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After browsing through a pile of recipe magazines, ideas set in and I execute them in the kitchen with the ingredients that I have. A life of creating recipes leave my mind bone-dry of ideas sometimes. There are no fireworks, no light bulbs turning on nor thought bubbles helping me. It's just me and an empty mind. But here is a result of something that inspired me enough to create a delici
Five years have passed by unnoticed. I didn't even realize that it has been that long since I've last set foot on Asian soil until I started planning a short trip back to the Philippines a few weeks ago. While in the midst of booking and orienting myself to the country I left 14 years ago, I found myself at a loss about landmarks, new places, new trends and new addresses that my friends
I love curry dishes but I can't have too much of them. Maybe the spice is too much for me to handle or maybe it's a dish I like to reserve when the craving becomes strong then that's the time when I really enjoy the dish to a great extent. Like this one. If only I can tell you how much I loved this Yellow Curry Shrimp. You can't enjoy this Asian dish without a mountain of hot st
Time is always a problem for busy people who are working, studying, taking care of kids, running errands or whatever it is that's keeping us from slowing down. Slowing down doesn't even exist in our vocabulary anymore. Nowadays, it's a priceless luxury to sit on a comfortable armchair and read a book undisturbed for hours on end. Sigh.Read more »
I don't know with you but I grew up with oatmeal in the morning, sometimes even in the afternoon and well, okay, I admit, also before sleeping. I just simply love it plain or chocolate-flavored. My Mom made sure that we were always well-stocked with them because they're the best thing a kid can get addicted with. It's booming with healthy goodness!Read more »
Along the Ligurian coast, we all know about Cinque Terre. Its beautiful rugged and terraced coastline with colorful houses has gained worldwide popularity. But there's more to the Italian Riviera that commands to be enjoyed and appreciated if you go further north, towards France. There are stretches of sandy beaches with emerald and warm water and outstanding Medieval villages rich in histor
Rain was pounding on our bus windows as our travel group left Langhe Hills, Piemonte (see part one of this post) and moved towards the sea, the Italian Riviera in Liguria. It had been so cold when I woke up in the morning. I had to put more layers of clothing in cotton and linen because I didn't pack anything in wool. It should be warm and summery but instead, winter has returned. Ezio, th
Before joining the Enograstronomic Press Tour of the Piedmont Tourism Board, I barely had knowledge about the Langhe and Roero Hills. It only took three important words that clicked in place and made me understand what this area stands for. Barolo wines, tartufi (truffles) and nocciole (hazelnuts). These three are integral contributions to the importance of the enogastronomy of Italy. And what
One of the cheeses I grew up with is cheddar cheese. Commercially produced, always available and the taste is always reliably good. It was actually one of the few I chose to snack on. While in a delicatessen in Rome, I chanced upon a two kinds of cheddar cheese from England. I have always wanted to try the real thing but it's like looking for a needle in a haystack. It's close to impo
Chicken and potatoes rank high on most family tables just like on ours. The myrhiad ways to prepare them and enjoy them underlines the beautiful marriage of tastes of these two. I myself love chicken and potatoes, simple, complex, traditional or whatever way it's expressed by the cook. This one is one of my favorite recipes. I just use lemon and a mixture of herbs while the
I arrived late last night at Roma Termini after a train trip from Turin in the middle of a big chaos in the city after Lazio won over Roma in the calcio (football) finals of the Coppa Italia TIM Cup. I am not a football fall, not even my husband. The supporters celebrating in their cars with the police presence just hindered the possibility of a nice family welcome I had been hoping for after b
The redness of these peppers mixed with the colors of the chives and the robiola remind me of the Italian flag. Red, white and green are actually my favorite colors to put together in a dish. They depict freshness of the ingredients and they have the power to convince you to take a bite. Just like these pepper rolls. It's a very easy recipe that I would like to share with you. The only th
