Sunday Foodie

 by PAM

'Hacienda style' arroz caldo at Arroz Ecija

Sunday is the day of putting faith front and center. Sunday is the day when we spend at least an hour in the Church to partake of the Word for the sustenance of our souls. And after that soulful celebration of the Word of God, it's time to nurture the body with healthy and delicious food. 

This Sunday, I 'feasted' with a bowl of traditional Filipino comfort food: the arroz caldo. This has many versions. What I had was that warm soupy rice porridge cooked in rich chicken broth with onion and powdered black pepper. The rich porridge was topped with pulled lean chicken meat, halved egg, chopped fresh spring onion, and crunchy browned garlic. A halved calamansi was provided on the side to render citrus flavor to the mix, which heightens the already mouth-watering combination of flavors and aroma. 

Each spoonful of Arroz Ecija's version of the arroz caldo tasted not only of that familiar Filipino mindfulness of carefully measured flavors with nutrition, and the intentional joy of eating, but also of nostalgia. As a child, the arroz caldo was my Lola and Mama's warm embrace and love, expressed in delicious food, whenever we were sick. We were spoon-fed with that rich rice porridge, cooked with thinly sliced ginger

A mix of goodness, crunch and freshness

and ground black pepper, and the very tender chicken meat, freshly pulled from the bone - absolutely delicious! It was their 'magic potion' of getting well and feeling loved. Ah, love... we had so much of that as children. And that shaped us into what we are today, and we are grateful.

The 'feast' this Sunday did not end with that tasteful lunch but continued on with another nutritious bowl of goodness but this time a homey concoction of mine: green-and-lean and many more in between.  It is my salad bowl for dinner. It has lots of greens, fresh fruits, nuts and slices of smoked ham, tied together by a drizzle of my own version of the Thousand Island dressing. It was delicious: salty and sweet, lots of crunch, colorful and flavorful, interesting and refreshing.

Ah, to be a foodie... on a Sunday - what a joy! 

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Image credit: All the photos in this post belongs to me. I took them all.

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Saturday Photo

by PAM 

One of my fave breakfast combinations to prepare (and eat)... easy, healthy, filling.

These days, I prepare my own breakfast... I really have no choice though.  It was a big effort in the beginning because it meant that I had to get up about an hour earlier than I need to.  I needed time to prepare, cook... and then later, had to wash all the stuff I used for cooking - the hardest part... an ordeal, if I'm being honest.  The thing though is, once the dishes and pans were done, I felt like I can take on anything that the day would throw my way, and that is a great feeling!

Now, I still feel harassed... just thinking about washing pans and pots - no, I do not have a dishwasher, and it is not 'a thing' in the Philippines.  Lately though, I have developed breakfast menu, some of which lower the energy expenditures in washing pots and pans but do not compromise nutritive quality.  An example is the breakfast in the featured photo today - one of my faves, actually.  The ham and cheese sandwich has enough carbs, proteins and fats that would last me all morning.  The apple slices and greens are loaded with vitamins and dietary fibers as well as minerals, such as the important potassium and calcium.  Of course, this breakfast has enough caffeine in the 400-mL coffee.  The 250-mL mango juice can seal us with a load of Vitamin C protection.  And, by the way, this includes water, too... although not in the photo, sorry.  The most important thing is, it only takes about 15 to 20 minutes to prepare (based on my very slow pace in the morning), and the pan almost does not need washing - minimal residue.   

So, yeah, I love this breakfast combination... I have many more 'breakkies' that I can share in the coming days.  Exciting! 

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Image credit:  The featured photo is my own, I took it.

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Enduring the flu...

 ...again! Ugh!

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by PAM

And here we go again... down with the flu. Man... insane.  

And as flu caught me alone in my second home, I have no

A sick person's meal, prepared by the sick person.

choice but to tend to myself.  I have been cooking my meals even when I feel like I am unable to lift the spatula.  I know I could just order food... but that's a lot of wrappers and wrappers and packaging and packaging, layer after layer - too much waste, I can't bare it... especially after enduring that 'parade of typhoons' that hit the Philippines over the last few weeks.  No, thank you.  It is time to take action and contribute in mitigating climate change... no matter how small the contribution is, it is still a step towards the right direction.  So, yeah, I'll do my best to cook.  So far, I am able to manage... without aggravating my health condition... I think... uhm, I hope! 😅 The effort is real, and the hunger that builds up while cooking progressed so very (very) slowly is like Smaug himself waiting to devour Bilbo Baggins!

One of the things that I really, really hate about coming down with the flu is that flu usually goes with a sore throat.  And if one had been terribly abusive of one's health (hence, the flu in the first place), the sore throat can be so terrible that it goes with a 'shut-off vocal cords'.  Air is blocked completely from creating sound waves... one can't make the smallest of sound no matter how hard one tries to scream.  It is totally frustrating that I just want to stuff my mouth with food to compensate... but swallowing is a labor, too.  So, yeah... did I mention frustrating?  'Cause it is! 

