Superstitions and New Year traditions

porky-pig

Did you know that pork is a lucky food to eat on the New Year because “because poultry scratches backwards, a cow stands still, but a pig roots forward, ergo those who dine … [Read more...]

Cats and social taboos

Cross breed of Himalayan and Persian cats

Back in the old neighborhood, there was a stray male cat that got all our female cats pregnant. He was a large cat, black and white (we called him Blackie), and there were … [Read more...]

Smoked salmon and cream cheese canapés

Thinking of easy to prepare but delicious and memorable canapes for a cocktail party on New Year's Eve? Try spreading this filling made with smoked salmon and cream cheese on … [Read more...]

Banana walnut cake

(Updated) Moist but not dense, this banana cake is light, not excessively sweet and there's the added pleasure of getting some crunch from the walnuts and the streusel … [Read more...]

Exchanging Christmas gifts

Konohagakure

About the time we put up the Christmas tree, Alex asked me what I wanted her to get me for my Christmas gift. Not wanting her to spend her savings, I asked her to just cook … [Read more...]

Bowls and platters

(Updated) Back from the sickbed. I caught some bug two days before Christmas and I didn't start feeling better until a few hours before Christmas Day ended. My husband did the … [Read more...]

Where it’s Christmas all year ’round

christmas-trees-banner

Some people clean their houses from top to bottom before the New Year; I clean out my hard drive. I've been deleting duplicate photos and unwanted files all day when I came … [Read more...]

Lights, scents and home accessories

puppy-kitten-at-play2

I would have posted photos of loots from our most recent trips to Dapitan and Tiendesitas but, quite unexpectedly, I got sick on December 23 and I didn't feel better until … [Read more...]

Pinoy Christmas around the world

Christmas napkins

(Today's column) I am so tired of writing what I think about Christmas and all the excesses that go with it. I am just as tired of ranting about relatives, friends and … [Read more...]

Strawberry pancake syrup

Due to a strange twist of fate, I'm on cooking vacation from now until the New Year. My husband, Speedy, will be doing ALL of the cooking although I am not sure if that … [Read more...]

Fresh strawberries

Most of the strawberries in Philippine markets come from the La Trinidad Valley strawberry farms just outside Baguio City. Strawberry season usually starts in November and … [Read more...]

Lechon, ham and Noche Buena

(Today's column) I’m wondering how the scare over the discovery of Ebola-Reston Virus among hogs raised in the Philippines will affect the tradition of many families in … [Read more...]

The children of The Sound of Music

Sound of Music

You must have read about Julie Andrew's new take on "My Favorite Things" when she sang it at the Radio City Music Hall on her 69th birthday in 2004. It was sent, forwarded and … [Read more...]

The Christmas gift I cannot afford

Canon EOC 5d Mark II

Got an e-mail from Club EOS announcing the arrival of the Canon EOS 5D Mark II. Features: - 21.1 Megapixel Full-frame CMOS sensor, 14-bit A/D conversion (16,384 … [Read more...]

Roast pork with baked potatoes

Cut the kitchen labor and cooking time by cooking a side dish of baked potatoes together with your roast pork. And the best thing about this short cut is how the potatoes … [Read more...]