I just closed my suitcase and triple-checked the list of things that I should take with me. Almost everything's packed. I never really mentioned until now that I was invited to go to Piemonte (Piedmont) and Liguria at the northwest part of Italy for an Enogastronomic Press Tour sponsored by Borsa Internazionale del Turismo Enogastronomico (BITEG). It's a tour organized by the Piedmont T
Here I am with a breakfast recipe experiment gone yummy. Pancakes are lovely to manipulate with different flavors and blends and when I am bored with my first meal of the day, I tend to browse my cupboards and fridge to look for interesting combinations to put together. Remember the Banana Pistachio Pancakes With Marsala Syrup, the Hazelnut Pancakes with Roasted Figs & Reduced Marsala Sauce,
It was in Chamonix, France where I had my first tartiflette. It was in the middle of summer and the town was full of tourists. Yes, I noticed the beauty of Mont Blanc but when you are walking in the middle of a big crowded town with a large dog taking you for a walk and lunch time is ticking away fast, the only thought I had at that moment was where to eat. After our futile search for a place to
After fruit & vegetable markets, I love fish markets next. I love immersing myself to the different kinds of sea creatures, some with vibrant colors and interesting forms. This goes especially to the tropical fish and shellfish markets. They all exude freshness just like the fruits and vegetables. And, they are healthy food. Read more »
Breakfast, breakfast, what's on the table this morning? If you had been eating too much food lately and would like something light and fresh to start your morning, a plate of fresh fruit with some yogurt would be wonderful. If you also happen to have some shop-bought sponge cakes in the cupboard, just pop them in the oven for a few minutes to make them crunchy. Put them altogether on a plat
An Italian breakfast is sweet. Period. I grew up with salty breakfasts. Period. For that I had a huge problem in coming to terms with my first meal of the day when I moved here. It took me years to appreciate the switching from salty to sweet. And it took me a very long time to say that I am looking forward to breakfast as soon as I open my eyes. Read more »
I have been blogging for more than two years and I can't believe that I haven't shared one of my favorite pasta dishes yet. The other one that shares its glory in my eyes is Gricia or Amatriciana Bianca (White Amatriciana). It's the same as this amatriciana but without the tomatoes. If you click on the link, you will also find out about its history and that amatriciana was actually
My 3-year old daughter came home today from kindergarten, holding a colorful cupcake with hearts wrapped in clear plastic wrapper with a little card saying "Ti voglio bene Mamma." It means I love you Mommy. As she walked through the front door, she was excitedly calling out to me with her little package and she loudly announced that I'm the only one who's supposed to eat it beca
Ham and cheese, and uhhhm, fried. Three words and they will definitely catch any kid's attention. With the warm melted cheese oozing out as you slice the rolls, no one, not even the adults can resist grabbing a bite. It's simple, very good, not really your everyday food but nonetheless something that has the right to have a space on the table and impress adults and children
Our plates were overflowing with artichoke leaves. Some leaves were neatly stacked on one side while the others were left haphazardly all over the plates and spilling on the table. Every single leaf was pulled out from the globe with only the tender part of the leaf eaten. It seemed like a tedious job of taking apart the artichoke leaf after leaf before arriving to the core which is the biggest
Life happens and families grow. But as time flies, it slowly dissipates from our hold. We get old and the clock just keeps on ticking. The kids become adults, the adults grow older and the older ones leave us. Life keeps on continuing and time is our enemy because life, as we all know, is very short. Let me explain why I am speaking about life when there's a breakfast plate to be explained
I'm not a pink person but when I see pink and pastels together, I feel relaxed. It's true that colors affect our moods and when they are light and soothing to the eyes, they traverse through our bodies and give us tranquility. Exactly what I need when the house quiets down after the initial morning chaos of the kids' preparation for school. A refreshing, healthy and fruity breakfast
If you can see one of our rooms now, you will wonder what happened. The floor is covered with boxes of summer clothes. There are four of us so you can imagine how much they are. Help! Summer temp has arrived and I still haven't switched the seasonal clothes. Just looking at the wool and thick clothes in our closets give me beads of perspiration. I pulled out our summer clothes that almos
