Chefie’s World

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an array of different bud bud

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Spanish dishes that I love

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Wagyu Paella

Planned this after our Antonio’s dinner since I wanted to go visit my Amuse Bouche Apron girls, I had a wonderful two hours with Ate Cynthia, bonding in shopping as I call it. Both of us, wanted to buy food for our Sunday lunch and dinner, our cooking was getting boring for us and the kids. The first thing we did was go through all the stores to see and find out what was being sold….we saw a lot of cute and interesting stuffs being sold, like Vegetarian Food, Coco Sugar desserts and others. What caught my eye was the Bud-Bud Kabog, the best tasting suman made with millet grain and now in different flavours, they had Mangga, Ube-Pandan, Macapuno and also Biko and Cassava, so so so deadly, the Spanish dishes of Casa Goni…so siempre, that’s what I got for myself and the Gavinos. Casa Goni’s owner-daughter Marja is our interior designer in the school as well as the restaurant so I was very surprised to see her there, they had a spread of almost 6 paellas Wagyu paella very good as well as the Black Paella, all with different flavours and a lot of other dishes like Lengua, Spanish Mechado, Arroz Ala Cubana and more, I did even see a lady cooking some filet Mignon. Made me want to eat them before getting home, only to realize that we were eating them for dinner instead. I also enjoyed the quiches of La Cabane, thick and filling to the max…very courteous owners. So if you are not so busy Sundays, enjoy a food filled day at the Legazpi Sunday Market…..

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scallop tempura – one of our appetizers

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JL’s steak

It was planned two weeks ago, we were going to have a quiet and relaxing dinner at Antonio’s for Kuya Titong’s birthday. It was a week ahead before his real birthday since I was suppose to leave for Bangkok but I had to postpone it due to the tumultuous events happening in that area.

We left at 4:30 pm and the traffic was a bit slow, characteristic of a Saturday drive to the South. Saw how the line of buses and cars going through Sta Rosa Exit so we took the Greenfields Exit, everything seemed to be flowing fast, then a sudden stop at Eton, at the corner, all cars were just there, not moving due to a Night Marathon that stopped traffic for more than an hour. My brother in law and JL went down to do something about what was happening and let us go but the traffic personnel did not budge, it took us another 40 minutes to move, they wanted to finish the last runner in the marathon, pandemonium broke loose and we just tried to by pass them and we did. Only to find out that this traffic was all the way until Tagaytay, so after 3 hours of waiting and driving we finally arrived in Antonio’s and it was really worth all the traffic. With the best attention to diners and great food how can we go wrong. My pictures are not as appealing as it should be but here are some. The place has really changed since the last time I had a meal there, this was a few years ago, a few months after he opened. I love the new look and the sophistication and allure of the place.

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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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Weird title for a post right? But I was captivated by Dada’s big Ensaimada….after the blog on the most wanted ensaymada came out, my student and hopefully, friend na rin, Carol Santos suggested I try her friend’s baked creation. So two Sundays ago, she came to school for a lunch buffet and there it was, Ensaimadada’s big, around 4 inch diameter not as big as Pastelleria Mallorca’s….I got hooked, I ate the whole piece before sleeping and I was dreaming of it together with the rich and pungent queso de bola …so wanted to order more. But Carol who I know adores me, said she only makes it when she is free and she has a regular job, so I told her to please let me know when she will be baking again. Middle of the week, I get a text from Carol, that Dada is making this weekend, of course I ordered and it had to be six so I can share with the other parts of my body, hahaha…I kept 4 and gave the 2 pcs to Atty and Jesusa….grabe it tastes better than the first, you know, it has so much butter on it, parang she soaks it like Babas….anyway, if you want to try the best one ever, let me know……

Ensaimadadas
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Every year I finished my part of our professional course with plated desserts, this culminates all of the pastry and baking principles that I have taught to them for the past 8 months. This batch was fulfilling because I have never seen beautiful desserts like these….maybe because they have a good teacher or better yet, teachers…hahaha…but I am so so proud remove the intrigues and gossips, this job, this vocation is really worth it.

