Don't fear the rat race!

It is almost the start of a New Year, and I am almost sure that most of us are writing our resolutions, goals and probably throwing our intentions for the future. But whatever it is, there is always that anxiousness of unfulfilled aspirations.

In my opinion, Fear is the fuel of expectations. It is also a negative emotion that needs to transform itself to become productive instead of inhibitive. I've had several cases of fear since I was a kid. From being told that the monsters would take me away if I was not behaving, to burning in hell if I didn't believe certain stuff. But whatever it is, fear to me is not really the absence of courage, but the absence of knowledge.

When you know that there is no such thing as monsters, then you learn that there is nothing to fear. And that in reality, you create the monsters you want to believe in.

Having lived in America for a couple of years has made me less fearful in the sense that the attitude of “who cares?!” has had its positive effect on me. A perfect example is dressing up for an event. In truth I had allowed other people to dictate how I dress up for fear of not being appropriately attired. Or sometimes, there's the fear of not having enough food for guests when you host a party. When in reality there is really enough for invited guests, it's just that the filipino culture has this habit of bringing their extended uninvited family members without notifying the host. In both instances, I have learned to dress for myself regardless of who sees me (well at least I have something on), and that food is only an added benefit to having fun with friends--(you can have a party of chips plus water and still enjoy yourself. Believe me, I did attend many of them and they were F-U-N)

A few months ago, I met a friend who had a pair of rats as pets. As a former administrative consultant for a pest control firm whose business was to eradicate termites, bugs and other pests including rats, my knowledge of rodents was they were mean, dangerous and vicious.

However, my friend has totally re-educated me and instead of fearing rats, I feed them. I have come to regard them in a positive light, and that indeed they can be wonderful companions. If you treat all God's creatures with care and mindfulness, they will reciprocate in similar manners.

As a matter of fact, I am reminded of the movie, “Ratatouille” where a rat named Remy wanted to be a great chef considering that the industry is a rodent phobic profession. And against all odds, from a fear based beginning, it ended with a harmonious, delicious and fulfilling conclusion.

I cannot say that I will start the New Year with a fearless attitude, what I am saying is that I would like to enlighten myself more and believe that life is too good to waste on the mundane. So for all of you out there, more blessed holy days ahead and a Happy No Fear!!!!!

What say you about our food, Joe?

I am reading about Filipino food written by an American for a magazine about travelling. Although the author was warned that Manila is best to just be a 'stop over' when touring Southeast Asia--meaning, that you don't want to stay long enough in the country. But whatever his goal was in stopping by means that the philippines holds an interest in the itinerary of the author which is mainly food.

Considering that our palate is a mixture of everything Asian and that most well known dishes have been taken by our counterparts, what is left of the filipino food's description would be 'gray, sweet and greasy.'

The author's first taste of our food dish is the Kare-kare which to him was dull and lumpen. Made of ox tripe in peanut sauce, he conjured it to be 'so sweet it stripped the enamel off my teeth'. No wonder we pinoys love to pair it with salty savory bago-ong to contrast the sweet taste. And in his three day visit, he had tasted another version, this time using real peanuts and not the kind with the peanut butter which was used in the former one.

Another dish he tasted was Sisig, which many claim as 'booze food'. This kind he says is better eaten than it sounds. Yet , in one area the sisig had a much crunchier feel than others.

And the very infamous, that we are so very well known for is the balut, which is cooked fertilized egg of the duck . The author describes the juice as having a hint of sun-baked garbage, but no more than ferment ted tofu. We often say that the saltiness of the juice in the egg is what gives it the tasty slurp. And a joke was even circulated that how else would it taste if one was to pee inside its own shell. This added to the grossness to which only the brave and the fearless would dare eat. And oh, by the way, my grandkids love balut and even here in America, they eat it. They are fearlessly and such cute little munchkins. Just check out this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h4KcxysR0Q&list=HL1319760218&feature=mh_lolz

During the author's second day visit which brought him to some town in the northern part of manila, his filipino host explained why it is better to try the specialties that were popularized by the locals. Moreover, it is not only the food but the tropical ambience it creates when eating such 'authentic' meals. Thus he concluded that "...upscale filipino restaurants have never worked because Filipinos will say they're not authentic, and that they are geared for foreigners. Filipino dishes taste much better when cooked at home, so why bother going to those restaurants.

