Chefie’s World

What else but the most enjoyable thing for me to do? Teach, even though I get all types of characters in my class I still love to do it. I get so much energy from my students who want the passion and have the desire to learn more than just sauté…hehehe….being in culinary especially now that it has become a trend is really difficult. One has to continue learning to be better than the others…our school is so so pretty now like me…………………

See latest pictures of chefie.

You don’t have to wonder why there has been no post for almost two months, I was again not in the writing mood. Numerous classes to teach which means good for everyone since that will state to you how great our school is doing. Even if there are tons of culinary schools opening we are still at the forefront of the race. With two new kitchens and a new facelift for our first kitchen we are doing quite well. Please visit the school’s website www.cacschef.com to see all the new events happening in that side of my life.

The other day I was trying to remember who it was who started all this love for cooking and baking in me. Then I remember, Mang Teddy…a chef my aunt would hire every time we have a big party. When we moved to our new house in Makati this was 1968, we had 5 house warming parties and I remember this man in full white attire with a long apron making and cooking everything, even the bread was made right in our kitchen. He made the best lengua, paella and other special Spanish dishes. Then we Tio Bosyong, he was a PAL inflight chef who made our canapés, small Fita, Skyflakes and melba toast with different toppings, like sardines, salami and more. He would fill a 54 inch diameter round table would this and let everyone have it as appetizer before any of our parties. I even remembered as a child I would push most of the waiters in our pool when there were no more guests….I was really a Dennis…hahaha. These two men were the first chefs that I enjoyed being around when I was a young child, I clearly remember both of them moving around and feeding me. As a child, I was not a big eater but I enjoyed parties since there are a lot of new people and kids to play with. I was a loner most of my childhood, Ate was nine years older so I would play by myself alot. In the gutters, I would run my matchbox cars and see how they freely move going down our driveway.

Lately, I have been cooking a lot, being with family that enjoys my cooking and feeding them. Love it so much that a 5 course meal goes fast and preparation goes unnoticed. I hope as time passes I still have the energy to cook for more people. Furthermore, I pray that I still am given the sense of taste and flavour to guide cooks, chefs and whoever else who needs my help.

My latest celebrity student….is kind, pretty and shy………………..

[photopress:MAY2010_001_1.JPG,full,centered]
Japanese cheesecake

[photopress:MAY2010_005_1.JPG,full,centered]
Jenny’s cookies

[photopress:MAY2010_080_1.JPG,full,centered]
Top Pot Doughnuts

For the past few weeks I got a lot of gifts from good friend and they were really very good….

I enjoy gifts of food, it makes me feel so loved and showered with good thoughts. I know that when food is shared it is given with love, something that can never be replaced with anything else but food.

I have students who come and visit and always have food to bring me. They feel I am always hungry for food but you know…Mom and Dad shared so much food to people they love, I remember when as a child I would always wait for them to come home from Navotas after a whole day and night work in the fish port with Aristocrat food – honey chicken, Aristocrat special, pork barbecue…it was the best since they really taught of us, kids…how they enjoyed to share together with the fish and other seafoods they would give to relatives and friends.

From a student, who I rather not identify….maarte kasi…gave me a Japanese cheesecake that was so light it had the feeling of heaven in your mouth…lovely……

From Tricia, a very close friend gave me Jenny Bakery in Hongkong cookies, these are the famous cookies that is so flaky that’s like polvoron, it very powdery and good with butter, coffee and chocolate as flavours…cute can with a teddy bear…

From myself, hehehe, mukha bang weird, yes, after all those sweets which I shouldn’t be eating, I got myself the TOP POT doughnuts in Starbucks….these are the classic cake like doughnuts, I found them too sweet but the apple fritters were really good.

Enjoy the week!

[photopress:MAY2010_007.JPG,full,centered]

I know it is probably one hobby that I share with some of you…collecting magnets for the freezer door that one gets from all their travels…although it really is a dirt and dust accumulator, I have been doing this since I moved to my own place, 5 years ago. Let me tell you what’s there….

A delivery Directory for Fast food joints…I don’t even know if their phone numbers have changed,

A collage of pictures from one of Pro classes

A French baguette ballpen magnet given by a student

A Deguzman Family of Princeton, New Jersey picture magnet from our Duck Tours in Boston

A drawing magnet made by my nephew Joel

Friends are sunshine on a rainy day magnet from Mariel

Basket of fruits magnet

US Meat Magnet

Harry’s Steak Restaurant Magnet with all beef parts pointed out

Souvenier magnets from Beijing, Chicago, Kansas, New York, Hongkong and Tanimura & Antle one of biggest vegetable suppliers in the world.

