Watch ya say?

Should a mistake be forgiven as easily as it is made?  This has been a very rhetoric question that probably needs a lot of explanation to tackle. (I am begininng to sound like a counselor)

A friend of mine once asked my opinion whether she should forgive her husband who had a one night affair which was not intended to happen, but it just did.  Many scenarios of businessmen going on trips without wives have led to compromising situations of being at the right time, in the right place with the ‘right’ person ending up in illicit passions.

My friend had full trust on her husband but the revelation of this one night affair devastated her to pieces and so what was I to say?

My take on this is that “Forgiveness is not an option, it is a requirement.  But to be able to go back to the same ‘beautiful relationship’ as what my friend insinuated they had, is a total misconception.   The stigma of a betrayal is harder to bear for the offended party especially when there was never any cause to create it.

  And for the husband to say there was no intention in the first place but because he was at the right time, in the right place at the right moment was just too intolerable to resist.  This may be true for the moment, but to say it was with the ‘right person’ is questionable to my mind when one is in a beautiful relationship.

And to be with all of those requirements above as regarding  to  time, moment and place could be a perfect description for a blissful encounter.  So, if indeed you have been in a beautiful relationship all these years, it should have been  with the ‘right person’.....and unless this has been replaced by some other one  even ‘for the moment’, then that ‘beautiful relationship’ has had it’s toll .  For if indeed, you were with the right person, then everything would be all fine, after the ecstasy and fulfillment  shall  have played its course instead of guilt and shame.

We can never make mistakes, we can only suffer the consequences of our actions. Because if it was a mistake, why make it in the first place and say it was never intentional.  Oh how we love to play with fire and end up scorched to pieces just to taste the moment of orgasmic pleasure.

Time will heal all wounds and it always does.  But between the moment of decision to forgive,  until the moment of total healing will really depend on the person.  Whether she will hold on to that mistake and place it on her husband as a sign of his infidelity, it is also up to the husband to win back that trust he so ruined. 

So who is now  the weaker sex?  the offended party who cannot easily forgive and must carry it for a time, or the guilty offender, who needed a moment of passion?  Should a relationship be ruined for a single mistake?

As for me, I wouldn’t know because I am not there, and pray that I never will be!!!!

Me Eat Mock Meat

 Give it to the cenobites of ancient Europe to concoct some kind of creative culinary prowess and you either get wine or beer.  And they have them secretly in their cellars or brewing in their basements away from the public eye.  That’s how our alcohol industry was created many centuries ago. (and you think they were saints!!!)

On the other side of the globe, trust the Buddhist monks to be equally imaginative when they have vowed to a life of poverty which included not eating animal flesh....and you either have the tofu,  the tempeh (a more sophisticated kind of tofu)  and finally the mock meat known as SEITAN.

So yesterday, to quell my curiosity about this talked about substitute, I enrolled in the class by Peter Berley  ( http://peterberley.com/about/ ) .

My cousin always asks me why I  take classes when I can get tons of information out of google search.  True, but nothing comes better than meeting new friends and learning more than just reading into it.  Besides, hands-on is so much fun, and we really wouldn’t know if we are doing the process right.

So with about a dozen students and four assistants, the  kitchen area assigned to us at the Natural Gourmet Institute was buzzing with activity.  

Upon arrival, we were  asked  to hang our coats at the closet provided, then we were given aprons, a rag and some notes that we would use in class.  While waiting for all the students to arrive, we could partake of some snacks set on a table that consisted of crackers, hummus, and olives.  Tea and lemon flavored water were also provided.

Peter , our teacher went right into demonstrating how we should make seitan and then we had a hands-on follow up.  Resting the dough is one of the key factor in making seitan.  While our ‘mock meat’ was resting, Peter then started the lecture and continued on until we were ready to do the proper recipes.  Each recipe had at least 2 students working on it. And by the end of the evening, we had completed a buffet of :  seitan wrapped burdock, leek and carrot rolls ; braised chickpea stew with seitan chorizo and fennel; pan seared seitan steak with chimichurri, savory seitan-stuffed summer squash provencal, eggplant and seitan falafel and gluten puffs with sweet and sour sauce.

