The Beancounter

It's More Fun in the Philippines!

2012-01-09T22:53:00.007+10:00

Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely love where I live. But when thinking of a tropical holiday there’s no other choice for me but the Philippines.

The Philippines has suffered from bad press for the longest time. I don’t care to detail them here. You can read about them everywhere else. As a consequence, the country did not appeal as a holiday destination. The number of tourist arrivals lagged behind that of other countries.

The Department of Tourism (@DOTPhilippines) of the Philippines launched a new campaign to entice tourists to travel to that part of the world. It’s about time! I think it’s imperative! It’s high time to tell the world, “It’s More Fun in the Philippines.”

According to the DOT’s Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr:

“Our strategy is simple: while other countries invite you to observe, Filipinos can promise a more heartfelt and interesting experience. Wherever you go, whatever you do in the country, it’s the Filipinos that will complete your vacation and will make your holiday unforgettable.”

I absolutely agree! There are good food and nice beaches all around the world but “It is More Fun in the Philippines” because of the people.

I like it.

I believe in it.

I am getting involved.

This new campaign is not without its detractors. ‘Copycat’ accusations are rife. The Swiss apparently used the same slogan back in 1951. Yup, 61 years ago!

And what’s with this misplaced nostalgia for the ‘WOW Philippines’ campaign? Did it actually succeed?

In support of this new initiative I’ve edited some of my travel photos to the Philippines. Here’s the first set of them.

Kawaii Faces - White Chocolate Mud Cake

2011-11-25T09:17:00.006+10:00

I have not stopped cooking. Neither have I ceased taking photographs. It’s just that, apart from my wife’s cakes, I find nothing inspiring with my recent kitchen exploits. Due to my work commitments I actually have not been cooking anything new and exciting. They’re still tasty meals but nothing extraordinary.

So please forgive me as this is another cake post. But for your benefit I’ll include my wife’s White Chocolate Mud Cake recipe at the end. I cannot emphasise how scrumptious it is. Those who have tasted it can attest to that. I should start putting testimonials on her page (Cherry’s Cakes)…

One great thing about having kids is the fact that they keep me in touch with today’s pop culture. I might not like most of it (I’m already exhibiting signs of generation gap) but it is valuable to at least be aware of “what the kids are into.”

“Kawaii” is a Japanese word that literally translates to “cute.” It not only characterises Japanese pop culture but also their mainstream society as a whole. From clothing to cars, from entertainment to everyday kitchen items, even in people’s mannerisms ‘kawaii’ or cuteness features quite heavily. There is nothing in Japan that has not been infiltrated by ‘kawaii’.

While my son is very much into manga my girls, on the other hand, prefer all these ‘kawaii’ stuff. To be more specific, they have a thing for miniature versions of everyday food. I did not realise they are quite prolific on the internet. There are thousands of YouTube videos that you can watch on the subject.

So, When Eliana was asked what cake design she had in mind for her birthday the answer was pretty obvious. But with literally thousands (maybe even millions) to choose from the dilemma for us was, what sort of ‘kawaii” it was going to be. Hello Kitty has been done to death as with most ‘cute’ characters.

And then she showed us these ‘kawaii faces’. The faces represent various emotions a 9 year old girl would have gone through in her young life. They were perfect! There were at least 9 of them, just right for Eliana’s 9^th birthday.

As for the flavour of the cake it had to be Eliana’s favourite white chocolate. The mini cakes were also individually encased in white chocolate for added luxury and texture.

To add Eliana’s personal touch to her cake she made ‘kawaii’ food to complete the design. No need for us to for an apprentice. She’s got the drive and the passion to succeed her mom…

Among all my children you’re the one who has shown me how it is to have a child like faith. Thank you! I love you! Happy birthday!

As promised here’s the recipe.

White Chocolate Mud Cake

300g unsalted butter chopped

300g white chocolate

300g plain flour

150g self raising flour

400g caster sugar

3 eggs lightly beaten

1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract

270ml water

A pinch of salt

9 inch round tin

Preheat oven to 180C.
Grease and line the tin with baking paper.
Put the butter and the water in a pan over medium heat and stir until the butter has melted. Turn off the heat, then add the chocolate and stir until it has melted and is well mixed.
Sift the flours, the sugar, salt in a deep bowl and make a well in the centre.
Pour the chocolate mixture, egg and vanilla into the well then stir until well combined.
Pour into the cake tin. Bake for 1 hour and 40 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a skewer comes out clean when poked into the middle of the cake.
Leave to cool completely in the tin.
Serve on its own, with fresh cream or white chocolate ganache.

A Cake for an Unconventional Girl

2011-08-21T23:21:00.001+10:00

Designing a cake for my little fashionista is not an easy task. Despite Elishah’s firm colour and design choices, creating a “girl’s cake” based on her specifications proved quite a challenge.

If you’ve read my post last year on her you’ll understand that her colour preferences are not conventional. Pink and purple would have been easy but no, not for Yaya (her nick name). We were given black, of course, navy and crimson to play with for her special 7 year celebration. Actually, make that Cherry, my dear wife, not “we”, not “us”, just her, just Cherry’s Cakes, just Cherry to create something wonderful from a limited palette. I’m only the blogger/photographer.

For a time we thought we were heading the “Titanic” direction (as in the movie). For some reason Yaya was completely enchanted by the movie from the first time she saw it. She’s different, what more can I say? She couldn’t get enough of it. Titanic this, Titanic that. Her YouTube favourites were mainly “Titanic” stuff, parodies and all. Our house was filled with various renditions of Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On.” And then she had a sudden change of heart. Thank God for that. I did not know how much longer the rest of the family could go on…

And this is what Cherry came up with after that nautical theme was quickly shot down: a Lollipop cake that is sophisticated and yet girly at the same time. It fits the brief. If you have to imagine what sort of lollipop flavour it would make here’s an idea: black is liquorice, navy is blueberry and crimson is cherry.

Despite her being modest about her abilities Cherry’s handiworks speak for themselves. She’s got her own page if any of you are interested in her designs. Please follow the link to Cherry’s Cakes.

And to my beautiful daughter here are my words of blessings to you:

“May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you His favour and give you His peace” Numbers 6-24-26. Happy birthday!

Sampinit – Philippine Wild Raspberries

2011-08-02T22:19:00.000+10:00

Sampinit in bilao

A caveat: There’s not a lot of literature written about sampinit. What I’m posting here is purely from personal experience, what I know, what I’ve seen and what I’ve tasted. Nothing extracted from a “tropical fruit” journal. Wikipedia did not help this time as well. This is all me, purely my thoughts.

P20 worth of Sampinit

When I first posted photos of sampinit on my Facebook page (yes, I have one) a lot of my Filipino friends were pleasantly surprised to know that such a fruit can be found in our native land. I was familiar with it but by no means was it common. It was and remains a rare summer treat. Not widely available and only for a short period of time. That partly explains it being on the pricey side. I used to pick them myself as I could not afford the going “market rate” back in the ‘80s.

Sampinit in bilao

It might be expensive compared to other tropical fruits but once you understand what it takes before they appear in some ale’s banana leaf lined bilao you’ll accept the price as fair if not cheap. I am not aware if attempts have been made to cultivate this precious jewel of the forest. From what I know nothing has changed in how sampinit is harvested. They are sporadically found in Laguna’s rainforest. Some brave souls needed to endure the sweltering summer heat to come up with a kilo of this much loved wild berries. The berry bush, by the way, is surrounded by sharp thorns adding to the tricky nature of collecting them.

Raspberries from the supermarket

Compared to the commercially available raspberries sampinit are a bit smaller and thereby more delicate. The flavour is very similar to the regular raspberry but it is more robustly astringent and tart. They are not genetically modified to become sweeter and plumper to suit the consumer. They have been left as nature intended. I think sampinit would be great in compotes, sauces, pastries and even cakes if you can get a hold of enough of them.

Raspberries from the supermarket

You can devour sampinit straight from the bush but some people prefer to add a bit of salt (yes, you read right, salt!) to bring out more of that berry goodness. They let it stand in the salt for a few minutes which then slowly releases the berry juices. It is a known way of eating sampinit in Laguna. You’ll notice a small jar of salt on the bilao in one of my photos.

They’re about P10 for a shot size glass filled to the brim. I think that amounts to barely 100g of the stuff. I’m kicking myself now for not buying more and made something out of them. On the next trip back home I promise myself not to miss the opportunity…whenever that may be.

Adobo – The Vegetarian Antidote

2011-07-20T21:02:00.000+10:00

As a child I had a funny relationship with food. I went through various aversions/liking to certain food groups. At one stage I would only eat fat. Yes, just fat. Yes, just pork fat! One thing I do not remember though is loving just vegetables.

Hence, it really bothered me when one of my kids started exhibiting troubling signs of vegetarianism. I don’t get it. If there’s one thing a foodie dad dreads it’s a vegetarian for a child. For some time I was totally convinced I spawned one. My eyes were probably closed when it happened…

That fear was not totally unsubstantiated. On burger nights my 3^rd child, Yaya, would have what we now call Elishah’s (her real name) burger. It’s basically rabbit food in a bun. She would only eat the outside of spring rolls. She would remove any trace of meat on her spaghetti. She loves Hainanese chicken rice though… without the chicken. It is worrying as she’s barely 7 years old.

Maybe my comments about how I love cats…deep fried…has something to do with it but I’m still unsure about what brought this “not eating meat” habit on. Regardless, I was determined to nip it in the bud.

I’ve tried all sorts of techniques. Initially she would give in but then quickly revert back to her veggie fix. I felt helpless.

And then one day I cooked adobo for the following week’s packed lunches. The savoury aroma wafting throughout the house began to weaken Yaya’s resolve. Her curiosity got the better of her and asked for a taste. From then on she was cured. And we all lived happily ever after…

Adobo, after all, is the great vegetarian antidote. Now I know…

Pork Adobo ala Beancounter

1kg pork belly cut in fairly large chunks

60ml coconut vinegar

60ml Filipino soy sauce

1 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)

Black pepper

1 head of garlic chopped finely

1 large onion chopped

Water (just enough to cover the meat)

1 Bay leaf

A bit of oil for sautéing

1. Combine all the ingredients in a pot but set aside a quarter of the garlic and onion for sautéing later.

2. Bring to a boil and simmer for about an hour or so or until desired tenderness of the meat is achieved.

3. Remove everything from the pot but separate the meat from the sauce.

4. Heat up a bit of oil in the same pot. Sauté the garlic then the onion.

5. Add the meat pieces back in and fry for a couple of minutes. If you prefer a “crispier” adobo fry it a bit longer.

6. Add the sauce back in and simmer for another five minutes.

7. Serve with steaming hot jasmine rice.

Yorkshire Pudding 2.0

2011-07-06T13:23:00.002+10:00

If you’ve been following this blog you probably have some idea why there’s a 2.0 in the title. Or should it be 1.1?

