Blowing Bubbles

For sometime now, I noticed that many stalls in fairs, bazaars and department stores are selling plastic bottles containing soapy liquid. The bottles came in all kinds of shapes and colors-- sometimes the shape taking cue from the latest cartoon or movie craze. And for convenience sake, the bottle hangs from a colored cord long enough to hang around your neck-- just like a necklace. You'll never be hard press to locate your "bubble bottle" when it's just hanging from your neck. For P30 or less, the magic of bubbles is yours. Not only for a few minutes but for possibly a week (!). Bubble blowing has come a long way from the gumamela + detergent formula of my youth.

So what's magical about blowing bubbles?



Well, won't you think it's magic after watching how children's eyes grow big with delight when bubbles emerge once air is blown into the hoop?



Won't you consider it magic the way bubbles reflect the prism of colors while floating in mid-air?



Wouldn't you consider it magic when for a few moments you are able to forget your cares and worries, imagining them as bubbles floating away and bursting into nothingness?

That's magic!

Remember then that when you feel out of sorts, consider the magic of blowing bubbles. Consider giving in to being a child again and let the bubbles carry you away.


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And for those who think bubbles are silly, here's a dish that is seriously delicious and easy to make. I tried it last Saturday and was pleasantly surprised to see how quickly they disappeared. Now that's magic!

Binyolos
From the cookbook: "Saru-saro Kita! 100 nga mga kaluto ha Leyte"

10 pcs sweet potato (camote)
1/4 k flour
1/4 k sugar
cooking oil

Boil the camote. Peel and mash them using a bottle or rolling pin.

Add sugar and flour. Mix well with your hands until the mixture no longer sticks to your fingers.




Heat the cooking oil in a pan while making 3-inch long rolls from the mixture.



Fry the rolls and once it turns golden, drain on paper towels.



Sprinkle with refined sugar.
Serve hot.



My version:
3 cups mashed camote
1/4-1/2 cup flour or just enough for the camote to no longer stick to your fingers
1/4-1/2 cup sugar (less if you don't want it sweet) and some for sprinkling.

Let There Be Joy

Two days ago, I prepared chicken curry for lunch. And by some strange reason, the aroma of the curry made me remember a conversation I had with my daughter when she was still in high school...... (flashback...with the hands of time doing a backward spin and the tingling of tiny bells)

"Mom," my daughter started, "what's that chicken recipe that has a sauce?"

After some probing, I gathered that she wanted to have the recipe for Chicken Curry. She was charged by her cooking group at school with coming up with the appropriate chicken recipe that would be easy to execute, tasty and best of all must impress the teacher. The cooking was to be done the next day at school.

I initially gave her a list of ingredients needed and instructions for her yaya to get them quickly at the supermarket. I assured her that we would discuss the procedure thoroughly when I get home from work.

Over dinner, my daughter took notes of the "what and the how much" of the recipe. To be sure that she would recall what I said, each note she took was followed by a crude, funny drawing. Imagine minute drawings of chicken pieces in coconut milk! Then there were the "what ifs.." that needed to be addressed as well.

In the end, I put an arm around her and said, "Cooking should not be a chore but should be a joy."

Back to present time..

I realize that it is not only in cooking that should be done with joy. Any gesture, big or small; any task, easy or complicated magically comes together when done with a joyful attitude. For does not joy ease up the pressure? Does not joy make it all worth while? And if for some reason we are confronted with failure, does not joy make starting over less frightening or tiresome?

So you ask, what about the Chicken Curry Recipe? Don't fret coz that's what follows:

My Chicken Curry (an adaptation from a N Daza recipe)



1 kilo chicken pieces (my preference: legs & thighs; less fattening: breast with skin removed)
3-4 tables of cooking oil
2 cloves sliced garlic
1 large sliced onion
1/2 c thick coconut milk*
1 1/2 c thin coconut milk*
2 small peeled potatoes, quartered
1-3 tsp curry powder
salt, pepper to taste
Optional:
1 chicken buillion cube
chili powder
sili espada
1/2-1 tablespoon crushed crackers or bread crumbs
apple wedges
diced green bell pepper
raisins
peanuts/casuy
mango chutney or papaya atchara

My picture shows carrots added. It's not really called for but I just added them coz I like carrots.

