Sunday, October 26, 2008

Cibo's Gamberetti Sandwich


My foodie family loves to dine at Cibo whether it’s for lunch, snack or dinner. Last week, my dad and I dropped by Cibo Greenbelt 5, to share a gamberetti sandwich (chopped cooked shrimp with alfalfa sprouts and lemon mayonnaise sandwiched between toasted white bread) for snack.
The gamberetti sandwich was light enough to tide us over till dinner and just right for a relaxing afternoon.  My dad paired his half of the sandwich with fresh pomelo shake while I had hot chamomile tea.  It was perfect.

Rumor has it that the Earl of Sandwich invented the sandwich.  Because he would not leave the gambling table, he had his meals of meat pressed between two breads delivered to him at the table and thus the sandwich was born.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Hospital Food


Hospital food motivates me to keep my body healthy. That’s because I can not, for the life of me, understand why hospital food has to be bland and boring. Take for example my sister’s meals (when she checked in at the Medical City to give birth to a bouncing baby boy ) it consisted of one plain rice, one viand, one soup (that tasted like bouillon) and dessert, unappetizingly presented on a huge plastic tray that I assume was supposed to keep the food warm.

For me, food should be prepared and served with appreciation. Even if the food’s bland and boring, a little color lifts the palate as well the spirit. Therefore, I vow to take care of my body, eat well and stay away from hospital food.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Manvy Foods


Ran by the husband and wife team of Manuel and Juvy Chua, this hand-made-noodle stall, at the Legaspi Sunday Market, is a must eat.  The vegetable noodles are made on site and you can choose to have the noodles blanched in superior stock or stir-fried with your choice of toppings which ranges from seafood to fresh vegetables.   No meat here, so its healthy and low fat. Then mix your own sauce concoction to either dip or pour over the noodles.

If your lazy, like me, get their signature Manvy sauce already mixed.  I add a lot of chili in oil, coz I prefer mine hot and spicy.  A perfect meal on a rainy day.

Manvy Foods
Legaspi Sunday Market, Legaspi Village Parking Lot
Legaspi corner Herrera Sts. Makati City
Juvy Gue - 0917 8487012

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Huo Guo Hot Pot


Sunday is family day and most of the time we have dinner together...somewhere. Last Sunday we gathered around a shabu-shabu pot at Choi Garden Restaurant. Also known as chinese fondue, steamboat, sukiyaki or “huo guo” (fire pot), depending on which part of the world you are, it involves cooking raw thinly sliced meat, fresh seafood, cut-up vegetables and choice noodles in boiling soup. Then you dipped the cooked food in your prepared sauce and enjoy.

My dipping sauce concoction includes one beaten raw egg (which according to traditional chinese herbalist lessens the “heat” therefore you won’t get sore throat after eating huo guo), lots of minced garlic, minced shallots, tons of sate paste, a couple of chopped chili and a dollop of chili sauce. I like my sauce hot and spicy.

Inside our shabu-shabu pot were sliced lamb, fresh shrimp, male crab, hand-made fish balls, shrimp balls, stuffed meat balls, fresh meat balls, lobster balls, squid paste, lettuce, polonchay, tanghochay, watercrest, baguio pechay, condol, sweet corn and plain rice, for those who can’t eat without it.

After 2 hours of cooking, bickering and gossiping, the soup stock was rich and flavorful ready for the noodles, but we decided to forgo noodles because we wanted dessert. We had mango pudding topped with fresh milk and a cherry, taho in a bucket good for 4 with mini sago and brown sugar syrup, and Dad had ground almond puree. Everyone had a little of everything and yet we were so full.

We look forward to next Sunday’s food trip and share another wonderful meal together.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Noodle Week

Living in the same building with an aunt who loves to cook is a God-send to a foodie like me. Every week, I get to enjoy old favorites from recipes handed down from my Amah, new concoctions she discovered thru cookbooks or cooking shows, or sometimes I would contribute my own. We usually eat together at dinner and most of the time we talk about food.

