The Art of a Recipe

The recently concluded New York Food and Wine Festival was better than I imagined. Most of the food network mainstays such as Bobby F. , M. Morimoto, Rachel R. , Giada, Alton B. and Tyler F. were around. Those that did not make it this year were Lydia Bastianich and Gordon Ramsay which were replaced by Ming Tsai and Guy Fieri.

There were many activities that you could attend for a fee such as the culinary demonstrations of the celebrity chefs, wine seminars and cocktail clinics, food tastings and wine pairings, organic farming and many more which is far too many to describe. Of course I could only sign up for those affordable ones and not like those $500 parties which you could hob nob with the people of the food industry which included many celebrity chefs. My purse could only take me to panel discussions and book signings, but is equally enjoyable. Besides, after every event, they serve wine on small plastic cups and sometimes some hors d oeuvres to go with it.

Last year, I did go to a symposium of “So you wanted to write a cookbook?” where Latina author/chef Daisy Martinez, a book agent and a book publisher were speakers. It proved to be very informative, but then I wasn't ready to publish anything, because I was just barely starting to write some recipes. And this year, I was contented with signing up for the Anthony Bourdain interview, and that was it.

Besides, there was a workshop about food styling and food photography that I was joining at the Gourmet Institute which could be useful for my cookbook project. The affair , though, was cancelled and thus caused me to rivet back to joining events at the food festival.

I knew that tickets to the festival would sell out fast, but I tried to see if there was an activity which was still available. “The Art of the recipe” caught my eye, and soon enough I was looking over the panelists and searching their achievements on the internet. James Peterson was a person of interest since he was not only an author, but he was also a photographer and a member of the faculty at the Institute of Culinary Education in NY. I was very fortunate to get tickets at the last minute.

The affair proved to be more than I expected. Rocco Di Spirito, the cutest chef I've seen so far and a 'Dancing with the Star' competitor, started the ball rolling with his explanation of how a recipe could have different results even if he followed it with the same ingredients and procedures. Interpretation of a recipe, its language form, the tone of writing, gadgets/equipments used, specific or substituted ingredients are just a few factors .

Following recipes have indeed evolved over the years. A cook timer was not even in existence and I remember my aunt telling me how they innovated then. Their conversations would go something like this”

“Inday, lung-agi kuno ko ug itlog na malasado” (make me soft boiled egg)

“Unya nyorita, Unsa man nako pagkahibao nga malasado? (Senorita, how would I know when it's already soft boiled?)

Inig bukal sa tubig, ibutang ang itlog unya pangadyi ug amahan namo sa kinatsila,
inig human nimo pangadyi, malasado na na...haw-asi. (when the water boils,
drop the egg and pray the our father in spanish. When you're done, then it's soft boiled already.)

Or then, the standard of measurments were something like this:

duha ka latang asukar nga bear brand na lata ha, kanang evaporada dili condensada
(2 bear brand cans of sugar-- use the evaporated can not the condensed one)
tunga sa baretang purico (half a bar of lard- the lard came in bars on a carton box)
usa ka kusi asin (a pinch of salt)
usa ka latang harina katong chedar cheese nga dako (one big size chedar cheese can flour)

I'm sure you get what I mean when I talk about the measurements.
Then of course, there's the matter of substitutions...Can I use cornstarch instead of flour, or bouillon cubes instead of broth..etc..etc..etc..Before you know it, you have a new recipe all your own.
Rocco says that for every recipe he puts out on print, he has to test it about 15 times, and every same recipe comes out differently. And unanimous conclusion is for as long as it works, it doesn't really matter.

There are gazillions of recipe books in the market and each have their own uniqueness from ethnic, home cooking, specialty food, quick meals-- you name it, they have it. And I often encourage my friends to come up with their own even if for family consumption or for publishing.

Some apprehensions could be that a family secret recipe is best kept to yourself. I once had a friend who was so afraid to give out her recipe because she considered it to valuable to share, and I respected that. Until I met a well-renowned chef who was giving out all the tips and techniques. He was berated for revealing more than he was asked to the point of baring his own family's cooking secrets. To which he replied candidly, “those who know much, share much.” And that phrase struck home run with me.

A young bride asked her mom for the recipe of their family's yummy pork roast. The recipe called for a chunk of meat to be cut off from either sides. Anyway, the young bride asked her mom why they had to cut the sides to which her mom replied that it was how grandma used to make them, and so that's how she made them as well. She thought it was one of those secrets. Lucky enough, the grandma was still alive and they asked her why the meat ends were cut off. Grandma obliged with an answer saying, “Because ,dearie, during my time we did not have ovens big enough to fit a whole chunk of meat, so we cut them. ” Like they say, habits die hard.