What’s in your freezer door?

[photopress:APRIL25_067.JPG,full,centered]
an array of different bud bud

[photopress:APRIL25_068.JPG,full,centered]

[photopress:APRIL25_069.JPG,full,centered]
Spanish dishes that I love

[photopress:APRIL25_070.JPG,full,centered]
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…..

[photopress:APRIL25_018.JPG,full,centered]

[photopress:APRIL25_024.JPG,full,centered]

Look at the pictures again…love the aprons….their thick and practical with hoops and pockets for every chef and cooks equipments and needs. Tina Legarda and Rhea Rizzo, chef friends started this business for the simple reason of not finding any apron that suits their needs…they started with aprons with funny anecdotes as well as funny and sexy ones, then came the professional line which I gladly pose for last week…I love them except that some didn’t get to close well due to my growing belly. But I found all of them, very practical for whatever purpose you would want to use them. The professional line covers a lot of the upper part of my body which at times can get caught up with a sudden oil splatter, the hooks and pockets are there for measuring instruments, spatulas or the faithful kitchen tongs not thongs but they do have an apron with that one. The colors and styles are very fashionable….please do get some. There in the Legaspi Sunday Market, I was there last Sunday to get more aprons for myself.

Visit them at http://amusebouche.multiply.com
Email them at amusebouche@gmail.com
If you need them immediately, email me….

[photopress:APRIL25_032.JPG,full,centered]

[photopress:APRIL25_010.JPG,full,pp_image]

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!

[photopress:kamalig4012010_002.JPG,full,centered]

[photopress:kamalig4012010_003.JPG,full,centered]

[photopress:kamalig4012010_007.JPG,full,centered]

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.

[photopress:FEB252010_053.JPG,full,pp_image]

I don’t wish to judge people….I know alot of you would say that this is not true, yes there were times I would and later on find out I was wrong but we all do the same thing you just don’t express it as much as I do. I went through one gruelling experience the last few days, events were judgement was never done only a lot of explanations. I came out of it as better person but it really breaks my heart that people would go through certain lengths just to make others feel bad…we ask the question why? Why are there people who wish the worst for you… Being a teacher, my mission is to learn, to share and to make great and pleasing relationships….what happens on the way I was not ready for….we go through life with a lot of unanswered questions…I have lost two sets of parents who loved me for what was there and as a person, they have fully accepted what came about from me. We tend to work on our lives due to what is real and what is suppose to. I enjoy my job because it brings out the best in me…everything else that comes along I accept…

[photopress:NOV_DEC_2009_USA_001_1.JPG,full,centered]
Kinain ko sa eroplano, masarap!

[photopress:NOV_DEC_2009_USA_156_1.JPG,full,centered]
sa Rhode Island, napakalamig!

[photopress:NOV_DEC_2009_USA_153_1.JPG,full,centered]
thanksgiving dinner namin sa princeton

Masarap talaga magbakasyon, sobrang sarap….pero para sa akin mas buo ang bakasyon kapag may pag-aaral din, yun ang pahinga sa akin, ang matuto ng ibang kaalaman na makakatulong sa ginagawa ko. Bawat taon lagi kung ginagawa ang pagpunta sa America para makita ko ang aking kapatid na si Edgardo.. di naman siya nakakauwi at ito rin ang oras na makapagdala ako ng mga pagkaing galing sa atin, tuyong danggit, pusit, ensaymada , ang polvoron ni Ate Cynthia at marami pang iba. Nalaman ko di kailangan ng napakadaming damit pagpupunta sa America kasi makakabili ka dun ng sandamukal.

Akala ko mas matatandaan ako ng aking mga guro kasi hinggit lang naman sa isang taon ako wala pero di sila sigurado kung sino ako….pero habang tumatagal ang panahon naiisip nila ako sa dami ba naming tinuturuan nila, pano nila ako makikilala….pag nasa Amerika ako, nalilimutan ko lahat ng mga problema dito sa Pilipinas, sobrang alaga ako duon sa Amerika. Pinagluluto ako ni Ate Myrla ang pinapasaya ni Joel, ang aking pamangkin na napaka talas at talino katulad ko…hahahah. Nakapagbakasyon din kami sa Boston nung Thanksgiving weekend, napaka ganda doon, iba din ang Newport, Rhode Island kung saan ang mga bahay ay sin laki ng mall ditto..makikita ninyo sa mga litrato.
(more…)