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The voiceless pain

Feverish, mightily uncomfortable from body ache and painful throat, dizzy and weak, watery eyes and no voice... that's me today.  And I am very, very frustrated. 😞  As I write this post this very moment, I am binge-watching one of my ultimate favorite TV shows, the "Gilmore Girls" (GG) series, because I have been so bored staring at the ceiling in my bed. And I am extremely frustrated that I am unable to sing along with the show's theme song, "Where you Lead" by the brilliant Carole King (CK).  

🎶"I always wanted a real home with flowers in the window sill.

Well, if you wanna live in Stars Hollow, baby, you know I will...

Where you lead, I will follow, anywhere that you tell me to...."🎶

I do enjoy singing the theme song. In fact, for hardcore Stars Hollow fans, it is one of the highlights of watching GG.  Every episode begins with some sort of an overview of what the next 45 minutes will be about... and then just when you are about to say, "huh? What?  Whaaat??", the theme song rolls in, and you know you are, indeed, at the right place.  So, you cozy up with a bucket of popcorn on your lap, and all other concerns in life far, far away from your mind.  Every episode also ends with some sort of an "aaaww" or an "oh, nooo" moment that made us want to speed up the week back in the early 2000s in order to see the next episode.  These days, with Netflix stringing the episodes per season in a binge-worthy array, the "aaawww" or "oh, no" moment is followed real fast by the "whaaaat" moment.  And something has to relieve a fan from such heightened emotion.  I guess I do not have to emphasize that the relief comes from the theme song.  A moment when one's sanity says bye-bye momentarily as one sings along with the fabulous CK while watching highlights of the show.  

So, imagine how painful it is for an avid GG fan like myself when he/she is unable to get the smallest of sound to sing along with CK - argh, torture!     

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The sweetness of working from home

As I mentioned before, I have been appreciating my new surroundings in my second home, close to my new primary workplace.  I have been realizing in the past days as I work from home

Through the sheer curtain at the window,
it seems that something is 'on fire' outside.
But it is just the sunset... in its glorious beauty.

that wherever I sit to work in my new home, I see the very green sceneries outside through the 'countless' windows we have.  I have been complaining to my sister that I have no blank walls to hang paintings and pictures, and there are very few spaces where I can park my favorite art pieces.  These days, I am beginning to accept... and appreciate the big windows that allow me to see my green surroundings.  At the moment, that relieves my painful and watery eyes, and I'm grateful.  The small lanai by the side of the house, or the small backyard, allows me to soak in the healing warmth of sunrise.  Also, in many places where I can sit to work in the afternoon while I eat snacks before taking medicine (again), I have a view of the lovely sunset in this part of the world... and enjoying the sunset is one of my 'guilty pleasures'.  I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to enjoy these things... even if what afforded me to enjoy them is a health issue.  There is always something good in any of our experiences.  Sometimes the goodness is an immediate outcome that we can enjoy, other times, we need to dig deep to discover it.  And the greatest gift is experiencing goodness without having to dig too deep.  These days, I appreciate that enjoying sunrise and/or sunset does not require digging deep. So, again, I am grateful.

My 'voiceless pain'... or 'painful voicelessness' is kind of taken over by the sweetness of working from home... even when the reason for working from home is the 'voiceless pain'.  And yes, I am grateful. Indeed, I am.

If you have gotten this far, uhm... I am so sorry but did I just waste three minutes of your life?  I did?  I knew it!  I am extra-incoherent today.  But, hey, I am grateful... to you for enduring my incoherence.  I appreciate you.   

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Image credit:  The photos in this post are mine.  I took them, they belong to me.

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Sunday Foodie

...because it's about time.

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by PAM

Crisp outside, light and airy inside... and many more... that is all good!

A very long introduction...

Living alone has its benefits, the most important of which - at least, for me - is the opportunity to savor solitude.  

I like solitude, I enjoy it. These days, I realized that the one company I never get bored of is my own. No, that is not being self-important, self-centered nor being selfish. It's just my love for the quiet. I'd much rather listen to the sound of my own silent thoughts, and of others' whose quiet thoughts are in harmony with mine, than to be confused in the dizzying chaos of a many multitude of opinions and 'great ideas' from so many, many (many, many... many) 'brilliant individuals'.  Today's basis of 'brilliance' has eluded me hopelessly... and I do not believe I have the energy, nor the time, to embark on a greatly futile journey and the great hopelessness of ever finding it.  So, I decided to just take the opposite route... the route of quietness - the beautiful moments of stillness of an unhurried living... with ample time to walk silently as one pays attention to one's surroundings... and be filled with wonder.  That is not to say that I don't enjoy being in the company of people with whom I share the appreciation of meaningful conversations... and fun endeavors that touch the soul and make the spirit soar!