My first attempt at making Yorkshire pudding wasn’t a great success. But judging from my son polishing off that first batch like there’s no tomorrow, it wasn’t a complete failure either. I have since tried various other recipes and have finally found one I am happy with.

Give honour to where honour is due. The recipe below was inspired by the English episode of SBS’s Food Safari. I’ve tweaked it slightly for a “lighter” version. Instead of using duck/goose fat or drippings I substituted sunflower oil. I also found the 10g of salt on the original recipe a bit much. You decide how much salt to put in. You can even add sugar if you’re so inclined for a sweet kind of pud. Instead of gravy, pour cream or ice cream for a decadent dessert. It’s not so out there come to think of it as the ingredients for this are not that dissimilar to pancakes.

It’s the cooking technique that makes all the difference. The oven must be really hot. The fat in the muffin tins must also be smoking hot. The batter needs that constant high temperature hit until it’s done. Otherwise you would not get that characteristic crater in the middle of this pudding.

Yorkshire Pudding ala Beancounter 2.0
4 eggs
200g plain flour
450ml full cream milk
A bit of salt
Sunflower oil

1. Place your muffin tins in an 180C oven to warm through.

2. Mix together the flour and the salt and make a well in the centre.

3. In a separate bowl beat the eggs and milk together. Pour about a third of the liquid into the centre of the flour well and whisk until all absorbed. Add another third of the liquid and so on. Set aside your batter.

4. Turn the heat up to 220C. Take the muffin tins out and pour about 1 cm of oil in each tin and place back in the oven until the oil is smoking hot.

5. Remove the muffin tray once more and pour the batter into each tin until three quarters full. Return to the oven and cook for 15 -20 minutes until crisp and golden brown. Serve hot with your roast beef.

Food Porn - A Lazy Sunday Post

2011-06-12T12:56:00.007+10:00

The photos to follow are what I have been Tweetting (@beancounterau) in the past couple of weeks. I used to just “state” what home meals I have been having. But of late I have included graphic representations of the said meals as well.

The demands of my day job gave me little time to write so I’m posting just photographs instead. Enjoy the food porn!

Roast Belly of Pork

Breaded Pork Chops

White Chocolate Mini Cake

Sinigang at Pritong Tuyong Biya

Roast Rib of Beef

Brussel Sprouts with Pancetta

Oxtail Kare-Kare

Shabu-shabu at home

Sizzling Porterhouse

Red Velvet Cupcakes topped with White Chocolate Ganache

Bistek Tagalog

Pasta Carbonara ala Beancounter

Cappuccino Cheesecake with Dark Chocolate Chips

Gai Lan with Oysters Sauce

Ginisang Sardinas

Pan de Sal (with hotdog) for kids' school lunches

Pan de Sal

Menudo

Sotanghon Guisado

Home made burgers and thick cut chips

Wonton Soup and a side of Fried Chicken Wings

Roast Chicken ala Beancounter

2011-06-01T22:16:00.001+10:00

Winter has been unfairly associated with everything grim. But to be honest, despite the drop in temperature, there are lots I like about winter. Foremost of which is the food. Chief of which are roasts.

It’s a season we have to have, might as well find pleasure in it.

Although I enjoy roasts regardless of the time of year there’s no better occasion for it than during the cold months. It’s comforting. It’s satisfying. It’s delectable. And the other great thing about it, it’s easy.

Winter is the season to bulk up, pig out and do as little as possible (that’s what I plan to do anyway). My recipe for roast chicken ticks all that. It’s filling. It’s rich. And almost effortless.

By the way, the parsley I used here were from my very own garden. Feel free to substitute your preferred herb. Rosemary perhaps?

Roast Chicken ala Beancounter

1 whole chicken (less than 2kg)

125g softened butter

1 bunch parsley (half of which chopped finely, half left whole)

3-4 cloves garlic crushed (with a knife & a bit of salt)

3-4 garlic cloves whole

1 lemon cut into 4 wedges

Salt

Pepper

Roasting vegetables your prefer (season with salt & pepper and some olive oil)

Preheat the oven to 220°C.
Prepare your herbed butter by combining the butter, parsley and crushed garlic. Make sure it’s mixed well.
Season the chicken (inside and out) with the salt and pepper.
Fill the chicken cavity with the lemon, garlic cloves and some parsley.
Loosen the breast side skin careful not to tear. Fill it with the herbed butter. Massage the chicken with olive oil all over.
Put the chicken (breast side up) and the vegetables in a large baking dish. Place in the oven.
After half an hour turn the chicken over onto its other side. After a further half hour turn the chicken over breast side up and roast for another half an hour or until done. Serve hot!

Gearing up for the next GFC...NOT!

2011-05-24T22:40:00.002+10:00

Another GFC is apparently threatening. This time around food replaces financial. Global food supplies are on a knife’s edge according to some reports. So, before food security becomes a full blown issue I better start learning how to grow my own.

Honestly though, my intentions have less to do with the looming crisis but more about making the most of my idle garden plots.

In the past couple of weeks I’ve invested time tidying up my garden. I’m less interested in ornamental that’s why I went full blown edibles when deciding what to plant. I figured I can do more with a chilli plant than say geraniums. By the way, did you know that geranium is both a flower and a colour? I digress...

Here’s a snapshot of what I currently have:

Guava - I got a big surprise a couple of years ago to discover a guava tree happily growing in our backyard. Just goes to show that apart from the kitchen I venture very little to other parts of the property. We’ve harvested a decent amount of fruit from this solitary tree. None of them feature on any of my recipes as the rest of my tribe are not so fond of “cooked” guava.

Coriander – an essential to Asian cooking. Not so much in the Philippines but definitely in most parts of Asia. Great for curries.

Chillies – this is the long and thin variety Filipinos use to spice up a sinigang (Filipino hot & sour soup). Also works well as a “hot” addition to condiments.

Pechay (Bok Choy) – a very versatile Asian green perfect for soups and stir fries.

Mustasa (Mustard greens, leaf mustard, Gai Choy) – has got a distinct horseradish/mustard flavour. In the Philippines it is mainly added to soups. In other parts of Asia though, specifically Vietnam, it used as a salad wrap.

Eggplant – no fruit yet obviously. It’s the Lebanese variety. Best served grilled together with barbecued meats and seafood.

Flat leaf parsley – I prefer this to the curly variety. The flavour is more robust. I mainly use this with meatballs and roasts.

Mint – great for salads. Adds freshness to a dish.

Calamansi (Philippine Limes) – last but not the least my favourite citrus variety in the whole world. If you have been following this blog you’ll know I have been quite unsuccessful in growing this. I think my luck has changed as I am now able to mature the fruits. But at the current rate of 1-2 fruit/s per month I still need a lot of help.

I've also got basil and lemon grass and did manage to grow a pineapple. I'll be adding more in the next few weeks time and space permitting.

Salt & Pepper Mud Crab ala Beancounter

2011-05-18T22:32:00.002+10:00

Over the weekend my dad got hold of these massive mud crabs. Guess who he called first to share the experience? No surprises there. Ahh, the benefits of a foodie’s son… My being a “foodie” I owe a lot to him. He doesn’t refer to himself as such but he definitely is one. We don’t see eye to eye on a lot of things but when it comes to food we almost always agree.

By the way, there’s no exaggeration in the word “massive.” These crabs (claws closed and folded) were longer in length than a Pringles (potato chips) canister. I took several photos comparing the two to give you some perspective but I wasn’t happy with them so I decided not to post any. You just have to trust me.

I would normally head the Singapore style Chilli Crab direction but somehow it did not feel right on that occasion. I wanted to make the most of such excellent produce. Heavy sauce I thought would mask all that fresh crab goodness. So instead, I went the Salt & Pepper route.

I’ve only done this recipe using prawns. Crab is not that much of a deviation I figured.

Because of the size of these mud crabs I only used one in this recipe. It was enough to keep two people happy.

Salt & Pepper Mud Crab ala Beancounter

1 large mud crab cleaned and quartered.

Seasoned flour (cornflour or plain flour seasoned with salt and pepper)

Lots of oil for deep frying

1 onion chopped

2-3 cloves garlic chopped

1 chilli chopped

1 tablespoon salt

½ tablespoon sugar

Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Spring onions chopped

In a hot pan dry roast the salt, sugar and pepper. This should probably take less than 5 minutes. Take off the heat and set aside.
Heat up lots of oil for deep frying.
Dust the crab pieces in seasoned flour. Deep fry these till cooked. The timing depends on how big the pieces are. Set aside.
In a large wok, heat up a bit of oil. Sauté the onion, garlic and chillies for a couple of minutes.
Throw in the crab piece and toss for a couple more minutes.
Sprinkle your pre-prepared salt/sugar/pepper mixture and toss a bit more. Add the spring onions just before serving.

My Very Own Angry Birds Cake

2011-04-30T13:29:00.004+10:00

For those not in the know Angry Birds is an extremely popular game available on the iPhone (and other Apple “i” products plus other smart phones). As described on Wikipedia:

“In the game, players use a slingshot to launch birds at pigs stationed on or within various structures, with the intent of destroying all the pigs on the playfield. As players advance through the game, new birds appear, some with special abilities that can be activated by the player.”

It may not sound much but the game is highly addictive. It sure helps me while the time away as I wait for my bus, plane, train or any other sort of waiting I have to do. I guess it was an easy choice when I was asked me what cake I would like on my birthday.

I am not going to say a lot more except Thank You! (once again) to my lovely wife who laboured till the wee hours of the morning (no, not to give birth to our 5^th child) to produce this amazing cake. It’s made of two kinds of cake. The bigger layer is red velvet with white chocolate ganache. The mini cake on top is chocolate mud cake with dark chocolate ganache. I brought it to the office yesterday and was quickly gobbled up by my colleagues pigs, birds, rocks and all.

By the way, my dearest wife has her own blog now to showcase her cake designs. Do visit Cherry’s Cakes. And if you want her to create one for you please email me: enuguid@gmail.com.

Fish for Lent - Pritong Galunggong (Fried Yellow Tail Scads)

2011-04-22T13:56:00.013+10:00

There is no better time to post about fish than during Lent. And there’s no better fish for Lent than the humble yellow tail scad.

Although widely available in Australia it is conspicuously absent from most restaurant menus. The yellow tail’s wide availability I suppose accounts for it being less “desirable.”