In a kawali or casserole, heat up the oil and suate the garlic; then the onion. Optional: Add the chicken buillion and break it up. Add the chicken pieces and move them around in the pot until lightly brown on each side. When you think the chicken pieces has had enough stirring around, pour in the thin coconut milk. When the mixture simmers, add the potatoes and the curry powder (Optional: add the chili powder) and again give the stew a stir. Bring up the fire.
Once the mixture hits the boiling point, lower the flame. After judging that the chicken and potatoes are cooked and tender enough, correct the seasoning-- salt, pepper, more curry powder maybe. If you want to have a thick sauce, add the crushed crackers or bread crumbs a little at a time-- just don't dump everything in at once so that you don't end up with no sauce at all. Then when you have attained perfection, kill the fire and add the 1/2 c thick coconut milk. Do not re-boil if you do not want the coconut oil to separate and give your masterpiece a very distinct coconut oil smell.

To Impress:
Transfer your masterpiece to a lovely dish ( the one you reserve for when a grand occasion should happen).

Arrange thin apple slices at the sides of the dish.

In small bowls surrounding your creation, put in the raisin, peanuts/casuy, mango chutney or atchara, diced green pepper, even some diced fried bananas.


*Milking a coconut
Thick
Put the shredded coconut in a bowl and add about 1/2 c warm matter and squeeze 1/2 c coconut milk out of it. Use a strainer to ensure you don't have coconut bits in the milk.

Thin
Add 1 1/2 c warm water and squeeze 1 1/2 c of thin coconut milk. Again use that strainer.

If you can't find fresh coconut milk, you could experiment with canned coconut milk/cream. Then again, quality is a hit and miss until you find the canned coconut milk/cream of your dream.

It's Going to be Alright

Is it just me or are people today indifferent to law and order? And where has good manners gone?

Is it just me or are people today callous to the feelings and sufferings around them? Why is there so much pain?

Is it just me or has the world turn a shade less bright in its urgency to spin around faster and faster?

I ask because I noticed that men do not think twice about shoving women to get inside jampacked MRT trains-- no mercy even for pregnant women. Buses stop in the middle of the highway to drop off or pick up passengers. Men and women shove and push to get closer to designated lines-- be they fastfood counter lines or communion lines at mass. Used to be when children where thrown into the air and safely caught in loving arms so as to fill the air with their gleeful laughter. Now I hear that children are being thrown directly into a busy street so that the pockets can be filled with much needed cash as settlement.

The headlines of the newspapers are no help either. Depression starts to set in and I wonder if the world is better off ending in one sudden giant explosion.

And just when I am about ready to believe that the end is near, some sense is knocked into my blue brain. The world is not ending-- yet. The sky is not falling and it really is all right. And why is this so? Because...

• I took a walk and noticed the blue-ness of the sky. Turning a corner, I came across a boganvilla bush in glorious bloom. Along the way, a neighbor smiled and waved across her fence. My heart was beating so and my breath was coming in strong with every stride I made.



• I helped cover up a young mother as she tenderly breast-feed her tiny baby in a ride home on the MRT.

• I watched a group of street kids enjoy a game of tag. I heard their laughter and saw the sweaty grins.

• The scholarship program initiated by women of my parish for a depressed area beside our subdivision is doing so well. The contributions have been bountiful and generous.




It's these big heart-warming little occurences that happen everyday that prove the world will continue to spin on course. As long as there is still beauty around us; as long as there is still laughter and some generous hearts-- it will be alright. All is not lost yet as long as there is a little love in this world.

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But is there hope or any good that can come out of stale bread? The answer is also-- YES! So don't be too quick to throw it to the dogs or garbage bin. For like everything else, it's a matter of seeking out the good. And for old bread, the good comes in the form of (or transformation to) delicious french toast. Try this very simple recipe. My family's: they're better than alright-- they're fantalicious!