Another interesting find was the sinigang, which started off as a dish for pregnant women and evolved by the 1960s into the dish we know today.

And of course, no tourist should leave without having the taste of 'lechon' which celebrity food traveler Anthony Bourdain judged as the 'best pig' ever. Not to forget that it is the CEBU lechon we're talking about.

There is much to see in the PHilippines, and more so much to taste with many islands having their own signature dishes which need to be discovered and tapped. Authenticity is in the perspective of the story teller just as lutong bahay is in the perspective of the one eating. I cannot say that our meals at home were much better than my other Filipino counterparts. Taste is relative as always, and our palates differ in many ways.

But whatever ones preferences are, food is food is food. Observations are the best gauge of how one can improve the general perceptions and misconceptions of a foreigner. And recently, our food isn't in any way considered anywhere near in the list of Healthy South Beach Diet. It probably could pass for the top ten ways to die young. And if so, isn't it about time we start doing something about this....now that is another topic to write about...hmmmm...

so true..so true...

A fun-do experience

Food and Wine tasting is one of the special highs that I get when I attend these kinds of events. And yesterday, was just one of those days. I had one more ticket to redeem at the New York Vintners which I bought several months back, so I looked over their schedules of classes. And since I have been writing about cheeses lately, the “Fondue and Mozarella Making” was what I signed up for.
In previous classes, there would be about 30 some people joining, but since this was a hands on class
we were but really only a handful.

As I entered the shop, I was greeted by our sommelier with a glass of Prosecco, an Italian sparkling wine which generated its popularity in 2000 and was considered a substitute version of a champagne. As in all classes, empty wine glasses were laid out in front of you, the number corresponding to the wines that will be presented for tasting. We were given a pen and a card where we could write down our notes.

The sommelier started the class with an introduction of a Sicilian white wine which he poured on our glasses. We were then given its history followed by a systematic approach to wine tasting.

First, we had to look at the appearance whether it was bright, clear, dull or hazy. Then to check the intensity whether it was pale, deep or opaque in color Next, we had to smell it and check the condition whether it was clean or unclean, or that it was fruity or flowery. The palate was the most important one because this is what determines your preferentials in wine. Not everyone has the same taste, so it is very subjective. But for as long as you know what you are looking for, there are no absolutes, just generalizations.

After the first wine we had, Chef Ryan then taught us how to make mozarella cheese. We gathered around the kitchen where a huge bowl of curds cut into chunks were laid out. He had a pot of hot water on the stove, a box of Kosher salt plus another empty stainless steel bowl which was used for the mozarella making and a plate of cut up heirloom tomatoes. On our end, we had a ceramic square plate and a bowl with ice cubes that seemed to have melted halfway through, some knives and latex gloves in case we needed them.

Chef Ryan then got some hot water and placed it on the stainless steel bowl, added some Kosher salt, and with a heap of curds in his hand he dropped them on the bowl of warm water. While the curds were melting, Chef Ryan explained the production of curds and how it gets separated from the whey and added more information about cheese productions. It was a good 5 minutes when Chef Ryan decided that the cheese could be handled and thus started to scoop out the melted stuff and formed it into a ball. He then dropped it into the cold water to stop it from cooking and let it rest for 2 minutes before scooping it out again, where he then placed it on the plate. From curds, it was now transformed into mozarella balls.

We did as we were told, each having our own individual bowls and doing the process. In the end, we had our own plate of mozarella with heirloom tomatoes, and some microgreen basil leaves. With mine, I added some olive oil, balsamic vinegar and the ground red pepper to it. So delish!!!

We then went back to our tables where the sommelier again poured us a glass of a French red and added more information about wines . Later, we took our glass of reds and went back to the kitchen counter, where chef Ryan was preparing for the fondue making.