After taking this class, I had dispelled my skepticism on substituting the real meat.  Instead, it had challenged me to be more creative and take this gustatory knowledge into a new level of awareness. After  2 glasses of wine and a sumptuous vegetarian meal, I went home excited, eager  to test my  new found culinary knowledge---and my first victim for a taste test----my hubby.

My teacher (Peter Berley) and moi

our snack table

braised chickpea stew with seitan chorizo

my partner Andy...after making the falafel time to drink

our buffet--pan seared steak with chimichuri sauce 

   chatting over dinner

savory seitan stuffed summer squash provencal

Stressed is Dessert spelled backwards

It’s always very tempting to write all your credentials in a resume when applying for a job.  But in doing so you will have less of a  chance of getting the job because  the company applied would rather have you a master of one than a jack of all trades.

As for me, I had it easy.  The motto, “it’s not what you know, it’s WHO you know” came in very handy.  The companies I worked with was either family owned or belonged to friends. Being in business comes with a lot of headaches, worries and anxieties.  Running after big bucks, trying to be recognized for your efforts, and being the top in your field comes with a price.  A cost to one’s self, that in the end, I snapped and said, “I’m done”!  Which I did and relocated.  I moved abroad.

Abroad, I had found the essence of my being.  I was loving who I am instead of what I wanted others to see me.  I became me.  Meeting new friends,  unearthing hidden talents and regaining a fresh sense of purpose has been an amazing journey. But regardless of the new beginnings, the past is always there for a reason.

Last weekend,  Unitribe hosted an amazing 3-day happening at the New Yorker Hotel.  It was a collaboration of artists, musicians, healers, yogis/yoginis, workshops and many more.  Hubby and I were assigned the ‘grub department’  which later was named ‘tribal food’ at the event.  There were several meetings and burning of phone lines the past weeks prior to the event.

With my ‘managerial cap’ in full mode capacity. I was not about to do any cooking but just wanted to oversee the station.  And management during my accounting days meant  organizing, staffing, directing, implementing and controlling my assigned area of responsibility.

We then contracted holistic food purveyors to join us which in the beginning they enthusiastically expressed their approval.  But a week or so into the date, some backed off for unforseen reasons, and two days before the final event, the last of our caterer gave in the slip as well, which in the end made sense....so....

Adversity does not test ones character, it REVEALS one’s personality.  It’s either having a reaction or doing a call to action.  As for me, my motto is “when the going gets tough, the tough goes shopping”...and that’s what I did.  When in the beginning, I didn’t want to cook, I ended up doing just that.  I took on a role and I had to be answerable to that....and so I went shopping for ingredients and stirred my pot to high heavens.

Hubby and I worked as a team  and we were able to pull through what was expected of us.  But we were also a part of a bigger team called the Unitribe.  The word TEAM is really an accronym for Together Everyone Achieves More, 

And when love, compassion and understanding goes into the teamwork, the anxiety, stress and pressure dissipates. Sometimes we also have to learn that not all goals can be met with positive expectations.  Yet when the outcome seems unfavorable, we must always remember that we are a team, we have love, and we are happy! 

Thank you Unitribe.  Much love.  One love.

Volunteering for the New York Food and Wine Festival 2012

“Why do you volunteer”  asked  a man, as I stood by my post fronting the Soho hotel.  Earlier, I see this man with two of his friends come out of the hotel, apparently talking about the events they were going to go to.  And judging by their attire and conversations, they could be journalists covering the food festival.   So I looked at him and say what every Filipno would probably blurt out without thinking, “because we get to have free food!”  Which of course didn’t suffice his curiosity because in every volunteering situation for a big event, food is always a given among volunteers. And he again asked, “no really, why are you volunteering for this event?”

So I told him that for the last 5 years, I have been attending these festivals, joining workshops, attending the Times Talks and even watching culinary demonstrations.  But this year, most of the affordable events weren’t appealing anymore, since most of them I had already went.   And those that I didn’t go to, I couldn’t afford.  So the only thing that would keep me in the festival was by being a volunteer.  That way, I’d still have some action without paying a single cent.....well, almost.

The first day was cold and a little boring but I made it with flying colors.  After my first day, my coordinator assigned me to a more fun event which would let me play with kids and be with celebrity chef Guy Fierri.  But when I signed in the next day, I was directed to a different post at the Illy Welcome Center.   My job was to help keep the line at the book signing.  Wow! I said to myself....years before,  I would line up for autographs from these chefs but this time, I was in charge of the line, where the chefs could see me all the time....now that’s even better than playing with kids.  And what’s better was getting to know more chefs than just one....and have pictures with them to add to my collection......Alleluia!!!!

