Chefie’s World

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Last week, I had a photo shoot with Yummy on breakfast breads, the home made, a bit challenging baked goods were what I presented. Although a bit foreign to some, what I featured are now being served in specialty restaurants. Biscuits, scones, popovers, savory breads and pastries recipes which I did while doing a project for a all day breakfast restaurants that never materialized. I enjoyed baking them since I also enjoyed eating them right after. With a big serving of butter, cream cheese or homemade jam, it is just right for the first meal of the day.. Sorry, I can’t post the recipes, only the pictures so let’s wait a couple of months when that issue comes out….have you tried Yummy Mag’s May Issue with my Zucchini Pudding….go and get your copy….guapo ko dun with an Orange Shirt, very Villar!

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It has to be spelled with just one “O” since it is French, any other spelling is not. Everybody has an eager fondness, a sudden crush and ultimate liking with this French petits fours….all high end as well as hotel bakeshops are making their versions. My first macaron was from Payard which was 10years ago at that time, I didn’t even know what it was. Since then, I have been trying one wherever I see it. I also have tested countless recipes to get the correct taste, texture as well as lightness. The filling is another story…all these was answered by my recent study trip with Chef Eric Perez. Asian baked goods are very colourful as seen with the striking look of his macarons. He has perfected the making of it that he sells more and more of it around Asia….His flavours starts from the common pistachios or chocolate to the more exquisite, raspberry, melon and others….Totally, divine and the best!

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Finally, they have arrived, after many sleepless months, thinking and dreaming on what ever happened to my balikbayan boxes, it came in yesterday, April 14…my, my, my…..one of the boxes left November 21, 2009 the others a week after I left America. So what happened…well, they had a problem with shipping them before Christmas so it just stayed in New Jersey until first week of February, maybe nobody wanted to send it to America. Then upon arrival here first week of March, it had some more weeks in the Customs warehouse for another round of waiting due to some freight charges problem. My trainers who asked me to buy Al Pacino Scarface shoes and Puma slip ons waited so long for them as well as nephew, Eric for his Nike walking shoes. So here they are…sleepless nights yes, since it has a lot of pastry and baking books, some worth 300 dollars – classic no longer printed and the Spanish dessert books not available here – Torreblanca, Adria, Morato the latest books for desserts…then I have over 20 chocolate molds for a new business I will let you know about soon. Aside from my old clothes and underwear that still smells so good…sarap ng amoy ng galing US….amoy mabangon, one you can’t even describe…basta alam mo lang galing America. I have my old reliable Dr.Martens walking shoes there and my favourite wool sweater that I wear for winter or when it’s just too cold. The boxes came well sealed and nothing happened to them. Masaya na ako….I can sleep now….peacefully after I fix all of these abundance…

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It’s a place not so far from Manila, left Tuesday afternoon with a truck load of food, got to Anilao just in time for darkness. The beauty of the surroundings at night was magnificent….enjoyed the relaxing time to sleep, chat and be with people you just love being with. Cooked a little, barley mushroom soup, and reheated some agachonas. When you are with the right company, there ‘ s nothing much to ask for.