To the Filipino yellow tail scads or galunggong is more than just a fish. Although outwardly maligned it is in fact highly valued by Pinoys. Associated with the less affluent it apparently is the fish of choice if you have no money. In actual fact though, it is sometimes more expensive than other fish varieties.

Presidential elections have been won and lost on account of galunggong. Nothing speaks more to a Pinoy about the “real” state of the nation than this fish. No rhetoric direct from the President’s mouth can match what the price of galunggong tells the people. The Cosumer Price Index is nothing but an arbitrary number.

So, in the observance of Good Friday I decided to prepare a simple meal for the family. We shared fried yellow tail served with a side of fresh tomato salsa.

The recipe below couldn’t be simpler.

Fried Yellow Tail Scads

6 Yellow Tail scads gutted and cleaned

Some sea salt

1. Lightly salt each fish.

2. Heat up some oil.

3. Fry the fish to desired crispness.

4. Serve with some freshly cooked rice and a side of fresh tomato salsa.

Food Trip Philippines - Part 3 - Take-Away Pinoy Style

2011-04-19T22:31:00.000+10:00

Palayok (Claypots)

Kalde-Kaldero

Lumpiang Shanghai

Sari-saring Ulam

Iba-ibang longanissa (sausages), tapa at tocino

Food Trip Philippines - Part 2 - My San Pablo

2011-04-11T23:14:00.005+10:00

There’s only one other place in the world I call home.

Located a couple of hours south of Manila is the city of San Pablo. It is my mother’s hometown. It is where I grew up. It is where I met my future wife. It is my other home.

Otherwise know as “The City of Seven Lakes” it boasts seven lakes within its confines. These are Bunot, Calibato, Mohicap, Palakpakin, Pandin, Sampalok and Yambo lakes.

On a cloudless day the lakes are visible as your plane approaches NAIA. I also found out today that you also get a spectacular view of the lakes from Mt. Kalisungan and Tayak Hill.

Food Trip Philippines - Part 1

2011-04-06T22:31:00.004+10:00

My apologies to those of you who are following this blog.

Being The Beancounter, I am, at the moment, going through my annual silly season (similar to Christmas sans the jolliness).

In the meantime please enjoy a selection of photos from my recent trip home. The next couple of posts would be similar in style as well.

Pork BBQ w/ Binalot na Kanin

Home made crispy pata

Black Gulaman

Calamansi at Sili

Crispy Tawilis

Pinoy Barbie (Filipino Style Barbecue)

2011-02-17T10:33:00.001+10:00

And I do not mean a variation to the popular fashion doll. Rather, “barbie” is how Aussies affectionately refer to one of the favourite pastimes downunder, barbecue/barbecuing. Hence it is the cooking method of choice every Australia Day celebration (I meant to post this on that day for that particular reason…but just did not find the time). Large pieces of marinated meat/seafood are “thrown on the barbie” for a quick and tasty summer meal in the great outdoors.

We Filipinos have our own barbecue tradition if you like. Instead of large chunks of meat we like them bite size and skewered (using bamboo) much like the more well-known Southeast Asian satay. But rather than a spicy peanut sauce we Pinoys favour the smoky savoury sweet taste not too dissimilar to the style of our North American brothers.

There is another stark difference between the Aussie and the Pinoy barbie. Rather than cooking over charcoal the preferred antipodeans’ method is the use of a gas heated hot plate or a grill. You will not get the smoky barbecue finish doing it this way so I still revert back to using coal (or heat beads).

Barbecuing is meant to be easy. That is why I do not bother concocting a complicated alchemy of ingredients. The main component of my marinade is a pre-made mix made by Mama Sita’s (a popular Filipino food manufacturer). I add pineapple juice for some fruity freshness and some tomato ketchup for a right sweet and sour balance.

The marinade works well with other kinds of meat but my preference is pork. You do not have to skewer the meat if that’s too much of a chore. I tried this using pork chops and the result was still fantastic. It’s best to use cuts with a little bit of fat to keep the barbecue moist. Otherwise put a bit of oil in your marinade and use it to baste the meat as it cooks.

Grilled eggplants to make an Asian style salad

Quick & Easy Pinoy BBQ ala Beancounter

1 packet Mama Sita’s Barbeque Marinade

¼ cup soy sauce

1 cup pineapple juice

¼ cup tomato ketchup

Chillies (optional)

1 kg pork (belly strips, chops or any pork cut you prefer)

1. Mix all the marinade ingredients.

2. Pour the marinade on the meat and set aside for at least an hour.

3. Prepare your barbecue using charcoal or heat beads.

4. Length of cooking time depends on the thickness of your meat. Baste it from time to time to avoid drying out.

5. Serve with rice and some grilled eggplant salad.

My de-glamorised BBQ assistant

A Foodie's Worst Nightmare

2011-01-14T12:09:00.002+10:00

The bright lights in the fresh section of the supermarket are almost blinding. There were not enough produce to filter the otherwise bearable fluorescent rays.

My heart sunk looking at the empty bread aisle. I humoured myself, “Good thing I know how to bake my own bread.” But even that is virtually useless if there is no power.

Moving on to the bottled water section and the tale was pretty much the same. What’s left in the shelves are luxury European sparkling water brands. I’m in no mood to splurge nor to celebrate.

Spam and canned corned beef, much maligned products in this society, suddenly became popular.

Aisle after “essentials” aisle tell the same story.

But it’s not all bad news. Take heart my foodie mates. Bulbs of fennel and bunches of rhubarb are still on hand. Get your MasterChef’s hat on and dazzle us!

The Great Deluge of 2011

2011-01-12T22:20:00.009+10:00

I have seen something else under the sun:

The race is not to the swift
or the battle to the strong,
nor does food come to the wise
or wealth to the brilliant
or favor to the learned;
but time and chance happen to them all. - Ecclesiastes 9:11

With a heart full of gratitude I am writing today. In the midst of the great deluge the city I love, Brisbane, is experiencing my family has been left unscathed. We’ve remained dry. Clean water is still running from the tap. And our power was never cut, not even for a few seconds.

Spare a thought though for those who are less fortunate than us, those who have experienced the full brunt of the flood. Despite all the planning and preparations lives were still lost. Uncertainty is what’s awaiting evacuees on their return to their homes, if they still have homes to return to.

How easily did we forget? It was 37 years ago when Brisbane last went under water. The city rebuilt itself like it would never happen again. Seemingly impenetrable million dollar homes started lining the banks of the river only to be swallowed by the water they so desperately want to be close to.

“Time and chance happen to them all,” says the wisest man that ever lived.

By today’s estimate it will take at least two years to recover from this environmental crisis. The city needs all the help it could get. If you are moved to do so please do not hesitate to lend support. Follow the link below:

http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/

Lastly, I would like to acknowledge Patrick Mendoza, a very good friend of mine who’s responsible for all the photos on this post. He and his lovely wife Pilar tried to go to work yesterday only to be halted by all this water. The photos definitely bring home to us what my city is going through.

2 for 2 - Cakes for Eliyah

2010-12-21T00:24:00.002+10:00

Loyalty to a fast food chain is the last thing I want to instil on any of my children. But unless we decide to become hermits there is no way we could get away from the constant bombardment of ads coming from these corporations. So, it came as no surprise to me what Eliyah wanted as her cake design for her birthday.

No, it’s not McDonald’s. It’s also not Burger King. It actually is a Philippine brand that has cleverly infiltrated all areas of mass media. Jollibee, the largest food service company in the Philippines, has gone beyond the more traditional forms of advertising to grab a following.

What hooked Eliyah to Jollibee is not the food (she was barely 1 when we last visited one of their stores). It’s the combination of catchy jingles and a kids TV programme that trumped other more well known kids’ shows. Although it has no presence in Australia (yet!), Jollibee still reaches us through the power of YouTube.

Designing the cake proved to be quite a challenge. For starters, my dear Cake Artiste wasn’t so sure about Jollibee’s colour. Is he red or isn’t he? Then there was the weather. It’s the height of summer downunder. The temperature was a wee bit above what the ganache could handle making it very tricky to work with. It was always on the verge of melting (it eventually did but not before the photos). But, being the Artiste that she is she managed to pull this one from somewhere despite it all.

And then she made cake number 2 for Eliyah’s actual birthday.

Cherry’s inspiration came from a book she was recently given (much appreciated Pael and Ada). This would be her first time to use 3D models she made herself as part of the cake décor. She made intricate little boxes of gifts. To top it all she created a model of a teddy bear. I’ll let the photos speak for her talent.

To my dearest daughter Eliyah, the fruit of my prime, happy 2^nd birthday. Be true to your name and grow up with Yahweh as your God. May He bless your every step.

Buchi/Sesame Balls

2010-12-04T23:20:00.008+10:00

The Filipino diet is rice-centric. From entrees to desserts, rice in one form or another can be found. Did I say desserts? Especially in desserts… One classic Asian sweet is the sticky rice ball. The Japanese have their mochi. We Filipinos have our buchi.

Growing up I’ve enjoyed this in its purest form. No sesame seeds. No flavours to choose from. The buchi sold in our barrio was simply deep fried sticky rice with a sweet mung bean filling. The buchi might have started as a ball straight out of the pan. But by the time the vendor gets to our place it’s more like a flattened disc. I did not mind. It was still scrummy.

Buchi’s popularity in the Philippines reached new heights when it formed part of Chowking’s (a well-known Chinese fast-food chain in the Philippines) menu. They serve the more traditional Chinese version of sesame coated balls filled with lotus cream/paste. If memory serves me right I think they also have ube (purple yam) flavoured buchi.

I find making buchi almost effortless. The most difficult part is making perfectly round balls hence my buchis are more rustic looking.

The filling is almost optional. My kids prefer them sans the filling. The recipe below is for sweet mung bean. But if you prefer a quicker version use canned lotus seed paste found in most Asian stores.

This is best eaten hot served with your favourite tea.

Buchi/Sesame Seed Puffs

Sweet Mung Bean Paste Filling

1/2 cup softened mung bean

1/2 cup caster sugar

Dough

3 cups glutinous rice powder

2/3 cup caster sugar

1 cup water

Sesame seeds

Oil for deep frying

Filling:

1. Mix the softened mung bean and the sugar together.

Dough:

1. Mix all the ingredients together to make the dough.

2. Divide dough into 20 equal pieces. You can go smaller or larger if you prefer.

3. Flatten each piece of dough into a circle.

4. Place a portion of the filling in the centre. Gather the edges of the dough to enclose the filling.

5. Roll into a ball and coat the outside with sesame seeds.

6. Heat oil for deep frying (medium heat). Deep fry the balls for approximately 5 minutes or until golden brown.

7. Serve hot with your favourite tea.

9 Cakes for Eliana's 8th

2010-12-01T10:12:00.005+10:00

My wife has warned me about posting more entries about cakes. She’s afraid I might alienate some of you who regularly read my posts. It’s becoming too cake-centric of late. I can’t help it. August to December is a season of milestones in my household. And there’s no better way to celebrate them than with Cherry’s exquisite creations.