Book signing started after lunch and I really didn’t know who David Venable was but he did have a cookbook and he did have a following.  Every author was allowed only an hour to sign their books.  The second author, Stanley Tucci, was another one I really didn’t know until I saw him take his place at the author’s table.  Then I realized who he was.  Not only was he a food enthusiast, cookbook author, film director but also  an actor....Then I said to myself, “i’ve seen this guy but can’t remember when.”  Anyway, when the line for both authors where done, and they still had time, I immediately went to both of them and said, Can I have a picture with both of you?.....and they said, “sure! that’s what we’re here for!”....And so here it is........  Anyway, am not going to go any further because I will just be preempting my pictures which I will soon post.  But here are the two guys am talking about....

Anyway, hubby and I were there for a good number of hours and after 6 authors, I said I’ve had it.  I didn’t stay for the Neely’s, nor for Rachel Ray because I’ve seen them before and am not really a fan of any of them.  After that, we took a walk around the Chelsea Market and my feet were so tired that we had rested at the open space with public seating in one of those street islands.  A few minutes later, we started again to walk. Then, with the traffic of people moving about,  I noticed a guy coming towards my direction and his familiar face looked much like Alton Brown!

At first, I wasn’t sure, so I called out his name softly.  Luckily, the pedestrian traffic light turned into red and everyone stopped.  By then I blurted out, ‘Alton Brown!’...the guy then turned his back and said, “yes?!”  I couldn’t believe my eyes when he approached me and we looked at each other and finally I said, “YOU ARE ALTON BROWN!!!!!!!”.   His lips gave that crazy smile and then he turned back around and moved on.

I think I must have lost my market value there for a moment because I had my mouth wide opened until I came to my senses.  And I kept on smiling and shaking my head.  Of all people....Only a foodie would know who he is!  And I knew him because I’ve seen him so many times before, and he is just as simple as can be...oh well! that completed my day.  And I am definitely going to volunteer again!!!!  

35 plus 5

The smart thing that my hubby every did was to get married on his birthday.  That way, it would be impossible for him to forget our anniversary which happens to be today as well.  A few days ago, our friends have started greeting us with an inquiry of how long have we been together.  I always say, 35 years in paper, plus 5 year before that.  So in layman’s terms---pretty darn long.

So what is the secret of our staying together? Let me count some ways (for now--list might get longer if we’re still together...hahaha)

1. Have a good fight! Let’s face it, any marriage that has not had an argument is a boring one.  It’s because they have that notion that when people marry, they become ONE, but i ask, which ONE?  Have you heard that saying that in every marriage, there is always one who is right and the other one is a husband.  Oh well!!!
2. Hubby and I do argue A LOT, and contrary to many psychology books, we label each other.  I know it’s not the norm, but we get a kick out of it. He calls me the ‘Denial Queen’ or the ‘Drama Queen’  and I call him Peter Pan Pappy or sometimes the Prophet of Doom, that’s because he makes predictions on current events regarding Global issues while the only current event I know is what happens in the neighborhood.
3. And most important, we give each other lots of  space .  LIke the quote that says, “We need to give each other the space to grow, to be ourselves, to exercise our diversity. We need to give each other space so that we may both give and receive such beautiful things as ideas, openness, dignity, joy, healing, and inclusion. “

When we joined facebook years ago, we had several status on our profiles.  First, we had an open relationship, because initially I didn’t know what it meant until it caused a stir among our friends. I thought being open in a relationship meant a lot of honesty and trust, until I found out it was promiscuity which was way far from my vocabulary.  So we  changed it to ‘it’s complicated’, because half of the time I was in New Jersey while hubby stays in New York.  The complicated status became  controversial as well.  So now we just had to be content with being ‘married’.

Marriage has a lot of meaning to many people.  But to us, it is a commitment.  In many of our drama moments and in the heat of debates, I’d often blurt out, “If you can’t take my sh*t anymore, you can just walk out the door,”  and often his replies are so predictable he’d say, “What?! and make you the hero of your drama?  Never! I’ll never leave you!”  ----Isn’t that romantic, or what!!!!!

