Sampinit – Philippine Wild Raspberries

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.

Cookies 'n Cream Polvoron - Eating Your Words 2010 Edition

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.

The Food of Love and Other Autumn Reads

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.

Australia – The Food Icons – Vegemite

Prompted by a friend who recently went to see the movie AUSTRALIA (thanks for the unintentional reminder Lau) I’m continuing my series on the food icons of the land down under.

This series will not be complete without the inclusion of Australia’s beloved Vegemite.

Vegemite is a spread made from leftover brewer’s yeast (a by-product of brewing beer). Vegetable extracts and spices are added to the end product to give it that unique flavour that can only be described as yum! Or yuk!

Vegemite is usually spread on toast, sandwiches, and crackers or if you’re my boss, corn thins. It looks a little bit like Nutella but with a heavier consistency more similar to peanut butter. It also, apparently, has high levels of B vitamins.

The taste… hmmm, how do I describe thee? Let me count the ways…

1. You look like Nutella but you definitely are not – Vegemite is one of a kind. It is by no means sweet. It is neither chocolaty despite its dark rich colour similar to that of my favourite spread.

2. You are salty like no other spread I’ve tried before – Yup, you can probably substitute vegemite for soy sauce. I was told I probably put too much on my toast but when I did put a thin layer of this stuff it was still remarkably salty!

3. Your taste is as divine as bovine – Exactly right! I couldn’t agree more with others’ description of this stuff. The taste is very much akin to beef bouillon. It might have veg in its name but it definitely tastes like meat.

4. One bite of you is just not enough – It’s actually too much! Love for this stuff is definitely an acquired one. I’ve tried it twice. I am not looking forward to the third one. But hey, they say you’ve got to try things 9 times at least (or was that 21?) before you “acquire” the taste. It certainly took me less time with other stuff.

I’m not knocking back Vegemite altogether. It is well-loved by my compatriots for a very good reason. And I do hope to attain this same level of adoration…someday.

Cute's Blogger Award - 10 random Food Habits

I would like to thank Laura of Amazing Thirty Something for this award.
My apologies...it took me more than a month to accept this...but thank you so much!

I am, by the way, slowly running out of "random" things after being tagged in various networking sites. Anyway, I decided to focus only on my "food" habits

Here are the rules of this award:
1. Each blogger must post these rules.2. Each blogger starts with ten random facts/habits about themselves.3. Blogger that are tagged, need to write ten facts about themselves. You need to choose ten people to tag and list their names.

Here are the 10 Random Facts/Habits About Me:
1. I like soy in my coffee...but no sugar.
2. I don't dunk bread/donut/biscuit/or any other pastry in my coffee...i hate the texture of wet, soggy bread/donut/biscuit/or any other pastry.
3. I think Starbucks is overrated...there are plenty of better ones out there. Go explore!
4. I want my ulam on the side not on top of my rice...I do not like Toppings...
5. I have big breakfasts on Saturdays.6. Fresh bread or chocolates? Fresh bread anytime!7. Airline food can be good!8. Filipino ice creams are much better than Haagen Dazs.
9. I use stock cubes!
10. I like leche flan made from condensed and evaporated milk.

Here's the next 10:
1. Thennie
2. Jim
3. Joh
4. Sheila
5. Desh
6. Lourdes
7. Merla
8. Nette
9. Charm
10. Lawrence

Confectionary Warehouse

“Pasalubong” is a Filipino word I find difficult to translate in English. It’s not exactly a “gift” or a “souvenir” but it could be both. Aside from looking forward to seeing my parents again after a trip somewhere I always get excited about their “pasalubong” (what they’ve brought back for me from their trip). It did not matter how far or how long they’ve been away they always brought something back.

I know how good it made me feel to receive “pasalubong”. I want my kids to experience the same that is why I always try to have “something” for them from every trip. It did not have to be anything extravagant. It did not have to be unique to the place where I’ve just been. It just had to be something.

My recent trip though did not give me much opportunity to shop. I was confined to the office then the hotel and the airport. Unless you’re buying duty free the airport is not a good place to go shopping.

Thankfully, there’s a lolly (candy) outlet near the airport in Brisbane. Instead of driving straight home we took a detour to the Confectionary Warehouse. The kids already knew where we here heading as they are quite familiar with this place. Imagine the noise in the car created by their excitement!