I like reflection, quiet reflection... and I enjoy discernment. I like long walks... and prayers while I walk. These days, as I walk around my new neighborhood, I like admiring those green canopies above me that those marvelous trees make as they reach out to join their long and graceful branches from each side of the road. I like sipping coffee quietly as I read a good book at the front porch, and once in a while looking up to marvel at the clouds and the incredible beauty of the blue skies behind them. Yes, I do have time to contemplate these days... or, rather, I can afford to make time for contemplation these days... and I am, indeed, very grateful.  But that is a story for another time.  Today, I am just being the foodie me.

Finally, the 'foodie' part...

As I mentioned in another post on this blog, I now have a 'second home', which is very close to a new 'second work location'.  I usually live alone in the second home.  I was dreading it before... but now, I am beginning to appreciate it.

These days, I am discovering that another benefit of living alone is being able to choose to eat what one craves without having to feel guilty that others may not appreciate one's cravings.  The other day, I was suddenly reminded of Italy, and the unforgettable trip that I took over there some years back.

Spaghetti - Filipino style

 And that made me crave Italian food... specifically, my favorite Italian bread: ciabatta. So, I dropped by one of my favorite specialty stores, Santis Delicatessen, to pick up a loaf of ciabatta and a box of spaghetti pasta.  Ah, ciabatta is so good, especially when dipped in olive oil with a dash of balsamic vinegar.  While I love this very Italian bread for its light and airy texture inside and its crisp thin crust, I decided to make my spaghetti 'Filipino style', which is with red sweet sauce.  I tried re-living my childhood days, enjoying sweet meaty spaghetti complete with slices of hotdog.  I 'cheated' a little... and bought a ready-to-use spaghetti sauce... just to save time.  Again, this is one of the perks of living alone, you can decide whichever way you want to prepare your food without making anyone roll their eyes. Uhm, wait... are you rolling your eyes right now?  If you are, well... aren't you glad you're not living with me? 

Ah, the mind meanders and stopped at the 'Bridgerton station'...

All and all, I had a splendid time eating my Mediterranean-meets-Southeast-Asian meal while I watch "Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story" (QC) on Netflix for the nth time... which is a story for another time.  Ah, dear reader, you didn't think I'd stay quiet about Bridgerton - the version so 'mangled' by Netflix, huh?  No way!  I am a fan - of the original and authentic Bridgerton book series by Julia Quinn (JQ)... but not so much of the 'mangled' version by Netflix.  But I do like QC, which is not a part of JQ's Bridgerton series.  I think that the reason why QC was so good is because it stole, er, 'borrowed' many of the good things in the original Bridgerton series by JQ... which were omitted in the Netflix (mangled) version. Especially noticeable for me was how QC borrowed many beautiful moments from "The Viscount Who Loved Me" (TVWLM) - the second of the Bridgerton series by JQ.  The reason why I know... well, it's because I so loved  TVWLM in the JQ series. I read it at least five times!  And the feeling I got while reading the tenderly special moments were the very same feeling that I had while watching the special moments in QC... and which I never felt in the Netflix 'mangled' version of TVWLM.  And, the young King George III (KG3) in QC, uhm, on his sane moments, that is, is almost the exact same image of Colin Bridgerton in my head, except that KG3 did not have green eyes and his hair was not longish and curly.  But the beautiful smile, the wit, and all that charisma... ah, they're all so Colin.  

I hope that Netflix does not mangle "An Offer from a  Gentleman" - Benedict's story - as much as they did the previous books in the upcoming Season 4 of Bridgerton.  In case I have not been clear previously... let me be clear this time.  This is a 'warning' from us, avid and loyal Bridgerton fans, Netflix!  Leave the beautiful story alone!

But I digress... I did enjoy my spaghetti with my ciabatta. I think that is all the point I am making here, which took me forever to say. Hahaha... sorry, 'gentle reader'.

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Image credit:  I own all the photos in this post as I took all of them.

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Sleepy in Seattle... (Part 2)

 ...for about 60 hours.

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by PAM

The second day of our visit to Seattle was a 'lazy' one.  The adrenaline rush on our first night in the city that kept us awake until very late the night before and our sleep deprivation the night before

Day 2 of our visit started with a fine Seattle morning -
viewed from our window at the Westin.

 our flight had caught up with us.  We woke up at about 8:00 in the morning but we had no desire to get up and venture out towards the Pike Place to finally pickup that Starbucks latte, especially that the weather forecast indicated rain all day.  So, we ended up ordering brunch from The Relish at the Westin lobby.  I had an 'All-American' breakfast, which was so huge that, after eating, the bed had never looked more inviting than ever before, a tumbler of coffee notwithstanding! Aaarrgh... and then we opened the window, and an inviting view greeted us!

