FISH IN WHITE SAUCE : Perfect for Meatless Days
“Practice is a means of inviting the perfection desired.”- Martha Graham, from ” WOMEN KNOW EVERYTHING” It’s true. Practice makes perfect. Well, nearly for this fish recipe. I have made this one over...
View ArticleFUDGY CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES : For MAMA
“We got the phone call one early morning in March. ” MAMA has Cancer….” said my brother-in-law to my husband on the phone. Cancer came with no warning and no symptoms. Mama was diagnosed with cancer of...
View ArticleCHOCOLATE CUPCAKES : Alicia’s Story and A Rose for Everyday
” Just before Mama died, our cousin, Maria Lourdes, would bring her ROSES everyday. It made Mama so happy and took her mind off her pain”, recounted Alicia, my husband’s sister. She was telling me...
View ArticleBARBECUE BEEF SPARERIBS : If Dad Came to Dinner Today
Imagine this : a whole rack of beef ribs rubbed with dry ingredients, spices and seasonings, left to marinate overnight. Cover it in foil and bake for an hour to soften. Then finally grill over a high...
View ArticleGRILLED SALMON in Banana Leaves : Great flavors in cooking !
We had family visiting us in the middle of summer. And because they had made a special 10-hour trip, one way, just to see us, I got busy in the kitchen whipping up special dishes. We had an all-grilled...
View ArticleASIAN BEEF SHORT RIBS with ORANGE SAUCE
Tuesdays and Saturdays. Those were the only days of the week beef was sold in the market, in the little town where I grew up. “You cannot make a mistake when you cook beef,” my late Mom admonished me.I...
View ArticleGREEN MANGO-GREEN APPLE SALAD: A Salad for a Friend
Whenever we go on vacation we always ask our most trusted neighbors and friends to watch our house. Proof that trust and friendship go together. You would never ask a stranger to watch your house or...
View ArticleINDONESIAN Javanese-style CHICKEN & NASI GORENG
Most countries in Asia have many food and language similarities. A good example are the similarities shared by Indonesia and the Philippines. Not only do we have many Tagalog words similar to the...
View ArticleGuisadong Talong: Filipino Eggplant Saute
I’m back from a long trip from my home country , the Philippines. I brought back with me a bundle of stories, memories, snapshots of friends and family, and a slew of recipes to share with you. But...
View ArticlePampanga Culinary Heritage Tours : Pride In Our Past
“Breakfast in the middle of the rice field, then Lechon for lunch, and end the day with a plate of sisig and a stick of chicken tail. “ And that’s how Poch Jorolan described what the Pampanga Culinary...
View ArticleBEEF MECHADO : A favorite Filipino stew
Mechado, a hearty Filipino stew in tomato-sauce broth is a mainstay during family dinners or special occasions. The name “Mechado” comes from the Spanish word “micha”, meaning ‘wick’. This is because...
View ArticleDeviled Eggs or “Relyenong Itlog”
When my sons come home for the weekend, they enjoy eating these devilishly-delicious Deviled Eggs. In the Philippines, we called them “RELYENONG ITLOG” (stuffed eggs). My son, Constante eagerly helped...
View ArticleFILIPINO KARE-KARE : Oxtail Peanut Stew with Vegetables
One of the most famous Philippine dishes is “Kare-Kare”. It is a sumptuous stew of boiled ox tail simmered in a sweet peanut-tasting broth. Thrown in are a potful of native vegetables : Japanese...
View ArticlePork and Shrimp SHUMAI : Chef’s Version and Mine
When Chinese New Year comes around, almost every home of Asian descent tries to have the traditional fare served during the lunar new year. To prepare myself for the Year of the Rabbit, I headed to...
View ArticleFILIPINO LECHE FLAN : Caramel Custard
LECHE FLAN : A caramel custard One of the most requested desserts I like to make and give to friends is the “Leche Flan”, a caramel custard, which is well-known in Filipino homes. This dessert dish is...
View ArticlePHILIPPINE CHICKEN INASAL
Labor Day, celebrated on the first weekend of September, marks the end of summer here. I always choose to grill a family favorite. ” Chicken Inasal ” is a popular chicken dish back home in the...
View ArticleA Hundred Mangoes in a Bottle and a Mango Jam Recipe
A hundred fully ripened mangoes can fit in a 12 ounce jar. I know this for sure. I did that for years growing up. When I did, the most sublime dessert on earth was the result of it all. These were my...
View ArticleHow to cook Chicken Curry and Turmeric with Beer
This month marks Philippine Independence Day on June 12th. So it was a reminder for me to dig up heirloom recipes like this Chicken Curry and Turmeric with Beer. This was a pretty simple stew to put...
View ArticleHow to cook Pork Barbecue from My Mother's Philippine Recipes
A few weeks ago, we made a balikbayan visit to the Philippines. When we arrived at our Tarlac home, a sumptuous feast awaited us and over two dozen Pork Barbecue skewers were at the center of the...
View ArticleHow to cook Pasta with Crab Paste- Taba ng Talangka
A few weeks ago, we were in the Philippines on a balikbayan visit. It was the season for taba ng talangka, so I purchased a few bottles and cooked Pasta with Crab Paste-Taba ng Talangka after we...
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