In an earlier entry about “pikot”, Jon commented: My wife sometimes asked me if I would’ve married her had she been a fling or a one-night stand. My answer was “of course not!” Marriage is reserved for people worth marrying. Anything less is a broken family in the making. I asked him to define what ... (more)
Fish and malunggay soup
Posted on August 14, 2008 · 11 Comments
A day after I cooked this soup for lunch, I finally did what I had been promising myself for a long time — plant a malunggay tree in my own garden. So, let’s just say that this fish and malunggay soup is a celebration.
It’s nothing fancy, really. I cooked a fish soup in much the same way that I cook tahong (mussels) and malunggay…
Bamboo mats
Posted on August 13, 2008 · Leave a Comment
I wanted a shallow glazed pot with miniature bamboo for the coffee table. I haven’t found the pot of my dreams yet so, for the meantime, Sam’s collection of cacti has that place of honor. Three small pots look good together but they needed something to define them as a group. Last week, I found ... (more)
Pillow talk
Posted on August 13, 2008 · 20 Comments
We were snuggled in bed when Speedy took my face between his hands, looked at me and said, “You’re still beautiful, you know.” “I know.” He pushed me away and said, “What kind of response is that?” “I’m confirming your statement; you want me to object instead?” “Puñeta, you’re supposed to say thank you!” “But ... (more)
I’ve always dreamed of a malunggay tree in the garden
Posted on August 12, 2008 · 3 Comments
Back in the old house, a malunggay tree growing in an adjacent property was visible from our backyard. And I would covet that three, wishing it was growing in MY backyard instead. See, I love malunggay leaves. I love adding them to fish soup with lots of ginger and garlic. A few days ago, my ... (more)
Lamb chops, grilled indoors
Posted on August 12, 2008 · 27 Comments
I love grilled food. Grilled fish, grilled chicken, grilled pork… even grilled vegetables. But outdoor charcoal grilling requires too much work. I tried using an electric grill but the power consumption was astronomical. Result? We had been doing very little grilling during the past several months.
The sabbatical from home-grilled food was combined with a delicious anticipation, however. I had e-mailed my brother-in-law in Chicago and asked if he could buy a stove-top grill for me — the nice kind, not the crap that sell for P200 in supermarkets…
Chicken and cabbage spring rolls
Posted on August 12, 2008 · 6 Comments
Unable to find decent ubod (heart of palm), my immediate decision was to make some Vietnamese spring rolls instead. But my husband, Speedy, wanted the garlicky salty-sweet sauce that traditionally goes with lumpiang ubod so I decided to simply substitute shredded cabbage for the ubod. And that was what we served.
Why chicken and not pork? Because, for health reasons, my mother-in-law is banned from eating red meat.
What is pikot?
Posted on August 12, 2008 · 44 Comments
(Today’s column) Every three years, my husband’s eldest brother, his wife and two sons spend three weeks in the Philippines. He and his wife have been living in a suburb of Chicago for over 20 years and both of their sons were born and raised there. They arrived over a week ago and, last Sunday, ... (more)
Milflores (Hydrangea macrophylla) for the garden
Posted on August 11, 2008 · 14 Comments
Save for a few minor things, the house renovation is done. Work still needs to be done on the windows, we still need locks for the French doors, some painting will have to be re-done (the rains ruined some of the paint) but, other than those, we’re okay. Ergo, it’s time to attend to the ... (more)
Omelet cupcakes
Posted on August 11, 2008 · 4 Comments
How to make these omelet cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 375oF.
Lightly brush 10 cupcake tins with vegetable oil (I used silicone cups so I skipped this part).
Chop a large onion and 2 bell peppers. Saute in a tablespoonful of vegetable oil until they start to turn soft, about 3 minutes.
Beat 6 eggs in a large bowl. Stir in a jar of well-drained sardines in oil…
Conversations