When luck strikes and we get some Asian mangoes from the Asian market in Rome, we celebrate in the kitchen. The big part of the very sweet mangoes get eaten as is, like how they should be enjoyed. Then one small part gets the cooking treatment in my pots and pans. I would really rather eat them by scooping the chilled pulp from the sliced fruit that just came from the fridge. It's just lik
I was ready to switch my heavier clothes to lighter ones today when, after waking up to a gray day, I retreated back to heavier layered clothing again. Just the other day, I had to stay in my short-sleeve shirt because it felt like summer just shoved spring out of the way. It was hot. With the heat, scenes of picnics and outdoor eating with the kids played in my mind. It's the time of the y
Orecchiette. For the different varieties of pasta that I have tried, I can only count with my fingers which ones I really like. They are the ones that are compact and catch the sauce perfectly well. One of them is orecchiette, the ear-shaped pasta with a central depression to catch the sauce better. It has a good compact body that compensates the amount of sauce that gets caught in its concave
There was something about the half-finished block of shop-bought brownies, tub of Greek yogurt and fresh strawberries staring back at me whenever I open the fridge. I knew that I was missing the point the first few times I was sneaking looks at them. Those three can actually create a quick and delicious breakfast without putting any effort at all. So here it is, a five-minute sprint breakfast,
Fruit & vegetable markets have an air of healthiness around it. I feel like if you inhale the air while in the midst of all the beautiful greens, reds, yellows & oranges, you yourself will absorb all the vitamins they keep inside them then cancel out the bad food you had been eating. Just a thought. And hope. I'm not a perfect health food eater but I am trying my best to recompense
I wonder why kids are crazy about chicken. Wherever they grow up or however they are exposed to food, chicken will always be number one. And I have two chicken lovers at home, always ready to pounce on them and smothered with its undying partner - ketchup! I myself grew up with fried chicken thighs delightfully covered with, what else? Ketchup! Fortunately, you will never find fried chicken i
It was around this period, years ago, when I swore to the Italian flag to abide by its laws and be a good citizen with my quivering voice, following the lead of the Vice-Mayor of the comune. As we concluded the session, the Vice-Mayor and I exchanged hands and she happily gave me her good wishes. "Auguri signora". I'm Italian. I felt strangely emotional and elated. Read more »
Mention chocolate truffles to me and I will turn to you. Show me some and you will definitely get my full attention. I will always have time to stop and admire the rows of chocolate truffles in display in chocolate shops even when I was a child. Back then, I could barely even reach the height to look at them properly but with my nose pressed against the border of the display rack, and with my
I've seen my husband revive ailing plants and trees in our garden more than once. He nurses them back to good health with a lot of attention and they in turn bounce back to life with more fruit to give. In our garden, I take care of the flowering plants and herbs while he takes care of the trees. Most of our fruit trees are untouchable. Translation? The wife cannot snip off leaves or
I'm back with my breakfast craze. Be it savory or sweet, here I am to enjoy it and when I make a new discovery, you can count on me to share it with you. Like these delicious breakfast polenta for instance. Just watch out because they are hard to resist! Yum!Read more »
Do you have half an hour and want to have a delicious and healthy meal? I'm usually in a rush too and I am always hoping for something quick, easy, healthy and delicious on my table. It's never easy to accomplish all that in one flash and it is my perennial problem. For all these years, the redundant question I pose to my husband is, "What do you want for dinner?" Even if I
I already sound like a broken record whenever I recount memories of my past that always find their way connected to FOOD. I have fond memories of my family, my friends, places and events whenever I think of every single dish that is familiar to me. But the past is meant to be cherished and left behind because we should always move on to what is next. I respect that because I moved on embracing e
When spring arrives, I can't help capturing its beauty and flavors in a colorful dish. Lemon, berries and flowers. What better way is there to express lightness and colors? So, for the second time in a row, I found a wonderful recipe at La Cucina Italiana's March 2013 issue. I have a weakness for lemon and strawberry desserts so as usual, the minute I arrived to the magazine's page