Fantalicious French Toast
• 4 pcs sliced bread
• 1 cups milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup sugar or less
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (may be omitted)
• 1/4 tsp salt (may be omitted)
• 1 tablespoon melted butter or margarine

Garnish with:
• raisins or choco chips or nuts or slices of fruit(depends on how much you love them)

Beat the egg slightly and add the rest of the ingredients except for the garnishments. Soak the 4 pieces of bread in the milk-egg mixture. Press down with a spoon to make sure milk has soaked through.

Heat up a lightly coat a non-stick pan with butter or cooking oil. When ready, slip in your sliced bread-- one at a time or as many as your pan can accommodate without over crowding. In two to three minutes, flip the sliced bread over as it would have turned a nice shade of brown. Brown the other side before transferring to a plate.

Once you have all the slices cooked or toasted, arrange lovingly these slices on two plates. Sprinkle with your garnishments and maybe dust lightly with powdered sugar. May be served with maple syrup, some sausage links and or bacon.



After one bite, you will definitely declare that life is alright!

Start with a Bam-i

Time does fly when one is having fun and the two years as a retiree has been all that I wanted and more. I have to say that life after 30-years of corporate work continues to get better. In the short time, I have gained more friends than wrinkles; and you my friends are more than enough reason for me to continue with my musings.

So what do I have "cooking" for such wonderful people at the start of a brand new year?!?! Why only the best that Cebuano cuisine can offer: I give you Bam-i. (Nope, this is not the Cebuano version of W. Disney's "Bambi".) Bam-i is a soupy noodle dish bursting with flavor that can only be described as "Lami kaayo!" (delicious) .

My first encounter with "Bam-i" was at my first Noche Buena (Christmas dinner) as a new member in my husband's family. There was the usual fare of ham and cheese and tsokolate. But in their home, Bam-i was the most welcomed treat. It's aroma and warmth was enough to drive the chills out of one's bones.

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The following recipe was taught to me by my mother-in-law. This recipe has been passed on from mother to daughter from one generation to the next. If you have done some cooking or messing around in the kitchen, you will know that a good cook does not relay on exact measurements. She (or he) uses her senses-- smell, taste, touch, sight and even hearing. Measurements are at best estimates or guide-- so trust your senses and let's begin.

Bam-i ni Mommy Janet

Ingredients:

1/2 k kasim
1 chicken breast
1 small onion, quartered
1 c shelled small shrimps
1c shredded dried squid-- the rounded one, not the elongated one
1/2 c tengga sa daga (mushroom)
1 small pack of miki (egg noodle)-- about 1/2 k
300 grams of sotanghon (glass noodle)
1 Knorr chicken cube
1 med. onion, sliced
3 cloves of garlic, sliced
some cooking oil
soy sauce and/or patis (fish sauce)
salt, pepper
green onions, sliced



Preparation:
First, you got to have a lot of soup stock. So boil the chicken and the pork in 5-6 cups of water with a small onion and a pinch of salt. Once the meat is tender; remove from stock and set aside to cool. Once cooled, shred the chicken meat and cut the pork into thin strips.



Soak the mushroom in some water and when soften cut into strips as well.

Shell and de-vein the shrimps.

Ready the onion and the garlic by slicing them thinly.

Soak the sotanghon.

Cooking:
Saute the garlic, then the onion in a little oil. Follow this with the knorr cube, shrimps, the chicken and the pork. Add the squid and the mushroom. Then add enough stock to cover. Simmer over low flame until flavours have blended.



When serving time is almost near, add the miki and the sotanghon (drained of it's water) to the soup. Check that your soup does not dry out. If it does, add the reserve stock. Stir and season with the soy sauce, salt and pepper.

Serving:
Put this noodle soup in a pretty bowl and sprinkle sliced green onions on top. Serve with pride.

Tips:
• Knorr cubes may be omitted. Although these magic cubes does add the necessary kick (maybe because of the MSG).
• To have more stock on hand, you could boil some chicken back and neck pieces and reserve the resulting stock.
• To devein shrimp, after shelling slit the back and remove the black vein. This is the shrimp's intestine (yuk!)
• As you will realize at the end of the cooking experience, noodles tend to soak up the broth in which it has been placed in. So it is important to have on hand extra soup stock. To guarantee that this is a soupy dish and not some ordinary pancit guisado creation, do not add the noodles until close to serving time so that the noodles will not have time to soak up the stock.
• Use a scissors to cut the squid into match stick strips.
• You may increase, decrease or omit the amount of meat (pork, chicken, shrimps, squid) depending on your preference.



