Bacon-Mushroom Pasta

My attempt at the pasta dish which Rommel immediately loved (thanks, Ate Frances for the recipe!)



Cook bacon, set aside.
Saute finely chopped onions, garlic, and sliced button mushrooms in bacon oil. Add cream and evaporated milk, low fire. Mix with cooked pasta, crushed bacon, cheese, salt and pepper. Top with remaining bacon & cheese.
Serve with garlic bread.

celebrating a beautiful disaster

Yesterday Rommel and I turned 9. What started as a beautiful disaster (read: hilarious wedding, which I plan to write about after MRR defense week!) is still going strong. Still disastrous, still beautiful, marriage.

We celebrated by dining out (courtesy of a friend's gift) at Kamay Kainan in Trinoma (QC), an eat-all-you can chain featuring all Pinoy food. We were planning on Banana Leaf, but found they had no branch here, and we didn't feel like walking to the other mall. Rio was happy with the news, because KK is her favoritEST place.

As we were savoring our third trip to the buffet table (by this time we were onto the seafoods: Guinataang Kuhol, Tahong Soup, Inihaw na Tilapia, Mangga't Bagoong, Tempura, Sinigang na Hipon, Pritong Alimasag) we played a game of You-can-ask-what-you-want-from-mama-&-papa, obviously with a single player. Rio's queries revolved mostly on dating stuff. This one was a winner: Since you are now married 9 years, what are 9 things you love about each other?

Knowing Rio, each one of course had to be backed up by example, but am not writing that here for fear of turning the place mushy. With burps and chews in between:

Mama'a answer
Papa is...
1. Guwapo
2. Thoughtful
3. Funny
4. Hardworking
5. Matulungin sa kapwa
6. Masarap magluto
7. Willing to sacrifice
8. Wise decision-maker
9. Loving

Papa's answer:
Mama is...
1. Maganda [Cheh! gaya-gaya hehe ...]
2. Matapang
3. Thoughtful
4. Patient
5. Smart
6. Malambing
7. Understanding
8. Hindi madamot sa kapwa
9. Loving

We are too caught up with the routines in life, it takes a little child to help us remember these things sometimes.

Thank you, Rio. You gave us the best Anniversary reflection, in addition to the awesome hand-made album you made especially for this day. We love you, baby.

Sili, Balut, Durian at Lambanog

At the AIM Christmas party, I was "pushed" into joining an eating contest. For the sake of the MDM class, hokey! Besides, balut was there, no problem!

Or so I thought... in addition to the 2 yummy-looking baluts, there were 3 large, red siling labuyo, durian, and a glassful of lambanog (palm wine)!

I can never survive that combination. I would have wanted to, y'know. But (thankfully) I realize there can be limits to adventuring (hmmm...very famous word these days, thanks to Sen. Trillanes).

So anyway, the survival tip: I enjoyed the durian, while waiting for someone to win (what a cheat I was hehe). Finally this Indian from the MBA class wins! Great!

The question I have not answered: was I scared about the chili? or the lambanog?

Guess :)

Microeconomics at Work

At Prof Sol's surprise birthday bash:

Classmate 1: Total utility! (Sarap ng Goldilocks!)

Classmate 2: I have maximixed my capacity. (Burp.)

Jing: Another marginal unit, please? (Penge pa isang slice ng cake.)

The Best Coffee in the World

February.22.2007

The best coffee in the world is now in my hands. I am inhaling, sipping, and mulling over a [paper] cup of dunkin’ donuts coffee on a bus to Canlaon.

My friend Sheryl held this coffee for thirty minutes, waiting for me. I was traveling on official business and was passing by her city, so we planned to meet, at the terminal where my bus arrives. I haven’t seen her for two years.

Forty-five minutes was all we could have (or so we thought) because I would be transferring to another bus. She decided to bring coffee and bread, so that we can have “breakfast” together and lose no time.

Alas the bus schedule went crazy. My next bus was leaving immediately! We need to go to the other station, now! Hurriedly she hailed a taxi and all we were able to do was hug inside the cab.

Her husband recently died of cancer.

“How are the kids?” They are coping.

“I’m sorry.” It’s ok. I’m ok now.

We hugged again.

That was that. As soon as we exchanged hi’s we said our goodbyes.