Whether your following a recipe or making one, don't hesitate to make a masterpiece. Like what the panelist have been saying, 'take out the inner chef in you' and don't be afraid to innovate, create and be original. We all can if we just make the effort. Besides, it's almost Christmas; isn't it about time to make something special? Hmmmm...

Cebuano Lechon Rocks!

Last week I was disappointed when I got an email from the Gourmet Institute, refunding me for a cancelled show of food styling and food photography. However, with the extra cash, I joined another venue at the NY Food and Wine Festival which was far better than what I would have missed...The replaced show was the first I attended this morning, but that's not the main story..I will write more on that later, as it needs more space...

Anyway, after the talk, I told Mike that there's only one person I needed to see, since last year, I practically had all the signatures or pictures of my favorites. Some are still around like Bobby Flay, Rachel Ray, Guiada...but this guy, I almost missed.He was 2 steps to his waiting car when he saw me take pictures from about 4 feet away. He summoned to me, and asked if I wanted a picture with him....WANTED?!!! He was the reason why I was going to that particular area...If you're a foodie, culinarian or asian gourmetian, you would know this guy.




After that experience, Mike and I had lunch at Chelsea Market- Food of the Network stars. And who should we see a few feet from us while we were having our sushi and soup.. Many probably wouldn't even recognize her, even I forgot her name--but she's the new Network Star--that lady housewife who won over a realtor...


AFter the late lunch, Mike and I walked 30 blocks towards the New York Times Building where the show I was waiting for 5 months, was going to be held. It was an interview by New York Times food writer Frank Bruni with the jet setting celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain.



What you see on T.V. while he talks is already watered down. Tonight's interview was spontaneous and truthful, and authentic just like what he is in his books. Meaning-- the curses and the jokes are there. I don't want to go into details because it will probably be aired on t.v. or shown somewhere in the net, but here's a bird's eye view:

He mentioned about going back to Vietnam and China. The street food of singapore makes new york gourmet food seem pathetic. He likes those sqiugly octopus in a Korean resto in Queens. And you can get good vegetarian dishes in India. Since there was a question and answer portion right at the end of the show, I couldn't resist myself and stood up to ask something. Here's what I asked :
"Mr. Bourdain.....I've noticed that you practically mentioned most of our Asian neighbors, yet I have not heard you mention anything about the Philippines. Yet in your February showing, and in your blogs, you mentioned that Cebu Philippines as having the best roasted pig in the whole world. Do we still have that No. 1 spot, or have we been unseated"

A.B. started with Puerto Rico having very good lechons and that some culture have good techniques on how they make their roasted pigs equally as good.blah.blah..blah....But then of course in the end, Mr. Bourdain, said "Yes, the Philippines still has the best roasted pig."

With that statement I stretched my hands up in the air, and as I flexed my elbows to my side, a resounding :"YESSS!" was loudly uttered from my lips, sending the audience to an amused laughter and then they clapped their hands.

So there!!!!! Mga Cebuanos....and Pinoys!!! we still have the best lechons in the whole world...and the world knows it as well. What country has a "Parade of Lechons" with plenty roasted pigs dressed to fad and funky.......only in the Philippines.

And Mr. Anthony Bourdain, you made my day!

Sambal Oelek

Previously, I posted about making green sawsawan, now I have the red sawsawan. �Tita Toinette was the one that introduced me to Sambal Oelek, which is a very potent chile pepper paste. �It's more kurat, than the pinakurat since the latter is already watered down by vinegar. �This is concentrated chile and you need just a teaspoon or less to burn your mouth. It's good with your fried rice if you want it spicy, or your noodles or just plain sawsawan.

Sambal is a condiment, an ingredient or a dish that contains lots of chile. �The name is derived from the Indonesian language and the Oelek is French which is �a stone earthenware and is still being used as a kitchen item.

Here's a recipe I use and I just store it in a small container...this is my classy version of the pinakurat........Just squeeze on to your meat...

1 T EVOO (am sure everyone knows that. �It's Rachel Rays contribution in the dictionary)

5 T ketchup

3 T mustard

2 T SAMBAL OLEK (you can add more if you are adventurous)

2 T maple syrup (honey will do)

1 T Lea and Perrins (or any generic worcestershire)

.....and by the way, Tobbasco is so tame compared to the sambal...