Here's hoping this soup warms up your spirit and jump starts your year in the right direction.

The Planted Seed

Seeds are like people. And like people, seeds have different ways of getting up from their cosy beds. Some seeds, like the mongo, can’t seem to wait very long to burst out of their case after just an overnight soak in water. Some seeds, like basil, come up with two tiny baby leaves stretched out as if to say hello world.



And there are seeds, like chico and other fruit tree, that take their sweet time straightening first their spine-like stems before they leaves shyly take a peek.


Their long sleep have caused me to despair and often I am turned between digging them out or patiently continuing to water their barren beds.

Like people, all seeds once awaken need nurturing. You have to give them nice cool shower, time to sun, time to rest in the shade and give them a once over to check for pesky bugs.

Like people, the treatment you give your a come-alive seedling can very well determine how that seedling will turn out in life.

Sounds familiar?

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Seeds are not only for planting but if done right, are good to eat. Steamed soy beans, crushed pepper-corn steaks, popped corn, and boiled jackfruit seeds.

And here's a seed of a recipe. A favorite during Sunday lunches at home is a soup made of mongo beans, flaked dried fish and coconut milk. This soup is usually paired with grilled meat.

Mongo in Coconut Milk (Ginatang/Linubihan na Mongo)

1 cup of mongo beans, soaked over night in water
½ cup of flaked dried fish (bisugo or other fleshy dried fish works well)
½ cup coconut cream (the resulting milk when you squeeze grated meat from a large coconut for the 1st time—add about ¼ c warm water)
2 cups coconut milk ( the resulting milk when you squeeze grated coconut for the 2nd time—add about 1 ½ c warm water)
1 sliced medium size onion
1 minced clove of garlic
Optional:
Some chopped green onions or leeks (sibuyas dahonan)
A handful of mallongay leaves or ampalaya leaves



Procedure
Drain your mongo beans and put in a pot with some water to cover. Bring to a quick boil then let simmer until beans are very soft. Set aside.
In another pot, sauté in a little oil the garlic, onions and then add the flaked dried fish. When done, add the cooked mongo beans (including the resulting stock).
Add the coconut milk, bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer.
Once the flavors have mingled, turn off the heat, add the mallongay or ampalaya leaves (optional) and pour in the coconut cream.
Ladle into a lovely soup bowl and sprinkle the top with chopped green onions.

Lunch Time, Truly a Friendly Time

12noon. A most sacred hour for Filipinos. Everything stops; offices close; and, it’s a very rare occurrence if you find your concerns being addressed. Rarer still if your concerns are being handled by someone very accommodating.

And so I find myself in line at a cafeteria after being told by an office clerk to return after lunch. After pointing to the chicken, rice and banana combo meal, I head for the cashier and paid for my meal. It was peak time at the busy cafeteria and the only way I would be able to eat my lunch sitting down was to share a table. After quickly scanning the room, I politely asked a group of young office girls if I could have the empty seat at their table. They were done with their meal and were slicing up a big piece of cake. They smiled at me and gave their consent. Soon I was concentrating on my chicken when one of the girls asked if I would care to have some of the cake. Not wanting to impose, I decline the offer with a smile. They continued with their chatter and I, silently, with my lunch. Then one by one they stood up to go but before leaving the table, one of them, smiling, turned to me and begged that the group be excused to leave me as I finished my lunch. I smiled in return and nodded to them.

As the cafeteria continued to be filled with hungry people, a young man, smiling, comes up to my table and asked politely if he could have one of the empty seats. After getting my confirmation, he gets ready to dig in but pauses and looks up at me saying “kain tayo po”. Roughly translated, it’s an expression were the speaker politely offers to share his meal. In turn, I said “sige” to signal for him to go ahead with his meal. Happily he brings up a spoonful of rice to his mouth. As I stood up, I begged him to excuse me for leaving him at his meal. He smiled in return and nodded to me.

