The Armchair Critic

Nakatikim ka na ba ng Luto ng Pinoy Junior MasterChef?

2012-01-19T16:05:00.015+08:00

Last week, I accompanied my nephew, Kyle Imao to Pancake House in Trinoma. Kyle is one of the kiddie cooks in ABS-CBN's top-rating Junior MasterChef Pinoy edition. As of this writing, he is part of the Lucky Seven. I didn't consider it a task to chaperone Kyle because 1) I like hanging out with this twelve year old and 2) I love eating at Pancake House. An added bonus, I also got to see other Junior MasterChef contestants Miko, Caitlin and Jobim.

Kyle posing with the JMC posters in front of the Pancake House

From Left to Right: Miko, Caitlin, Jobim and Kyle

The four kiddie cooks were presented to the press and fellow food bloggers. I was one proud aunt as I watched Kyle, whom I've always known to be quiet and shy, answer the interview questions with aplomb. His confidence and discipline has really increased, thanks to his positive experiences in the show.

Question and answer portion

When asked who he considered to be his biggest threat in the competition, he replied, "Miko, because he is a very good cook and he is also very good in plating." When asked the same question, Miko answered that his biggest competition is Kyle for almost the same reasons. Mutual admiration society? But truly, it was gratifying to watch the kids' camaraderie and friendship even if in the show they test their cooking skills against each other.

Kyle and Jobim

A few things haven't changed in Pancake House. They still have those big movie posters, they still serve my favorite fried chicken and everything is still orange. But they have something new that you have got to try.

Chef Adrian Azurin of Pancake House and Ms. Kathy Solis of ABS-CBN

Pancake House now serves dishes inspired by the young kiddie cooks. Chef Adrian Azurin, who also started cooking at a very young age, presented the dishes to us. He explained how he watches Pinoy Junior MasterChef (aired every Saturday after Wansapanataym and every Sunday after Goin' Bulilit) looking for dishes that would fit the Pancake House menu. Of course, the dishes created by the Junior MasterChefs couldn't be replicated exactly because of the availability of ingredients and the cooking process, but he assures us that each JMC-inspired dish is a culinary masterpiece. Just like what the kiddie cooks produce in the Junior MasterChef kitchen.

Pancake House and ABS-CBN staff with the four Junior MasterChef contestants

Six Junior MasterChef meals are available at all Pancake House branches. Chef Azurin said that more dishes inspired by the Junior MasterChefs will be served until end of March 2012.

Cabbage Lumpia in Coconut Breading (P175)

Rice in Ampalaya Silog (P235)

If you've ever felt really hungry after watching Junior MasterChef on TV, rush to the Pancake House nearest you and have a healthy plate of Cabbage Lumpia in Coconut Breading or a fully loaded meal of Baby Back Ribs served with Warm Bacon Potato Salad and Corn on the Cob. So next time you see the Junior MasterChefs on TV, you can say you've tasted their cooking.

I think these two guys ordered the same things from the extensive menu.

Public Disclosure: As I mentioned, I happened to escort Kyle at the food event featured above. Since I have a food blog, I asked the public relations staff present in the event if I could write about it. I also mentioned that since Kyle is my nephew, my write-up would feature how I experienced this event with him. I was given permission to do so.

BIZUrprised

2009-04-20T14:15:00.009+08:00

If you love desserts as much as I do, chances, are you've already been to Bizu Patisserie & Cafe. My first visit, I was first drawn to the deep purple colors in the cafe's facade and once I was inside, there was no turning back. Imagine being welcomed by rows and rows of these.

Drool...my eyes are immediately drawn to the chocolatey creations.

Sugarless for those who want their cake and eat it, too.

Ahhh...chocolates, how do I love thee?

The thing about desserts is, how it looks is as great a draw as how it tastes. And I've met many desserts I've loved at first sight, only to be disappointed at first bite. Not so at Bizu. They use high quality ingredients and they don't scrimp, so what you see is what you get.

I've visited Bizu many times and I can't say that I've tasted all they have to offer. While I would love to taste everything - all the flavors of their Macarons de Paris (no, these are not the coconut macaroons we are used to), for instance - I never will because Bizu introduces new gastronomic creations every month. I will never be able to catch up to their prolific chefs.

Macarons de Paris assorted flavors

For these hot summer months, Bizu has come up with unique and enticing Summer Sorbets which come in five cool combinations - Raspberry and Merlot, Lemon and Ginger, Passion Fruit and Mango, Green Apple and Mint, and Lychee and Vanilla. Now, sorbets are usually served between dishes to cleanse the palate, but there is nothing usual with Bizu. You can have your sorbet any which way you want. After a meal of pasta before moving on to a dessert of cakes and pastries, or as the main dessert itself. These unique blends of pureed summer fruits make for the perfect frozen desserts to cool you down. These are all served in chilled shot glasses and one set of five is only P285.00, so be sure to taste all. Or share the five with friends. Just a reminder, when these are served, stop the conversations and dig in. You want your sorbets frozen, not melted. You can ooh-and-ahhh afterwards.

Summer Sorbets to cool you

I like the Lychee and Vanilla flavor, I guess, because my taste buds are no stranger to the taste of lychee. And vanilla always makes desserts smell and taste better. But then I like the Raspberry and Merlot, too. Chef Sander explained that he reduced the merlot so, no, you will not get drank on the Merlot, there's only the slightest hint of its presence. Passionfruit and Mango is kinda crunchy with those passionfruit seeds. I wasn't so enamored with the Apple and Mint, the apple bits were chewy but ruined the smoothness of the mint for me. Lemon and Ginger, a more common combination reminded me of the salabat my aunt makes when I have a sore throat, so I shied away from it psychologically, hahaha.

Yoga cake gives bliss to both mind and body.

Bizu's most recent masterpiece is the Yoga cake - a blissful union of tropical passion fruit and hearty yogurt, spread with just the right amount of lemon custard, placed in between layers of moist sable and genoise sponge. It is a smooth mousse cake with a chewy cookie dough-like base. It is a very light cake and while I loved its texture, I missed the sweetness of traditional cakes. But then again, I am partial to chocolate so if you love the strong flavor of fruits this is perfect for you.

There are many other delights I love at Bizu that I was lucky enough to try out with friends recently.

Afternoon (tea) delight taken in many levels.

Classic scones go perfectly with Strawberry Balsamic Jam,
Chantilly Cream and Whipped Butter

Petit Croque Monsieur, Petit Herbed Chicken Feta in Ciabatta, Madeleine

Mushroom Duxelle in Vol-au-Vent, Salmon with Dill Pistachio Mousseline

on Pate Brisee, Caramelized Apples with Brie on Croute

Macarons, Chocolate Truffles, Opera Cake, Mango Chiboust

And did you know that their breads, which go perfectly with their jams are 30% off after 6 pm? My kids who don't like bread loved the ciabbata and focaccia so much that I can see myself going back to Bizu soon. Sigh. Not soon enough for my already hungry stomach.