Naturally, the nice weather pulled us out of bed, and into the streets of downtown Seattle!  Our original plan was to visit the Seattle Museum of Art and the Aquarium, and smaller places in between, and then the Space Needle in the late afternoon to evening to watch the city lights. Given our late start, however, we decided to prioritize the Aquarium during the day thinking that it should be interesting to visit the aquarium of a harbor city like Seattle.  So, from the Westin, we headed to the Union St. along 5th Ave. towards the Alaskan Way.  The towering building that is the former IBM Seattle HQ beckoned us to walk further along 5th Ave. towards University St. before

Very happy to see some of Seattle's not-so-hidden gems
as we walked around downtown.

turning towards Alaskan Way.  We were glad that we did so because, not only is the Seattle Museum of Arts along University St., the  Fairmont Olympic Hotel and the Benaroya Hall - home of the Seattle Symphony, were also in that street.  And, the Garden of Remembrance was also located in the area, and we were so happy to see it because, to be honest, we did not expect to find it there.  The understated monument was meant to honor some 8,000 residents of Washington State who fought in different wars, from World War II to Afghanistan.  There were passages from poems and personal letters exchanged between the soldiers and their families.  We found two names of soldiers who were stationed in the Philippines... and it was quite sobering, given our surging vacation spirits.

After checking out Garden of Remembrance, we crossed the 2nd Ave. towards the Harbor Steps.  The little city 'nook' was in between two condominium buildings with cozy-looking little coffee shops, and many little places to sit, read, work, and just admire the harbor below towards Alaskan Way. A gentleman was walking his dog, a very cute and friendly rough collie named Annie.  She spontaneously ran and jumped with happiness towards me when I said hello to her.  It was a cheerful and warm little moment in a supposed 'cold' city, and I loved it!

The tour of the Seattle Aquarium was a competition for space with a 'multitude' of screaming, giggly or nerd-out kids and kids-at-heart... and those include the marine lives themselves!  Until now, I

Experiencing the homey and fun Seattle Aquarium.

 cannot figure out whether that was a good part of the Seattle trip or not.  Good because the displayed collection was not bad at all and the volunteers who enthusiastically guided us did more than a satisfactory job; 'not' because I have already been to the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland, the Aquarium at Monterey Bay, and that one in Singapore... and those set the bar very high!  They may not have a dolphin show in Seattle, and that's a shame, but I did have a lot of laugh just watching the sea otters and the seals do their thing.  They are hilarious creatures - without even trying.  I also loved the kids' reactions towards the colorful fishes in the pacific habitat.  "Neemo, where are you?  I'm here for you, Neemo," said one - with real feelings.  Another said, "Mom, this is stressful, there are so many Dorys here! Which was is the real Dory?" I swear, the kid was not kidding.  My sister had fun playing with the sea urchins... I did, too!

From the Aquarium, we went walking back to the Pike Place.  We sort of given up on getting a latte at the original Starbucks but we were determined to eat late lunch-early dinner at the Pike Place Chowder.  As it was 3:30 pm already by the time we reached Post Alley at the Pike Place where the

Sampling the very popular clam chowder of the
Pike Place Chowder and chocolates of Gosanko Chocolate.

 world-renowned eating place was, we thought we'll find a little place to sit and enjoy our chowder. Boy, we were so wrong!  The little place was bursting to the seams.  So, we decided to buy our food there instead, and then headed back to the hotel to enjoy our chowder experience. We also swung by the little chocolate shop at the Post Alley, Gosanko Chocolate, to get dessert.  The variety of chocolates in that place was insane... and we went 'crazy' that we ended up spending more than what we planned to spend!  Oh, well... it's chocolates.

People who recommended the Pike Place Chowder were not kidding.  Their clam chowder was DE.LI.CIOUS, I could cry!  And, I do believe that we made the right decision to bring the food to our hotel room.  I am quite sure that the coziness of the room added to the flavor of the New England

Sleepiness made us settle for this view rather than the
360 deg view of Seattle from the Space Needle.

 clam chowder in Pike Place Chowder's very own hall-of-fame recipe.  It was so rich and so filled with chunks of clams; and the balanced flavors enhanced by herbs and spices were quite unforgettable.   

So, yeah, it was great!  The only thing is, after eating the clam chowder and half of our lobster rolls, the invitation of our cozy beds prevailed... we took a nap!  By the time we overcame sleepiness, it was almost dark, and we had to reschedule our visit to the Space Needle.  Rather than watching the Seattle lights from the famed tower, we settled for watching a little part of Seattle from our hotel window... until sleepiness once again took over.  Oh, well... 'tomorrow is another day.'

To be continued....

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Photo credits:  All the photos used in this entry are mine.  

Getting fascinated...

...in the South of mainland China.
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by PAM

Chinese snacks define 'assortment' in a different level.