At the risk of sounding too pompous about my family I reckon Cherry does a wonderful job. She’s only been at it for less than a year without any formal training beforehand. Talk about being a natural. I’m so proud of her and her sublime edible works of art.

So, even though this blog’s raison de tre is not cakes here’s another cake entry for you.

Eliana, who we lovingly call Chichay, recently celebrated her 8^th birthday.

To mark the occasion Cherry made not one, not two but 9 cakes. The first set of 8, which she affectionately called Eliana’s Storyboard cake, we shared on her actual birthday. Each mini-cake has a story to tell. Each represents a year in her life.

Inspired by one of Eliana’s toys Cherry brilliantly constructed a two-tiered Littlest Petshop cake for Eliana’s party with her friends. The onset of the warm weather has proven to be a challenge in putting this one together but again she managed to pull it off seemingly effortlessly.

Like the meaning of your name you are indeed an “answer from God” Eliana. My prayer is that you will live your life as such. God bless your every step…

The Best is Yet to Come

2010-11-29T22:13:00.005+10:00

Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? For thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this. Ecclesiastes 7:10 KJV

I look to the past but I’m not nostalgic about it. Surely the early years were good but I do not yearn to go back. I focus on what is now and what lies ahead. The best is yet to come indeed…and we have God to thank for that…and everything else.

As cliché as it may sound I can honestly say to you my dearest Cherry Bel I love you more today than ever before but not as much as tomorrow...

Happy anniversary sweetheart…

San Churro Classic Spanish Hot Chocolate

2010-11-06T23:17:00.006+10:00

You’ve probably noticed that my recent posts have got nothing to do with what I have been cooking. Please forgive me. Uninspired is probably not the right term but it is something akin to it. But very soon, I promise, I’ll be back in the kitchen to try out some new recipes to add to my repertoire.

In the meantime, this post is to thank good friends of mine from the west coast for gifting me with hot chocolate mix from San Churro. Thank you Doms & Dei! Love it!

A recipe on how to make a classic Spanish hot chocolate is printed on the very stylish looking can it came in. Follow it to the dot and you get a thick and rich chocolate drink. The only thing missing???? The churros!

San Churro has got a branch in the Sunshine Coast (which is a couple of hours drive from where we live). I have a better chance of visiting it in NSW or WA in the near future. No plans to head up the coast any time soon.

Just in case you can’t read the recipe in the photo I’ve re-printed it below:

How to Make Classic Spanish Hot Chocolate

1 cup milk

2 heaped scoops (approximately 40 grams) of Classic Spanish Chocolate powder

1. Heat up the milk in a saucepan.

2. When milk is warm add the chocolate powder and stir continuously over low heat until mixture thickens. DO NOT BOIL.

The Cake Artiste

2010-11-04T23:05:00.005+10:00

I am so proud of my dear wife I can’t help but post photos of her recent creations.

Cake Artiste is what she is.

See for yourselves.

Qantas – Next Generation Check-In

2010-10-31T21:05:00.006+10:00

Just when most people are getting used to the idea of online check-in Qantas have now introduced what they call “Next Generation Check-in system.” Gone are the days of “human intervention” replaced with computers, scanners and conveyor belts. What this basically means is that the passenger is now responsible for selecting his/her seat, printing his/her boarding pass, and if he or she has got a bag to check-in he/she is responsible for printing the bag tags, attaching the tags to the bags in a prescribed manner and sending off his/her own bags to the correct aircraft.

This new system has been fully implemented by Qantas at one of Australia’s busiest domestic airport, Perth. Noticeably absent are check-in counters manned by humans. In place are touch screens and bag drop scanners that will direct your baggage to its rightful destination. WARNING: You must remove all old tags and stickers so as not to confuse the new technology and send your bag/s where you do not want it to go.

Sydney, arguably the busiest down under, is the next in-line to launch the system. Frequent SYD travellers be warned.

The system is almost hassle free if you have nothing to check-in. Printing your boarding pass at home still works a treat. But if you’re on the other extreme with oversized (like prams, surfboards, etc.) and/or overweight pieces the new system can be a nightmare. You can say, it indirectly discourages the practice. But if you have no choice grab the first human staff you see before your fingers start fiddling with the very inviting touch screens.

Streamlining is the whole idea with the promise “to leave you more time to spend as you choose before your flight” (from Qantas – The Australian Way Magazine). We’ll see…

Sono, Queen St

2010-10-24T21:53:00.003+10:00

Like most Asian cultures Filipinos traditionally serve noodles during birthdays to symbolise long life. This comes in the form of pancit in all its variations.

But because this year is a milestone celebration for my dear wife cooking pancit just would not cut it. We wanted something extraordinary and intimate. Yes, you read it right, an intimate dinner with our family (including the kids), friends and friends’ kids.

A Chinese banquet, although special, seems too busy and not intimate enough. Then there are the Thai, Vietnamese, Singaporean and Korean restaurants that we know of in Brisbane. They all lack that X factor we’re after fitting the momentous occasion.

And then there’s Sono more specifically Sono at Queen St. Situated right in the heart of Brisbane’s CBD it truly is a tranquil gourmet escape for city folks.

Sono offers various types of seating. There are Japanese booths, a sushi bar, as well as western style of seating. And for boutique parties like ours the restaurant also has traditional Japanese private rooms. But because we only booked on the day we missed out on having our own private dining room (note to self: book early).

The restaurant has got quite an extensive menu. They boast to have the highest quality hand made sushi in Brisbane.

For starters we had their appetizer platter composed of fresh oysters with ponzu sauce, simmered pork belly with sweet soy, soft shell crab with shiso sauce, crab croquette and edamame. The kids had tuna sushi.

And because we’re after some noodle component in our dinner we went for Sono’s Wagyu Sukiyaki. There’s a shabu-shabu version of it if you’re not too keen on the sweet soy. The kids had tempura udon, chicken karaage and more sushi.

All the dishes were very good as expected. Their sukiyaki servings were plentiful. We had enough leftovers for a couple more adults.

I would like to commend the restaurant’s staff for their high quality of service. Kids are not a big part of their regular clientele but we were accommodated without much fuss. A high chair for my toddler and a special table for the kids away from the steaming hot sukiyaki pots were effortlessly set up by smart and beautiful looking kimono clad staff.

But what made that night a lot more special was the company of true friends who indeed rejoiced with us. Thank you Patrick and Pilar, I almost ruined the surprise but anyway,… And thank you Lyndon and Carla (and Aaron, and Ayden and Anthony) for joining us, enduring the 12+ hour drive to Brisbane on a wet and stormy weekend.

A Red Cake for a Strong Woman

2010-10-11T22:36:00.006+10:00

For her milestone birthday she crafted for herself (no one else could do a better job) an exquisite red cake with black trims topped with fresh red roses. The insides are made of rich chocolate mud cake lavishly finished with semi-sweet dark chocolate ganache for added decadence.

It had to be RED!

There is no other colour that best describes my dear wife Cherry Bel. She is a beautiful, multi-talented, creative, artistic, highly intelligent, passionate, caring, loving and most definitely strong woman.

She could have had any job she chooses. She could have her own business if she so desired. But she chose to stay home to bring up our children. A choice some found too confronting. A choice she’s been made to question the wisdom of. But it is a choice I will be eternally grateful for and with certainty so will our children.

So here’s to you my dearest Cherry Bel! “Her children rise up and call her blessed and her husband boasts of and praises her…” (Proverbs 31:28). Indeed! Life is just beginning…! God is not finished with you yet…!

Red Lantern, Surry Hills, Sydney

2010-10-03T22:30:00.002+10:00

Now, to the other end of the Vietnamese dining spectrum.

I’ve always intended to go to Red Lantern. But my resolve to actually dine in this much-lauded restaurant became even greater after my wife gifted me with Luke Nguyen’s (the restaurant’s owner/chef) Songs of Sapa for our 12^th anniversary.

Most Vietnamese restaurants I know are either in the city’s Chinatown or in the outer suburbs. Red Lantern, on the other hand, distinguishes itself by being situated in a converted Crown St terrace in the trendy Surry Hills area of Sydney.

The restaurant suggests you book at least 2 months in advance if you plan to have dinner there on a Friday or a Saturday night. I did not have that much notice to give. Dinner was definitely out of the question. So I booked lunch instead.

With my very good friends from Sydney in tow (thanks once again Lyndon and Carla, and Anthony, of course) we rock up one Wednesday to experience what Red Lantern has to offer.

No Asian kitsch in sight. The restaurant is tastefully decorated in mainly vermillion and black. It gives you the feeling of being in a well-to-do but traditional Vietnamese family home.

So as we do not miss anything I thought the best way was to go for their tasting menu. Unfortunately, with less than 4 adults in our party we were dissuaded from doing so. There was no other choice but to go a la carte.

We started with the following entrees:

Goi Du Du

Green papaya, Tiger prawns and Berkshire pork salad.

Chim Cut

Twice cooked quail stuffed with Kurubota pork served with salad of fennel in citrus and soy dressing.

Bo La Lot

Char grilled lemongrass beef wrapped in betel leaves with vermicelli, peanuts and shallot oil.

For mains we ordered:

Con Dom Hap

Mussels steamed with garlic, lemongrass and chilli. Finished with coconut milk.

Suon Nuong

Char grilled ‘Berkshire’ pork cutlets marinated in honey, lemongrass and shallot oil

Ca Hap La Chuoi

Curry marinated fish fillet wrapped in banana leaf and steamed

I can sum up the whole experience in one word: “underwhelming.” For a restaurant with such strict booking requirements I came with very high expectations. Red Lantern, I thought, would be a step above the best Vietnamese dining experiences I’ve had in the past. It all comes down to the flavours. They were all there but somehow muted. Rather than an explosion I only got a hint of this and a whiff of that.

As much as I love Luke’s book I’m afraid I can’t say the same for the restaurant. It promised so much but delivered so little.

Father’s Day Lunch at Que Huong, Darra

2010-09-23T23:15:00.000+10:00

Yes, Father’s Day in Australia falls in September. Forgive me for being cynical but I think it was purely for commercial reasons and nothing but. There doesn’t seem to be any nationally significant event that happened in September. So, the powers that be decided to stick one in. But anyway, I’m not complaining.