Bizu Branches:

Greenbelt 2
G/L Greenbelt 2, Ayala Center, Makati City
Tel. Nos.: 757-BIZU • 757-4749

Greenhills
The Promenade, Greenhills Shopping Center
Tel. No.: 724-2498 • 726-2496

Glorietta 4
3/L Glorietta 4, Ayala Center, Makati City
Tel. Nos.: 757-2086

Alabang Towncenter
G/L Corte Delas Palmas, Alabang Town Center, Muntinlupa City
Tel. No.: 809-BIZU • 772-1917 • 772-1918

C' Italian Dining

2009-04-03T16:19:00.013+08:00

I had always wanted to write about one of my favorite restaurants but I kept putting it off, mainly because I get cravings whenever I look at the photos I took. Since it's located about two hours from where I live, it's not too easy to satisfy these cravings. I don't have the luxury of pretending I was naglilihi (pregnant with unusual midnight cravings which should be indulged or else...) and I do have to rely on The Artist for transportation. Now, even while he is a fan of Chef Chris, you can't always count on him to indulge my every whim. That's what 11 years of marriage and not naglilihi get you. But today, I am excited to share this restaurant with you because I know that tomorrow my cravings will be more than satisfied.

I still remember exactly when The Artist and I "discovered" C' Italian in Angeles City - January 16, 2005. I had a reunion with high school friends and The Artist and I decided to stay overnight in Clark. We decided to forgo our usual sisig ni Aling Lucing sa riles and eat somewhere smoke-free and air-conditioned for a change. I had read about an exciting new Italian restaurant in Angeles but didn't take note of the name (duh!) I assumed that the hotel where we were staying would know of the restaurant. Unfortunately, the receptionist couldn't even recommend us to a dining venue outside of their own coffee shop (double duh!) So DH and I decided to just cruise along the perimeter of Clark Air Base, hoping to spot the place. Minutes into our ride, we saw the sign "Italian" looming like a beacon in front of us, we just took the chance that it was the right place. Since we were tired and hungry, and The Artist was getting testy, I swear I almost heard a chorus sing, "Allelujah!"

When we walked in, we were immediately struck by the cozy feeling of the interiors. (It was quite small back then, they had since expanded.) The menu offered extensive (and expensive) choices. Now, as you may know, The Artist is quite particular about his pasta. He doesn't like paying for food that he himself could cook quite well at home. Now, since we weren't sure if this was the place I read good reviews about, he was quite hesitant to order - especially when nothing in the menu appealed to him. He finally settled for the seafood pasta, but with very specific instructions to the wait staff for "olive oil and just a hint of tomatoes, etc., etc." He basically ordered something that was not in the menu!

A few minutes later, this not-so-tall foreign looking guy, who could only be the chef, came striding out of the kitchen. I warned The Artist, "Hala ka, hayan na yung chef. Lagot ka!" Chef Chris turned out to be a very friendly fellow. He just wanted to confirm The Artist's instructions for himself. The Artist described what he wanted and Chef Chris got it perfectly. When The Artist tasted his pasta, he had nothing but praises for the Chef. And so that was how we met jovial uber-talented Chef Chris. Every time we visit C, The Artist would order the same dish, still not on the menu, and Chef Chris would know exactly who it was for.

Indeed, the pasta dishes at C are a gustatory delight. But, C has something else to offer that is not found in other restaurants. We didn't have this the first time, but since then, countless visits after (sometimes twice a week), we've tried all the 10 or so versions. Only at C will you find the panizza - a novel way of eating pizza, guaranteed to have you licking your fingers and smacking your lips for more.

How to Eat a Panizza

The panizza is a thin pizza that you eat with fresh arugula leaves and alfalfa sprouts.

Make sure there's enough fresh arugula leaves and alfalfa sprouts for everyone. If you need more, just ask.

Enjoy the anticipation of tasting one of the best pizzas in the world.

It's okay to use your hands. Go ahead, do it.

Cut a long strip and top it with fresh arugula.

Roll it...

Roll it...

It may look like lumpia to you, but wait 'til you taste it.

Tastes like heaven. Enjoy!

I am getting too hungry now to think of words to describe the C dining experience so I will just let my photos do the talking.

Freshly-baked breads to chew on while waiting for your meal.

My favorite appetizer - slabs of deep-fried mozarella with lots of
mushrooms and fresh tomatoes.

A healthy plate of salad is always a good idea.

His favorite: Seafood Pasta Ali Oli. C' Italian does not scrimp on
ingredients so you definitely get fresh sea food that tastes like the sea.

Pasta with artichoke hearts

Their risotto is good enough for two persons. You can ask them to
split the servings which we did here.

Love that pesto dip and iced tea to chase it down.

If you don't want the iced tea, they have a fine selection of wines.

Four years already, and we still keep going back, each time discovering something new and confirming to ourselves that the last meal we had at C was not just a gastronomic dream.

Sometime in November, Chef Chris "took a break" and I don't know it it was psychological or the quality was affected, but I swear, the panizza didn't taste the same. We were ecstatic that after two weeks we received a text message from Chef Chris saying that he was back. So will we! Because when you eat at C, you will really hear heavenly voices singing, "Hallelujah!"

C' Italian Fine Italian Dining
1210 Don Juico Avenue
Angeles City
Open daily 11:30 am - 12 midnight
For reservations: (045) 892-4059

Culinary Irony

2009-03-27T06:59:00.011+08:00

So I don't like to cook. I discussed that at length in my very first post. But I do love to eat. And I have been lucky enough to be well-fed while escaping the tediousness of making menus, understanding recipes and (heaven forbid) marketing at the talipapa. (Sorry, traumatic childhood experience at the wet market involving mud and pig's blood.)

In college, I lived in a dormitory where food was served everyday. Sure, the U.P. Food Service is not the best in the world, what with rumors of Band-Aid floating in the soup, but nobody ever had a bout of food poisoning. And when we've had enough of the food they served, there was always Rodics (a veritable landmark in the U.P. Campus), and if our allowance had just arrived, McDonald's.

I had also been lucky enough to room or share apartments with ladies who have the passion for cooking. I'd wake up in the mornings with pancakes (made from scratch) on the table. I was constantly amazed at their ability to open the cupboard (usually bare) and come up with something delicious. All without much planning, it seemed.

Even The Artist, when he was courting me, would visit bring raw ingredients for sinigang and cook them right before my admiring eyes. Now I know that cooking sinigang just involves throwing vegetables and meat in a potful of boiling water, but we are talking about me, remember? I can't even cook rice, so I was easily impressed.