I recently traveled to mainland China, and people found it strange that it was my first time to travel to the mainland.  To be honest, apart from visiting the Great Wall of China and the Forbidden City someday, the tourist in me haven't really given China much thought.  I enjoy Hong Kong and Macau, and it was enough for me.  I've also visited Taiwan, which was a fascinating place, and I thought these were enough Chinese experience for me. Many of my friends, of course, do not agree, especially those who've traveled or lived in the mainland.  So, I kept my options open.

I thought one of these days, I'd visit mainland China and do all the 'touristic' stuff... but I didn't realize I'd do it soon enough. I traveled for work to Shenzhen, a major city in the

The Wuzhou Guest House: where State Visitors in
Shenzhen stay. 

Guangdong Province in the south of China. It is considered the "gateway" to mainland China, via Hong Kong.  But because I was traveling on very tight schedule for work, I did not really get to explore the City.  I did stay in the famed Wuzhou Guest House on Shennan Road, which gave me a view of one of the best parts of the City.  But I felt 'cocooned' inside.  The place was surrounded by high-end Malls, towering buildings of Shenzhen's financial district and a huge golf course.  The hotel food was very good but was not in any way 'traditional' Chinese.  They served mostly continental food with some Asians thrown in here and there.  Or, perhaps, we were given the 'continental treatment'. On the last evening of my stay, I did check out more popular eating places that locals frequent.  I loved the eating places, especially those located in buildings where one pass through labyrinth-like passage ways finding hip Chinese restaurant at every turn.  The passage ways opened up occasionally to coffee and/or tea shops on open decks, adorned with vertical gardens.  And then, the hallways seemed to invite you again to the 'labyrinth', to winding stairways that went round and round the building with walls that were a work of art... and it was hard to resist.  More eating places lined up hallways.  The colors and decor of some are truly striking - a mix of traditional Chinese and very modern glitter.  There was one with purple decor and very posh smallish chandeliers.  It had wing-back seats, ottomans and bean bags that were in purple velvet sewn with glassy studs. And there were vases of pale colored blooms everywhere you turned, which balanced the striking purple.  Some played music... that I didn't recognize, but definitely sounding current and edgy.  Perhaps, from local artists with international aspirations. I never imagined that "hip" and "Chinese restaurant" would ever be used in one sentence... but there was no other way to describe the scene.  You wouldn't believe that you were in mainland China (at least, based on how people describe mainland China) because it had that vibrant Hong Kong vibes about it...

When in China, gotta buy authentic chinaware.

and some restaurants felt like some hip restaurant in Berkeley, California.  Very surprising, indeed.  

I had a huge dinner in the hip side of town with colleagues that I met in the conference that I attended.  Authentic Guangdong food was quite spicy but very tasty.  They had a variety of reptile meat dishes, which I was not feeling too adventurous to try.  So, I went for the more traditional choices, which were all delicious.  After dinner, I squeezed out time to explore the local shopping center where locals hangout and where locally made products were sold.  People, mostly young people, were dressed like "Westerners", and they were tinkering with their gadgets like most people in cosmopolitan Western cities do. They had an assortment of products that looked very tempting to buy, and they were mostly very affordable.  I got myself a pretty paper fan painted with traditional Chinese scenes, and a set of placemats and chopsticks - so pretty. 

I explored one supermarket just to see what people buy... they have tons of snacks and lots and lots of tea products!  Just amazing!  I took one of each kind that I can find, and that I can afford 😊 - mostly out of curiosity.  Some of which I brought home so my family and friends at work can have a taste.  The fruit tea and the flower tea was more than fascinating, and they taste wonderful. And, since I was in China, I did check out posh chinaware stores.  My mouth watered at the sight of those beautifully crafted stuff they have, but all were very, very pricey.  I bought a memento... just a little something that someone like me can afford, which wasn't all that much really. 😐

Did I like my first visit to mainland China?  Yes, I did.  It was actually a good visit.  Most people did not speak English, but they were very accommodating, they tried communicating using figures and numbers in their cellphone.  And they were very patient, too. Do I want to return to China for more 'touristic' activity?  Certainly.  When?  Oh, work comes to mind... and I feel stressed out again. *sigh*  Writing here usually has that 'magical' therapeutic effect on me... but, this time, it's not working all that well.  I guess, stress from work has reached an insurmountable level, I completely lost work-life balance.  I've grown dull, lost my sense of humor, and my love for adventure and fun.  

I need a break - very badly.  And I intend to take one.

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Sunday foodie

A little sweetness from Italy...
...to wash away the bitter taste of peace and order situation in Southern Philippines.