This was easy, since he just told us to grate our preferences of cheese presented. There were s couple of hard cheeses such as the gruyere, manchego, a kind of mustard cheese, asiago and some other cheeses which the name now escapes me..(hmmm, I think that will be my next class). Then chef Ryan also asked us to cut up our own dippers like sweet peppers, chorizo, apples and boiled potatoes. We were grouped into teams, where one had to grate the cheese and another to cut up the fruit and veggies for the dippers. There was already a basket of cut up french bread in our tables.

The fondue we had was wine based, so when chef Ryan heated up the wine and bubbles started to appear, he dropped some already grated cheeses and stirred it with a whisk . When everything was melted, he took the pot off the flame where it was ready for dipping. After trying chef Ryan's melted concoction, we then took our own ingredients and headed back to our tables where our fondue set up was ready.

We did just what chef Ryan taught us and amidst everything, there was laughter, exchanging of notes and more cheese and wine chatters. Everyone had a great time and left with a smile on their faces. Not only did we learn something that afternoon, we met knew friends, had some great cheese and wine, but most of all, we had an awesome afternoon! Till the next class, can't wait to sign up again!

LOOKING FOR EVIDENCE OF YOUR HUBBY'S AFFAIR CHICKEN PAPARAZI recipe

When you think your hubby, lover or the guy you are 'in a relationship' is trying to sugar you by denying he's having flings, you just can't help but take out your aggression on FOOD. Not that you don't have some cholesterol program for them if indeed they are having one. But that's in the later articles yet......

Here's one of my original recipes which is my answer to the previous dating married man banana recipe or the other side of the fence from that lady who is having something going on with a married man. Ladies, if you suspect anything......just anything ….that your man is having sidelines, sidekicks or side dishes, this is the recipe for you.

4 chicken breasts
1 bottle pizza sauce
basil leaves
1 pack mozarella cheese
4 tablespoons olive oil

Wash the chicken breasts under cold running water. Wipe dry and place each breast on a cutting board. Name each breast with the women you think is flirting with your beloved. Take a malet and pound each breast, and while doing so, shout the name of the girl and add adjectives like “slut, whore, bitch...”

Sprinkle salt and pepper on the breast. Place a pan on the stove and turn on medium heat. Go to your room and check your man's cellphone if there are any messages from any woman. None. Go back to the kitchen.

Place oil on the pan and fry the breasts. Go check your facebook and see on his wall if there are messages from any woman or if there are women friends he befriended who are not familiar to you. None. Go back to the kitchen and flip the chicken to cook the other side. Go check on your house phone for numbers he may have dialed which are not familiar to you. None.

Pour sauce over chicken. While waiting for the sauce to bubble, go to the laundry room and check if there are any lipstick marks or lady's perfume on your man's clothes. None. Go back to kitchen and check if the sauce has bubbled. Sprinkle chopped basil leaves and cover with grated mozarella. Remove from fire.

Turn oven broiler on and set it for 5 minutes. Place in your pan of chicken dish under the broiler to create that golden top. That will give you enough time to go to the garage and check his car for any lady's item not yours, like a lost earing, watch or some doubtful hair strands. None.

You find yourself elated that there are no evidences of anything whatsoever you are looking for. You prepare the dinner table with the best china and silver utensils and celebrate with your favorite Pinot Grigio to pair with your dish.

Every bite that goes in your mouth, you imagine how lucky you are to have such a man to have no other woman but you. But the smile quickly turns into a frown....Could my man like other men instead?


tomato with eyeglasses... when you look for evidence and there is none....you look harder!!!! hahahahah!

Writing Cheese

I have been very busy lately with so many assignments going on...and lately, I have been assigned to do different kinds of cheese and it has been two months since, and every week i always have something new. So please check on these site every week for something new.

Here is my last two latest, but there is more on the previous posts.

http://www.cheeseshopny.com/a-sumptuous-italian-caprese-salad-on-a-stick-with-bufala-mozzarella/

http://www.cheeseshopny.com/cheese-making-101-bufala-mozzarella-cheese-can-be-done-at-home/

What ur melon?

