Learning to Cook and Other Things

If you are thinking of having tacos one of these days, try this avoca do based dip called guacamole. As if you didn't know that. But this is my version and as if it is any different from the rest:-) We all know that avocado is the healthiest fruit ever. And because it is in season over here, I am going to take advantage of that and use it as dip, as dessert or as salad add-on. Now for my version, I would need: 3 very ripe avocados, mashed 1 small onion preferably red, chopped fine green onions, chopped fine 3-5 cloves of minced garlic 1 cup finely chopped ripe tomatoes 1/8 cup of lime juice freshly milled black pepper according to taste salt to taste 1/2 tsp chilis finely minced Just mix everything well and then off to be chilled. Re-calibrate taste before serving. Use as dip for your favorite tacos.

I have a strong craving for pancit tonight. Why I can’t cook it tonight at 11:34, local time is not really a wonder. No eating for me beyond 10:00. Am trying to take care of my health, you see Pancit or 'chow mein', is my comfort food. Anytime, I am feeling deprived, I cook pancit. In our home, all birthday and other celebrations are usually accompanied by pancit. Craving and all, please not those advertised on TV. So tomorrow it shall be. Just like so many pancits I have prepared in the past, this one is going to be devoured like I have not eaten for three days. Imagine, having to wait 8-9 hours before breakfast. I shall use as usual ½ cup boiled and flaked chicken (usually from the breast) ½ cup boiled shrimps ( medium sized) peeled and deveined ½ cup pork,boiled and sliced ½ cup ham strips (left-over from the previous weeks’ menu) ½ cup light soy sauce 1 cup cabbage shredded 1 cup carrots sliced in long strips 1 cup shredded celery 1 pack 400 gms Chinese noodles (Canton) 5

Yes, I am. My experiment to plan out a weekly menu utterly failed. These are two of the more important reasons: 1. It proved very expensive because some of the veggies and fruits I purchased ahead of time perished before they could be cooked. 2. I got too tired because the plan was to cook a new dish every meal. This is so impractical, what with the high cost of energy required for cooking. It crossed my mind you know, but I just had to try it. I am not sure if I want to do it all over again. Maybe, this time I shall use a different tack. Like buying my veggies for 3 days instead of a week's supply. But that would be two trips to the market. Still good for my daily exercise :-) My weekly menu as planned starts Tuesday and ends on a Monday. Tomorrow, local time, is the day for marketing and grocery shopping. I have tonight to make my final decision. As of today, I still have meat and poultry good for 2 days. Actually, I reached the decision to discontinue my plan on my third

I love Mediterranean cooking. Pasta, loads of herbs, lots of fresh vegetables, balsamic vinegar olives and olive oil. I know it is nutritious and best of all, it is delicious. This is a fact: the incidence of heart disease in Mediterranean countries is low compared to that in the United States . Could this be entirely because of the food the Mediterraneans eat? You better believe it. But what is a Mediterranean diet? The Mediterranean diet was found to have high consumption of fruits, vegetables, bread, cereals, potatoes, beans, nuts and seeds. Olive oil is significantly consumed which is deemed to provide mono unsaturated fat. Take note that poultry, red meat, fish, eggs are consumed from almost nil to 4 times a week, while wine is consumed from low to moderate amounts. Think about it: more than half the fat calories in a Mediterranean diet come from mono unsaturated fats mostly provided by olive oil. Mono unsaturated fat doesn't raise blood cholestero l levels the

To minimize my stress around my cooking chores, I have decided to make a weekly program of our meals. Taking after what my mother did way back. To segue it was a rule that I watch her cook so I can learn. Disinterested yes, but I would always abide. My mom's word was like God's. By the way, our meals were planned on a weekly basis because she needed the extra time away to do some extra income generating activities. To segue again, my own daughter did not benefit from any cooking lessons from yours truly. We could afford the help, those days. Matured or elderly help who are expert cooks. Aside from that my mom stayed with us and so cooking was always on her agenda. But 6 years ago she got her own place and I was left to fend for myself. A good help was out of the question. And I turned out to be the default housekeeper. Housekeeping included cleaning the house, cooking, marketing, supermarting, etc, etc, etc. aside from working on a full time job. (I became a full time SAHM

Certainly, not Mr. Barack Obama. I am talking about our own coffee variety called barako. Four excellent-tasting varieties of coffee are grown in the Philippines . The ‘robusta,’ comprise 90% of total coffee production. Robusta serves as the main ingredient for the local instant coffee products. The ‘arabica,’ ‘excelsa,’ and ‘liberica’ or the Philippine barako'' make up the remaining 10% of total output. Barako coffee beans are largely known for their strong aroma. Many claim that it is better tasting than arabica. Though I think that is true I find it too strong for my palate. Barako coffee beans are round in shape and large, and grow in clusters. The trees grow to be 18 feet, and possess thick leaves. Liberica because of its strong and acidic flavor do not have many coffee flavor fans but I remember almost 40 years ago, I used to buy ‘barako’ coffee from the wet markets. That distinct powerful odor as it was being grinded, overpowered my adolescent sense of smel

Ahh it is the holiest Week of the Philippine calendar. Families taking a break find respite from polluted air city living and go to vacation resorts. Families 'bond' care of the beach and the beautiful rustic and oftentimes rural sceneries. The food? No problem. The locality's food business service will take care of that. They will enjoy the freshness of harvest from the sea: shrimps in Dakak , lobsters from Palawan , and the mollusks of Cavite . For us city-dwellers forever (only because we cannot afford a 5 kilometer travel away from our homes), we plan our meals around fish this time of the year. As Catholics are supposed to be meatless and instead 'endure' fish and veggie eating or none at all. This year would not be any different. I bought some tilapia and bangus , also some yellow fin tuna. Grilled, steamed sauced, our fish will be thymed, oreganoed, basilled, cuminned and black peppered. Delish and healthy. But aren't we Catholics supposed to m