2 cup sugar 1tsp salt 2 large eggs 1 tsp cin
"This is the first year we are celebrating Christmas without Mommy Dory." The tone in my sister in law's voice reveals that she misses Mommy Dory. I do too. Who wouldn't miss her especially at this time of the year? I know if she were still alive, Mommy Dory (my hubs maternal grandmother) would be busy in the kitchen making traditional Filipino Christmas sweets and savory dishes. &n
As it turns out, I miss blogging after all! After two weeks of saying "I am taking a blogging break," here I am sneaking back into the blogosphere. I feel like having an affair (haha!). You see, amidst all the Christmas checklists to tick off, keeping a blog at this time is most challenging. But now that my two kids are home for the holiday break, I have a few moments to spare, so h
We all need a dish on the fly in our repertoire- especially when everybody in our household expects that we are THE wizard of pots and pans. For this reason, I love to stock up on seafood (they are ready in 5 minutes, ok uhh maybe a little exaggeration) and thinly sliced beef (whoah they never fail to deliver a delightful meal). Like you, there are times when my husband c
"Turkey left-over is now an endangered species" said our beloved local weatherman on KSDK Channel 5, Chester Lampkin. Maybe that's the case in most households, but not in ours. You see as soon as our Thanksgiving dinner ensemble were washed and tucked back in the upper shelf of our cupboard, I divided my turkey left-overs in small storage containers and kept them in the
Yes, I finally got my newest youtube video up. Ok, it's not professionally done and refined as I hoped for, but I did I put in a lot of time editing this video. Ask my husband, who saw me go crazy throughout the process - from the video shoot, to downloading the music, to addressing the problem of my "possessed" laptop. Thank you to my hubby for helping me and putting up w
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! While most of you enjoyed your Black Friday shopping, I sit here writing a new post. What's up with that? Haha! But oh well, since I am already here and I already got your attention, I'd like to share what just came off of my skillet (no kidding, we are just about to have this plate). I'm sure with the plethora of turkey left-over re
I got an invitation from Luwen of APartnership, an award-winning NYC based advertising agency specializing in reaching Asian American consumers. I was asked to write a blog article about my own Asian Thanksgiving recipes and represent Filipino cuisine. She writes: With Thanksgiving coming in one more week, Asian families all over the U.S. will be gathering together to ce
Good Morning! Don't you love Saturdays? I do! After a long Friday at work, I look forward to Saturday mornings. I am just like a kid who is anxiously anticipating Christmas morning to get a look at the gifts. Saturday is a day when a whiff of java coming from my kitchen greets me in the morning. It's when I tiptoe to my kitchen and hear the sound of a sizzling pan, running water, cli
I just ate the tomato simmered pork that you sent. Makes me feel like I'm home. After hearing this from my daughter, a gush of joy suddenly swept over me like the light peering from the morning sun. I smiled on the other end of the line, because the truth is that was exactly the plan... *wink *wink. The truth is, I seldomly send care packages to my kids. But t
Two weeks! Yes it's been two weeks since my last post. I wish I have an alibi to tell you why I couldn't be here. Sadly, I don't. I just needed a break. It was like facing a labyrinth, I needed time to find my way through. I struggle with so many aspects of my blog; there is so much focus on SEO, proper photography techniques, and to constantly engage followers and fr
Things happen for a reason. I've been missing my kids the past few days and I wish they are still home with me. Was it worth it having them all go away for college? I struggle with the thought of what could have been if we all stayed together? What if we didn't leave the Philippines? What if I had just asked them to go to school in the same city I'm in? What i
I posted a picture of fallen leaves on my Facebook page, and Maria Theresa, one of the subscribers attached a few lines from a poem by Maureen Kwat Meshenberg of Heart's Calling. When I saw your fallen leaves photos I thought it would be a perfect visual accompaniment to that line of poem, Maria Theresa writes. With the help of Theresa, (thank you :) ) an
"Do you have any plans for lunch today?" asked my friend Vivian. "No, I don't have any" I blurted even if I was in the middle of cleaning. "I just cooked up a storm and I was wondering if you'd like to come over" Cooked up a storm??? "I'll be there in an hour" came my instant reply. Let's be honest. There are times when friends invite you for an impromptu me
On the last day of my 10 day catering gig, she came and gave me a tight hug and said: Thank you! The truth is I should be the one to thank her. I wanted to tell her how grateful I am to see the strength of a woman facing health issues and her being positive a midst a difficult situation. Her dainty look, well kept hair and light make up, even her infectious