In other relationships, marriage could also just be a legal way to have sex.  In our case,  we have evolved, we just do oral sex.  We just talk about it.   In the heat of our bickerings and squables we yelp out  into  ‘F.U.s’  which is normally the climax of our oral sex.  And they say, that as you grow older, people just tend to have ‘anal sex’ - they just analyze what it is for. But we’re not there yet.

Oh well!  but whatever it is, I am thankful for the partner I have.  He may not be perfect, but he is a hopeless romantic and I am----well, I am who I am, I take everything with a grain of salt and find humor in every situation, after all, isn’t life just a big joke and we are jesters.

And to my hubby, cheers to those years.  The first 5 was the appetizer, these 35 years was the entree, let’s start having the dessert, oh but wait, did we have our veggies yet?t!!!! Happy birthday and Happy anniversary!  Even if we don’t agree at times, it’s still  l doobidoobidoo  labs you---hey! isn’t that a movie?

Eve is peeved, or is she?

 Yesterday I almost strangled my husband.  Well, how would you like it when you're invited  to hang out at a bar to listen to a friend who was playing that night and you came unprepared?  Normally, it would be a casual affair,  so I thought it was one of those regular nights that you just came as you are.

The bar/resto facade looked like a local pub,  but the moment I entered the place, the men were in suits and the women were in cocktail dresses busily chatting and having their gourmet dinner.  The receptionist asked us if we had dinner reservations and when we said no, she said there was an hour and a half wait if we wanted to be seated at a regular table.  My reaction was to leave, but hubby wanted to stay to support the singer whom he met months ago.

Although we couldn’t get a regular space, there was a high bar table kind that was available and that was were we stayed.  I had to carefully select my order since we weren’t prepared to spend so much.  Imagine ordering a 20 dollar  glass of wine which I could have just bought a bottle with that price and enjoyed it at home, or at  25 dollars for 6 pcs of oysters was too much,  but hubby was bent on having a good time and that was just that. To top it all, I was like a maid in Manhattan with black skorts and linen blouse with black flip flops that had seen better beaches.  And this was the moment I could have sworn I was having hot flashes and glaring vampire eyes at my hubby.

But as the evening moved on, and with wine in my system I loosened up.  I felt like a New Yorker with the attitude of ‘who cares’!!!  It was still early (around 10ish) when our singer friend was done, and so we hopped into another bar to listen to more sounds.  The Rockwell is famous for many a musicians gigs and an affordable place to enjoy good music.  After three bands and past midnight, we decided to grab something cheap to eat nearby.

A newly opened Japanese resto had a sign outside ‘ $1 dollar fresh oysters’.  It’s modern ambience was very inviting, but had no patrons.  We scrutinized the menu and found it affordable.  The first resto we went to that evening was so very different from this one, wherein  the earlier resto’s front of the house had too many service personnel. But this Japanese joint had only one asian guy  that served as the receptionist, waiter, somalier, coat checker, maitre d and busboy all rolled into one.  I don’t know if it was the time of night (or morning)...but I did enjoy my meal of fried soft shell crab salad--and hubby gorged on more oysters in retribution for those expensive oysters we had earlier.

Heading back home, the train we were suppose to take was off service.  Since it was such a beautiful evening for a walk, we did just that until we reached Union Square for another train back home.  It was a good 40 minutes on the subway train until we reached our destination, and as we walked to the apartment, a Mexican food truck was parked nearby and we had some tacos for  snacks.  Amazingly delicious especially when it is authentically made by a Mexican.

And as I recalled the evening’s happenings, a smile just came unto my lips.  At the onset, I could have choked, nagged or berated hubby for making me look inconsequential.  But then he’d probably blurt back and say, “what’s the fuzz!!! chill out!”  And if it happens to you, he’s right, “don’t sweat the small stuff! Otherwise it will grow and at our age, we don’t want anything growing to sweat it out!”... smile!!!!

Happy Virgin

In the Carribean there’s a drink called “Happy Virgin” and in this time and age, what kind of virgin is a happy one? But nevertheless, if you’re in the carribean without a date and no one to entertain you, might as well get yourself a happy drink...so here’s the recipe from the book, “Don’t drink the water” : Bartending in the Carribean.