So can you blame me that I never had the impetus to learn how to cook? Not even that awkward potentially deal-breaking moment when my future mother-in-law (MIL) after tasting my sister-in-law's dinengdeng, asked my mother, "Si Lee po ba, marunong ding magluto nito?" (My family exchanged meaningful stares while my mother giggled nervously). No, not even that close brush with losing my man during the traditional pamamanhikan could make me swear to learn. Cause I remember my MIL adding that The Artist took cooking lessons from Nora Daza. Well, at least, I knew I wouldn't starve and he would feed me in the manner I was accustomed to.

So imagine everyone's surprise when six years into the marriage, I enrolled in Heny Sison's Culinary School. My husband, not surprisingly, was very encouraging.

At the time of my enrolment (2003), Heny's school was offering two courses - The Essential Baking & Pastry Series(P65,000/22 days) and The Essential Cooking Series(P56,000/23 days). Being the dessert-lover that I am, I was most tempted to sign up for the former. But good sense prevailed so I signed up for the cooking series which offered both basic cooking and baking as opposed to baking only.

Yes, the course was expensive. But for anyone else to might be thinking if enrolling the price is worth it. I was given two sets of personalized chef's jacket and apron as well as a set of knives. (One of the first rules of the kitchen I learned was never to use other chef's knives.) The number of students was limited and the kitchens spacious so there was no fighting over ovens or stoves. The school has some of the best chefs in the Philippines (our class was handled by Chef Jill Sandique and Chef Jane Paredes). And, with the unlimited use of the facilities and equipment also came unlimited first class ingredients. The cupboards and refrigerators were well-stocked with ingredients indicated in the recipes. You can continue practicing during class hours until you got it right. And anything you made, you took home. (I think this was also the time I started to really gain weight.)

On the very first day, we were warned by Chef Jill that we would not learn to cook sinigang and adobo in class but that we would be learning French cooking. And so it was that I finall learned what a julienne meant and that bain-marie is not a biscuit. We had interesting recipes to work with every Saturday, from the simple to the complex. Egg cookery to souffles, stocks, broths. sauces, cakes, pastries. Of course, it goes without saying that my favorites involves sweets. I also enjoyed the company of my classmates, many of whom were taking the course as an entry point to being professional chefs. I guess that is why one certain chef ran her class like a military school, something I disagreed with. I enrolled to learn and to discover the joys of cooking, not to be shouted at. It was only after I watched Ratatouille that I fully appreciated that that kind of training might be essential to prepare chefs for the hustle and bustle of a hot kitchen. Buti na lang di ako nasabihan ng, if you can't stand the heat...hehehe.

On graduation day, we prepared a full course meal for our special guests. I am sorry I didn't save the menu, but we made everything from scratch - appetizers, soups, sherbet, meats, dessert. Everything was delicious and beautifully plated. As I was serving The Artist, I told him, "Huwag kang masasanay, ngayon lang ito," just in case he expected the same kind of service everyday. Mahirap na.

While I enjoyed the course, it didn't really change my mind about cooking. I still don't like it. It involves too much guess work or reliance on taste buds. You sometimes have to make adjustments to get it right. Now baking is another matter. I love it. You have to be so precise that there is no doubt that as long as you follow the recipe exactly, you will be rewarded with something great in the end.

I haven't put my apron and certificate to good use. It is only now, when the KiDS have grown enough to appreciate fine cooking and our budget for eating out has shrunk that I reached for my class notes again. And what do you know, I am beginning to enjoy cooking. I used to say after the course that I paid so much just to confirm to myself that I don't like cooking. But that might just change yet.

NOTE:
First photo courtesy of Au Lim, was taken during the PS-SE Mad Scrappers Party. I used my old uniform as a costume. Napagkamalan tuloy akong caterer. Grrr....

Second photo of Currant and Walnut Bread and Irish Soda Bread taken in class.

Third photo of Butter Loaves, Blueberry Muffins and Revel Bars with my Kitchen Aid and favorite cookie jar taken at home.

Baler

2009-01-05T18:02:00.005+08:00

Baler the love story of Feliza Reyes (Anne Curtis) and Celso Resureccion (Jericho Rosales) set against the backdrop of the 337 days Siege of Baler. Feliza is the daughter of a Filipino rebel commander while Celso is a soldier of the Spanish Army, the son of a Pampanguena and a Spaniard. Amidst war, Feliza and Celso struggle to keep their love alive. Feliza defies his father (Phillip Salvador) who hates the Spaniards with a fervor. Celso is a soldier loyal to the Spanish Army, even as his love for Feliza pulls him in the other direction.

The Siege of Baler is one of the more famous battles between Spain and the Philippines. By itself, it is an interesting and remarkable story. There are many human interest stories that happened during the siege, but what better than a love story? As Lope (Mark Bautista), Celso's friend says, "Love is difficult in times of war." It is these difficulties that the movie explores more than the historical events of 1898 - 1899.

I am quite surprised with the restrained acting of Anne Curtis. I initially resisted at the image of ABS-CBN's Dyosa playing a full-blooded dalagang Filipina. I didn't really believe that her mestiza looks and cutesy acting would do justice to the role. I am happy to be proven wrong. I didn't see the other entries to the Metro Manila Film Festival but I can understand why she won Best Actress. She was believable as the young woman in love with his father's mortal enemy. Did I say restrained?

For his acting skills, Jericho Rosales is no surprise. But again, my prejudice kicked in high gear when I learned he was playing a Spanish soldier. "But he's too dark! He's an indio!", I protested to my husband, who calmly tells me that perhaps Jericho was playing a half-breed (half mestizo, half indio). It galled me that my husband was right. Yet, again. It's too bad that Jericho didn't get any acting awards because he portrayed the beleaguered soldier so well. Although that part when he learned his pet dog Bravo's fate was a bit too contrived for me. Actually, the whole scene struck me as contrived. Parang pilit.

The movie's production is one of the best I've seen in awhile (although I must confess I do not watch too many Filipino movies as I sometimes end up just wanting to kill somebody...anybody.) Viva Films spent for the costumes and the props. The Filipino insurgents were authentically dressed in their rayadillos, as were the Spanish soldiers in their military regalia. Husband noted one glaring error though - the Filipino soldiers wearing their rayadillos a year before the siege. He's something of a history buff so he reminded me that during that time, there was no Pact of Biak-na Bato yet. The fledgling Philippine republic has not yet been born. Thus, no organized army. Ergo, no uniforms.

The script is good enough. Sure, there are some inconsistencies. For example, I think the mention of Manuel and Pedro Quezon was irrelevant. Maybe it was for the benefit of the Quezons' living descendants, some of whom still live in Baler. Joel Torre's character's reason for being back in the fray was also largely unexplained. Still you could almost believe that the fictitious characters of Celso and Feliza existed as their love story intertwined seamlessly with the events of the Baler siege. Or at least, they were supposed to be fictional, that is why the annotation at the end of the movie about the fate of one Celso Resurreccion, Jr. threw me for a loop. Husband is researching on that and I will share his findings with you soonest.