Here, just take both coffees with you. “We were supposed to have these together.”

You need to go. It was great seeing you, Jing. I was glad to see her, too.

The bus was now leaving; she was on the other side of the road. I pulled out my cellphone to call her, but she beat me to it. We were both looking for as long as we could see each other, while we talked.

Now the coffee she bought for the both of us I am taking alone. If there was such a thing as an exaggerated smell or taste, that was how the coffee was. Every sip brought regret that I could not be with her longer. I wasn’t even there for her in her grief. But also it gave me memories of a friendship that defied time and distance.

The best coffee is one shared with a friend, for the memories give you a higher kick than the caffeine.

Let’s have another cup.

31 must-try foods

I am no food expert, but I know good food if I ever taste one – masang pinoy standard! :)

It just occurred to me that I can pass for somebody in her midlife (already!), so while I can, let me remember (ah, with much gusto and longing) thirty-one of my most favorite foods! Try them all!

1. Avocado shake (or mashed, if a blender’s not available. Be very generous on the milk!)
2. Balut! (The best places will be Dumaguete’s boulevard during sunset & UP’s Sunken Garden). But of course, a balut is a balut wherever you go. Absolutely the best.
3. Bayi bayi on your bus trip anywhere in Negros
4. Bicol express … oooosssst… grabe.
5. Bulalo ni Mang Tony sa Dagupan
6. Calasiao Puto at Chokolate-ah…..
7. Camote bread with pesto --- at Bohol bee farm!
8. Coffee, coffee, more coffee (Batangas, Canlaon, Baguio); special mention ---Davao’s Durian (flavored) coffee – of course, who can forget Café de Bohol? Nothing beats the homemade coffee, though! Roasted rice or peanuts in old fashioned claypots!
9. Colette’s buko pie (free plugging to ha)
10. Dinuguan. Try the kind they cook at a bisperas ng kasal in the North. If you see lots of Kamias, that’s the kind you’ll want to feast on. Try also Bar 21’s chicken dinuguan in Bacolod.
11. Empanada at mami ng Batac, Ilocos Norte (must try! Look for Glory’s.)
12. Ensaladang kamatis, mangga, talong, bagoong! (or ginamos in the South). Miss ko na si manang cart sa Kamia dorm ...
13. Inihaw anything fish! Dagupan bangus, nothing can beat. But coming close is inihaw na tahong at hito.
14. Isaw sa UP Diliman. Try mo malapit sa Kalayaan at Ilang-Ilang dorms.
15. Kinilaw na isda ng Iligan, Cagayan, or Davao (each own has its own special ingredient).
Kilawin! (kambing is the best, but do try other variations of meat and fish)
16. Labong at saluyot. Di ba, di ba, devah???? Anybody dare to disagree?
17. Latik (da best pa rin ang homemade, so maghanap na rin kayo ng Auntie Merly nyo like mine).
18.Mang Jimmy’s (Balara) unlimited rice and a variety of all time fave meat meals (aka pulutan for many).
19. Pancit habhab ng Lucban (?) Quezon.
20. Pancit Molo (huwag mag take two ha! maalat na.)
21. Pinakbet!!!! Walang kokontra.
22. Pinapaitang kambing (I used to eat this only when my Lolo cooks! Thank heavens he was able to transfer the family secret to uncle Bert..). Ilocos has a counterpart --- Sinaglao na baka. Sssssssarap talaga.
23. Sinigang na isda! Try malaga at hipon sa Lingayen.
24. Sisig ng Cebu (Golden Cowrie’s)
25. Steamed lapulapu ng Palawan, aw!
26. Talaba --- anywhere! Kabankalan, Hinigaran, Iloilo, and my all time favorite – Pangasinan!
27. Tocino (Pampanga’s pork, and Cebu’s fish)
28. Tupig ng Bayambang
29. Ube Haleya
30. Batutay (stuffed frog) ng Bulacan

31. Strawberry taho! marami sa mga kalye ng Baguio :D

Okay now, I think at this point this list thingy is becoming a torture. I am in an airport and nothing among these stimulating items is within reach. I will just settle for a bottle of water (gulp) but wait ‘til I get home … a bottle of tamarind pickled in Ilocos vinegar. This is definitely life. Kain na :D!