I was inspired by this on-line post on NY Times, "My Rome: Still a classic beauty", to reminisce about Italy.  I know it's only been a few months - four months to be exact, since my visit to Italy.  The memories should be quite fresh. Therefore, 'reminisce' may not be the most suitable word to describe the longing that I feel, just thinking about the places and the wonderful people that I met there... not to mention the food! 😋 

'Classic beauty'... how very appropriate, how very true though.  Having seen three other places besides Rome, I imagine that applies to most places in Italy.  I wish very much to go back.  I wish it's as simple as closing my eyes, and opening them in the middle of Rome.  And yet, my heart is glued to Manila as news on the Resort World Manila incident continue to unfold, and the peace and order situation in Marawi, Mindanao remains precarious.  Sometimes, I wonder, what are we, actually, fighting about?  I understand that there are many annoying things happening around us, and there are many annoying,

even infuriating, people that usually challenge our patience but, certainly, there are more wonderful and beautiful things to celebrate about - as one global community.  Can we not just concentrate on the latter?  Surely, it's easier.

One such 'wonderful' thing is this featured chocolate in this post, which is the cremino pistacchio cubes of Venchi.  It is a three-layer treat comprised of a layer of milk pistachio gianduja between two layers of white pistachio gianduja.  It is made in accordance with the traditional Piedmont chocolate making where hazelnut paste (gianduja) makes up roughly a third of the confection.  It tastes heavenly and it provides that silky sensation in the mouth that definitely enhances the experience of indulging one's chocolate craving.  It's soft enough to melt in the mouth yet firm enough for a clean bite.  So good, indeed! 😋

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Photo:  A photo of cremino pistacchio by Venchi, which I bought in a Venchi store in Bologna, Italy during my visit in January-February 2017.

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Foodie gone hungry

Food, but not foodie-ing.

Too sick to decide which food tastes  worthy of a foodie's 'sophisticated' palate, and which is just good enough to fill an empty stomach that's acting up... if a messed up stomach is possible at all for a foodie, that is!  I guess it is... if the foodie is stressed out because of an "overflowing plate".  

Yeah, I know what you're thinking, how does one with an overflowing plate end up with an empty stomach?  In that case, I tell ya, many "empty stomachs" are empty because their owners have "overflowing plates"!  And, this has nothing to do with greediness as well... it's all about commitment.  To what?  To honest service.  And is it worth it?  I guess only time will tell.  But, what I do know with certainty is that no service is worth anybody's time if it wasn't meant to please Him... He who is the beginning and the end.

Empty stomach... it's better than empty life, empty soul, or no soul at all.  *sip*  Oh, boy... that is good!    

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Photo credit:  I took the photo... and I made it look like the food was not to-die-for good.

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Foodie-ing...

...in between holiday shopping.
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by PAM


For the longest time, my nephew and I had been looking for the "perfect liempo".  We have gone to many eating places, trying their versions of liempo.  Some were good while others were lame excuse for good old liempo.  So the search continued... until recently.  

We were Christmas shopping for fresh produce and sea foods in one of the newest malls in Quezon City - Fisher Mall.  So, while joining the Metro crowd Christmas rush, we got

Limited choices in the menu... but all are very good.

hungry.  As the more popular restaurants were all crowded, we found ourselves eating in a small restaurant on the third floor of the Mall. 

The restaurant is called Sweet Chili Thai Fish and Noodle House, and it's a part of the Gerry's Grill Group. It's small but tidy and with a pleasing ambiance of understated neighborhood-restaurant class. The service was satisfactory, too.  The staff showed concern for their guests without being too annoyingly eager.  The menu was quite limited for our liking.  However, as we discovered later, they are merely starting (they opened only last September 2014, and the Fisher Mall branch is the first) so, perhaps, they don't really need an expansive menu at the moment.  Besides, as we pleasantly discovered later, all the dishes they currently offer were very good, not to mention very affordable!  The restaurant features Thai dishes with Filipino twist, or Filipino dishes with Thai twist.  My nephew and I were very surprised to have found grilled liempo in their menu.  Naturally, as Sweet Chili is supposed to be a Thai restaurant, we did not have much expectations... therefore, we were pleasantly surprised when the liempo we ordered was served.

Grilled liempo: tender, juicy...
...and with the lemon sauce, it was perfect!

The meat was grilled just right - tender and juicy, and it looked and smelled absolutely mouthwatering.  When we tasted it, it didn't disappoint. It was delicious and satisfying on its own.  And, when dipped in the mildly spicy lemon sauce - the Thai touch, we supposed - it was perfect!  So, yeah, it seems that the search is over... we have found our "perfect" liempo.  We went back twice after our first visit, and tried the liempo each time... the quality was consistent - delicious, perfect for our taste.      

My nephew and I also tried their bagoong fried rice, which was jasmine rice, fried and

Bagoong fried rice - a big hit.

made to taste with one of Philippines' fave condiments, bagoong (fermented fish with salt).  It was topped with small slices of freshly cooked and tasty pork adobo, sliced fried scrambled egg, green mango strips, thinly sliced red onion and a twist of cilantro.  The adobo heightened the exotic flavor of the fried rice while the mango strips and the onion brought contrast to the smooth saltiness of the rice and the meat.  Just like the grilled liempo, the bagoong fried rice serving size was large enough to be shared by two adults.  In fact, if we did not know that they served liempo, we would have been contented with the bagoong fried rice.    