Satisfied, I make my way out of the cafeteria and move on back to the office with my business at hand. More than that, I was glad to note that Filipinos have yet to adopt the cold and indifferent nature of most western culture when it comes to sharing a lunch table with total strangers. And trust a Filipino to offer a portion of his humble meal every time.

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It is funny how certain cafeteria food continues to remain a best seller. Be it in a fancy building or at the corner turo-turo (literally to mean “point-point” – because you point at the food you want). One mainstay, aside from the ever reliable adobo, is a red-orange colored dish of sauted ground pork whose serving proportion is increased with the addition of vegetables. What makes it appealing to cafeteria patrons? It’s quite filling and best of all it is cheap. What goes in such a dish? Consider trying out the recipe below. I am sure it will be a hit and might even put ideas into your mind to open your own turo-turo.

Giling-Giling sa Turo-turo

2 Tablespoon asuete seeds
4-6 Tablespoon cooking oil
½ k ground pork
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 potatoes, cubed
2 carrots, cubed
¼ cup green peas (canned or frozen)
Salt and pepper
Optional: Raisins

Procedure:
1. Heat up the oil in a pan and add the asuete seeds. Heat on low and stir until the oil becomes red-orange. Stain the oil from the seeds. Discard the seeds.
2. Add the red-orange oil back into the pan. Saute the garlic and the onions.
3. Add the pork and sauté until cook. Press on the pork to ensure that there are no big lumps.
4. Add the potatoes and a little water. Cover and stir the mixture from time to time until the potatoes are a bit tender.
5. Add the carrots and continue to cook the mixture until the potatoes and carrots are tender but not mushy.
6. Season with salt and pepper and toss in some raisin.
7. Serve with lots of steaming rice.

Hey There Little Firefly!

The day has come to an end. Bone weary from clipping grass and cleaning up my garden, I sat by my bedroom window watching night take its reign. I glanced at the familiar landscape that was now shrouded in darkness. The rain had stopped falling for the time being and the breeze carried a sweet note of freshness.

As I continued to stare at the darkness, my attention was called by a tiny spark that went on and off among the tall grass in a vacant lot across the street. Then I spotted another tiny flicker of light. Soon several tiny lights danced and flashed and raced over the grassy area. Was I seeing aliens or some supernatural beings? Yes, in a way, they were supernatural. For how else could I describe the tiny sparks of light coming from fireflies? My tiredness forgotten, I was once more transported to the many times in the past that these little bugs have enthralled me--- up in the farm of my grandmother, at a lonely stretch of beach, with a friend on our commute home from work, and during early evening walks with my then young children.

I also fondly remember how my then 18 year old son decided to drive me around our subdivision pointing out dark sections of vacant lots he knew held similar "magic shows". My son, who like all boys, is an expert with bugs and all crawly things, explained that fireflies normally live close by water sources-- creeks, ponds, canals and the like. It also helps that there are trees and tall grasses in the area for them to rest during the day.

And so, Mother Nature has waved her magic wand and the resulting light beams filled me once again with wide-eyed wonder. With a happy sigh, I called on my two young house helpers to hurry up to my room. Magic shows like these were meant to be shared.

I know that I am blessed to live in a community that still hold many of Nature's treasures. For through these natural treasures we find the child that is in us. The child that hopes and dreams of all that is wonderful and good.

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Living in the city may have made many of us lose touch with the child that is within us. We have grown cynical with the world and with those around us. Well, here's a recipe that will surely bring out the child in you and will make you look at life with hope. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies (recipe from "Joy of Cooking"-- this recipe is a JOY classic, and the book states that the recipe had appeared in the book since the 1943 wartime edition-- how's that for popularity?!?!)



Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease or line 2 cookie sheets.
Whisk together:
1 cup plus 2 Tablesppons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Beat in a large bowl until well blended:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

Add and beat until well combined:
1 large egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Stir in the flour mixture until well blended and smooth.

Stir in :
1 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cups chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Drop the dough by heaping teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto the cookie sheets. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until the cookies are just slightly colored on top and the edges are brown, 8 to 10 minutes.



Let stand briefly, then remove to a rack to cool.

Mama said, Papa said...

Why is it only later in life that a person finally accepts the wisdom of his elders? What is it in our youth that makes us want to discover the answers to questions already answered?

