Chefie’s World

I got an email today from a friend who was touched by my post on tiramisu. It brought memories. Every time I write in this blog, it brings me memories. I even had to remind my friend that before she became my friend she was a student in a baking class and before that we met some twenty years ago, in a retreat in Sacred Heart, Novaliches. I was a wanderer then trying to find myself and I am still on a hide and seek, locating I don’t really know what I am looking for.
Today, I had a big treat. My students, Tita Lourdes and Abby bought me my comfort food - Makati Supermarket Spahetti bought in Unimart. Hehehe! Its my childhood all over again- overcooked pasta with tons of spiced ham and sweet sour tomato liquid sauce with tiny bits of green bell pepper sprinkled with cheese food accompanied by two slices of Bakerite soft bread and margarine. Sarap! A lot of you would think “Yuck” but let me know your comfort food and I might say the same thing. What’s your comfort food? Here are some of my favorites….

1. Aristocrat Special — it’s a sandwich where all the bread is French toast, with ham, chicken filling and egg omelette, loads of mayo. They still have it in their Roxas Boulevard Branch but with a different name.

2. Hot Pandesal with Condensed Milk — no description needed

3. Aristocrat Pork Barbecue with Java Rice, Peanut Sauce and Atchara…..definitely one of the best….its one of the treats mom and dad would bring home after a long day and night in the Navotas Fish Port.

4. Beef Tapa – there was time everyone left for Europe I was left home alone and that’s all I ate, breakfast, lunch and dinner…..you did the same with bacon, didn’t you?

5. Champorado with Evaporada and Tuyo —- are you salivating now?

6. Almond Gelatine from Salazar Bakery - it has the right texture - ang kunat and I could eat a lot since it was fat free….we make a version in the Gavino Haus that’s sugar free…

7. Brownies and Chocolate Crinkles from Becky’s Kitchen — now I am hungry?

8. last but not the least, we always had this during mom and dad’s birthday and was I amazed when I found out that Chef Gene’s family makes it, my ultimate happy happy European hopia….Tarta de Madrid….La Cibeles used to be the bakeshop that carried it.

Taste and enjoy the food as the memories linger….

May 24, 2008 - I am 43 years old today and sick. Yup! I woke up with my joints and some muscles aching. I thought I had fever but no sign of heat in my body. I had the whole day planned - was going to sleep till late since I always wait for midnight to greet myself. How much pity do I give myself —hehehe! Also waited among my friends who would be the first to greet. It was Cochaca. I call my friends different names some they know, some don’t. Some you will die laughing when you find out their aliases and you see their faces. Others are named due to attitude. I was going to do errands today, buy pancit for my annual birthday party in school and desserts for our dinner tonight that was suppose to be in a resto. But since I was sick, it was moved back at home. My Ate Cynthia is cooking her kare-kare, which I think is the best one after mine, and Yaya Cita’s adobo. But again, schedule changes. No more buying of desserts. Dimpy Camara, my new friend send me her delectable, best tasting frozen brazos, then got the pancit palabok from cholesterol heaven, Razon’s of Guagua for the people in school. I got tons of text messages in my cell today but I have no idea who sent it. Okay, last Tuesday, my phone’s contacts file just disappeared so there, I lost all of it and I am slowly getting them back today by asking all those greeting me who they were. Another pitiful episode! Ok yan, birthday ko naman…but the worst happens….I got messages from students abroad, friends in Beijing, Singapore, and students in Thailand and Davao. They all remembered me. Those who forgot, its fine the calendar log on my phone got erased too. Now, I am more sick, I have bombed stomach with liquid as in liquid you know…so I stay at home drinking all the liquids I could. The stomach ache and pain is also present and I noticed only recently that this has been happening since yesterday….how stupid can I get….don’t laugh…..I still got some greetings from well meaningful students and friends….then suddenly I got tons of requests for demos, work, work and more work….I love my life!

Never thought that after trying my very best to get his classes in Institute of Culinary Education, it is here in Manila that I will finally meet and see the great Nick Malgieri demonstrate cakes and pastry doughs. Last Tuesday and Wednesday, through the kindness of Food and Foodie Magazine yours truly, was invited to witness in the flesh the great master at work. He has been an idol ever since I worked with Jill Sandique who was also trained by Chef Malgieri. She also has not enough words to describe the experience. My first actual exposure to him is through his book, How to Bake, which I believe was already his third or fourth cookbook. I have also used extensively quite a number of his recipes in the Perfect Cake which has the best looking pictures any cookbook has ever had.
The event was this year’s Master Class Series from Food Magazine who started bringing in chefs from the US. The past few years it has been Delores Custer demonstrating Food Styling which is an area in the food business rarely taught here in the country. The first day he demonstrated interesting cakes and on the second day, a lot of different pastry doughs, both sweet and savory plus some chocolate truffles. It was quite interesting since most of the cakes were not that simple but more specialized especially on technique or method. It also reaffirms to a baker or pastry chef if whatever he has been accustomed to do is correct or not, since the science which is integral to baking is also discussed.