Friendship is a wonderful thing. My friendship with Mariel spans three decades. We sat side by side on a wooden desk in grade school together. We lived on the same street and we would walk home after school together. She climbed the guava tree at my house (since I cannot climb myself) and we sat by our terrace to enjoy the soft warm yellow guavas. We wore the same blue and white unifo
It feels like a homecoming! With my luggage in tow, I hold tightly to the pole as the elevated tram moves towards the main terminal of the Orlando Airport. I immediately felt the peculiar sensation of deja vu; I felt like I was home. At the curbside, Benedict, my brother in law gave me a warm hug and says "Welcome!" "Where are the kids?" I asked. "T
I call them daily miracles; miracles that lift the spirit and fill my head with wonderful thoughts. Outside my window I hear the leaves rustling in the crisp morning breeze. Green leaves slowly turning into soft amber beneath the clouds that look like giant mounds of marshmallow on a regal blue canvass. This morning, while hubs and I walk to the park
This recipe is from the founder of eMeals.com, Jane DeLaney. It is for Lasagna Cheese Soup! I have attached the image as well. Let me know if you need anything else or if you are able to feature it :) It's tasty. Came the email that I received today from Abby who works at eMeals.com. I thought it was a perfect timing as I was going to work on a post today. I was particularl
Surprise me! These are two words that my husband loves to say, when he calls me from work, and I ask him "What do you want for dinner?" It's also code for "make me something special" or "I would like to grab some beer and watch the game before dinner." And if you have been married like me for almost 25 years, you know how to read those cryptic messages like clues written
I've never stared on a blank screen this long. I mean, I've been wanting to put up this post for the past two days, but the magic of words elude me. hmm maybe I will call it a silent Friday... haha! It's not that I have nothing to say about how good this simple salad is all about. Because the truth is it is! I've been eating a plate of daikon salad for the past 3 d
It's a brand new day. Came the feeling that enveloped me when I heard the rain drops falling on my window this morning. The crisp morning makes my heart mimic the rhythm and the sound articulated by the staccato of the falling rain. How else can you not love a morning like this. I'm leaving in five minutes, my husband declares. Oops, I might have slept longer than usual, I mumbled. It mus
I was invited to audit a short pastry class at Kitchen Conservatory a few weeks ago, and since then, I've been wanting to give my pastry making skill a try. "Cold dough + hot oven = flaky pastry" said Anne, as the chef/owner/instructor's words ran in my head for days. One of the recipes we made is Caramelized Tomato Tart and the savory tart left an indelible print in my taste buds. Th
When should I post on my blog what we had for dinner? Is it when my family exclaims: A. Mom the flavors are amazing.B. Mom take a picture first before we finish it all.C. Mom I'll help you take a pictureD. All of the above. Yes, the answer is D. All of the above. Having said that, tonight's dinner is what I am sharing with you. So friends let me present our Thai-Inspired di
A year ago, my husband got me on a flight bound for St. Louis. I left San Diego filled with trepidation, as I do not know what lies ahead. I viewed the beautiful So Cal coastline accentuated by the waves from the Pacific. I will miss San Diego, the beaches, the weather, the park, the food and the friends, we have left behind. As our plane touched down that Friday afterno
"Oh no, we can't show this!" My husband and I chorused upon seeing the video that we just shot. "But maybe I could work on it" I said, trying to convince my husband and for not making him feel bad about his camera work. "No, you can't show it, it's out of focus - the camera was on the wrong setting.", he said firmly. As much as I want to share a video blog today, I am unable to. Apparently, t
On the eve of my birthday, my husband wakes me up and says: "I'm hungry can you please fix me something?" I wipe my eyes and stare at the LCD clock radio by the side table and it reads 1 am. "You must be kidding, right? Really? Really? It's 1 am and you want me to fix you something? There's left over in the fridge..." I mumble. A few seconds after, I hear familiar voices screaming "SURPR
You're doing OK? Wow, I'm surprised. This was the statement of my daughter on the phone. I am just calling to find out how you are doing after Joey left. She said further. Around this time last year, I took my son to Cornell and there were tissues everywhere used to wipe away my tears. Adjusting to our new life as empty-nesters has been a roller coaster of emotions. And now
I'm on my way over there with my camera and ready to shoot our first video. My girlfriend Kelly cheerfully announced. No. I'm Not Ready, was my immediate retort. Well girl, just look at it as if you will just be cooking for tonight's dinner. You could do it. You could do it! Four powerful words that sparked enthusiasm and excitement. Before I knew it, I was
"Oh no, I have never cooked catfish before." This was the desperate plea by a contestant on a reality show on the Food Network. I remembered it instantly when I saw the catfish fillet on sale at the grocery store for $2.99 a pound. I got intrigued by the contestant's comment, as catfish is not a common dish to prepare. Many are daunted by the task of preparing a catfish recipe. But
