Bishops are not kings
Posted on March 11, 2010 · 23 Comments
In a predominantly Catholic country, it takes guts to go around flower shops and give away free condoms on Valentine’s Day – even if it’s part of a campaign of the Department of Health. But Secretary Esperanza Cabral did it anyway and she’s now under fire from the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) ... (more)
Adding insult to injury
Posted on March 11, 2010 · 62 Comments
Less than a month ago, Alex was diagnosed with scoliosis. If you’re a parent, you’ll understand what I mean when I say that I felt the world crumbling under my feet. She’s 16, she’s smart, she’s beautiful, she has her whole future ahead of her and she was being threatened with the possibility that she ... (more)
Sticky rice and mangoes with sweet coconut sauce (khao neaw mamuang)
Posted on March 11, 2010 · 13 Comments
If you’re a Filipino living abroad, craving for suman with ripe mangoes but suman is not available, this Thai version of basically the same dish is something that you can prepare at home. Canned coconut milk can be substituted for fresh. Glutinous rice is not hard to find although they may be called by other ... (more)
Food and art at Cafe Inday
Posted on March 10, 2010 · 2 Comments
In the quiet neighborhood of Villa Carmen Subdivision in Antipolo, a portion of an artist’s house was converted into a cafe. The artist is the late Elsie “Inday” Cadapan; the cafe is Cafe Inday. Inday Cadapan had no formal training in painting and sculpture. Until the mid-80s, she was a passionate antique dealer. Art critic ... (more)
Popcorn and politics
Posted on March 9, 2010 · 18 Comments
When James Camerson’s “Avatar” won the Best Picture in the recent Golden Globe Awards, my younger daughter, Alex, a film aficionado who plans on pursuing a course in the performing arts, was deeply disappointed. I explained to her that the Golden Globe winners are the collective opinion of the Hollywood foreign press only and not ... (more)
Drunken pork with mango salsa
Posted on March 9, 2010 · 11 Comments
The pork was braised in a surprising combination of white rum, Worcestershire Sauce and black vinegar. I cooked it on Sunday, left it on the counter overnight (vinegar is a natural preservative so spoilage wasn’t an issue), continued braising it on Monday morning, then sliced and served it for lunch, drizzled with spoonfuls of the ... (more)
(Sick) purple basil
Posted on March 8, 2010 · 5 Comments
Purple basil has a more intense flavor than Thai basil and it is prudent to use less for cooking. But what I really love to do with purple basil leaves is to use them for garnish. Rolled then finely sliced, they make a dish not only prettier but more flavorful too. But of the three ... (more)
Can’t find halo-halo? Get ice cream!
Posted on March 8, 2010 · 3 Comments
Even without any official announcement, I know that summer is here. I’ve written two articles today and, while writing them, all I could think of was ice-cold halo-halo. In fact, I’ve been thinking of halo-halo since yesterday. My family went to see a movie and I kept scanning the restaurants for any that offered halo-halo ... (more)
Chicken with spicy peanut butter sauce
Posted on March 8, 2010 · 24 Comments
If you like chicken satay with peanut butter sauce, you’re going to enjoy this. No need to skewer and grill. Whole chicken thighs, with bones for maximum flavor, are lightly browned then braised in spices, soy sauce and rice wine vinegar. When the chicken is tender, peanut butter is added and the dish is boiled ... (more)
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