As I am a big fan of Pad Thai, we also tried their version of this well-loved Thai dish.  We

Pad Thai - "old dish", nice touch.

opted for that one with fried scrambled egg. Needless to say, we were not disappointed at all. The balance between the sweetness and sourness, and how the mild spiciness bound the two for a satisfying gastronomic experience was spot-on.  The variation of textures, starting from the noodles that were cooked just-right to the crunchiness of the vegetable ingredients, made eating interesting and fun. Yep, it was delicious!  Even my nephew, who was not a fan of Pad Thai, became a 'believer'. :) 

We finished our meal up with Thako - a Thai dessert.  It is a soft pudding wrapped in banana leaf, and topped with browned grated mature coconut meat.  The Sweet Chili version had two pudding layers, a green translucent one (tapioca) at the bottom with the distinct flavor of pandan, and a white opaque layer on top with a rich flavor of coconut milk but with thinner consistency. One order of Thako came in six pieces, therefore, it was great for sharing. And, when shared by two people only, it can indeed be a sweet treat!  Yep, it was a perfect ending to a truly satisfying meal.    

Thai Thako - perfect ending!

As I said, after our first visit, we visited again twice within the same week, with different companions.  In one of our visits, we tried their Tom Yum soup with shrimps.  It was awesome - one of the best I've tasted so far.  Needless to say, all our companions were as gastronomically satisfied as we were.  

If Sweet Chili is trying to become a "neighborhood eating place" with an easy-going ambiance and with budget-friendly food choices as well, I believe they will find success.  The mix of Thai and Pinoy tastes is a good formula as well... but Sweet Chili's real ace is that they found the perfect blend of these tastes to appeal to most Filipinos. As we observed a number of seemingly satisfied foreign customers during our visits, I believe their blend also captures other cultures' fancy.

So, are we going to visit again? Aw, definitely!

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All photos used in this post are mine.

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Sunday foodie

Midnight snack... it's worth it!

I know, it's been... what, forever?  I mean, since the last time I had a "Sunday foodie" post, that is.  And, I'm sure ya know what that means.  If foodie post was getting compromised, some "grown-up stuff" (translation: work) must be "getting in the way".  In other words, my life is getting "boring" again.  Then again, that's technically inaccurate... 'cause I don't have a life!  Aw, well....  

But right now, I think this corner deserves some 'feeding'... so, let's do a Sunday foodie - midnight snack edition.  And, since this is like the "re-birth" of the foodie post, we can go completely off the healthy road, and go junk!  Ice cream!  Oh, yeah!  And why not?  My body's weight regulation kit is going bunkers anyway, it's stuck at 60 kg, so why care?  Another kg wouldn't hurt, would it?

Anyway, it's my first time to try this brand of ice cream... I have no expectations, so it was good, ya can actually chew on the fruits they promised on the label, never mind that the fruits are preserved.  We, food scientists, understand completely... aside from safety issues, it isn't all that easy to disperse fresh fruits in the ice cream matrix. The sugar coating helps the fruits to 'cling' to the matrix.  I gotta say though that the manufacturer of this brand earned my respect at an instant... 'cause did ya notice how they put water and refined sugar in the lead of the "Ingredients" roll-call?  Isn't that downright honest and brave?  It is!  Therefore, I'll have another dish-full!  Wish me luck. :)

Oh, and by the way, in case you're planning to follow my midnight food adventure example and decide to have this fic ice cream for yer own midnight snack, please do follow the instruction to keep it frozen at -18 deg. C.  All that water gives it that soggy texture if not frozen properly... and the fruits tend to settle at the bottom, 'preserved' notwithstanding!  Good luck! :)

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Saturday photo

Life is like a jar of candies...
...in whatever we do, we have a choice. 

Bright red?  Cherry flavor?  Strawberry?  Water melon?  or, cheerful green?  Wacky yellow banana?  Cool blue popsicle?  

What suits you?  What are you in the mood for?  What do you crave for?  What are you passionate about?  

What do you believe in?  Faith?  Love?  The Truth?  

What defines  you?  You have a choice.  

Choose wisely.

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0.45 caliber day



'0.45 caliber celebration'... no pomp.


Gone are the 'rich chocolate' and 'sugary decorations' birthday cake days... we have moved to the 'yogurt-based icing' and 'fruit filling' 'healthy cake' birthdays. :)  However, the manner of celebration remains the same... a day of quiet contemplation - no pomp, an 'accounting' of what has been and what has not - and appreciating all of them, relishing the sweetness and the awesome beauty of the joyful blessings received, and giving hearfelt thanks to their generous Giver.  

45 years... whew!  'What a journey it has been!' 

Forward, always forward...

Onward, always up...

Catching every drop of hope in my empty cup.