Chef Nick was very friendly and moved through the crowd before the start of the seminar, so I had the chance to introduce myself and acknowledge how big an idol I am of him. The seminar flow was very smooth, I had my share of people going to my table to say their greetings but specials friend who I have not seen for the past five months suddenly resurfaced, Bambi, owner of Kooky and Luscious and Pia Y Damaso was invited by Magnolia Butter, to watch the chef in action. We talked about how life has been since she opened another outlet and our common friends who I haven’t seen for quite some time. At the end of each day, there was inquiry part where once could ask anything about baking which I could relate to and learn from. Also, the best part of the event is still the cake and pastry tasting. Although the first day sampling was quite minute, it was enough to conclude that the baked goods were meticulously made. We had a ton of samplings on the second day since I had with me on my table some very important people….for me to know and for you not to ask…….hahaha……Food and Foodie Magazines as well as other food related publications should bring more foreign chefs for us to learn from and converge on a topic that everyone loves to discuss.

I have been going through a busy week, again – teaching my pro class every day morning until night but enjoying it. Another set of students are also going through their final repertoire where they conceptualize, cook and bake the whole menu for a dinner for a number of guests. But today, May 18 is a special day for me, it’s my Nanay Curing’s birthday – my mother who is the biggest influence to what I am today. My mother who I had very little time to be with but who I enjoyed every dish she ever prepared. As a child, I remember that we didn’t have enough money that I was drinking hot water with sugar but after that all she cooked me where always good. She would send us food all the time….from Navotas to Dasma….her tochong bangus, batuta, Adobong Navotas, Mechandong Navotas I know that you are all enjoying. Her gulay dishes were always special since she would render beef and pork fat and use this to saute her onions, garlic and tomatoes. Today is also my nephew’s birthday, Joey. His calmness and simpleness is so affecting. I cooked for him tonight, his favorite pastas - penne al telefono, pesto e gamberoni, gambas and grilled ribeye steak and lamb chops….tons of food. I will always enjoy cooking for them just like my nanay did with all of us.

I am sharing with you tons of recipes here, simple and delicious…..please write me feedback. Enjoy!

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Only a few of you came to this once in a lifetime chance to watch me live in action at the USDA Culinary Theater to cook and bake healthy dishes with California raisins. But there will be other demos and I will invite you again. That is also the main reason why I have not posted during the last week because events like this requires full attention and concentration and I was also teaching professional and skills class at the same time. It took me awhile to finally decide on the array of dishes that I will be demonstrating and had to test and retest all of them to fit the taste and flavor I wanted. Finally, last week or 6 days before the event I finalized the recipes. I purchased all the ingredients Wednesday and started cooking and prepping everything Thursday with my assistants, Julie, Star and Mr. K. We finished early since the dishes didn’t have too much ingredients and there wasn’t too many pre cooking to be done. I had to do five recipes of the chicken dish ahead to age for better flavor and an additional recipe of dressing with the same reason since if you rest and keep it chilled in the refrigerator for sometime the taste changes so much since the raisins get to infuse their flavors too. Friday came, everything was ready by 11 am and my demo was scheduled at 2 pm so we took a nap right after lunch. As I was cleaning the platters for the final product presentation, I noticed something smelling and I saw the culprit, it was the chicken and it had bubbles and had a funny smell. In other words, it got spoiled since I didn’t have the time to boil it after removing it from the chiller. My fault! spoiled, wasted and thrown immediately - a lesson to learn in preparations for a demonstration. My other concern was I got several text messages from participants that they cannot make it so I might be doing the demo for only a dozen people…heheheh…..My sponsor, Raisin Administrative Committee’s representative would be coming in from Singapore and I really had to make a good impression. Don’t worry, everything went well, all participants who are part of my group of clients and friends in the food industry came and almost filled the theater. I was overjoyed, they all loved the recipes since it was healthy and not too difficult for an ordinary caterer to cook or make which I believe should be taken into consideration now by most chefs when they do demonstrations. Here are the recipes, I hope as usual you enjoy them.

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I’ve been teaching the past week, every other day from 9 am to 10 pm, exhausting but enjoying it so much since it’s always fun to meet a new set of people. One program I haven’t taught here in Manila for six months and it is such a joy that I am again discussing a course that I myself made and labored on. I am also thrilled and happy that one of my students is an old friend who I haven’s seen for a long time. You know the feeling of being so happy that you are again reconnected with someone you shared so much and you have remained friends but don’t see each other? Just like making my tiramisu a week or two ago! It was the memory of making it first for money since I didn’t have any and then later on, for people because they enjoyed eating it with good memories of friends and family. Clients have told me that my food have been part of the most memorable events in their lives and I am elated with that, even clients who remember how it has been all these years with the cakes, or the brownie I made for them. I was even part of several “pamanhikans”. Also the other day I had lunch with a student who has become my friend who went through so much a few years ago but now has bounced back and is ready to start a new life, old and new, she still wanted me to be a part of it. I am also overjoyed with the wonderful comments you have left in my posts. They not only make my heart fat, my eyes water or my hair go but it has made my brain soften to what it really is I have to do in this lifetime.
Sharing recipes with you is like sharing part of me, part of my life….sometimes it takes over three dozen testings before I can actually post the recipe here, that’s how you as readers are important to me.