If you are going to see only one Filipino movie this year, let it be Baler and learn a bit more about our country's history in the process.

Twilight - The Movie

2008-11-27T16:58:00.003+08:00

Bella Swan (Kirsten Stewart) leaves sunny Phoenix, Arizona for Forks, Washington, one of the rainiest towns in the US. She expects to be miserable in a new town, a new high school, and a father she has only spent a few weeks each summer with. Until she meets the Cullens, that is. Glamorous, mysterious and quite aloof from the other students, the Cullens, particularly, the unattached Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) intrigue Bella.

It turns out the feeling is mutual. And though Edward, the self-proclaimed "most dangerous predator on the planet" tries to pull away, he is inexplicably attracted to Bella, no matter how clumsy she is or how flat she sounds in the movie). Despite that he is a vampire, who sparkles in the sunlight, his being a "vegetarian" (the Cullens feed only on animal blood) makes you feel that there is hope for the two yet. After all, he only has to resist making a meal out of Bella when they kiss and embrace passionately, so all should be well. That is, until other vampires who crave human blood come along, to emphasize the huge difference between the two. Bella's frailty and Edward's immortality.

This is the part when we should be drawn into the Romeo and Juliet-like love story. But I guess, I am too much a fan of the books to be drawn in completely.

Stephenie Meyers, the author of Twilight captured teenage angst and longing perfectly. The tension, sexual or otherwise, was quite palpable in the book. That was quite difficult to capture in a movie. I was quite surprised when Edward mentions that he has been watching Bella sleep for the past two months. That long? Nothing much has happened...

But then I tried to be forgiving, and to watch the movie though the eyes of someone who hasn't read the books. It delivers. Sure, many of the more fascinating details (like the individual personalities and histories) are missing, but all in all, one is able to appreciate the movie: human teenage girl meets immortal teenage vampire, they fall in love, must...overcome...obstacles, attend prom. And then a foreshadowing of a movie sequel. Good, good...can't get enough of Robert Pattinson (swoon).

Yup, I swooned, like any other Miriam colegiala in SM Marikina who cut classes, everytime there's a close-up of Robert. Although I did expect "and so the lion falls in love with the lamb" to have been delivered more dramatically.

Surprisingly, the character who made a huge impact on me is Jasper (and it's not only because I named our new puppy after him), but because, even without much speaking lines, you could plainly see his discomfort and apprehension at being with humans, whose blood he craves so much. At one scene, he swallows deeply, you can see his Adam's apple bob, when he smells Bella. Now that is acting. Hahaha.

There were lots of funny moments in the movie, too. A passionate kissing scene that was cut! No, not by Edward, but by the censors? (The movie trailers were more revealing - Kristen Stewart in granny panties - hehe.) An awesome baseball game and a final confrontation between the Cullens and nomad vampires.

When you do watch the movie, be smug that you actually read all four books, including the unfinished Midnight Sun. But don't expect the movie to follow the book entirely. There had to be some creative license on part of the screenwriter and the director to bring a 6-hour read into a two hour plus movie. You will enjoy it more.

And yes, watch it when all the teenagers are in school or safely home with their parents. It would be much quieter that way. Unless you are actually the one who does all the gasping and the shrieking.

Twilight Series

2008-11-12T22:39:00.005+08:00

It's been awhile since I've read a book that practically compels me to write a review about it. Or in this case, them. Not that there's been a dearth of books worth reviewing. Quite the contrary. It's just that there's never been so much buzz generated by a series of books since Harry Potter. If there were, I must be more out of touch than I initially thought.

Case in point. I have never heard of Twilight until Candy started raving about it about two weeks ago. The first book in the series, Twilight, first appeared in 2005. I must have been hiding under a rock, or (wishful thinking) in a forest in rainy, gloomy, Forks, Washington.

The Twilight series tell the story of sixteen year old human Bella Swan and eternally seventeen Edward Cullen, a vampire. I had a surfeit vampires with Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles, so I was a bit hesitant to read the books. Not another vampire story... Another thing that made me hesitate is the fact that the books are targeted towards young adults. Goodness, I have a son who is almost in that age range. How could I possibly relate to a human-vampire teenage love affair?

Well, I was a teenager once. And Twilight is not really about vampires.

Twilight is about relationships. Bella's connection with her estranged father, her relationship with her childlike mother, and yes, her involvement with Edward. About 3/4 of the book explores those. There is no vampire action until towards the end of the book. But the lack of action does not mean boring. It is sweet, exciting, revealing, full of angst. Suddenly, I was a teenager again - wondering if the boy I liked liked me back. Wondering what he was thinking. It just felt so wonderful to be high school again when the most complicated thing was you being afraid your boyfriend and his family might bite you. The author, Stephenie Meyers may have been trapped in a body of a high school junior as she perfectly tells the story of young forbidden love through Bella's voice. While some people think the some parts of the book are cheesy, look at it from a teenager's point of view. You'd be waxing lyrical, too. Then you'd understand the book's appeal.

Twilight creates its own vampire myths slightly different from Anne Rice's. The vampires here are still dangerous but more alive and human than not. In this book at least, Edward's being a vampire is just incidental. Sometimes you forget that he is a vampire. Take away his immortality, super powers and the fact that he is "dazzling", and he is just your regular guy next door. You are wrapped up too much in the story that everything and anything is possible. Even a lover like Edward Cullen. Sigh. Don't get me started there. :-)

I won't recommend Twilight to my 10 year old DS just yet. Although he's expressed interest to read it, I am not sure he's mature enough to handle the love story. Not when his last read was The Spiderwick Chronicles. While the book is "clean" - no swearing, no passionate kissing scenes - I'm sure the beauty of the relationships would be lost on him and all he will be able to say is "Eeeek..."

With all the hype and the buzz, Twilight does not disappoint. Just let yourself go. I did. And not only did I enjoy the books, I love discussing it with friends. It's been a long time since I've had the pleasure of trading book notes with anyone else. If only for that chance at active interaction, I'd read the series again...and again.

Sakura

2008-04-22T19:12:00.007+08:00

Last week, DH and I found ourselves chaperoning his parents to an affair at the Dusit Thani Hotel. Since we weren't officially in the guest list, we decided to grab some eats in nearby Glorietta.