These questions I ask myself as I looked back at the rebellious, curious and wonderful nature of my children. In them, I saw the young me that once did battle with her parents (why can't you trust me?!); her teachers (why can't you tell me something I really don't know?!);and, with anyone who had some form of authority (I wanna be free!). In my children, I saw myself trying to comprehend relationships (does he or doesn't he?); the cause and effect of the forbidden (just one try); and the meaning of life (what am I? who am I?).

Was this life's cruel joke of getting back at me? I figured not. It's just life. It just is.

So what is a parent to do? Well, when faced with the challenges of raising my kids, I applied the following time-tested prescriptions as told to me by my mother and father:

For fears and worries-
Let's cross the bridge when we come to it.

Troubles at school-
Would you like me to talk to your teacher?

When fighting for a cause-
It's alright to be idealistic. But remember to be realistic.

When depressed-
Laugh and the whole world laughs with you. Cry and you cry alone.

When selling or buying-
There's a sucker born every minute.

When faced with life's trials-
In some hearts some rain must fall.

The need to exercise caution-
Ang mag-dali, ma-bali. (literally: those who rush will break)

Definition of Lust-
Mapug-gnan ang baha, nungka ang biga. ( You can hold back the floods but not lust.)

Do unto others...-
Ang gaba dili mag-saba. (Karma does not announce itself.)

Approach to Make-up-
Start as late as you can with the least amount on. Add one layer very, very gradually over the years.
Late Exposure-
Just like cars, boys will always go for the newer models.

Surviving a Bad Experience-
It's done so don't ever do it again!

Permission withheld-
Your time will come.

A Mother's classic fallback lines-
a) You'll know what I mean when you have children of your own.
b) Because I am your mother and I say so.

Do you still remember what your mama and papa use to say to you?

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The word mama & papa bring to my mind Italian recipes ( go figure..). Maybe it's my association with words like: Mama Mia and Papa Picolino (a pasta commercial). So here's a healthy and hearty recipe adapted from Rachel Ray. Don't be turned off by the paleness of the picture. Trust me. It's delicious or so my family tells me.

Chicken Piccata Pasta



• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 500 grams of chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup white wine or grape juice
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped (optional)
• 1 pound penne rigate or fetuccini pasta, cooked to al dente
• Chopped or snipped chives, for garnish (optional)

Heat a deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil and the chicken to the pan. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brown chicken until lightly golden all over, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and return the skillet to the heat. Reduce heat to medium. Add another tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter, the garlic and shallots to the skillet. Saute garlic and shallots 3 minutes. Add flour and cook 2 minutes. Whisk in wine and reduce liquid 1 minute. Whisk lemon juice and broth into sauce. Stir in capers and parsley. When the liquid comes to a bubble, add remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter to the sauce to give it a little shine.



Add chicken back to the pan and heat through, 1 to 2 minutes. Toss hot pasta with chicken and sauce and serve. Adjust salt and pepper, to your taste. Top with fresh snipped chives.

Paseo

"Come on kids," called my father. "Let's go for a paseo."

Quickly, sometimes forgetting a slipper or to brush our hairs, my four sisters, 2 brothers and I climbed into the car, jeep, panel— whatever vehicle my father owned or was assigned with at the time he said the magic word—"paseo". This was a word synonymous to adventure. In our child's mind, we did not care how we looked or dressed. What was important was that we were ready for adventure in our ride around our town. There was no telling what we would see or experience along the way—a new neon sign, maybe some barbeque on a stick or boiled peanuts bought at the park, or just the chance to be the first to seat by the open window and feel the rush of the wind in our tangled hairs.



Every now and then these "paseos", with the able assistance of my mother, would become the never-to-forget, one-of-a-kind outings in the summer of my youth—a trip to a small town on the outskirts of the province to look at an old church; a tour to the Southern tip of our island; barge rides to access secluded white sand beaches; rough terrain that was considered to be a road to my grandmother's farm hidden up in the mountains; a ride on a motorized banca to reach a sandbar in the middle of the deep blue sea.