Last week was noodles week. First, she made us “lomi” (slow cooked noodle soup in pot). I remembered when I was young, I used to eat lomi in this old panciteria in Divisoria near the place where my grandmother used to live. It consisted of thick udon-like egg noodles, shelled shrimps, scored fish balls and julienned vegetables in superior stock, it was a rich, thick, one-dish meal that was hot and filling. I learned to eat it with a dash of chinese black vinegar, to cut thru the richness of taste and now I enjoy it with a dash of balsamic vinegar which gives it a decidedly new world flavor. Aunt Lily recreated this dish from scratch and it was delicious on a cool rainy day.

Every time I visited Singapore, the first thing I look for was laksa, a coconut milk based very spicy curry soup. The main ingredients for most curry laksa are tofu puffs, fish sticks, shelled-shrimps and bean sprouts. The best laksa I’ve had, that I can recall, was at the Empire Cafe of the Raffles Hotel Singapore.

Since flying to Singapore, every time I crave for one, is next to impossible, and the spices to create one is tedious and hard to fine, the next best thing I found, was Prima Taste’s Ready-to-Cook Meal kit for Laksa, which I bought in HK. Just follow the cooking instruction, add thick rice noodles (palabok noodles) and the other necessary ingredients and this is as close to the real laksa as I can get.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Turkey Patty Sandwich


My usual breakfast consists of cereal and soymilk, but one morning I had turkey patty sandwich. Found the turkey patty on the table, browned in a non-stick pan brushed with very little oil and decided to rummage thru the refrigerator for my sandwich ingredients. I found whole wheat toasts, mayonnaise, ketchup, lettuce and tomatoes. Smeared one of the toasted wheat bread with mayo and the other with ketchup, this supposedly water-proofs the bread from the damp veges and moist filling. Then piled the turkey patty, lettuce leaves and chopped tomatoes. Voila! Turkey patty sandwich paired with hot french-pressed coffee. Perfect perk-me-upper.

Rumor has it that the “sandwich” was named after John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich. He favored this type of food because it allowed him to continue playing cards while eating.  I agree.  I sometimes go thru work uninterrupted with a sandwich in my hand for lunch. Dinner, on the other hand, I reserve for the enjoyment of food and company. 

To buy whole turkey, frozen cuts and processed turkey meat contact:
Herbest Meat Products
Glenn B. Quizon - 0917-8126429
Prime Quizon - 0917-8833040



Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Turkey Tenderloin Stir-Fry


Bought turkey tenderloins a couple of days ago, from Herbest Meat Products during the American Women's Bazaar, and decided to stir-fry them for dinner.  For a first timer, I'd say I was good.  My parents and aunt found the turkey tenderloins stir-fry to be tender, moist and tasty.

I first cubed the turkey tenderloins and marinaded with Lee Kum Kee Chicken Marinade for about 2 hours, then I added 1 slightly beaten egg white and browned them in oil.  Set them aside. Using the same pan, I sauted sliced onion sprinkled with a little salt to caramelize for about 5 minutes. Then I added sliced green and red bell pepper and chopped garlic and sauted until I smelled all the flavors melding together.  Returned turkey meat to pan, stirred some more and served with hot plain rice.  

Will definitely try turkey meat again.

Herbest Meat Products sells whole turkey, frozen cuts and processed turkey meat.
Contact Glenn B. Quizon - 0917-8126429
               Prime Quizon - 0917-8833040

Apple Pie by Isabel

One of the best apple pie I've had was at Lily Pad in Calamba, Laguna. The crust was flaky and the filling was moist and sweet enough with just a hint of cinnamon. Perfect with fresh brewed coffee.


Apple pie's a funny dessert, says Tina Tan. A friend of hers must have it with cheese, another friend must have it with milk and she eats it for breakfast.

I decided to try it for breakfast with grated Romano cheese and a tall glass of cold low-fat milk. What a hearty way to start the day. 

To order, call Tina Tan @ 0918 3624176