On my special day I want a special meal. After enjoying fine dining in the past couple of weeks all I was after was some good food sans the pretence. One place that always comes to mind when I’m in this sort of a mood is Que Huong at Darra.

There are lots of good hole-in-the-wall eateries in Darra but for me Que Huong is a step above. It’s not really a hole-in-the-wall operation. It’s one of the larger restaurants in the area. It’s spacious enough to handle a sizeable family like mine. But they manage to keep the atmosphere still very relaxed. You don’t feel judged as you suck on those enormous mud crab claws. And of course, they serve fantastic seafood.

To start we had some Jellyfish Salad (Goi Sua Thom Thit). The combination of flavours and textures was the perfect dish to wake up the palette.

We followed this with some deep fried soft shell crab. The novelty of eating a whole crab, shell and all, still hasn’t worn off. It has got just the right amount of spiciness to tickle ones taste buds.

For the main event it has to be the mud crab. You order them by the kilo. You can have them cooked all sorts of ways. But for us the simple combination of salt, pepper and chilli was the only way to go. The spice blend enhances not mask the flavour of the mud crab.

To balance our heavily seafood orientated meal we ordered some crispy skin chicken (especially for the kids), pork ribs and a clay pot of some tofu, vegetables (and more seafood).

If you’re after good honest food in a stress free environment Que Huong never disappoints. Details below:

Que Huong

139 Darra Station Rd

Darra QLD 4076

07 3375 4368

Adriano Zumbo, Sydney

2010-09-14T22:39:00.001+10:00

If you’re not a local you’ll have difficulty locating the famed Adriano Zumbo patisserie. It might be on the main drag of Balmain on the outskirts of Sydney but unless you have really sharp eyes it’s quite easy to overlook. If not for the garish signage of the chemist next door (tawdry it may be but it did grab our attention) we would have missed it altogether.

The size of the shop is in stark contrast to the man’s fame. In essence it’s a long hallway fitted with a basic display cabinet. The featureless wall, I assume, has been left in its original state. In short no pretence. I think it’s a fantastic idea. Customers’ line up for Zumbo’s treats and nothing but. The lighting looks great though.

By the way, Adriano Zumbo also has a café in the same neighbourhood situated a few streets away from the shop. To make the most of the visit (thanks for indulging me Lyndon & Carla) we thought we might as well have the full café experience. It was a big disappointment. We never got to sit down to try the lovely looking baked goods together with some beverages. It lacked the café vibe I was looking for. The place wasn’t inviting and neither were the staff. We rushed back to the shop instead.

Adriano Zumbo is full of contradiction. The plainness of the premises highlights the complexities of his creations. Here are some examples:

CHARLIE'S HOMEMADE GINGER FEAR: Ginger beer gel, ginger pudding soaked in coconut syrup, chocolate ginger foam eggs, ginger crunch, ginger chantilly & passionfruit bavarois

CLOUDY THYME: Liquorice pate brisee, olive oil creme citron, butterscotch caramel, oven roasted apples, mint meringue ball & thyme italian meringue

WHAT A GREAT PEAR OF...: Almond creme, pear vanilla creme patisserie, pate a choux sable, pear gel, almond crunch & almond struesel

But I went to this renowned patisserie for one thing and one thing alone…the macarons. All the disappointments have disappeared on the first bite. The only other time I had macarons was the night before at Tetsuya’s (not the restaurant’s forte to be honest). I was really looking forward to this.

On the day of our visit they had four flavours on offer: Mango Black Sticky Rice, Oatmeal Ylang Ylang, Pandan Coconut, and the surprisingly plain coffee (I’m not so sure of the name but it tasted like coffee). My tastebuds are familiar with all the flavours but not in macaron form. Very Southeast Asian I thought! In fact, very Filipino! Who would have thought combining Ylang Ylang and oatmeal would work? It just demonstrates the genius of its maker.

A second trip is definitely on the horizon. Next time with the whole family in tow. For this initial one I would like to express my gratitude to my Sydney based friends Lyndon & Carla. Thank you very much for taking me on our own version of “The Amazing Race.”

Lugia Cake for Kiko’s 12th

2010-09-07T14:43:00.008+10:00

If you’re not familiar with Pokémon you probably wouldn’t know who or what Lugia is.

Here’s some background info for the non Pokémon conversant among us from the Wikia Gaming website:

“Lugia is an immense, Bird/Dragon-like, mythical Pokémon. It has a blue underside, and has ten fins running along its back, which stand upward while flying in the air, and is flat on its back in the water and on land…

Known as the Guardian of the Seas, Lugia is extremely intelligent, and is very gentle with the life around it. Due to the fact that it can blow houses away with the single flap of its wings, it isolates itself deep within the great current, to prevent it from harming civilization…”

How fitting I thought. Kiko is most definitely intelligent (Love your own! And yes, it’s also been scientifically measured). Also, notwithstanding the fact that he’s still a year shy of 13 he’s now beginning to exhibit typical teenage behaviour of “isolating himself” (a very Lugia trait if you like).

Cherry whipped her magic wand once again to create another wonderful cake for one of our kids’ birthday celebration. (She wishes she had a wand. Cakes like this take a little bit more time than waving ones hand.)

As requested by Kiko the insides are made of white chocolate mud cake. This time around Cherry used dark chocolate ganache to contrast with the already sweet cake. She then covered it with light blue marbled fondant for a sea/sky effect to go with the Pokémon character Kiko chose.

Here’s to you my only son! Happy 12^th birthday! May God continue to mould you into that man He willed you to be! God bless your every step!

An Evening with the Master - TETSUYA'S, Sydney

2010-08-29T22:50:00.016+10:00

Apart from the almost inconspicuous name at the gate there was no other indication that a Michelin starred restaurant is located in this battle-axe block behind a heritage listed property on Kent St, Sydney.

Yes, there was and still is a gate which further emphasises the exclusivity of Tetsuya's (and made me wonder if they'll let me in). Guests are normally chauffeured in. I'm one of the very few who came by foot.

The evening started with drinks at the bar where I joined a dozen or so of my dining companions. Various aperitifs were on offer including Bollinger champagne. I was still too much in awe at that stage and decided to have some sparkling water instead.

Before we knew it we were all ushered to the upstairs section of the restaurant where the man himself was quietly completing some final touches for his master class.

Tetsuya's Master Kitchen by Electrolux was a sight to behold. One major feature of his impressive domain is the absence of any buttons/knobs/dials/handles etc. which makes keeping it spick and span easy (an army of staff doesn't hurt either). Heat levels seem to magically change with the slide of his finger. His cupboards open/close with a slight touch. I would love to have my kitchen fitted as such. But that dream would have to remain...a dream.

With all his accomplishments and various honours chef/owner Tetsuya Wakuda did not put on airs. He gladly answered every question in his soft-spoken manner. At the end of the class he also happily stayed for photos with humble bloggers like yours truly. Calling him Tets did not seem irreverent any more after personally talking to the man. One priceless thing I found out that evening is the fact that he does not like salmon.

He began the master class by skilfully preparing a warm tuna salad with black beans and orange garnished with fine tendrils of chilli. I scoffed this dish down like there's no tomorrow. No precise measurements were provided. As suggested by Tets, it's all up to the diner. This plate of sublime elegance is definitely something I will give a go at home. Tets made it seem easy enough.

Next to Japanese, Italian is his other favourite cuisine. He demonstrated this by showing us how to cook fregola/fregolone (a type of pasta from Sardinia) for a quick yet impressive meal anyone can do at home. He prepared fresh tomato sauce which he lavishly finished off with spanner crab meat from Noosa.

Other tips from the Master:

1. Use grapeseed oil (mainly for non-Italian dishes). It can stand higher temperatures than other oils.

2. Tuna is best aged a couple of days rather than fresh out of the sea to allow the fish to develop that distinct tuna taste.

3. Fresh tuna is best wrapped in paper towel then plastic wrap before storing in the fridge.

4. Use medium to low temperature when cooking garlic in oil for Italian dishes.

We were then escorted to our table to begin the evening’s degustation. We were first served with a choice of fresh sourdough or Italian bread and luxurious butter whipped with ricotta, black truffles and parmesan. That definitely set the scene for an evening full of superlatives.

Rather than boring you with details of the menu I purposely took a photo of every single dish and labelled them accordingly.

If I’m to choose a favourite it would have to be the oxtail with sea cucumber. It was rich, smooth, melt in your mouth stickiness. Among the desserts I’m very partial to the warm bread and butter pudding. It was cinnamony creamy comfort goodness served in a pot.

To cap off what was already an unforgettable dining experience a gift bag was handed over to us containing a signed copy of Tetsuya the cookbook, truffle salt, and a box of macarons amongst other things.

Once in a lifetime is the only way to describe it. As much as I would like to think it will happen again I know it will be a while if at all.

The Beancounter was a guest of Electrolux. Flights, accommodation and dinner at Tetsuya were part of Electrolux Tetsuya Masterclass Competition.

Birthday Lunch @ IKEA

2010-08-22T22:01:00.001+10:00

With its maze like set-up and kids' activity corners scattered throughout the store you can easily be forgiven for thinking Ikea was designed with only kids in mind. But that is exactly the beauty of it and what sets it apart from all other furniture stores. Both kids and the more mature in age will find something to hold their attention. For a family man like me it's heaven sent.

Let's get one thing straight though before I continue. I am not associated with Ikea in any shape or form. Having Swedish designed items in my house does not count! I paid for them with my hard earned cash. None were given to me for free. My whole family just genuinely enjoy the place.

I therefore did not think it odd that Yaya would request to have her birthday lunch at Ikea. Also, with a variety of reasonably priced meals how could I say no? $1 hot dogs anyone? But they are so much more than cheap reconstituted meat..

A must for a first timer are meatballs, gravy, mashed potato and chips. I don't exactly know how the Swedes enjoy theirs but that's the combination we like

One thing Yaya and I enjoy that no other family member seem to share is gravalax/gravlax (raw salmon cured in salt, sugar and dill). She started sharing my plate of a Swedish Open Sandwich as a toddler and has not stopped since.

Ikea is also one of the few places in Brisbane that offers bottomless drinks. Pay once and you can have as much lingonberry juice as you can handle.

There's also a variety of desserts on offer. To complete the lunch we shared some ice cream, chocoloate mousse, berry yoghurt and Swedish apple cake.

By the way, you can easily replicate the meals at home by getting the ingredients from their food store (follow an old post here).