Happy Virgin

1 1/2 oz. Kahlua 1 1/2 oz. Bailey’s Irish Creme Liquore
spalsh of rum 3 oz. pineapple juice
rocks glass

Fill rock glass with ice. Stir in all ingredients. Enjoy

Beer Class

Did you know that a beer a day keeps alzheimer’s away? That’s according to a 2005 study that moderate drinking (one bottle a day of beer) lowers the risk of mental decline by up to 20 percent compared to the non-drinkers. In addition, more women who downed one drink a day scored more than those 18 months “younger” on tests of mental skills  compared to  non drinkers.

I would have wanted  to have that kind of answer last week when I attended a “Beer Class” at the Bartenders Association.  Allan, our teacher, gave us the history, process of brewing beer and the different kinds as well.  Because of his extensive technical experience on beer, (he was the CEO for  that famous brewery above EATALY- a famous Italian establishment owned by famous chefs, Mario Bataly and Lidia Bastianich in Manhattan)  - he was able to distinguish different kinds of beers he had tasted from all over the world.  Presently there are 5,000 different kinds of beers in America alone.  Home made breweries from different localities, have been sprouting and have reached many a store’s shelves across the U.S. aside from those overseas.

Beer, like wine, has many advantages and it’s not just a second rate anaesthesia, but rather there are medicinal purposes. Dr. Oz , in his show, said that you can have a beer bath to treat psoriasis or similar skin problems.  Just add 2 cups of beer to a warm bath to have that healthier skin.

Also it is a cure for many diseases like cancer, avoids kidney stones, and reduces the risk of heart disease.  Moreover, those who drank beer had 30% more vitamin B6 than the non-drinkers.

If a sommelier is for wines, a cicerone is for beer.  There are three levels in beer connoseiur before one becomes a real expert  .  Initially, one first becomes certified as a beer server, which then leads to another certification into being a cicerone.  Finally one becomes only a master cicerone when one has fully complied with all the requirements of a full pledged beer expert.  From brewing, storage, process, tasting, pairing, including   sales and services among those that one needs to learn.  Although this educational process is fairly new since it was established in 2008, there are only about 10,00 cicerones in the U.S. 

And the saying about "wine before beer is queer, but beer before wine is fine" is totally a myth.  I am presuming whoever said that worked for a beer company thinking  you would be  too drunk to consume wine after downing several beers. Thus beer would up sales....smart but not really since it has been paired with higher spirits!

As a matter of fact below are some popular beer cocktails...

Beer Buster Sake Bomb

glass of beer half a glass of beer

1 1/2 oz. vodka 1 oz. sake 

2 dashes Tabasco Sauce drop the shot of sake

Stir gently into the half glass of beer   then drink

I am Woman!

“Nothing Shocks me anymore”, is a typical phrase we hear nowadays.  The world is getting more crazy  because then the ultimate question of why people go bonkers  is, “where’s it coming from”?  And this is the reason why I’m writing this piece.

Last weekend, I was at an all-women’s group talking about Integrity, Sensuality,  Self love expressed at it’s best, which to my mind probably is kinda cool.  And i found a different perspective unlike some of the previous all women group I had encountered during my early years.

The first guest speaker was Jessica Delfino, a stand up musical comedian who rendered a song with her  ukelele  about wanting a ‘man slave’.  It was hilarious and was an ice breaker for the topic that evening.  Her brief bio about being a funny lady was accidental, but chosing her passion instead of her parents expectations was indeed fulfilling.

Our main speaker, Melody Kiersz was candid in her discussion on sensual matters particularly about integrity and authenticity.  Metaphorically, women wear as many ‘attires’  depending which best holds the mood at every given moment.  Whether it be a mother, daughter, whore, chef...we are all of it and one in it.  But many a times women would put  on some particular safe ‘robe’ only because of many a conditioning brought by controlled upbringing which is often very suppressing.

As the discussion progressed, there were interactions  about  experiences, relationships and even personal opinions .  Many women dress either for validation, acceptance or just wanting the attention.  Others don clothes that allow little left for the imagination causing controversies.  Eventually, it could be offensive to others  but for some, it might be somewhat liberating.