See the pictures and savour then salivate…..

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I love ensaymada! This is one baked creation that I can’t live without, it has been a constant favourite of mine since I was born….I have tried quite a number made by different bakers from far North Pagudpud to Davao and some have been unforgettable. Cunanan’s, Hizon’s, Kamias, Abreu’s of Sunny Bakeshop, Jill Sandique’s, there’s even one in Bel Air that is no longer available since the baker passed away. Then suddenly, a week ago on our free to taste area of the school office, there came miracle, a glorious, tasty, melts in the mouth ensaymada as big as my face..Pasteleria Mallorca’s version on a pink and gold box reminisce of the look of 60’s. I tasted and tasted until I finished almost half of it, then everyone in the office started saying, Si Chef Junjun ang umubos ha…

Then I asked the office to order for me…..that’s when the problem started, lost in translation was what truly happened. I asked one of the office staff to order for me…after a few minutes they informed me that the minimum number of orders is 4, so I said go and just let me know what time I can pick it up, a staff came and said chef, 4 po ang minimum order, ilan po ba ang order ninyo, of course 4 no question asked, right….No one informed me anything that whole day, then I just realized at 6 pm, where was the ensaymada…Lost in Translation talaga …what the staff should have told me was, the ensaymada will be available at 4pm…ay naku, I pleaded with Glady if she can talk to them so I can pick it up tomorrow morning….Glady is one person who can move mountains and that’s exactly what she did, I can pick up the ensaymada at 9am and I did, got myself since it was Sunday, Apol wasn’t around. It was very important for me to serve it to Ate Ampy who is an ensaymada addict like me. The best one ever, with liquid, rich butter oozing out of its bottom and tons of queso de bola grated on top…mega delicious, flaky and with bread film.

Call Pasteleria Mallorca at 3732789. It’s Ph 270 a piece, 4 pieces is minimum order. Worth it, freeze the others and toast before eating.

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My nephew, JL had great tasting strawberry shortcake in Baguio, he said, the real one, shortcake from the Southern part of the United States so guess what I did after three days, I served him the same thing. With sweet strawberries and aerosol Elle et Vire whipped cream, it was heavenly and truly the way he wanted it….I had my share but wasn’t very happy with the biscuit so I have been testing some recipes for the past few days…hope you enjoy….happy v! Visit Yummy magazine website and see my happy V menu…
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After two international trips, I bought quite a number of chocolates. Yabang ko….but when you know longer want to have lunch with Paul, Ben, Giorgio, Salvadore or my other would be friends, I turn to food. I got some great artisanal chocolates from the States as well as Italian made from Hongkong, and let me discuss them with you since, I have only tried quite a few, I am taking my time…..
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Celebrating New Year in Langham Hotel, Kowloon, Hongkong

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Of no work, why? The schedule for this year was done this way and I am very happy. Last month was very, very hectic and I had hard time catching up on what my life was all about. So, one resolution I wanted to do before I started teaching again was to clean one of my rooms at home. This room has all my magazines, second hand cookbooks I get from BookSale, old gifts that never got to be used and a whole lot of humongous tupperwares housing my old friends, Paul Smith, Ben Sherman, Giorgio Armani Exchange, Calvin Klein. Strange that I still have a lot of old clothes that I cherish because I love them or maybe due to my inheriting one trait Mommy Luring left me…keeping clothes and a lot of junk, mom was a child of World War 2, I know that most of you have mothers, aunts and relatives who are like this. Another reason is I have clothes for increase and decrease of weight, hehe. So I cleaned up the room, realized that I had quite a number of school bags and shoes. So decided to fix and give some away, guess what Apol is wearing now….even my gardener, LukeLuke looks so smart wearing his Camper slippers, love it…..the other reason for this clean up is I really want to make every look clean and organized and also get to turn on the aircon in this room which I don’t get to use as often. Second reason, is an arrival of three big balikbayan boxes this month, filled with books, old clothes and pastry equipments. There has to be space for these things. Mom used to have a stock room built when one of her containers arrive so I want the room to accept all these new items.
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