21 Feb, 2006
For as long as I can remember, we had oil and vinegar cruets in my parents homes. As a kid, these ranged from cheap glass to 1940’s pressed glass to heavy lead crystal for special occasions. They usually had glass stoppers on top that you could use to regulate the flow of…
20 Feb, 2006
Grilling dried squid lets off some of the strongest food odors I have ever experienced. Good grief, talk about pungent food! Our crew at home considers this a special treat whenever I come back from Bohol so I have taken to buying it by the kilo, having my suki vacuum pack it…
17 Feb, 2006
I was in possession of a few hundred grams of arugula and ruby red microgreens and no fancy dinner party in the works (so I could use them as a chi-chi garnish), so instead of just tossing them in a salad, I decided to experiment with a pizza idea that Edwin Sy of Fresh…
16 Feb, 2006
A few times a year I get this strong craving for a Kaang Daeng or Thai Red Curry. Ideally it should include roast duck, some small eggplants and some fresh grapes… I have spent some time in Thailand working, and also went through a Thai food phase several years back, but I don’t…
15 Feb, 2006
Chico or sapodilla is another one of those backyard fruits that you remember from childhood and you either love that you either love or hate… It ripens relatively quickly and bruises easily so it doesn’t travel too well (though these days really hard unripe chicos are sent by the kaing or bushel to…
14 Feb, 2006
From homemade chocolate gems (see previous post) to store bought high end chocolate “couture”… One thing that sets apart these stunners is the packaging devoted to these morsels. More and more top quality or “designer” chocolates are boxed extravagantly, with the highest quality cardboard boxes, paper wrappers, dividers, ribbons, etc. Some…
13 Feb, 2006
Strawberries dipped in dark chocolate are superb. The flavor combination is classic and enduring. The slightly tart but flavorful juicy strawberry paired with dark chocolate really perks up the senses and screams “this is special.” They are also wickedly easy to do. So as promised, here are three different Valentine’s…
12 Feb, 2006
I try to buy local and in season as much as possible. But I am not beyond the influence of simply over-the-top produce like these ginormous strawberries with their stems still attached that are flown in from greenhouses in California just in time for the local Valentine’s madness… At PHP700 for a…