Melody then narrated her weekday incident at a beach, where she went topless . From her point of view, it was the only way to go for an even sun tan.  But not the same for 2 grandmothers with toddlers, who complained such ‘indeceny’ to the cops. Melody knew she did not violate any laws and explained a 1992 N.Y. ruling regarding the bearing of the breast, that since it was all right for men therefore women should not be discriminated to do it as well.  But she had compassion to move and besides, she had had enough tan for the day.

Two hours with 13 women of different culture, interests and experiences and  still wanting to chitchat was not enough time.  However different our upbringings were, or how we perceive life to be, we are still citizens of the world.   And how we fulfill out our existence  is best when we are atuned within ourselves.  And by just knowing who we really are, and not as the world sees us, should be liberating enough.  

And once you have found what it is that makes YOU,  then it is sufficient ground for activating your MOJO....and it is there that the wonderful, sassy, refined and sublime craziness of being a woman begins. And you know what?! you will always say TGIF  (Thank God I’m Female)

CANNABIS CUISINE – How would you like to be a 'stoner chef?'

A few days ago, I posted a picture of government officials in the Philippines burning a huge pile of marijuana plants amidst media people to show what they do with the confiscated goods.  What we don't know is what happens behind the scenes,  and speculations have soared in the internet.

It's not always rolling a joint,  packing a pipe or toking a bowl that  marijuana is being used for.  In ancient times, people ate their cannabis  saving the seeds for food, and using the resinous flowers for medicinal, recreational and spiritual practices. It has been used in Hindu rituals as a cocktail called bhang, and in the ninth century  there was in an Islamic literature of a story about mixing it with coffee.

In the Western world it was an ingredient for pharmaceutical use until the 1800's.  It only became fashionable in the U.S.  until early nineteenth century, when migrating Mexican workers introduced the practice to the Southwest.

Pot  brownies was popularized only in the 1950's where it was considered 'dope desserts' and eaten by some  stoner circles  in order to enhance summer concerts, 3-D sci fi movies, camping trips, or backyard 'potlucks'.   Then a senior citizen named Brownie Mary  gained  respect in 1992 after her third arrest for distributing her famous chocolate medicinals to AIDS patients in San Francisco.  In 1996, California Proposition 215 effectively legalized medical marijuana and  presently there are 17 states, including New Jersey that have done the same thing.

Smoking ganja gives a faster hit , but not many can tolerate smoke,  instead they ingest the stuff.  The new medical marijuana  'edibles' is a recent phenomenon with many 'stoner chefs' entering the field.  This leads  to a new trend in the food industry  called Cannabis Cuisine.  

Safety measures should be implemented when doing stoner cuisine.  Proper measuring of dosage and the intake should be carefully monitored when making or serving treats.  Just keep in mind that everyone's tolerance is different and individuals respond to ingesting cannabis in different ways. Usually ingesting it does not have an immediate effect since it needs to be digested first. So start with a small serving and do not eat any more pot food until after an hour. 

The biggest difference from eating pot and smoking it is in the intensity and type of high that results.  Eating cannabis brings on a more physical sensation which soothes sore muscles, eases pain, aids relaxation and fights insomnia, while providing feelings of warmth and pleasant tingling.

If you've eaten much, you might feel panicky anxious...agoraphobic.  Bear  in mind that it is humanly impossible to fatally overdose on cannabis.  Even if you have eaten a whole birthday cake frosted with cannabis buttercream.  It is estimated that the amount of THC that is required for an overdose would be four million milligrams or about 4 kilos of pure hashish---(from wikkileaks)

Because of  the cannabis being illegal, it has been a venue for corruption,  consumptions abuse  and economic drain. Thus the states that opted for it's legalization by regulating it however paved the way to realizing it's potential not only as a medical cure but as an added income to the locality.

I am not propagating nor condoning the herb and its usefulness, but rather, I am diseminating  information that before assuming anything (and I mean anything)  learn the facts and not rely on hearsay.  The absence of knowledge more often than not, leads to fear which is  the cause of misunderstandings and misconceptions.

It's about time to know more about these things as the world is always evolving and change is  inevitable.  By being aware, we can eventually make rightful conclusions about it.  And I think it's really HIGH TIME !!!! 

As I'm reading this, I'm thinking.....there are more bar fights due to alcohol, than when you smoke pot.  Because, people that are 'high' are more peace loving...don't you think?...let's hear your comments, guys!

