Herb-loaded rice, version 2

Last Friday, I had a bad craving for a "fried" meal. It happens. You stay away from something you used to enjoy eating and, at some point, you get a craving. I'm no angel so … [Read more...]

Plus one point for living in the suburb

Early yesterday morning, Speedy received a text message from his sister, Susan, saying that their mother had been rushed to the hospital and was in ICU. She had a mild heart … [Read more...]

Custom-made hardwood furniture

Yesterday was order-the-furniture day. We already had "some ideas" about where to buy the furniture but we had not really made up our minds. We had scoured more than a dozen … [Read more...]

Sauteed chicken and squash with fresh tarragon

Before we get to the recipe, a few announcements. First, the "Print This Post" function has finally been restored. I had to wait until a new version of the plugin, compatible … [Read more...]

Birthday dinner at Vieux Chalet

When a restaurant is good, customers return. When a restaurant is great, customers return again and again. I can't remember anymore how many times I've been to Vieux Chalet … [Read more...]

Post Independence Day thoughts

maya-birds1

A couple of months ago, I was taking photos of the sunrise at the breakwater behind the Sampaguita Gardens Resort in Aklan when a small group of maya birds alighted on the … [Read more...]

Bamboo candle holders

We were at Vieux Chalet for dinner last night and we were chatting with the owner, Susan Hassig, about the new deco of the place. She pointed to her latest finds -- bamboo … [Read more...]

I can have my cake and eat it too

One of the biggest attractions of the new house is the large kitchen. The biggest attraction of the large kitchen is the center island with granite top that is simply ideal … [Read more...]

Baking, Crisco and Splenda

UPDATE on June 24, 2008: We no longer use Splenda. Click here for the details. This is not an ad for Crisco or Splenda. It hurts that I have to buy them. It hurts even more … [Read more...]

Aromatic (and tastier!) spring roll wrappers

I used to cook my spring roll wrappers on medium-low heat. Yesterday, I realized that if the batter is poured into a very hot pan and the wrapper is cooked over medium-high … [Read more...]

The Beatles valedictory speech

For days, the controversy surrounding Circleville High School (Ohio) valedictorian Melanio C. Acosta IV had been circulating around the internet but, as of last weekend, local … [Read more...]

Seven years of memories

Flowers of the banaba tree

Regular classes have started for the girls and, suddenly, the house is quiet. The entire set of encyclopedia and the photo albums have been taken down from the bookshelves and … [Read more...]

Adobong kangkong

There is an older version of adobong kangkong (swamp / water spinach) in the archive but it was cooked with chicken gizzards. This version, which went into the kids' school … [Read more...]

Belgian waffler by Nordic Ware

The American Home electric waffle maker is a lemon. The non-stick coating started peeling off after I've used it twice or thrice and bits were actually getting embedded in the … [Read more...]

Cooking for Father’s Day? Here’s an idea.

Many families gather together and eat out as a group on Father's Day. Others hold mini reunions at home and potluck lunches or dinners are a popular way of celebrating … [Read more...]