Glorietta used to be the place I hang around during lunch break. Since I worked just across at the 6750 (that building along Ayala with the high-end shops and the Starbucks in the corner), it was very accessible. I know it was more cost-effective to just bring lunch to eat at the office pantry but by lunchtime, I usually had to be out of the office or go berserk. :-) Sometimes I ate alone, but more often, I ate with two other staff, who for their own personal reasons needed to be out of the office, too. We must have dined at all the eating places in Glorietta, from the ubiquitous Jollibee to Tony Roma's. Because there were so many choices, deciding what to eat wasn't much of a chore. But deciding where to eat was.

Anyway, I prevailed upon DH to have a quick meal at Sakura which is located at the second floor of Glorietta 4. Sakura (Japanese for cherry blossoms) is actually a Japanese Grocery and Restaurant. They set up tables and chairs outside their shop. Each as close as you can get dining al fresco inside an air-conditioned mall. It's not as crowded or chaotic as you might think, but chances are high someone you know or who knows you might pass by. So better take dainty bites with those chopsticks.

While Japanese restaurants in the Philippines usually have a reputation of being expensive, the food in Sakura is affordable. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that their prices didn't change much since I had my lunch breaks there.

We had my favorite dish, seafood teppandon. DH ordered the same. See those large chunks of tuna, shrimps, and squid? Yummy. Sakura does not scrimp on the ingredients though I could do with more rice.

DH decided to try something new so he ordered the Tuna Sashimi Salad. A tower of crispy noodles and vegetables with sashimi strips on the side. I don't often like my vegetables but I had to eat these under DH's watchful eye. It was no hardship, I assure you, because it was really good.

Sakura also has a branch in Mall of Asia.

The Old Spaghetti House

2007-05-17T06:52:00.002+08:00

I will have to make a confession. I pass by a branch or two of The Old Spaghetti House everyday and I often ignored it. In my mind, I lumped it with the "in" restaurants of my college days - Whistle Stop and Choo-Choo Junction - nothing new to offer. So TOSH was never in our list of restaurants to eat at.

Yesterday, there was a thread in our scrapping e-group about TOSH. Members usually in lurker mode came out of the woodwork to declare that TOSH is a good place to eat. When someone mentioned cheesecakes from The Cheesecake Factory, USA, I knew I had to give it a try. I am a cheesecake fanatic and next to Veniero's, I love the cheesecakes at The Cheesecake Factory.

While chatting on YM with Nita, she said we should eat at TOSH. And before we knew it, we had a date to raid Au's newly arrived balikbayan box and have late dinner at TOSH that very same day.

We went to TOSH St. Esguerra Avenue. The restaurant was quaintly decorated with hanging copper lamps and faux brick walls. An appetizing aroma drifted from the kitchen. There is a blackboard where a menu written in chalk hangs. I always love reading these chalkboards declaring the day's special. I always feel that there is something new to be discovered that is not in the regular menu. Today, the announcement is only about fresh fruit juices.

After the prerequsite "I was here" picture taking, Au ordered the Pasta Negra (pasta in squid ink sauce and crispy squid - Php95.00). This is what we were told was cooking in the kitchen when we walked in. (Amoy pa lang, panalo na.) When I was in college, my dormmate told me that spaghetti is not a good date food because it was messy to eat. And when you're trying to impress someone on a first date, messy isn't what you want to be. Now Pasta Negra definitely isn't date food, unless you are actually trying to scare away your date with black lips and teeth. But in this case the the Pasta Negra is worth the risk. Au declares it to be delicious.

I ordered the Pesto with Grilled Chicken (Php120) because Nina recommended it and because hubby rarely makes it at home. The pesto is quite tasty and I enjoy it. So do Au and Nita. (Note to self: buy fresh basil leaves and have hubby make pesto at home. Hmmm....do we stil have EVOO?)

Nita ordered the Gambas (Php165), the sauce of which had me begging for extra garlic bread to mop it up. I ate it like a bruschetta, lots of tomatoes and chili, if you please. We suspect though that the shrimps are not fresh as they are not firm to the bite.

Nita asked for dessert - Cheesecake with Blueberry (Php145) and Creme Brulee Royal (Php80) - to be served at the same time.

When Nita orders food, she orders alot because she wants to have a taste of everything. Au calls it takaw-mata. I call it grazing. Which is a good thing too because Au and I eat like cows. LOL. The grass always greener on someone else's plate.

Would you belive we ordered extra Pesto Pasta without the chicken? We liked the first plate so much we just had to have more. Sadly, it wasn't as good as the first. We think it's the grilled chicken that accounted for the difference in taste.

While Nita can eat dessert between bites of the main course, I always save the best for last. The cheesecake is, as expected, a much smaller slice than in Cheesecake Factory, and the blueberry came from the can, but it was still good. Velvety smooth and creamy the way I like it, it slides cleanly onto my fork, direct into my waiting mouth where it melts in a burst of cream cheese goodness.

The Creme Brulee comes in three flavors - regular, chocolate and citrus. Nita likes her Creme Brulee soft and creamy. Like Amelie, I like to crack the caramelized sugar on top. Sadly though, I think the chef was in a bit of a rush because not all the sugar was caramelized. We all agreed we liked the chocolate custard the best.

Our verdict? Why don't we let the plates speak for themselves?

And finally, the bill. Ignore Nita's facial expression. The meal didn't really break the bank. In fact, the cost of eating at TOSH is very very reasonable (especially since she paid for it. Thanks Nita.)

Sharing the Goodies

2007-02-22T16:53:00.000+08:00

It's been a while since I posted in this blog. Got side-tracked by a new-found love - scrapbooking. You can read about it at my scrap blog www.pinayscrapper.blogspot.com.

But that doesn't mean I've forgotten all about food. I mean, I still have to eat, right? And I do still take food photos. Except that sometimes the uploading gets to me. I am not the most patient person I know.

But anyway, I want to share with you a story. My kids had their Literacy Week last February 12 - 17. And I volunteered to help out with some activities. I think it's important for children to see their parents so involved in their school. Since I have three kids in the school, I prepared different activities for their classes.

For my gradeschool kids, I had a workshop on making an accordion mini-album. And for my pre-schooler, I assisted in their baking activity.

Well, we didn't exactly bake because the school had no facilities for that. So what I did was make brownies at home to bring the school. The plan was for the kids to make cookie cutter shapes and decorate them to give as a gift to their parents for Valentine's Day.

I baked two pans of my moist chewy brownies (crispy on the outside, soft and chewy in the inside). I distracted my kids with a movie video. Normally, I would have let them run free in the kitchen but I wanted to finish early because I had a dinner date with friends.

So here is the basic product.

Unfortunately, I do not have photos of the kids doing their thing because I was busy helping them use my cookie cutters.

But look at what they and their teachers did to wrap things up.

Isn't that beautiful? Any parent woud be proud to receive that. Not to mention, delicioso too.

Postscript:

When I bake, I really bake up a storm. I always feel I should make the most of the oven's heat and the cleaning up afterwards. It's not logical I know. But my stomach is not complaining...