Some friends often ask me why the statue of Liberty is green and  I often tell them "because she's stoned?  Get it?"  And if you want to know if she really looks like this now, come to New York and see for yourself.  :)

the book I got from Barnes and Nobles which prompted me to write about this piece.

 So before I end, I would like to copy a recipe from the book: The official HIGH TIMES Cannabis Cookbook written by Elise McDonough.  In her cookbook, she substitutes 'stones' instead of 'servings'.  But this recipe below is just a simple one.

SIMPLE CANNABUTTER

This is an easy, quick way to infuse cannabis into butter on your stove top.  Be sure to use salted butter since it has a higher smoking point, and don't leave your saucepan unattended!  You can make this cannabutter relatively quickly.

Makes ½ cup

½ cup (1 stick) salted butter*

¼ ounce cannabis buds, finely grounded

to make cannamargarine, simply substitute margarins for butter in this recipe

1. Melt butter on low heat in a saucepan.  Add the ground buds, and simmer on low heat for 45 minutes, stirring frequently.

2. Strain the butter into a glass dish with a tight fitting lid.  Push the back of the spoon against the plant matter, and smash it against the strainer to squeeze out every drop of butter available. When you're done, DISCARD the plant matter.

3. Use your cannabutter immediately, or refrigerate of freeze until it is time to use.  You can easily scale this recipe up for larger batches of cannabutter.  1 pound of butter (4sticks) can absorb 1 ounce of cannabis, but you may want to simmer for up to 60 minutes.

You can drizzle the cannabutter over freshly cooked pasta or popcorn for instant satisfaction.  Reserve large batches in the fridge or freezer for use in recipes.

A Wedding to Remember

Many months ago, we were  invited to join a relative's silver wedding anniversary.  Hubby had been requested as a sponsor to grace the event, and he obliged.  It was  casually formal with the entourage donning on coats and tie/or bow.  So it is with much concern that hubby had to look for his attire—and you know him, the cool GQ guy.  

So last Saturday was THE day and we took our time dressing up since we were just a block or two away from the venue.  It's been awhile since I've heard mass, much less attended a wedding in a catholic church.  And I was amazed at what technology has done.  Where once we required live choirs for songs, the priest this time had an i-pad.  With just a touch, he could command the songs and for awhile  I thought he was having his concert since he was multi tasking, singing while doing his rites at the altar.

Then I also noticed by the side of the pews those candles flickering so evenly and systematically, until I found out that they were electronically lighted. Which meant that you didn't need fire, you just pressed a button after you paid your dollar.   In my time (and that was sooooo many  years ago in Cebu), my cousins and I would pay our 25 centavos (good for one candle) but  we'd start lighting as many candles until the priest would catch us and shoo us away....anyway... and the thought occurred to me to be pressing all the buttons.....

The wedding was held at a side room of the San Sebastian Church in queens, where most special services were officiated.  As we entered the place, we were greeted  with melodious chatter of the Illongos  as everyone was getting ready for the service. (the couple hails from Bacolod).   The bride was radiant and gorgeous in her gown while the groom was equally as handsome in his black suit.  And the entourage was as elegant and as charming.  Jessica and friends really did a great job organizing the special day! It had all the trimmings of a traditional wedding ceremony.

During the service, the priest presented  a surprise message from the couple's children. The bride as well as many guests had tears rolling down their cheeks as the experience of not having loved ones on such a memorable occasion was disheartening.  

However, the message by the priest was uplifting, appropriate and hilarious.  Believe me, don't trust a priest who dons a white kinda batman's costume, because you'll never know what he's hiding inside his gown and cape.  The filipino priest talked about many a filipino's  plight of being away from their families in search of the  american dream.  With each explanation, he had props, starting with a scale and some weights, then a bolo, a chopping board and finally the biggest faux diamond I've ever seen.  All that was inside his robe.  And the priest always had a smile on his face.  That I like.  

The reception was at the Sheraton Hotel in Flushing Queens.  The guests were  greeted by a choreographed welcome of the entourage.  There was seating arangments where the Colmenares clan was assigned to  one table with conversations of tracing their roots.  It was indeed a Filipino affair starting with two roasted pigs (lechons) as part of the buffet, there was  dancing to everyone's content, merry making and of course, a lot of picture taking to send back home to the Philippines.