When my good friend, Jim Paredes, asked me how I liked his new CD , “Palaro” I gave him a whole review on it. But one particular song that caught my attention was the song about the watermelon or 'butong pakwan'

I must agree that women can be such chauvinists when they are infanticipating. We just can't help it, but when our hormones and our MENtal faculties don't agree, we can demand what we think our body wants......And Paredes' song about the man being 'outside the kulambo' or couch destined if the woman doesn't get her way is sooooo true......as the saying goes, ... “If momma ain't happy, nobody happy”

Summer is just around the corner, and I am almost sure that watermelons will flood the groceries at this time of year. But then again let's hope we don't get any from China, where they might just blow up in your face considering that that particular farm almost had the entire crop cracking up because of a chemical miscalculation...They got sort of raptured in their own way. ~ I mean the melons, not the chinese!

Watermelons are good sources of hydration considering that it is 92% water. And did you know that everything of the fruit is useful. From the pulp to the skin , it is all edible. Even the seeds are a great appetizer. It's what the chinese eat in between dishes being served at a chinese feast, so my mom used to say.

When I get a chance, I buy a whole piece and use them accordingly. I will set aside what I initially bought it for, and usually it's for salad and a refresher after a spicy meal. Then, the rind, I make into chutneys (try making kimchi salad or our very own atsal in substitute for unripen papaya). The remaining pulp I would apportion them into ziplock bags and each bag would contain some watermelon chunks, cucumber bits, sprigs of mint, a small tiny cut of chile pepper and lime juice. Then I would freeze them all. After work, or when guests arrive, I would put my frozen concoction in a blender and make some smoothie for that summer drink. I will add a few ounces of tequilla or gin, to add some kick.

My goofy girlfriend confided that watermelons are great sources of juicing up our men especially at the onset of aging...And tonight am giving it to my 'significant other'....now, after that, is not my story to tell anymore. Go ask him if it really works!!! because from here on...my lips are sealed and my fingers locked........maybe.



I think they're related...Red is the new green joke!

An Afternoon of Talk and Taste - Rice Festival (featuring Asian cuisine)

I haven't really figured out what Filipino cuisine is all about”, said Brad, a guy I met at the train station. It was one of those days when I felt bubbly and good, and I saw this guy carrying the shape of a covered waste can behind his back. He was tall, caucasian and good looking, so the flirtatious me had to strike up a conversation, just to ease up the boredom of waiting for a train and to quench out the curiosity of his backpack.


He said that he was carrying an egyptian drum and informed me of his group, Djinn. We then talked more about music, culture, travels and food which led to the statement above. We exchaned 'net' sites and maybe might see him in one of his gigs in Manhattan. Here's his site http://www.djinnnyc.com/ (He's the American one with the hair..hehehe)


Then I proceeded to Astor Place , where the Asian food demonstrations were being held to celebrate the Rice Festival featuring Asian cuisine.. Upon arriving, A Korean Food Truck fronting the building of the place was giving away small portions of bibimbap.


The entrance foyer of the venue had a couple of exhibitors, giving away free samples. You could grab a bottle of Fiji water as you enter, and the Kyocera knives prided itself on the sharpness thereby giving away the sample cuts of dragon fruit and star fruits (balimbing—btw, here in America, they cost about $2-$5 EACH fruit, unbelievable!)


The Macau table was serving portions of it's chinese version of 'arroz a la cubana' complete with rice, poached egg and cut up beef. Salty is my comment on this one. And there was also a table giving away shots of some liquor, which of course I got. Oh! And not to forget, Singha beer from Thailand was giving away samples of their brew, which I kept replenishing during intermissions. Now that was fun!


There were 4 demonstrations for that afternoon, starting with chinese cuisine by Ching Hue Huang, who was promoting her cookbook “Ching's Fast Food”. She made steamed chicken with chinese mushrooms, goji berries and dried lilly buds. Except for the goji berries, all the ingredients were familiar especially the lilly buds which we often find in our very own humba and some pansits. Then she also made a vegetarian crispy bean curd rolls. It was good, but I prefer our very own mung bean spring roll dipped in vinegar with garlic.