I also baked Chocolate Chocolate Cookies. I got the recipe from the Allrecipes.com. I used Hershey's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips as the kids love it. My DH was a bit disappointed because he likes the cookies with Hershey's Mint Chips. Unfortunately, it wasn't available in the grocery.

Heaven Can't Wait

2006-08-16T14:10:00.001+08:00

Yes, that's what my four year old daughter asked me when we were at Heaven 'n Eggs in Tomas Morato. We were finally able to snag a parking space right in front of the restaurant. Parking space is always a premium in Morato.

The restaurant is bright and sunshiney. The pale blue walls with cloud paintings helped give that illusion. My daughters had fun counting the number of angels hanging from the ceilings. My son had a kick out of the waiters who were wearing wings.

The menu is quite extensive, but as the name indicates, this is a place where you could get eggs, primarily. Cooked any which way - scrambled, sunny-side up, poached, baked. With it's waffles and pancakes, it's actually an all-day breakfast place.

I knew the kids won't be eating much so we ordered them the regular waffles. Not being adventurous eaters, they frown on fruits like blueberries or peaches on their food. My son (the predictable) had the kid's meal of chicken and spaghetti. My husband was intrigued by the Germany vs. Brazil item on the menu. It's a tribute to the FIFA contenders, with German sausages and barbecue cooked churarosco style. Since I have this thing about Eggs Benedicts, I had to order their version with crabs and salmon on a bagel. We also ordered Pinoy Nachos - crispy lumpia wrappers with adobo flakes, cheese and mangoes.

When we arrived, we heard the table to next to us following up their order. Half their group was already halfway through their meal. The other half's order had yet to arrive. I looked around and the place wasn't even full. I wondered what they ordered for it to take so long.

Anyway, the waffles were the first to arrive, which was fine as I had time to supervise the girls' eating. Then my Eggs Benedict came. I had a kick from the crab and the salmon but the bagel ruined the experience for me. It was tough and hard to cut with a knife. I ended up breaking pieces of it by hand to mop up the egg yolk on my plate. I know, I know, bagels are supposed to be tough and chewy. But they are best served hot and fresh from the grill or toaster. Mine were quite cold when they arrived thus the difficulty.

I had almost finished my eggs when my son's kiddie meal arrived. There was no sign of my husband's order yet. The other table finally got what looked like poached eggs. It took that long to poach an egg? My husband checked the time and it had been more than thirty minutes since we had given our orders. His eyes are now starting to glaze over. He had already followed up with the waiter but they didn't give him any feedback at all. Finally he told the waiter to just cancel his order and asked me if I minded his leaving and eating at the restaurant next door. I could see he was already very upset so I let him go. This is one instance where heaven can't wait.

A few minutes after he had walked out, the waiter arrived with his food. I asked what took them so long and that my husband had already left to get his food elsewhere. The waiter looked panicked and I took pity on him so I called my husband back on his cellphone. He had already ordered at the other place but he came back.

The Germany vs Brazil was quite good. The barbecue was tender and succulent. Unfortunately, my husband couldn't take more than two bites because he wasn't hungry anymore. Nalipasan na ng gutom. I ended up picking his plate.

The waiters were very apologetic and they gave us free pancakes. As an apology, it wasn't much because it was the cheapest on the menu and I had brazenly asked for free dessert. (Hey, it wasn't the best dining experience we ever had, after all.) Besides, the girls couldn't even finish their waffle so no one was really interested in the pancakes.

I can't say that I'm going back to eat at Heaven 'n Eggs again. The whole dining experience wasn't quite so heavenly and the food was expensive. A can of Coke costs P55.00 without VAT. Not even the Eggs Benedict was worth going back to. Next time I have a craving for eggs, I'll just make clarified butter, get some fresh milk and break out the eggs. At home - where service is at it's finest.

Comfort Food: Baked Mac

2006-07-24T13:45:00.000+08:00

I love rainy weekends. I have the perfect excuse to stay in bed and cuddle with my kids under the warm blanket. When a gray curtain of rain falls ouside the windows, nothing else exists except me and my family. Nothing can compel us to brave the heavy rains and go elsewhere. We're quite warm and comfy where we are.

Rainy days also make me crave for certain food. This month I have been craving for baked macaroni. I used to have a crush on a guy who runs a snack house where their best seller is the baked mac. I loved that baked mac served with homemade pan de sal. I would finish off the very satisfying meal by mopping up the extra sauce on the plate with the pan de sal. Hmmmm...yummy. I think my love for the baked mac outlasted my like for the guy. So even when we weren't talking anymore, I would sneak into his store when I know he's not there so I can take home a bilao of baked mac. Of course, some people would think I was actually hoping to get a glimpse of my crush and was just using the baked mac as an excuse. Eh! Not really!

So the past few days had me reading recipes on baked macaroni. I found an easy recipe from Potluck Hidalgo Bonding, A Family Heritage Cookbook, edited by Jaime C. Laya and Adelaida Lim. I so heart cookbooks that evokes thoughts of family, traditions and good appetite. Already I can see myself sharing this passion for baked mac with my kids. I could only hope that the daughter who doesn't eat pasta with sauce would make an exception.

A storm is raging outside and I had never made a baked macaroni before. But I wanted to satisfy this particular craving, so I braved the rains to get the ingredients from the neighborhood grocery. I grabbed some butter too, to make cookies. No sense wasting all the residual heat from the oven.

One large pyrex dish of baked macaroni, chorizo de bilbao, vienna sausage and queso de bola goodness. Certainly more than my family can eat in a day. I will be having baked mac for the rest of the week. Nice...

One taste and I was brought back to the past. I was a young girl with a crush again. I open my eyes and see my family around me. The baked mac I made is richer, more flavorful and more exciting than the one in my past. I kiss and hug everyone as we settle down to partake of the food and make new memories.

POSTCRIPT:

When I turn on the oven, there's no stopping me. I also baked chocolate revel bars, choco chip oatmeal cookies, and even tried to make molten lava chocolate cake. Unfortunately, I overcooked the latter and no molten chocolate oozed from the cake. but it tasted quite good. I will try that again and if I am more successful, I will post photos on this blog. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to photograph the revel bars and the cookies before they were gone.

Gone

2006-06-14T11:28:00.000+08:00

Arggghhhh...no more Frango mints! Somebody has been raiding my stash incessantly! Oh, wait, that was me. The next days until new supply arrives will be long and dreary. I said I would do a scrapbook page and reward myself with a bite-sized mint chocolate. Errr...make that one box of Frango mints for two scrapbook pages of the same theme. Hehe.

Heaven in a Box

2006-05-14T12:49:00.000+08:00

I heart chocolates. It all started when I was a young girl and my father, a dentist, brought me home a forbidden treat. A Mars chocolate from Norma's - the only PX goods store in the province. You see in those days, imported chocolates were available only in specialty stores or in stores around Clark Air Base. Needless to say, they were quite expensive.