That was a long time ago. Now I continue the “paseos” with my children. And I am glad to report that they are certified bitten by the "paseo" bug. Indeed, travel, even local in scope, opens one's senses to the beauty and wonder of life.

"….life is a journey not a destination. Life is about wanting to experience the world and its myriad of colors with your own senses."



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Do you want to be adventurous but have a cautious nature? Well, I have just the recipe for you. Green Bellpepper Soup! This was a favorite of my father. It has lots of vitamins and it's so easy to prepare.

Green Bell pepper Soup

You will need:
2 green bell pepper, sliced into strips
2 tablespoon of ground beef
2 cloves garlic, sliced thingly
2 tablespoon of sliced onions
2 cups broth (you may use a beef or chicken buillion cube & follow the directions to make the broth)
sale and pepper

What you need to do:
Saute the garlic, then add the onions. Once the onions are translucent, add the beef and stir it about. When cooked, add the broth and let simmer. After 5 minutes or so, add the sliced bell pepper. Continue to simmer until the pepper is tender but still holds it's shape.

Season with salt and pepper. Savour the new adventure in taste.

Mango, Mango-- so good to me

Borrowing lines from the Mamas and the Papas' "Monday, Monday" , indeed I must say that the mango has been good to me and possibly to all those who have been delighted by its delicious flavor. Partaking of a very sweet mango never fails to bring back thoughts of the summers of my youth and memories of my father. You see, after my father consumes both cheeks of a sweet mango, he would clean off whatever fruit is left on the seed-- literally cleaning it "to the bone". Once done, he would request the helper to put the seed out in the sun to dry. After a day or two, my father would get the seed and with a shovel dig up a hole in our backyard. It was like a ceremony of sorts with his three daughters as eager assistants. He explained that mangoes when planted from seeds do take awhile to bear fruit. And at one particular ceremony, he said "I will not live to eat the fruit of this mango but you all will".



Indeed it was to be. Although he never lived long enough to taste the "fruits of his labor", his memory lives on in every sweet mango I eat and in memories of mangoes picked from the trees in our backyard.

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Sweet or sour, fresh or dried, the mango has been served in a variety of ways--creative recipes only limited by one's imagination. You can dice it, slice it and even bite straight into it. Anyway it's served, surely it always is a hit. Now allow me to share with you two very simple recipes. Feel free to come up with your own variation.

Green Mango Pickle Salad (also known as Kamayan Salad)
3-5 green mangoes (preferably the pico type), diced
3 small tomatoes, diced
1/2 small red onion, diced
Pickle Solution:
1/2 c Vinegar
1/4 c Sugar
salt
pepper
1 t Corn or cooking oil

Put your dices mangoes, tomatoes and onion in a bowl.
Mix your pickle solution. The resulting taste will depend on your preference-- if you want it sour then go for more vinegar; if sweet, then add more sugar.
Add the solution to your bowl. Toss and chill before serving. Goes very well with BBQs and fried dishes. It also keeps well in the fridge.

Crema de Manga (or Mango version of the Crema de Fruta)
1/2 doz lady's fingers to line bottom of a rectangular glass dish (about 7 by 10 inches)

1 c sugar
1/3 c flour
2 1/2 c evap
3/4 c water
3 egg yolks, beaten
1 t vanilla
2 T butter
3-5 very sweet mangoes, sliced thinly cross-wise

1 box ALSA instant gelatin (clear)

Have your lady finger lined pan ready. In the absence of lady fingers, you may use slices of chiffon cake. You may also use taisan cake but just remove the top layer of sugar from the loaf and slice accordingly. The amount of cake will depend on how thinkly or thinly your slice it.

In a saucepan, add sugar and flour. Pour in the milk and water. Put over medium heat and stir until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Add yolks and vanilla gradually. Return to heat and stir for about 5 minutes more. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly once more. Then stir in the butter. Pour the the cream mixture on top of the lady's fingers and spread evenly. Carefully cover top of cream with the sliced mangoes-- slightly overlapping the slices. Set aside.

Follow directions found on the ALSA box. Once the gelatin is ready, pour immediately over the mangoes. Please remember that ALSA gelatin sets very quickly.

Cool and refrigerate.

* The success of this dessert is in the sweetness of the mangoes.