Across the country, thousands of bakers wake up in the middle of the night to work all day in front of a hot oven creating premium loaves, bread, cakes, and pastries. The majority of them hail from the town of Cuenca in Batangas. The province of Batangas is more than just about historic churches,...
Good news for LPG users. It is now illegal to sell dilapidated LPG tanks. Republic Act 11952 requires dealers to deliver only standard tanks with clear, embossed identification of the maker. The law requires dealers to replace substandard tanks. Consumers are only required to present the receipt...
Not too long ago, consumers had no choice as to what part of the bangus to buy. Bangus was always sold whole. Thus, we had to settle among us kids who would get the belly, eyes, cheeks, tail, back, or head. To get the parts we love often meant bribing younger brothers with chocolate and other...
Still unresolved is the great debate about what our national dish is: sinigang or adobo. But there is no question what majority would pick as our country's national fish. Bangus (milkfish) is sold everywhere; from the rocky hills of Batanes to the beautiful islands of Tawi-Tawi. It is consumed by...
When buying fish, our ultimate goal is to get “sariwa” (fresh) and not “ilado” (spoiled or no longer fresh). That is the root of the Pinoy aversion for seafood that has been preserved in ice. Early Pinoys adapted the Spanish word helado , which means iced, to mean food that has not...
Okra is a vegetable that divides people. One either loves or hates okra. In the Philippines, it is a standard ingredient in sinigang and pinakbet. In the US, okra is the star of Cajun and Creole cuisine, with signature dishes gumbo and jambalaya featuring okra. Okra was brought to the US from...
Dining out was a big adventure i n t h e ’6 0 s , long before fast food joints flooded the metropolis. People did not go out to bond. We went out to eat. Our choices were very limited. There was only one place for fried chicken, another for foot-long hotdogs, and a fun joint for pizza. The fried...
Without what most of us consider as basic equipment and supplies, my grandma fed 10 grandchildren and 12 men who worked in her husband’s jeepney assembly shop. Our ancestral house had two entrances, front and back. The front led to a balcony whereas the back took you to the kitchen. Almost...
The unbearable heat of summer calls for changes in our diets to lighter dishes, such as salad and vegetable combinations, which are easy to digest. This is the perfect season for healthy and versatile aioli, a sauce made from garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice. Traditionally served with fish or...
Summers were always a big problem for our household. There were never enough activities for five growing kids. Then I saw a newspaper ad offering summer cooking lessons for children of all ages. After several phone calls, I learned that there were several classes teaching Pinoy viands, baking,...
Summer is all about travel, adventures, reunions, and discoveries. For many, going on the road means new and exciting culinary thrills found only in specific towns or barrios. One of the best examples is the sinarapan, listed as the tiniest fish in the world and found in Lake Buhi, Camarines...
The shortest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, and it does not need to involve elaborate, exotic, or gourmet dishes. Here's my love story. In 1976, I was in Hong Kong to cover an event at the exclusive Foreign Correspondents Club as stringer for United Press International (UPI)....