Then another  video presentation  of the couple's life was compiled by their children.  During the whole  time, Jessica had not a dry eye while Bernard sat amazed and grateful for his blessings. The whole night was just amazing.   And my message to the couple:

To Jessica:  Girl, we have something in common, we are married to Colmenares men and after 25 years we know what they're made of....well, sort of...It has never been a smooth ride, sometimes bumpy, sometimes adventurous and even on occassions we are just cruising, right? Well at least for me it was.  But I can assure you whatever journey we will have with our  'COLMENARES'  man, it's worth the ride,  JUST AS LONG AS WE'RE DRIVING.......heheheheh!!!!

and to Bernard:  'TEH, I will wait for my invitation for that golden wedding anniversary you promised sa church, gani... the one you said nga it will either be “in the beach or in the mountain....but definitely it will be in the Philippines.”

'Prana'tic on Veggies

When an opportunity arises to learn something new about food, I am at the forefront of that workshop.  So last Saturday,  I did join an ayurvedic/vegetarian beginners cooking class in downtown Manhattan.

It was a three hour stint,  which started with a welcome drink of ginger orange ade, followed by a discussion on the origin of ayurveda and it's usefulness while demonstrating some recipes.  Then we ended by partaking  a full meal of soup, grains, vegetable entree and an apple berry  dessert.

Divya, our teacher said that food consumption is all about digestion and that balance to healthy eating is key to vigorous living.   The word 'Prana' in sanskrit is synonymous to life.  Where there is life, there is energy and this is the essence of  staying fit.  Each one of us are differently made and therefore, we are the only ones that know what our bodies need.

Yoga and ayurvedic  complement each other , because the former allows you to listen to your body, and the latter  gives what your body dictates.   Wrong intake of food can add toxins into your system causing sickness and inconveniences.  And these erroneous habits come in many forms like too much gas, bloating, mucus and  sometimes just irritations.  Weight gain and fatigue are also causes of improper diets.

Moreover, the three dosha's (energies that circulates in the body) are composed of  the Vata-Pita-Kapha which is the essence of wellness in the body.  Most of us have at least 2 dominant dosha's ---but am not getting into that since it is kind of complicated.  Best left to self study and experiment individually to be fully aware of your own make.  But I did get to learn a lot from this class with not just eating vegetarian,  but knowing which vegetables are favored as against the others.  (Although not a veggie,  mushroom is related to ignorance and has no food value.  It cannot be food for the enlightened soul  Some mushrooms are hallucinogenic! Seems like a good debatable topic.)

 Just so you know, there are three kinds of food:  the Intelligent food, the dumb food and the dead food.

Intelligent food are those that have full of prana (life) and it responds and interacts with the body.  This means that it is easily digested and is absorbed in the body.   It does not block or damage different channels (arteries, lymp vessels, ducts).  It comes mostly from organic, pesticide free origin, moderately cooked with authentic spices in a positive loving environment.

Dumb food consists just like intelligent food but it is in it's left over state (refrigeration is some sort of dumb food).  Also it may be an improper combination of even good intelligent elements, but cooked in a negative environment and consumed with stress.

And finally, dead food is junk food, canned or microwaved.  Any item that contains preservatives or food that is naturally of contradictory elements such as milk and salt, or milk and sour fruits. Dead foods is completely depleted of prana (life).

Although I enjoyed the class tremendously, I still have my reservations about totally going vegetarian, much less vegan.   Maybe it's the long time conditioning that I have been accustomed to.  There is still so much to learn.  Choosing the right foods is not enough.  They must also be cooked with the right method to obtain the right energy (prana). And that takes a lot of time and practice.

And I have still to unlearn the habit of eating those kinds of species that moves.   Having that sumptuous vegetarian meal is just like eating chinese food,  you're  hungry again after a few hours.  So before heading back home, I passed by the grocery and   prepared myself  one heck of a meal.  Guess what I had?!!!!!!

our blackboard where she writes notes.....

Divya explaining at the same time cooking

after all those veggies, my body got traumatized and feared it was never going to have animal protein.......heheheh!! so i indulged my body with a good piece of steak,  some no brain mushrooms and 3 glasses of wine to wash down all that fat....but i did have good fat-- i had olives....my body was happy!.... but it's about time to practice some of those good pranas!