If you know me by now and look through my recipes, I like creating little food packages whenever a bit of creativity grips me. But before I embarked in creating them, I bought some food molds that are fundamental in creating them. So if you are like me who happens to enjoy spending more time than usual in wrapping food on food, get yourself some food molds and stick to the basic round
I am faced with a perennial challenge when I am preparing daily quick lunches because the one I have to feed is extremely picky. My 3-year old daughter is hard to please with the food and I can only count with my fingers what she eats. Bread, pears, salmon (smoked & grilled) and cheese. Did you notice that they're all of the above? She is now discovering that some
While I was browsing the March 2013 issue of La Cucina Italiana, the picture of this recipe jumped out at me. I'm far from being a green sauce lover, which makes me think that my daughter followed my lead about my hidden aversion of green sauces. How she picked up on it, I don't know, because I hide my food aversions from my kids until they have already established their food preferences
This appetizer is a fruit of reminiscing about my younger days in the company of good friends while we sit around a big table, drink beer and talk all night. Since almost everyone had a pack of hotdogs in their refrigerators, a sauteed hotdog appetizer with ketchup and onions and other condiments was the easiest we could come up with. "Other condiments" entails whatever condiment
We all have a potato dish recipe stashed in our memories that we cook without end and we never get tired of. Mine is this one, whether I am just having a plate of prosciutto (which is actually my favorite partner with these potatoes), plain meat dish or fish. It actually goes with everything. If you are not an onion lover, take away the onions and enjoy its tasty combination of flavors
Pasta ca' muddica is the Sicilian of pasta con la mollica which is the Italian of pasta with breadrumbs. Now that we are done with the introductions, let me tell you how simple (as you can guess from the ingredients) and good this pasta is. It's a poor man's dish in Sicily and it comes in different versions per province, per town, per household and per person which I think is like ev
I know I wrote that the next post should be about the little hamlet we went to for Easter. It will be the next one after this. A big flow of work has tied me up all day and kept me away from the computer. While you wait, let me show you this delicious ginger and cognac tea that is sure to relieve any throat discomfort you have or just for the pleasure of having something gingery to dri
Breakfast. It's my favorite meal of the day. Being far from being a morning person, I don't understand why. It's the meal that I tend to skip to gain a few minutes more of sleep. A ringing alarm clock is my worst enemy and the snooze button is my best buddy. And the promise of a sumptuous breakfast is the only thing that can make me stand up from bed without the help of a c
I can be sometimes forgetful about the proximity of important occasions but because of the little projects that my kids take home from school, I am reminded about every single occasion all the time. On their last day of school a couple of days ago, both took home their handmade cards and baskets with chocolate eggs which they ripped open as soon as they were home. So we have all sorts of dove, b
A trattoria is like a restaurant but less formal, with just a simple menu that's usually verbally announced to the patrons because of the absence of a printed one. If ever there are menus, some of them are even handwritten. The menu is usually composed of the classic and local dishes in abundant servings. Prices are low and the service is casual family-style. BUT nowadays, the trattorie in
Serving food in crystal glasses has always appealed to me because you can see what's waiting for you to dig into. When there's a multitude of colors given by the ingredients. It's sometimes a must to serve the food in a glass like this one especially when you have guests over. I love how the colors of the tomatoes, capers, olives and feta mix together in this very simple salad. T
The strawberries are coming out and their redness are just too inviting to resist. Normally, I would wait a little longer to buy them until I see that they are not the imported ones anymore because they don't taste of anything. But as I saw one tag after the other, they are all saying one thing. They are grown right here! I really prefer the smaller ones from one area here called Terracin