Just like in that old toothpaste commercial, every afternoon I ran to meet my father and perkily asked him, "Ang chocolates ko?" Half the time, of course, I dreaded that he would pull out a tube of Crest toothpaste. Imagine how crestfallen I would have been then. (LOL)

My love affair for chocolates continues to this day. There is no depriving me of these babies. But through the years, I have become quite discriminating. I always like my chocolates to be smooth, creamy and a little minty. And please don't tell me eating mint chocolates is like eating toothpaste. How pedestrian!

Yesterday, the much-awaited balikbayan boxes from my sister in Illinois finally arrived. And oooohhh....the goodies inside.

I've got spools of ribbons, stickers, metal tags, toolkits, paper of different colors...everything a budding scrapbooker could need. I am in paper heaven.

But the best part is the small green box that my sister tucked in with all the scrapbooking stuff. So thoughtful. So delicious. Her one and only addiction, and now mine, too. Frango mints. My sister rewards herself with one of these bite-size goodies after she finishes a scrapbook page. I intend to do that too to stretch my chocolate supply . (Who knows when I will get my next box?) But first, I have to check if the chocolates survived the 4-week voyage to reach me. I have to make sure they hadn't melted.

But the cool minty smell did me in. I just gottta have one! (Or two, or three...) What the hey! I can always scrapbook later. In the meantime, heaven awaits.

Thank God for sisters.

How To Cook Rice

2006-04-18T16:58:00.000+08:00

When I was in grade school, I was assigned to cook the rice. My mother figured that didn't require too much cooking experience. One only has to measure the rice, rid it of the pebbles and unhusked grains, wash it, add water and then put it to boil.

My mother figured wrong. I could never get the right mix of rice and water.

My older brother Joie, in college at that time, taught me how to measure the water. He said, and I quote: measure the depth of the rice with your hand, palm open. Mark the height of the rice on your palm with your thumb. Then put the tip of your fingers on the rice and measure the water. The water level should be equal in height as the rice.

This resulted in rice that was always wet.

Then, my next older brother Jolan taught me another way. He said, fill the pot with water and make sure the rice is level. Then tilt the pot until the water at one end is shallow, "just like in the beach."

The rice I cooked this way, as we say in Ilocano was always nakusul. Or undercooked. Not enough water.

I just gave up. One day, after washing the rice the prescribed three times, I placed it on the dining table and left the house. Of course, I got a terrible tongue lashing from my mother - "What? You think the rice will cook itself?"

At the time, the electric rice cooker hasn't been invented. But even now, with all the modern conveniences, my rice is still hit or miss.

Tagaytay Eats

2006-04-14T14:13:00.000+08:00

Last March 26, a Sunday, friends from college and I went to Tagaytay for a little sight seeing. Yes, indeed, we wanted to see again the world's smallest active volcano, the lake within a lake, and all that. But you'd realize from the itinerary we gave our driver, Taal volcano was quite incidental. He had on his head a map to Antonio's, Sonya's Garden, Sanctuario, Bag o'Beans, etc. I make no apologies for that.

Half of us purposely didn't have any breakfast before leaving Manila as we expected to eat our way through Tagaytay. We wanted to have room for dessert and more. We have read and heard so much about the many restaurants in Tagaytay that we couldn't wait. Almost. Barely out of Magallanes and our stomachs were already growling. Good thing we had some bags of Holy Kettle Corn in the van. (I chanced by the popcorn stall when I was buying drinks for our trip at Rustan's Katipunan. It was the smell of freshly popped popcorn that drew me in. The sweet-salty taste sealed it.)

Anyway, our first stop was Breakfast at Antonio's. I have heard so much about this place. There is not one blog about Tagaytay where Antonio's restaurants were not mentioned. So, needless to say, I was looking forward to my own foodie adventure here.

The first thing that struck us as we parked our car in front of the restaurant was the collection of cars. BMWs, Mercedeses, even a Jaguar, Wow! I hoped that the cost of the cars wasn't indicative of the prices in the menu. Although I have been warned by a friend that Antonio's was expensive. Well, I know that the original Antonio's which serves lunch and dinner ala fine dine, is, but one could only charge so much for breakfast, right? Uhum...

The interiors of Breakfast at Antonio's somehow reminded me of the big dining room at Ilang-Ilang dormitory. Maybe because, as I said earlier, I was with friends, more specifically, roommates from college. It was more airy with the white walls and the big screen windows but it was just as busy as our college dining room.

I perused through the menu although I have already made up my mind what to order. I just had to try the Eggs Benedict every other blogger has been raving about.

Whenever I taste something new that I really like, I would always have to have it, at least for seven days running, until I had a surfeit. I am glad this does not fall into that category or I would have had to live in Tagaytay for a week. The Eggs Benedict did not meet my expectations - made higher by the reviews I have read. The lemon flavor of the hollandaise sauce overwhelmed the flavor of the eggs and the bacon. After the first bite my tongue and brain immediately declared it to be maasim.

I hoped my other friends had better luck with what they ordered so my errant fork can do the walking.

My friend who has lived abroad for the last ten years ordered the tapa and the eggs.

She pronounced the tapa "rubbery." Okay, maybe she's been spoiled by US grade steaks and our local baka is too tough for her. But hey! Look at the edges of the eggs. Slightly burnt! Just like my yaya makes it.

I tasted my other friends' four-cheese omelet and that was so good I didn't get a chance to take a photo before it was gone. My friend's family said that the spring crepes were good too but I have to take their word on it as I my fork didn't dare venture into their plates. We've only just met, for heaven's sakes.

By the time we finished breakfast, it was almost lunch, but none of us felt like eating more, so we ventured to the Palace in the Sky, now People's Park in the Sky. The Palace in the Sky was built for the official state visit of former President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy. Although they never got to use it because they had to cancel their trip due to political unrest at that time.

Now People's Park in the Sky, people still come to visit this shell of a mansion because it offers the best views in Tagaytay. Picnic tables are also available on the grounds. I didn't take photos of the place because the ostentatious and flagrant waste of money depressed me. Besides, even if this was Tagaytay, supposedly cool with breeze aplenty, it was way too hot for me.

So now on to better things. Wasn't that a Good Sheperd sign we saw on the way here? Maybe they also had the famous ube jam and peanut brittle they have in Baguio. So following the narrow winding street to the convent, we finally end up in...Baguio! But seriously, except for the hills, the parking lot and the one-storey building looked exactly like the commissary in Baguio. Even the store layout inside was just the same. Well, if the system works, why change it?

