The last time I took photos of this toolbox (you really have to read the first entry about the toolbox to understand), the top compartment with the partitions was still empty. Well, it isn’t anymore. Speedy came home the other day with grocery bags, brought one into the bedroom and proceeded to unload its contents straight into his toolbox. I told him that placing the Choc-Nut bars there…
Speedy’s toolbox is almost full
Posted on June 13, 2009 · 14 Comments
Waiting for the fish to cook
Posted on June 12, 2009 · Leave a Comment
Although it isn’t Sunday and Speedy normally cooks only on Sundays, he took exception today because he was just as excited about dinner as I was. He grilled a kilo and a half of panga ng tuna. And while we normally switch on the capiz lamps on the mango tree unless we’re having dinner al fresco, with guests or even when there’s just us, Speedy the panikero over electricity consumption kept them on because he was grilling the fish in the garden.
Independence Day Dinner: Mussel Soup and Grilled Tuna
Posted on June 12, 2009 · 15 Comments
The title is not meant to sound patriotic. It just so happened that because today, Independence Day, is a public holiday, we were able to drive all the way to Farmer’s Market in Quezon City to buy panga ng tuna (tuna jaw or collar) and fresh mussels. It’s been a long time since we grilled tuna and we’ve been planning the drive to Farmer’s Market since last night. And since it isn’t all that often that we get a chance to go there, I made the most of the opportunity by buying tuna belly and salmon fillets as well. But let’s talk about the tuna belly and salmon fillets another time — after I have cooked them as they will sound more exciting then.
No storks, just babies
Posted on June 12, 2009 · 31 Comments
If having a baby were as easy as having a stork deliver a healthy, kicking and howling child at your doorstep, there wouldn’t be any occasion for pregnancy-related stress. But the stork is a myth and every mother knows that pregnancy and giving birth are no walk in the park. “Behind every baby is an ... (more)
The environmentalist and the obstinate mango tree
Posted on June 11, 2009 · 55 Comments
Remember our mango tree? The one that was filled with flowers at the beginning of summer? Well, very few of the flowers turned to fruits and what few fruits there were were much too high to reach. The winds took pity, shook the tree and down came the fruits, some of them hitting the concrete slabs and cracking because they were still very green and hard and not really ready for anyone’s digestion.
It was frustrating. We were dreaming of free mangoes all throughout the summer but the insects were always there ahead of us, pissing off the flowers until most of them just gave up and decided not to become fruits.
White chocolate and blueberry mini cheesecakes
Posted on June 11, 2009 · 34 Comments
The recipe provided by AJ yields six mini cheesecakes. Six meant one mini cheesecake per person in my household. Great if it’s a so-so cake but if someone asks for seconds, or if someone wants another piece for a late night snack, I’d get blamed for not baking enough. So I added more of each ingredient to come up with more mini cheesecakes. I was able to make a dozen with come excess filling which I baked, without crusts, in silicone cups. My daughter Sam and I ate the excess straight out of the oven — still soft and gooey and steaming hot at the center. If the crustless no-topping version could be that good, well…
It was tempting to describe this volcanic rock as HUGE but it is only huge compared to the smaller ones that you see on the background. This volcanic rock is small compared to some of those we saw on the road between Legazpi City and Tabaco City. The really huge ones are larger than houses. Chicken afritada, a colonial legacy
Posted on June 10, 2009 · 34 Comments
This is my version of chicken afritada. Whether it is more Mexican than Spanish, I cannot say. Truth is, it might even be more akin to an Italian stew than anything else. The secret is in the slow cooking which results in a thick and rich sauce. If you happen to have a piece of ham bone then, by all means, throw it in for added flavor.
A taste of the empty nest syndrome
Posted on June 10, 2009 · 34 Comments
[Republished from yesterday's op-ed column] Early in February, on the way to a UP College of Law reunion, my friend, fellow law alumnus and fellow Antipolo resident Eric Santos and I drove through Global City. I told him how much I liked the way the community was planned and laid out. I wouldn’t mind living ... (more)
Barbecue, with style
Posted on June 9, 2009 · 8 Comments
It’s been raining for over two weeks and we haven’t done any grilling for just as long. This photo was taken on the same day that we gad the grilled liempo accompanied by a simple garden salad. What’s with the chair and the industrial fan? Oh, that’s how Speedy does the grilling. He has a chair so he doesn’t have to…
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