Then there was Angelo Sosa who presented a Malaysian Dish of shrimp belacan. About 3 or 4 “puti” did not like the smell of bagoong being sauteed (belacan is the shrimp paste of Malaysia ). The belacan is similar to the ginamos of Bacolod, compact, dark and dry. The dish was simply comfort food. Reminds me of eating by the beach. Lots of shrimps dipped in spicy pinakurat on mounds of rice. (http://angelososa.com/)


The third speaker was former Miss Korea, who dished out simple bibimbops. It was simple all right, but each vegetable was given care to create the dish. While preparing, she had to relay stories of her drinking sprees...oh well! Not quite, but really, what's good with food but a nice pairing to go with it, right?


The final speaker and one of my favorite chefs was Ming Tsai from the show East Meets West . He combined the orecchiette pasta with black bean he pounded and mixed them with spicy pork and broccoli. And he was also promoting his book “One Pot Meals” . He is not only a good chef, but truly an entertainer as well. I would also dub him as the Jamie Oliver of the chinese people since he was explaining about the awareness of foods leading to cancer, obesity and the like.


I enjoyed my whole afternoon learning and meeting new people, tasting food made by the fine chefs and getting samples from sponsors. I look forward to the next food event......



Singha Beer from Thailand


Angelo Sosa with moi...hmmm...isn't he just so tall....

Ming Tsai as he demonstrates his dish..


the Korean food truck

It's my Birthday! How old am I?

It's paaaarrr- teyyyy time. Birthday is on the table. At this point in time, I am now counting my years backwards. But so you know where I am starting, I guess I'm 37, so that makes me 36 now..oh wait! I guess am talking about my boob size..well, we can't go backwards on that one or else I'll end up with a raisin...

hmmmm, I remember when my daughter was 21 and was about to graduate college, she said that Jacob wanted to marry her. And so I asked her, “why so soon” and asked if she was pregnant or what...then with a dagger look she said, “MOM! I'm not like you.” …..So, did that mean I was a swinger and gave birth during my teens....She was 21 then and said 'am not like you' seems like I was having more fun than she was at her age...hmmmm.. so how old am I?

Then if that wasn't revealing enough, two months ago, I picked up my granddaughter , Elise, from school and her teacher wouldn't hand her to me until she knew what our relationship was. The teacher was surprised to realize I was the grandmother since I look more like an aunt. She probably thought I was in my 40's, but isn't it that 50 is the new 40?...that made my day.

Oh don't get me wrong about my promiscuity during my teens. A couple of years ago, several Filipina friends and I were having some great time reminiscing our younger years. They shared about having rendezvous escapades and making out at the back of cars, or changing boyfriends like they were underwear. But when it was time for me to relate my experiences all I said, “hmmm, I've only tried one and he's the man I married.” Then with hands on hips , my friend said, “hey Vanette, are you bragging or are you sorry, which is it, girl!”.... I thought for a moment and said, “I guess at my age, I am sorry?.....but it's never too late, isn't it?” Laughter then proceeded my statement.

But regardless how old I am, here are a few clues...

I can tell all my secrets to my friends, and they won't remember a thing..
I can live without sex, but I can't live without my glasses.
When I talk to my friends all I hear about are arthritis, diabetes and menopause....
I am past holding my stomach in when a honcho of a guy enters a room
With the candles on my birthday cake, I can wax my legs and body.

And guess what, here is a statistic of women's fantasy by age:

age 17 tall, dark and handsome man
25 tall, dark and handsome man with money
35 tall, dark and handsome man with money and a brain
48 a man with hair
66 a man

If I did gauge according to the above, for one, I cant be 66, since I still have my man but I don't know if my man still has hair since it's always covered with a hat....now pray tell me.. how old am I?

Well as they say, Age has always been an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter, right. And at this point in my life, who's counting anyway?

Oh well! Thanks for all those that greeted me.....and to those who have not yet done so, am still waiting.....CHEERS!!!!!



check the bottle..it's called "7 deadly sins" .... CHEERS to all!!! SALAMAT, SALAMAT, SALAMAT...aging gracefully and loving it even with all the wrinkles around!

The Spices of Life

Sorry guys but I just wasn't myself this month with all that's been happening. Death, Deadlines and Dumbness. So what do I do when all these things happen to me....Just stare at the wall and do nothing. Why? Because what else is there to do but strategize my game plan of life after that bump off the road of human existence.