We had the jams. Only now they don't come in glass bottles but in disposable plastic containers. But the taste is just I remember it from childhood trips to Mines View Park. And, of course, their bottled honey, which my friend from ADB swears by, as "it doesn't turn lumpy even if you put it in the ref."

We still have to walk off our breakfast (maybe we should now call it brunch), so we visited the Pink Sisters Convent along Aguinaldo Highway. For a short time in our trip we were quiet and reverent as we prayed in their chapel. Our lawyer friend, who, despite her many successes still has alot to wish and pray for wrote her prayers in piece of notebook paper so the sisters can pray over it. I was quite content with my three wishes as this is my first time in this church.

We walked through the church grounds but are we hungry enough yet? Mmmm...maybe. we decided to drive back to Sonya's Garden for lunch. By this time it was almost 2 p.m. so if we're lucky, the noontime rush would have ended. Not. The dining rooms were full so we just walked around the gardens. It was still hot but the different bowers and ponds in the gardens made the heat quite bearable.

We had the best time at the bakery where freshly baked cheese hopia were rolled and sold. The hopia is best fresh from the oven while the outside is still crunchy and the filling is hot. I asked the nice lady in the counter how long it will keep, and she said "around three days, but I doubt you'll have anything left after a day." Indeed, we ate up most of the bread on the way back to Manila.

We also had to take a look inside Sonya's cottages, which are available for rent. The rooms are very pretty but didn't quite seem like the place to take kids or beer. I'd hate to stain the white linens.

Finally, we decided we were hungry enough to eat a real meal again. And by real, we didn't mean Sonya's garden salads and pasta. (Which are very good and plentiful by the way, once you get past the initial "salad and pasta only???")

We went to Josephine's but we were too late for their lunch buffet which was until 3 p.m. only. So we ordered a plethora of dishes - kinilaw na tanguige, sisig, paella, cucumber salads, mangga't bagoong, sinigang na baboy. Again, I wasn't able to take photos of the food because before I can even say "cheese", the food was gone in 60 seconds. But I think we made the right decision to eat at Josephine's. We spent less than what we would have spent at Sonya's and gotten a variety of dishes for it. They serve really good Filipino food and have a nice view of Taal volcano to boot.

Finally, the star of the whole trip:

But what out-of-town trip is complete without the pasalubong? It was a tough decision at which Collette stall we should get the quintessential buko pie. There was a Collette stall every block or so. But a friend of a friend of a friend has informed one of our friends that's there a new buko pie in the block and asked us to keep our eyes open for Rowena's. Just as we were about to give up, there it was right in front of us. (Well, a little to the side of the road.)

Rowena's doesn't just sell pies. And they don't just sell delicacies from Tagaytay. They had pia-ya from Iloilo, lengua de gato, broas and what-have-you's. It's like a grocery of all things you can possibly want to give us pasalubong. It threw me off though. My family knows I'm coming from Tagaytay so they should rightfully expect for me to bring them home something from Tagaytay. Not dried mangos labeled "Made in Cebu."

They were out of the pies that my friend wanted. Apparently they sell like hotcakes (haha - kill me) so the trick is to order them on the way up to Tagaytay and then pick them up when you're coming back to Manila. My friend instead got a box of their fudge brownies, but she asked me to taste one first. If it's good, she'll get more boxes. Suffice it to say, she left with only the one box and a heavy heart. The brownies didn't taste anything like chocolate and the fudge was really more like chocolate condensed milk. Also, as she herself declared, I make better brownies...

Please Kiss the Cook

2006-03-22T12:00:00.000+08:00

Guess that won't be me because I don't cook. Well, maybe if all the restaurants close down and the economy improves so much no one needs to work as house help anymore, then maybe, just maybe, I will have to cook. But don't bet your life on it. No, really. You might not survive my cooking.

Everyone in my family cooks. If there is a cooking gene, it wasn't passed on to me. I have terrible childhood memories of cooking. I remember we used to have this kalan, a clay stove where we used firewood for fuel. It will take me hours just to get a good fire burning - girl scout training or not. We also had a pipe where I would blow air to start a spark until I was literally breathless. I especially hated it when the ashes would fly into my eyes or into my nose. I would have tears in my eyes from the ashes and the coughing.

The worse part is, the soot from the pots would transfer to my hands and face. They are so difficult to wash off, even with Ajax, so I would sometimes go to school like an Indian with black war paint.

I guess we moved up in the world a little when we finally got a two-burner gas stove. I came home from school one day and there it was - sitting in a corner of the kitchen, the white enamel faintly glowing. My heart sang with joy. Imagine, no more gathering firewood. No more blowing air until I deflate. No more having to clean out the ashes from the stove. And best of all, no more uling on my face.

I couldn't wait to try it. For once, I actually looked forward to actually cooking something. Since I was too small to see what was cooking, I would climb on the sink so I could have a good view of the pot or the pan. From that precarious position I would try to fry an egg.

But I hated that stove with a vengeance, too. It was one of those where you had to push the knob and turn it while simultaneously holding a lit match to the burner. I was warned that I shouldn't leave the knob turned on too long without lighting it as gas would escape into the air. So everytime, I would push and turn the knob while simultaneously trying to light a match with two hands. It rarely worked. And on the few times it did, the gas would burst into flame with a very loud "boof." The sound would always startle me out of my perch by the sink.

The last time I fell, I made a deal with my siblings that I would do their laundry as long as I never had to come near a stove again. They actually believed they were getting the better end of the bargain.

About the Armchair Critic

2006-03-21T22:49:00.002+08:00

I am a reader. I read everything I could lay my hands on. There is no one genre that I like but I find that I am predisposed towards books where the authors create entire new worlds. Thus, I love J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles, Jean Auel's Earth's Children Series, and yes, I will have to admit, Stephenie Meyer's Twilight books.

I am a TV addict. It stemmed from my childhood being hooked with Flordeluna and Sesame Street. I think television is the greatest home appliance ever invented. I was a couch potato then. I am still a couch potato now. Although I think I've grown roots.

I am a movie fan. I used to be bothered by sticky floors and chattering patrons inside cinemas. Now that movie theaters are cleaner, I am bothered by mobile phones and chattering patrons who give their seatmates blow by blow accounts of what's happening on-screen.

I am a foodie. I can't say that I am an adventurous eater but I will try anything once. I love to eat and I know what I like. So many times you will see me going back to the same restaurant over and over again. I want to taste everything that my budget allows. You will find reviews of expensive as well as hole in the wall places here.

I am a consumer. There is always one product that I will try and keep using. And there are some things that I will never even write about.

I am Lee_i.
You can contact me at
pinayscrapper41.blogspot.com

The Armchair Blogs:
The Armchair Scrapper - All About Scrapbooking
The Armchair Chronicler - My Photography Project 365
The Armchair Traveler - My Travels and Travails Journal
KiDS Meet World - About Raising a Family