It’s nowhere near the poshness of Dylan’s Candy Bar in New York with its connection to Ralph Lauren but the range is pretty astonishing. It’s a warehouse after all. They claim to have over 12,000 lines of lollies and chocolates. I don’t know how true that is but it is a pretty amazing claim!


You’d think the kids would have had enough? If your answer is yes you obviously do not have any of your own yet.

Surprise!

I rarely get surprised. And when I do, I write about it! ;)

Food is my passion but I generally do not express this to every person I meet. On a recent trip to Gladstone (yes, again!) I spent a bit of time with our manager of that area. I don’t know what the reason was but at some point during my meeting with him the conversation turned to food (probably because I started to hear my tummy grumbling as it was close to lunch time and I can’t wait for my dose of Swain’s fish & chips). Amongst all the other food matters we talked about I mentioned to him that I actually have a blog (which is generally about food).

The surprise was Adro (not his real name to protect his “tough” identity) expressed how he’s some kind of a “foodie” as well. Well, they say food is the new porn. So maybe he’s a foodie in that sort of way. Just kidding! I don’t even know what I mean by that statement!

I just couldn’t believe it! This Adro guy that I’m talking about has a built of someone who probably works outside of a nightclub (read: bouncer) rather than inside the kitchen (read: cook). He’s 10 feet tall with a built of a rugby player! Actually, he was a professional rugby player in his younger years! So there you go! What a pleasant surprise it was!

In honour of this I have uploaded photos of his cooking from his favourite food magazine! No, I don’t know the name of the magazine. I also do not know the name of the dishes. Nevertheless, they all look very appetizing! Good on ya Adro!

Here’s the link to Adro’s oft visited food website:

http://www.taste.com.au/

Krispy Kreme Drive

Smoking baffles me to this day. I don’t understand why anyone in their right mind would actually pay good money and buy something they know can only do them harm. Smoking gives one bad breath, stains teeth, and just makes the smoker stink, literally. Those are minor compared to where smoking would eventually take ones health. There are lots of studies sighting smoking as the cause of (certain) cancers. So, why do people still do it? I just don’t get it! Society seems to be moving in the right direction though with the implementation of smoking bans in some public places.

What connection does smoking have with Krispy Kreme you might ask? Well, to me they are both addictions. I don’t smoke but you might say I have an irrational liking for this glazed deep fried dough from Krispy Kreme. I know it’s not good for me but I do not care! I’ve always had a liking for donuts but Krispy Kreme changed that to something akin to a love affair.

Krispy Kreme in the new chocolate themed boxes

Ever since I moved to Australia I was always in the quest for good donuts. There’s Donut King, Mister Donut and a quick appearing/disappearing act of Dunkin’ Donuts. Donut King can be found in most major Australian shopping centres. They serve really good cinnamon donuts. There’s Mister Donut. They only have one branch in all of Queensland that I know of, at Surfer’s Paradise. They serve good donuts but the drive to the Gold Coast to get them is not justifiable. The donuts are good but not great. Then there’s Dunkin’ Donuts! They serve a really good selection of donuts but their appearance in Brisbane was quite short lived. Too many branches too quickly with lots of money spent on advertising (I think…). The company didn’t even last a year.

And then there’s Krispy Kreme! They used to be available only in the southern states which made them a lot more precious. I could only get them whenever I travel to Sydney. I would specifically request a stopover in Sydney (if possible) regardless of where I’m going just to get a box (or 10) of these little tastes of paradise. Yes, I am crazy…for Krispy Kreme! I don’t care if I had to take the red eye flight or delay my arrival an extra couple of hours. I DON’T CARE! A bite of these little clouds of heaven was more than enough to make everything seem alright.

He's making a list, and checking it twice... (Brendan, not his real name)

The best news is they are now open in Queensland! I do not have to wait a month or so to get fresh Krispy Kreme donuts. I can get them everyday if I want to!

The List

My devotion to Krispy Kreme must have rubbed off to some of my work colleagues! You might call it “second hand Krispy Kremeing”. Just last week one new devotee (we’ll name him Brendan to keep his identity a secret) embarked on a Krispy Kreme drive at work. It’s not for charity, silly! He just took it upon himself to get everybody’s orders and go to the nearest Krispy Kreme shop and buy them for his colleagues. My kind of hero!

covert distribution of "the goods" (Peter & Tramy, again not their real names)

my share of "the goods"

BEWARE, “second hand Krispy Kremeing” does not last very long. Soon enough one becomes a definite addict! *evil laughter* BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!