Total bill, less than $30. Kids' smiles all around, priceless!

Hello Kitty Cake for Yaya's 6th

2010-08-09T14:38:00.010+10:00

My little fashionista is now 6! And to celebrate Yaya's (Elishah) birthday my wife came up with a cake that defines her as a young girl with a sophisticated taste for fashion.

Cherry's design inspiration came from a blanket. Using fondant she made an edible version of Hello Kitty. She used white chocolate mud cake as the base. And, for another layer of chocolate hit she covered it with milk chocolate ganache.

To add that touch of understated elegance she finished it off by artistically placing a black bow around the base of the cake.

The main thing that distinguishes Yaya from the rest of my kids is her sartorial sense. Black, a rare colour of choice for a little girl, is something she wears with flair. Her dream is to one day have her own boutique.

wearing her favourite bolero

Yaya's style of walk and the way she carries herself cause one to notice her. Even something as mundane as her manner of eating ice cream makes one look. An acquaintance who couldn't contain herself pointed this out to every parent in the room. I feel very proud as her dad.

Here's to you my princess. Happy 6th birthday! May God richly bless your every step!

Chilli Crab Revisited

2010-08-02T22:25:00.006+10:00

macadamia nuts

The flu season has brought with it blocked noses. Consequentially, my wife has suffered loss of appetite. To bring back to life that which was lost I cooked some chilli crab. The flavour and spice hit it brings was sure to deliver and more...

chilli flakes

Some of you are probably wondering why a photo of macadamia nuts is prominently displayed. Read on to find out.

belacan

The foundation of a good chilli crab is a good rempah. Rempah is what Indonesians and Malaysians call their spice paste made from fresh herbs and/or dry spices. And one essential ingredient in the rempah is candle nut. It is named as such as the nuts can be strung together and lighted up like candles.

alimasag (blue swimmer crabs)

I've never seen them in the Philippines but apparently we have what we call lumbang after which the town of Lumban, Laguna was named after. If you know more about this please do not hesitate to comment.

cooked spice paste (sauce that has to split)

Although candle nuts are readily available in Australia there weren't any when I shopped for my chilli crab. Macadamia, which is both rich and buttery, is my chosen substitute. It's got none of the bitterness of the candle nuts but adds depth and texture to the sauce. Not many are aware of this but macadamia, although successfully cultivated in Hawaii, is in fact an Australian native.

The recipe below is a variation on the chilli crab recipe I posted here:

Chilli Crab ala Beancounter

3 fresh crabs cleaned and halved, leave the main shell whole
Some flour
3 large onions
3 cloves of garlic
a knob of ginger
Fresh chillies to taste
Chilli flakes or dried chillies to taste
4-6 macadamia nuts
1 tablespoon belacan (shrimp paste)
1 large onion chopped (yes, another one)
1/2 cup tomato ketchup/sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup stock
Salt to taste
Oil - lots of it

1. First, you need to make the rempah or spice paste. Combine the onion (the first 3), garlic, ginger, various chillies, and macadamia nuts in a food processor. Blitz until they turn to paste. You make this as fine or chunky as you like.
2. Heat up some oil for deep frying.
3. Coat the crab pieces in flour. Shake off the excess flour. Fry the crab pieces until they are about half way done. This should take approximately 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
4. Heat up a bit of oil then saute the chopped onion (yes, the other one) until it is nicely caramelised.
5. Add the rempah and cook for about 10 minutes.
6. Add the tomato ketchup and the sugar. Cook for another 2 minutes.
7. Add the stock. Reduce the sauce to a consistency you prefer.
8. Add the fried crab pieces. Make sure all the crab is coated well by the sauce.
9. Lower the heat and simmer for another 5 minutes or until the crab pieces are cooked.
10. Garnish with some fresh coriander. Serve hot!

A time to let go...

2010-07-21T22:49:00.008+10:00

For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.
Ecclesiastes 3:1

I'm in a reflective mood for the past few days. This was largely brought on by my son's first venture into travel by himself.

And I'm not referring to commuting from home to school. He's travelling farther away albeit in his school uniform.

Part of the curriculum this year is a visit to Canberra (a 3-hour flight from our home base) and a side trip to Sydney. It's quite an auspicious time to be in the country's capital with the federal election happening in a few weeks time. It adds more excitement to the otherwise sedate metropolis.

Kiko is 11 and the air travels he's been on were always with the whole family. I guess it's just natural (especially for my dear wife) to be a bit apprehensive about the whole thing. Kiko must have had an information/instruction/reminder overload courtesy of his anxious parents dumped on him as we got closer to the airport.

He's normally quiet but the house feels especially still now that he's not home. We miss him. And by "we" I mean all of us including his "annoying" sisters. Chichay, my oldest daughter, expressed this by offering food to an empty chair while we were having dinner. Cute...and very touching.

The season of letting go has begun for us...

But I'm glad that there is also a time to embrace (Ecclesiastes 3:5)... We're all looking forward to his return tomorrow!

French Toast Sandwich

2010-07-16T00:00:00.000+10:00

The dilemma of figuring out what to put in the kids' lunch boxes has now turned into what to feed them while they are enjoying their short winter break.

Pancakes are great and all but there's only so much the kids could handle before they start loathing the stuff. Solution - French toast! And to make it a bit more exciting - French toast sandwich!

It's easier to cook than ye old griddle cakes but is by no means less tasty. Although the one I made for this blog is ham & cheese this should not limit you from trying other combinations be it savoury or sweet (peanut butter, nuttela & banana anyone?!?!?!?!)

Essential to my French toast is good sliced white bread. Yes, I said white! it has to be thick enough to handle being soaked in the egg mixture. The other important ingredient is butter. Yes, butter! Full fat yummy butter!

Ham & Cheese French Toast

2 eggs

1/4 cup milk

Ham slices

Cheese slices

4 slices of white bread

Salt (optional)

Real butter

1. In a large bowl beat the eggs and milk together. Season with salt (if you like).

2 Prepare your ham & cheese sandwiches as per usual. Add whatever sauces/seasonings you prefer.

3 . Soak your sandwiches in the egg mixture making sure all sides are well coated.

4. Heat up a large pan using low to medium heat. Melt the butter (enough to cover the pan) and wait for it to bubble.

5. Fry your soaked ham & cheese sandwiches in the butter. You probably need 5 minutes on each side or until the cheese starts to ooze.

6. Slice your French toast sandwiches in half and serve hot for breakfast (or any time of the day!).

Ron Mueck's Works at the GoMA

2010-07-09T11:46:00.000+10:00

Done the theme parks!

Watched the requisite school holiday movies!

For something more cerebral the kids will also enjoy this winter break I suggest you drop by Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA).

The highlight of GoMA's 2010 winter program is an exibition of works by Australian-born, London-based sculptor Ron Mueck.

A bit of a warning though, the exhibit features some graphic materials some audience might find offensive.

One of my kids described the displays as "creepy" but enjoyed the visit nonetheless.

You be the judge. Don't miss the event if ever his works are in your area.

Cherry's Cake

2010-07-05T23:54:00.011+10:00

This is a shout out for my dear wife who created the most beautiful cake for mom's 60th birthday.

It took a total of fourteen man hours over three days to complete the cake and it came out beautifully! Fantastic effort indeed!

Inspired by a photo from a book I actually think her creation is far better and more fitting for the occasion.

Instead of the usual dense cake as the base she managed to pull it off using a light marble sponge. The delicate nature of the cake made it difficult to ganache but she made it work with her gentle hands and technique.

This was only her second attempt at making cakes like this. She has no "formal" training to speak of.

Saying I'm impressed is a gross understatement. I salute you Cherry! You always had it in you!

Mung Bean Soup (Monggo Guisado)

2010-06-21T23:02:00.015+10:00

Filipinos are not big on pulses. By that I mean dried beans are not that prominent in Philippine gastronomy. We prefer to use legumes/beans fresh rather than dried. But one common pulse dish that is found all over the country is Monggo Guisado (Mung Bean Soup). Different regions have different versions, of course, and this is mine.

Before we move further I think I need to explain what guisa/gisa/guisado is. It is the Filipino cooking style of sauteing garlic, onion, and/or tomato in oil to form the base of a lot of its dishes. I say "and/or tomato" as it is sometimes not required. Ginger, lemongrass, and chillies are also added to vary the base but most if not 100% of the time garlic and onions are present.

I couldn't help but compare this with the Subcontinent's dal/dahl/dhal. The name refers to both the pulse (dried lentils, peas or beans) and the cooked pulse dish which has very similar qualities to the monggo guisado. With that in mind I use the Indian cooking technique called chaunk or tarka (please follow the link for a detailed explanation) to differentiate my version from the rest. It's more for convenience rather than radical innovation on my part that is why I chose to do it this way.

Mung bean is tough and needs to be boiled in water before it can be used. rather than taking out another large pot to cook my soup I keep the softened mung bean in its original pot and make my Pinoy version of the tarka (sauteed garlic, onion and tomato) in a small frying pan instead. I then pour it in the same pot to simmer for a few more minutes.

I add some home made chicharon and chilli leaves as final touches to this much loved soup.

Monggo Guisado (Mung Bean Soup)

1/2 cup dried mung beans

2 cups water (to soften the beans)

Chicken stock

3 cloves garlic chopped

1 onion chopped

1 tomato chopped

1/2 cup minced meat (chicken or pork) or prawns

Chilli leaves (or some spinach)

Chicharon (pork crackling)

A bit of oil for sauteing

Fish sauce or sea salt to taste

1. Begin by boiling the mung beans in water until they're soft. Add more water as needed.

2. Once you're happy with the softness of the beans add just enough chicken stock to the soup consistency you prefer. Bring to a boil then lower the heat and simmer while you prepare your tarka.

3. If you're using meat brown it in some oil then set aside.

4. Otherwise, start preparing your Pinoy tarka by heating up a bit of oil in a small pan. saute the garlic until golden brown.

5. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent.

6. Add the tomatoes and cook until virtually all the moisture has disappeared.

7. Add the pre-cooked meat or the prawns and cook for another minute or so.

8. Pour the mixture in the pot of the softened mung bean. Simmer for another five minutes. Adjust the taste using fish sauce or salt.

9. Add the chilli leaves and the chicharon.

10. Serve hot with some adobo/fried fish and steamed rice.

Braised Beef Brisket (Beef Pares/Chinese Adobo)

2010-06-14T23:01:00.026+10:00

We've never cooked this at home when I was growing up. I assumed as a young boy that this was difficult to make. It was a special dish we could only get at Chinese restaurants. It tasted delicious and exotic I was very sure my convictions were nothing but correct. I was wrong, of course, and I'm glad I was...