... I won't let the darkness in, what a journey it has been.

Appreciative, thankful, and awestruck - that's what I am.  Ah, God is good!  Our God is good!


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Video credit:  Thanks, YouTube, for the videolink.

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Sunday foodie

Colors, flavors, texture...

Talk about variety... here's a slew of V-A-R-I-E-T-Y!

...they've got it all covered... uhm, sealed, in fact! 

My sister brought these colorful guys home sometime back, and they sat in the fridge for awhile.  Nope, we're not really die hard pudding people obviously.  But, in one of those late nights/early mornings of football (from halfway around the globe) when our chips cupboard wasn't sufficiently replenished with our reliable all-time faves to muffle the noise of incredible excitement, watching Lionel Messi break this and that record, I settled for these colorful guys. 

Hmmm... they were firmer than most puddings.  They resist shear and compressive pressure quite well, but they easily yield to puncture, so spooning was interesting - you need to pay attention.  And, hmm... there were cubes of nata de coco scattered in the pudding matrix... interesting enough.  Science-wise, that wasn't a big challenge... but a smart move, in terms of product development because that made the texture and taste less predictable at every bite, therefore not all that short on the exciting-flavor-variety and layered-texture criteria I usually set for satisfactory foodie experience.  So, yeah... they weren't so bad - for pudding, that is.  And, yep, they're made in the region, too... Malaysia.    

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Sunday foodie

Another day of enjoying a Pinoy snack.
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by PAM


The other day my sister and I were in a "snacky mood".  So, we checked out our cupboard of snacks... there are a number of choices, but none appealed to us - surprisingly.  We thought of baking something creamily and sweetly decadent... but, on second thought, we weren't really in the mood for anything sweet.  "How about balut," she asked.  Hmmm... too indulgent.  Green mango with bagoong and siling labuyo?  Nah, too "to-die-for" for a regular snack... and we're not "emotionally prepared" for that!  Haha...  At least, we knew we were both thinking Pinoy street food!  Fish balls?  isaw?  adidas?  okoy?  Huh...  OKOY! Jackpot!

But UP (University of the Philippines) is too far to drive from our place, especially it was close to rush hours, traffic would kill our appetite.  Not to worry, we have...


...Mommy's!  A "depot" of Pinoy delicacy classics...

 ...and it's just "two stop lights" away. :)  So, to "Mommy's" we went... and, boy, was it a "torture" to see so many, many (maaaaany) mouthwatering Pinoy goodies!  But we've made up our minds... okoy was it for us!



Irresistible!  Whew!

 Okoy (shrimp fritters) is a common Pinoy snack or appetizer.  It is a delectable mix of shrimps (shells and heads included... aaaw!), bean sprouts, sweet potato and/or tofu, gathered in a flour batter (preferably rice flour for extra crisp), shaped in small- to medium-sized flat patties, and fried until brown on both sides.  Eating it is enjoyed best while it is still warm and at its optimum crispyliciousness, and sprinkled with or dipped in vinegar sauce with minced garlic and onion (chopped chili pepper, optional).   

Want some?  Maybe, it's time to locate the nearest Mommy's in your neighborhood on Google map or Foodspotting app on your iPhone/iPad?  Or... c'mon, just make some!


Crrruuuuuuunch....

Oh, and don't forget to sanitize your hands, and just eat with 'em for maximum enjoyment!  Hmmm... simple joys, simply Pinoy!  Indeed, it's more fun in the Philippines! :)

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Sunday foodie

One bite... and you get lost in all that sweetness and creamy taste, mingling with slightly burnt aroma, stuffed together in a variety of textures...


Egg pie!

...just insanely delicious! Simple joys, simple wants, simple recipe and procedure... simply Pinoy!  Hmm, life is good!

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Pinoy street food...

...delicious - according to CNN! :)
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by PAM


As has been illustrated a few times in this blog, my family and I patronize Pinoy street-food. :)  In fact, on our table right now, is a left-over balut from an evening snack yesterday, and in our fridge is left-over sweet corn from this afternoon's snack that our father bought from his "regular" (or suki) roving vendor who rounds the Village every afternoon.  Even our doggie usually joins me sampling taho in the morning, bought from the street vendor, while enjoying the morning sunshine! :)  Therefore, we were ecstatic to find a feature on Pinoy street food on CNN International's CNN GO. :)


A street food stall at the University of the Philippines,
which my family and I last visited while on Visita Iglesia last month... yum!


There is also a wonderful, wonderful feature on Pinoy street food on the May issue of "Appetite" magazine, published by One Mega Group, Inc.  The photos are  fantastic (they're guaranteed to make your mouth water... uhm, you may consider that a warning, too!) and the recipes are for keeps - really worth reading.

Ah, truly, a visit to the Philippines is never complete without trying our street food... which is one of the reasons why "it's more fun in the Philippines"!  :)

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