Crème Caramel has been part of my life. Around 1987, my Ate Ampy shared a recipe with me and it too has been our recipe for such a long time. It is a modified recipe of Martha Stewart’s coming from her first cookbook when she was just a caterer….imagine she’s now a multi billionaire….Creme Caramel is like our leche flan but the Pinoy version uses condensed and evaporated milk and a lot of egg yolks, our version has a difference in it. Anyway, I can’t give you Ate Ampy’s recipe because I honor her for that so I made my own….for you. Hope you enjoy.

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I promised that this was going to be my next post subject and here it is. I think one dessert that swept most of the world is TIRAMISU. It even was part of a discussion in a movie, Sleepless in Seattle…and here I am, telling you that it means, “pick me up” in Italian and every cuisine has an interpretation. Ours is even presented as a cake, which should never be….

One of the very first desserts that I enjoyed was tiramisu and there was La Primavera who made it so famous latter part of the 1980’s. I learned my version from a good chef and friend, Mary Rose Garcia Campos who I will count as one of my mentors. Of course, my version has changed through the years. I was selling this for years. Almost 12 containers every week and during Christmas, I was making 10 recipes a day, a total of 20 containers. How did I get to sell so much? Mom would always bring it to her parties and by word of mouth it has become popular in her circle and most of our neighborhood.

But haven’t made it for the past 7 years since mom died, but last week. Due to the request of my nephews and nieces I did, I tasted it and it was still the same, the way it was seven years ago.

The classic tiramisu uses ladyfingers – I use my own recipe of pound cake - it doused with just the right amount of espresso – I use a sweetened coffee mixture with kahlua. Due to heat of our country, I also make sure to put half a packet of gelatine so that it will not melt as fast. Best eaten two days after it has been made. Oh, my! Had grated bittersweet Belgian chocolate on top and cocoa powder.

I am sharing with you the recipe after all these years, I finally decided it was time……..

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The other night I cooked for my Kuya Titong and his co- professors in AIM. It was a thanksgiving dinner for all his years with them. The whole faculty, I think were there and it was a joy to cook and bake for him. The menu was as follows:

Gavino Letttuce Greens, Baby Arugulas, and Pomelo Bits
Gorgonzola Cream Sauce, Poppy Seed Dressing

Sauteed Fresh Button, Shittake and Oysters Mushrooms, Crème Fraiche, Truffle Oil
Linguine Pasta

Panfried Dory Fillet, Lemon Capers Sauce

Grilled Prawns

Roast Black Angus Rib Eye, Mustard and Multi Herb Crust
Port Wine Demiglace
Baked New Potatoes and Broccoli

Desserts: Eliseo’s Tiramisu
Crème Caramel

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Hi family, friends and students!

I will be doing a demonstration to be sponsored by the Raisin Administrative Committee, this is a demo and not a workshop as seen in the invite. This is open to the public but you must have a business that deals with food - target participants are home bakers and small restaurateurs and caterers.

It will be on May 9 from 2 pm to 5 pm at the USDA Culinary Theater, Center for Culinary Arts, Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City.

Please leave me a note or message with your cell phone or fax number so I can send you a registration form. There are only 20 slots to be reserved for my blog readers as there are other participants to be invited through other mediums.

All of you, if you have been reading, know of my fondness for Royce’s chocolate. Since I was going to be in Japan, it was a sure shot to be one of the most important stuffs that I was buying for myself and to give away. Finding out that Tita Charito also had to buy more than a dozen of this good tasting, melts in the mouth, glorious one of a kind wonder of the world, we were out to look for it. Nama Chocolates of Royce’s really melts so when you buy it they either give you an aluminum freezer bag with a small frozen ice to keep it from melting and that’s the main reason why we decided to buy this chocolate in Tokyo than in Kyoto, getting it a few days before we leave for Manila.

But we were in for a surprise, there was not a single Royce’s store in the whole of Tokyo. The minute we got to Ginza, we moved around all the basements of Matsuzakaya, Mitsukoshi, Isetann to look for a stall but there was none, and Tita Charito was resigned not to get her dozen boxes. Sadly, I was going to miss one of my favorite chocolates.
Tokyo, Japan where it is made, and not a single store but they had Dalloyau which is a French patissierie, We found out that they had branches in Hokkaido and Sapporo but not in Tokyo. Sadly, no Royce, I had my last piece last January when a student from Davao and Sharlene from Yummy gave me one as pasalubong from Singapore since it was so easy and accessible to get from the basement of Takashimaya in Orchard Road.

Guess what? God is really good, right in front of our boarding gate was a souvenier shop that sells Royce’s! Thanks! And we finished all the Nama. They have a cherry liquer flavored chocolate which is new to me….got some for Chefs Gene and Gino…this story ends my series on our family trip to Japan. I hope all of you enjoyed my posts and pictures. Please keep on visiting. I know there has been no recipes lately but will soon add some. Tomorrow’s my brother-in-law’s big dinner for professors, been cooking and baking the whole day.