What I did not realise about this dish is the fact that it has long been "Filipinised." It has an unmistakably Chinese origin but Filipinos have adopted it as their own. "Pares" (literally means "pair") eateries found all over Manila pair this rich beef stew with either rice or noodles for a satisfying meal any time of the day.

Some affectionately refer to this as Chinese adobo. It is easy to see why. It looks like adobo but a slight whiff of this dish tells you it is anything but. What sets it apart is the use of spices not commonly found in Filipino cuisine. Star anise is literally the star here. Leave it out and you'll be left with nothing but chunks of bland boiled beef.

One other very important consideration when cooking this is the right cut of meat. Beef brisket braises the best, I find. But you could probably get away with any highly marbled cut of beef. So, if you feel queasy at the thought of "fat" just do a stir fry. This is why it also makes for the perfect winter meal.

Braised Beef Brisket (Beef Pares/Chinese Adobo)

2kg beef brisket cut in large chunks
1 cup light soy sauce
2 tbsp sugar
6 garlic cloves
6 slices ginger
4 stalks spring onion
3 tbsp Chinese wine
3-4 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
Water
Black pepper corns
A bit of oil for sauteing

1. Blanch the beef in a pot of boiling water for a few minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large pot heat up a bit of oil. Saute the ginger, spring onion and garlic for about a minute.
3. Add the meat in the pot and fry for a few minutes.
4. Add the sugar, soy sauce, wine and all the spices. Add water just enough to cover the meat and bring to the boil.
5. Simmer for an hour or so or until the meat is tender.
6. Serve hot with some greens and steamed rice.

Roast Rib of Beef

2010-05-30T22:47:00.007+10:00

Although Filipino cuisine has got a lot to offer even in winter (with its rich soups and stews) I find nothing more comforting than traditional English roast beef to counter the cold.

Roasting used to intimidate me. Growing up in a home with no "real oven" to speak of the concept of "oven roasting" was an entirely new arena for me. My early ventures into this style of cooking resulted in mini disasters but nothing big enough to stop me altogether.

Although your choice cut of meat it vital, roasting is more about getting the combination of the temperature and cooking time right. Once you've mastered this roasting is pretty much fool proof. Always bear in mind though that recipes are simply guides. It is important for you to get to know your oven well. There's no better way to do this than to keep watch as you cook. Half an hour in a recipe might mean 35 minutes using your oven...

I prefer to use beef rib roast for this recipe. Not only is it more tender and juicier it also looks more elegant and more sophisticated than other cuts. I like mine "pink" but living in a household dominated by young palates we've reached a compromise as evidenced by my photos.

Roast Rib of Beef

1kg Beef Rib Roast

Butter

Sea Salt

Black Pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 220C.

2. Rub the salt and pepper liberally over the surface of the meat.

3. To keep the meat moist during the roasting process place bits of softened butter all over the meat (a tip from Inay Carmen)

4. Stand the beef rib in a roasting tray and roast for 15 minutes or until the meat starts to brown on the outside.

5. Lower the heat to 180C and continue roasting for about an hour (Approximately 30 minutes for every 500g. Reduce it to 20 minutes if you want it more pink.).

6. Take the meat out of the oven and rest for approximately 10-15 minutes before carving.

7. Serve with some Yorkshire puddings and roasted vegetables.

Sopas ala Beancounter (Filipino Chicken Soup with Pasta)

2010-05-30T22:42:00.007+10:00

Sopas literally means soup. But for the Filipino it is so much more. Sopas is chicken soup with pasta which makes it a lot heartier. On top of that milk/cream is usually added which makes it far richer than ordinary chicken soup.

I've had my share of 'bad Sopas' as a youngster if you like. It has therefore failed to endear itself to me. I did not begin to like it again until much later when I started cooking it myself (at the prompting of my dear wife). 'Bad Sopas' for me means soggy pasta and extremely milky broth. Both of which are not that difficult to correct.

I substitute 'broken spaghetti' for the more commonly used shell pasta. I find that it keeps its shape and texture better than all the others (much like Royco Chicken Noodle Soup for anyone of you old enough to remember).

And instead of adding milk/cream at the end of the cooking process I leave it out altogether. It's available on the side after the soup has been served (again, an inspiration brought on by my lovely wife who prefers hers without cream).

Sopas ala Beancounter

3 cloves garlic chopped
1 large onion chopped
12 cups chicken stock
Half a poached chicken shredded
250g spaghetti broken into approximately 1 inch sticks
1 large carrot diced finely
1/4 cabbage shredded
Fish sauce/salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
A bit of oil of sauteing

1. Heat up a bit of oil in a large pot.
2. Saute the garlic until golden brown.
3. Add the onion and saute until soft and translucent.
4. Add the chicken and stir fry for about a minute.
5. Pour in all the stock and bring to a boil.
6. Adjust the taste by adding fish sauce/salt and black pepper.
7. Add the pasta and cook until al dente.
8. Add the vegetables and cook to your liking.
9. Dress with some hard boiled eggs (totally optional) and serve hot with freshly baked pan de sal.

Yorkshire Puddings

2010-05-25T22:28:00.000+10:00

I find Yorkshire pudding quite intriguing. I actually thought it was a dessert. I can be forgiven for thinking such. It's called a pudding after all. But then again, the British also have "black pudding" which is anything but.

Yorkshire pudding is the classic accompaniment to roast beef. It's like pancake batter cooked in the oven to make the most of the drippings from the roast. For a lighter version (like mine) use sunflower oil as an alternative.

I've never made these before but the recipes I've read looked simple enough I did not hesitate making them when we had roast beef for dinner last Sunday evening.

In hindsight I think I would have had a better result using self raising flour. Mine just did not rise high enough. It wasn't a complete disaster. My son couldn't get enough of them as a matter of fact. But if you're going to try the recipe below use self raising flour instead.

Yorkshire Puddings

150g plain flour
pinch of salt
1 egg
1 1/4 cups milk
Sunflower oil

1. Sift flour and salt in a large bowl.
2. Add the egg.
3. Add the milk a little at a time making sure everything is well mixed together. Set aside for at least an hour.
4. Place a bit of oil in about 12 individual muffin tins.
5. Heat tins in a 220C oven for a few minutes.
6. Pour the batter into the tins about half to three quarters of the way up.
7. Lower the heat to 180C and bake for about 25 minutes.

Congratulations (to me) - Masterclass with Tetsuya Wakuda

2010-05-13T22:56:00.011+10:00

I've always planned to visit Tetsuya's of Sydney one day...I just did not expect it to happen this soon.

Thanks to Electrolux I'll be walking through the doors of the famed Kent St restaurant in a couple of months time.

If memory serves me right the competition opened back in early March. I found out about it through Souvlaki for the Soul (thanks Peter G!). The idea was to answer, in 25 words or less, the question: What is your favourite feature in Tetsuya's new Masterkitchen? And so I did with very little expectations of winning.

Fast forward to 13 May 2010, my inbox received a new email with the subject "CONGRATULATIONS Tetsuya Masterclass Winner." I couldn't believe my eyes! I opened it immediately naturally and indeed I won!

I couldn't remember exactly what I wrote but it was along the lines of: the "touch" innovation makes it easier to keep the kitchen spick and span." Nothing brilliant I know but it's been judged one of the top 12.

a still from Food Safari (Chef Tets animatedly explaining to Maeve O'Meara that he still doesn't get Vegemite after 25 years of living downunder)

Here's a rundown of the prize:
1. An invitation to an exclusive Tetsuya Masterclass at Tetsuya's restaurant on the evening of Tuesday, 24 August from 6pm
2. Return airfare from my capital city
3. One night's accommodation
4. Transport by private car to and from the restaurant

Who says dreams don't come true?

Thanks be to God!

Yum Cha at Landmark, Sunnybank

2010-05-05T16:19:00.000+10:00

Judging by the number of people waiting outside the restaurant it probably safe to say that Landmark is one of the most popular Chinese restaurants in Brisbane. I've heard lots of good things about its regular menu but we go there specifically for yum cha.

It's guaranteed you'll be waiting at least half an hour (if you're lucky). The wait can extend to over an hour during holiday periods.

Anyway, here's how it works at this restaurant:

1) You rock up to the guy (or girl) at the door.

2) You tell him (or her) how many there are in your party.

3) You get given a number.

4) And then you wait...and wait...

You might be horrified to be given number 347 when what's being called out is only 52. But take heart, it doesn't work sequentially, I think. I don't quite understand the system but it seems to be fairly efficient for the purpose.

There is nothing extraordinary about Landmark's yum cha selections. We tend to order pretty much the same things anyway so it is not really that big of a deal. The reason we keep coming back is because of the innovative way they serve these tasty oriental delights.

At Landmark you have a choice to either wait for the cart or pick up your favourite yum cha yourself from a very busy counter. Doesn't seem much but it makes a huge difference to very hungry diners. It's bad enough that you have to wait for a table. Having to wait some more for the carts to come by your table can turn the experience into something less than enjoyable.

And lest I forget, their yum cha taste very good too!

Not Quite an ANZAC Remembrance Day

2010-04-26T00:03:00.007+10:00

ANZAC Day has come again and for me, amongst other things, it has a different significance. Yes, whenever this day of remembrance comes around it means I'm a year older.

Planning a menu to serve 30+ of my closest friends and family is quite a conundrum. With all my other commitments I am time poor and I feel like I've exhausted my full repertoire of recipes. I also do not desire to be slaving in the kitchen and miss the point of the day altogether.

The answer came from an ever reliable source, my television, of course! As me and my wife were pondering this yearly dilemma a supermarket ad came on...and as they say, the rest is history.

So, apart from the requisite noodle dish, it was a mainly western lineup of dishes with a 6+kg roast beef as the centrepiece.

leftovers from the night before

I also should mention that the wife and I attempted our first fondant cake.

No recipe on this post though but just a collection of photos I took the day after...of the leftovers.

Greenhouse, Perth WA

2010-04-18T12:08:00.007+10:00

I'm not in the position to give Greenhouse a proper critique. I've only dined there once. And it was only for breakfast. The restaurant's lunch and dinner menus look a lot more exciting. Unfortunately for me I got to sample neither.

I intended to go a few more times after my first visit but the opportunity just did not come up. My dinner plans were already set even before I boarded the plane for Perth. Lunch at the restaurant was virtually impossible as my office in WA is a few suburbs away from its location (unlike Dave, of Don't Do What Dave Does, who works in the same building. I greatly appreciate the recommendation though...).