Death means loss. In my case, it was my mother who passed away. It is a physical death that all living beings will one day experience. And in these situations, we just have to hang on to the moments and memories we were left with and move on...That's the staring on the wall, and the doing nothing for me.

And the deadlines? I am coming out with a cookbook using my new knowledge in food styling and food photography. I am also writing my memoirs, plus the biography of someone dear to me. (Secret).

And of course, there's the deadline of wanting to be a size 4, or to loose 20 pounds within a couple of months. Am just being too ambitious, but hey! If people can keep on running in marathons or races, why can't I have my own thing? To each his own deadlines and goals!

Oh and the dumbness part! Everyone thinks that Mike and I have a great relationship. And you know what ? We do! But there comes a time in a girl's life that I would doubt mainly because hubby is so outgoing and is surrounded by women! Young women!!!! Here's a sample scenario of what am feeling!

There was once a wife so jealous that when her husband came home one night and she couldn't find hairs on his jackets she yelled at him, "Great, so now you're cheating on me with a bald woman!"

The next night, when she didn't smell any perfume, she yelled again by saying, "She's not only bald, but she's too cheap to buy any perfume!"

And why did this come about? A few days ago, Mike was at a party and met two young women. One, he had a crush on and the other was being flirtatious with him. Now he was curious if polyamory relationships could work out at these times. So that made me think and at that particular moment felt sorry for myself that youth is now my rival.

But as I ponder hard, I realized that experience and wisdom was my strength. And added to that, hubby has always declared his devotion and undying love. And you know what? In that aspect he has never failed me, so why am I complaining? After all, we are all responsible in creating our own reality. And if you want to add flavor to your life, you can make it tooth aching sweet or spicy hot! Which will it be?

when your hubby tells you he has tried your friend's 'panty' , you have to clarify, because it might be true but it's not what you think...right?...(wink! wink!)..btw, this is tea from the Andes mountain lands

A Zuzutto Experience

ZUZUTTO - Japanese word for the noise made when slurping noodles! And how do you do that?...You ' inhale the noodles, when slurping.'

Every holiday season gives a chance to catch up with family and friends and have that much awaited conversations of reminiscential events. I'm talking about yesterday's happening with the Wamsley's (Stefanie, Maria aka Baby, and Christopher) who graciously invited us for dinner at that much talked about Ippudo restaurant in the lower east side of New York.

When Mike and I arrived at the place, there was already a queue of around 50 people. The receptionist informed us of a two hour wait for the next table but it did not hamper us from devouring that sumptuous “Ramen” New Yorkers crave about. In the meantime, we just walked around and talked some more, killing the time for when we would be seated.

Finally, after more than 2 1/2 hours wait, we got our seats at the far end of the room. It was a cozy nook but the ambience was lively and our servers were dynamic even amidst the chaos of serving a full house.

The appetizers of pork bun (an envelope of a single meat slice with chile sauce) was delish. Then we had the shishito which was like some kind of roasted peppers that was fried in very thin batter and accompanied by a lemon salt was extremely smooth and not at all spicy. And finally we had a kind of cut up raw baby octopus with grated wasabi on a lemon slice. The slimy but crunchy texture made an interplay of tastes as I was grinding it in my mouth. Yumm is another word.

Not long after, our ramens came in conical colored bowls. Maria and Stefanie had ordered the ' Akamaru Modern' which came in a red bowl. This was the restos original tonkatsu broth with pork belly , miso paste and some tiny vegetables. Christopher and I had the 'Karaka Kogashi Miso' whose broth was made from charred miso and came in a white bowl. Mike had a similar one but was spicy and therefore came in a black bowl.

Amidst the slurping, the laughs, the conversations and whatever in betweens we had, it was indeed worth the wait. We left the place light in spirit, heavy in stomach and best of all just a fulfilling sense of love permeating the vibes among us. It was indeed an evening to remember. Thanks, Maria, Stephanie and Christoper. We love you all.


Mike's order of the spicy roasted miso ramen


How do you eat Ramen? sip, slurp and top... the final key to enjoying ramen is sound. One should inhale the noodles, creating a distinct noise that the Japanese describe as zuzutto