Furniture designed by Joost Bakker using recycled wooden palettes

Back to the breakfast. I ordered scrambled eggs on toast with a side of bacon and a latte. It's pretty pedestrian I know. I'm kicking myself now for not choosing something more exciting. A brekkie pizza perhaps...anyway, I'm sure there'll be a next time. The eggs were excellent though. The bacon was a bit burnt on the edges (look at the photo) but was still tasty. And the coffee...it's something to rave about. It's one of the best I've had.

Greenhouse was constructed from nothing but recycled and other earth-friendly materials. This fact sets it apart from the other structures in the CBD. The restaurant is difficult not to notice with its exterior covered in terracotta pots planted with wild strawberries. The interior is equally impressive continuing the green theme.

these look a bit parched

I should also mention that I really like the fact that they serve water without me asking. Nice touch!

My next trip to the west is still a while away but I know where I'll be dining! Pig head and trotter terrine here I come!

The University of Western Australia - Perth Visit Part 2

2010-04-14T22:54:00.009+10:00

Please indulge me a little bit. This post has nothing to do with food at all but everything to do with my being "The Beancounter."

On every trip to the west coast I never fail to drop by my old college, The University of Western Australia. For the nostalgia, of course, and also because it is a fascinating place to visit. The campus is surrounded by majestic sandstone and terracotta buildings nestled among heritage listed gardens.

Below is a collection of photos I took on this recent trip of what is considered one of the most picturesque campuses in the country. I hope I did it justice.

Winthrop Hall - its stained glass windows were badly damaged by the recent storm

My old home

"VERILY BY BEAUTY IT IS THAT WE COME AT WISDOM" - Robert Bridges

The Library

Perth Visit - Part 1

2010-04-11T23:24:00.012+10:00

I've got a busy week ahead of me. In the meantime, please enjoy a collection of photos on my recent trip to Australia's west coast (or visit my archive).

the bag

the destination

the ride

departure from my usual toast

proper hot breakfast on this 5+ hour flight

the evening's entertainment

one of Perth's newest and innovative restaurants (watch out for a future post)

King's Park at night

King's Park during the day

King's Park at Night 2

King's Park during the day 2

Cafe by the office

flight home

Easter Egg Hunt 2010

2010-04-06T00:00:00.007+10:00

He is not here, for He has risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the LORD lay." Matthew 28:6

Easter Sunday is a day of celebration! And celebrate we did with the help of chocolate in all sorts of flavours moulded in fun Easter shapes!

This is the only the fourth year we've been doing a proper Easter Egg Hunt. We came prepared more than ever. Instead of teeny weenie baskets we got our kids Easter buckets!

Thanks to family and friends we've turned the relatively sedate Holman Park at Kangaroo Point into a wonderland of Easter treats!

Stuck on a picnic table

Under a park bench

Almost trampled on!

In-between the trunks

Some more under the bench

On the ground

On a tree

The tiny hunters waiting for the signal

And they're off!

The race is not only to the swift

Cookies 'n Cream Polvoron - Eating Your Words 2010 Edition

2010-03-24T21:40:00.006+10:00

In the couple of years that I have been blogging this is the first time I'm participating in an online competition. I figured, start with a relatively simple one before delving into more complex gastronomy challenges.

Eating Your Words was pioneered by Tangled Noodle and Savour the Thyme. The object was to " 'Write, spell or draw' using food or drink, and create a blog post about it." Sounds easy enough?

Polvoron, I thought, was the perfect dish to create edible art. It seemed malleable enough to be moulded into letters to put together a catchy phrase or a witty quote.

How wrong was I?!?!?!?!?! My confidence was shot down from the letter "A"...

The photos, with the words "Eat Me", were the result of my feeble attempts to be artistic with my food. Rather than a congenial invitation, "Eat Me" seemed more like a threat to the diner!

Luckily, my Filipino "cookies 'n cream shortbread" was most definitely edible albeit barely readable! The straightforward recipe, a variation to my wife's basic polvoron, is also in stark contrast with the difficulty of using it to write!

One thing is for sure! I'll never look at this challenge the same way again...

Cookies 'n Cream Polvoron

4 cups plain flour

1 cup powdered milk

1 1/2 cups sugar

250g butter

2 x 150g packets of Oreos crushes (as fine or as coarse as you like)

1. Toast the flour in a pan until it starts to turn light brown.

2. Sift the toasted flour, milk and sugar in a large bowl.

3. Add the butter and make sure they're blended well together.

4. Add the crushed Oreos and mix well.

5. Use a polvoron mould to shape the mixture into traditional shapes.

6. Wrap the polvoron pieces in cello wrap.

Saturday Pancakes ala Beancounter

2010-03-21T22:20:00.005+10:00

I call them Saturday pancakes for the simple reason that I only get to make them on Saturdays. It is the only day of the week when I get to sit down and have breakfast with the whole family. So for me it is a special time that calls for a special meal.

My kids are still in bed when I leave for work in the morning. I appreciate it very much when they purposely get up to kiss me goodbye. But having breakfast together is a bit of a luxury...for all of us. Three of them are now in school. They also have their own "morning" things to sort out.

If I'm up early enough I'll bake pan de sal. But most Saturdays I sleep in so we go for the next best thing. Pancakes! Who doesn't like pancakes?

We like them hot and fluffy served with real butter and maple syrup. I also cook sausages and cheesy scrambled eggs to complete the weekend's first meal!

Saturday Fluffy Pancakes ala Beancounter

4 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk

2 tablespoons melted butter

2 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

2-3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Separate the eggs. Beat the egg yolks.

2. Add the milk and the melted butter to the egg yolks.

3. Combine all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

4. Pour the egg mixture into the bowl and mix well. It's fine even if it may be a bit lumpy.

5. Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks.

6. Mix the egg whites gently with the batter a ladle at a time to prevent the tiny bubbles from bursting.

7. Heat up a lightly greased pan.

8. Pour a ladle spoon of batter into the pan. Once bubbles start forming you can flip it to cook the other side.

9. Serve with butter and maple syrup.

Pork Katsu (Tonkatsu) Curry

2010-03-15T22:36:00.006+10:00

Thanks to Hanaichi, one of the fastest growing Japanese eateries in Queensland, Katsu Curry is now available all over Brisbane (in major shopping centres at least). They serve them cheap, fast, hot and very tasty. I figured, why bother making it at home?

But I was inspired after reading Cusinera's (of Busog! Sarap!) take on this popular Japanese take-away to try and cook it myself. It did not seem as fiddly as I thought it would be!

Trying to get the combination of spices spot on was to me very daunting so I never dared. But S&B's Golden Curry mix does away with all that (no, they did not pay me for this blog!).

Cooking this at home also give me more freedom on how it is served. In most Japanese restaurants the curry sauce is poured on top of the katsu. If you've been following this blog you know I prefer my sauces on the side. I decide when my rice gets mixed in with the sauce, not the restaurant (also keeps my katsu crispy!)

For the Curry Sauce:

100g S&B Golden Curry Sauce Mix (I used mild but there are "hotter" varieties)
2 1/2 cups water
1 large onion sliced
1 large carrot cut in large chunks
1 stalk celery cut in large chunks
2 desiree potatoes cut in large chunks
A bit of oil for sauteing

1. Heat up a bit of oil in a pot.
2. Saute the onion until soft and translucent.
3. Add all the vegetables and saute for another minute.
4. Add the water and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce the heat to simmering point. Simmer until all the vegetables are cooked.
6. Crumble the Japanese curry into the mixture. Stir until all dissolved. Cook for another 5 minutes.
7. Set aside

This is plenty for just one meal. You might want to halve the recipe if you don't like leftover sauce.

For the Pork Katsu (Tonkatsu)

2 pork chops sliced thinly lengthwise to make 4 thin chops
1 large egg beaten lightly
1 bowl of water
Plain flour with a bit of salt
Panko Japanese style breadcrumbs
Oil for frying

1. Heat up oil in a pan for frying.
2. Dip the pork chops in egg.
3. Coat each piece in flour and shake any excess.
4. Dip the coated pieces in cold water for a few seconds (I thought this was a crazy idea. It's a technique apparently used by fast food places to guarantee a crispy coating. It does work! I used the same technique in my Crispy Fried Chicken Recipe.)
5. Coat with the Panko bread crumbs.
6. Fry on each side until golden brown.
7. Chop into pieces and serve with the curry sauce on top or on the side.

The Food of Love and Other Autumn Reads

2010-03-14T15:46:00.014+10:00

Yes, autumn has finally arrived in the Antipodes. It's less of a visual treat where I live than in other states but you can certainly feel a "change in the air."

The books below are not autumn related in any way. I just happen to be reading/re-reading them this season

THE FOOD OF LOVE by Anthony Capella

"You will learn all about Italian food. It is funny, witty and the love of food cannot be overemphasised if it tried. You will then learn why Italians from different regions are so fervent about their food. You will never call it Spaghetti Bolognese again unless the sauce actually comes from Bologna...nor want to drink cappuccino in Rome after 10am." - R Franco

That's an excerpt from an email from a recently re-acquainted friend from high school (thanks multiply, facebook). He now lives in the UK and is probably a bigger foodie than I am (please start that blog soon!). Unlike him, I'm yet to dine in a Michelin starred restaurant.

With that sort of recommendation and promise about a book how can I resist? I ordered it online soon after reading his email. I'm now three quarters through the book.

It may not be life changing literary work but there sure is plenty to learn about Italian food, the facets of love and how they relate.

WARNING: If you're squeamish about overtly sexual passages then this might not be for you.

KULINARYA by Glenda Rosales Baretto, Conrad Calalang, Margarita Araneta Fores, Myrna Segismundo, Jessie Sincioco and Claude Tayag

This book is a result of the Kulinarya movement. The group aims "to inspire everyone to refine Filipino cuisine." It is a collaboration of well known Filipino food personalities.

Much has been said about this Asia Society commissioned book. Not all of them favourable. I'd like to discover it for myself and form my own opinion.

It was on my "to buy" list when I last visited Manila. I really thought I had plenty of time to go back to the bookshop. Anyway, lesson learned...

Many thanks to a good friend of mine Carla from Sydney (I still owe you!) who managed to get me copy through a friend of a friend of a friend...don't know where it ends.

MEMORIES OF PHILIPPINE KITCHENS by Amy Besa and Romy Dorotan

Penned by the owners of the much-admired Cendrillon of New York (sadly they have shut their doors).

This is more than just a recipe book. It takes you on a journey of Philippine Culinary history told by various households from the diverse regions of the country. Some stories are very personal that somehow I've made my own.

This book, like Capella's, proves once again that food is more than just physical sustenance.