Christmas Spirit

After the hustle and bustle of the pre holiday season. I had one more free day on the 23rd that I thought I would want to just spend a lazy day doing nothing. The Christmas spirit is on me that day though. Like spending the whole night and day in the kitchen for the past few weeks is not enough, I felt like baking something for people close to my heart this time. Well, might seem like another day of work, but baking for loved ones both family and friends, and for people who have always supported me was a breath of fresh air. It was playtime for me. I made simple sweets this time that I can do in a breeze, even with my eyes closed I may say. But since Its for special people, I still feel like baking it for the first time, still having the thought “I hope they like it” at the back of my mind. Just like when I was a little girl making my first pie, eagerly waiting for the oohs and ahhhs of family members whom I serve it too. Professional or non-professional, baking is but an act of love. It should always be done with pure passion or never at all.

Snow White

A year ago, I made a wedding cake for a client of mine who is a professional ballerina. She's one of the brides that I enjoyed meeting with and was able to share to her my interest in performances - plays, concerts, dances and musicals! I love them! She was so sweet to give me tickets to watch her performance at CCP tonight. i bought two of my closest friends with me whom I think would love to see it as well. It was a truly magical performance. They were all so graceful and really talented. The sets, the costumes, lights and sounds were wonderful. Like experiencing the classic fairy tale not from colored picture books or video tapes like old times, but through a different medium. I can say that Filipinos are equally talented compared to performers outside of the country. I'm tired and sleepy but am refreshed and ready to face another week ahead. It was a good evening tonight.

Cake Talk Cake Pix :)

Here are some of the shots I got for my cake. When I went to the Hotel, the ballroom where my cake was suppose to be in has still another party going on in there. So they escorted me and my huge pillows to another room where all of the other suppliers like florists, and events stylist were busy doing their own thing. I got my spot and started to work. I need not do anything much actually. just did a few finishing touches then off I go.


That's my cake in the waiting room.

A few minutes after, I was called by the coordinator, My table was ready she says. Pushed the cake off to the ballroom. Yes... the cake table was ready indeed, but there are big guys climbing ladders on my spot trying to hang fabrics on the ceiling and crystals behind my wall. Ooooooh Nooooo. No way I'm going to put my cake there while these guys are still on stage rushing to catch the 6pm deadline. So pushed my pillows back to the cocktail area.



Wait... wait.. wait...


These are the bright artist renditions of a Magnolia Flower I made for their cake. I like it huge with light and heavy orange gradient on it.


This is the 6 hour crosshatch pattern. and the tassles from last night! hmmm.... think it well worth it. :)


Sunbursts and Fluer de Lys.

Well, I just got back a few a hours ago. After the cake delivery I thought I needed to go to the salon... so off I went, they asked me to wait for like about 30 minutes. As I am a very impatient person when it comes to sitting down and doing nothing, I decided I'd just spend my time browsing through the books at Promenade. That thirty minute wait time made me spend 1 thousand bucks again! Well, couldn't resist. Started on a rough road, ended with a smooth ride! Pretty good week I may say.

Cake Talk

Its after 12 just about my bed time. I just came from the kitchen. Whew! Its been quite a while now since I have stayed up this late for a wedding cake. Well, blame it perhaps on the rough start this week. First thing I did Monday morning was to have my car fixed. A cab hit me over the weekend and I just couldn’t afford not to have it back when I deliver my cake. That was priority number 1. The next day… Like car trouble not enough, I got a bad headache and fever which slowed me down with my work for the week even sent me back to bed for a couple of days. Despite of all of these little incidents, there’s just something today that inspires me. I was planning something quite simple on the last cake layer of the five. I thought I did not want to make it too difficult. Something attractive but not too intricate. Then this morning when I was staring at my last canvass, I thought a crosshatch pattern would be nice with that. Did not enter my mind that it would take me almost 6 hours to finish that up on a 16” layer. Did not realize that, up until I saw the sun setting on my kitchen window. Like that wasn’t enough, I thought, hey little gold and pearlized icing jewels of strabursts would be nice. Got some sugarpaste, rolled… cut…brushed… attach… then got a bit of icing, piped here and there then finished off with a bit of color. This is actually a renaissance / baroque inspired cake where patterns and decors are enthused by the fabrics that one will see in Shakespear in Love ( love the movie!). The bride has been wanting a pillow-shaped cake… so yes! Pillow cake she gets. That was around 10:30 pm already. I was wide a wake, still up and excited (without coffee for the whole day) . Hmmmm… Tassles! That would look nice. I made like about 20 pcs. One for each corner. I love them! Before I cleaned up I brushed the woven strap of the tassles with a little antique gold. That’s it, I'm happy! I’m excited to see it come together. Still hyper but I’ll call it a day.

Sweet Anemones

Funny how I have never written about my wedding cakes. Considering this is what I most commonly do. I just realized yesterday over merienda with my blogger friends Ruy, and his wife Liv with baby Andrea. They did not know I did weddings and I thought, right…. haven’t really written about it. Saturday afternoon, I delivered a cake about after lunch. It’s a bridal centerpiece with just a play in bold colors and a floral accent set at the right place. The designs I do for my clients are usually based on their personality. For me, it is important that I meet up with them and get to know them a bit, this is so that I get the feel of who they are. Some are a bit quiet and mature others are more playful, while there are those that are very girly and romantic. From there, I do designs that will fit their whims and desires. Client meetings are actually a fun and enjoyable part in my business. Meeting up with them feels just like having coffee with a friend. Eventually they become one.

This time, I made a minimalist cake. Her colors are bold and strong. I thought just one floral accent…. big one. Then the intricate details will just be in a band of chocolate brown lace-work, inspired by the dark colored Spanish laces. The rest will just be a perfectly smooth play in colors. For a while, I have been wanting to use anemones in my cake. Well, I usually have my favorites. A few years back I was crazy about peonies. I love the deep scarlet red ones, rich and bold. Though most of my clients fall for the pinks and the whites especially the ones with gradient. After a while I was attracted to oriental lilies and stargazers. I made almost all possible specie of this lily. From pink to peachy-orange and pure whites. Then there goes the Callas, hydrangeas and magnolias. This time, its anemones. I think this flower looks really interesting. It has softly colored petals (comes in buttery yellow, pure white and lightly kissed pink) yet a very strong chocolate brown almost black center. The petals make it look very romantic and girly, and the dark ash brown center gives it a bold presence. This flower has both femininity and strength in it. I really like it.



When I met with her, I thought that would be perfect for her. After a few days of work, I have finished her bridal centerpiece. That’s one of my favorite parts in my job, the sense of fulfillment that one gets when finally, an idea as become a reality. Though nothing beats the raves of a delighted and truly satisfied client, music to my ears and dessert to my heart.

Best Warm and Naked

I was reading about chocolates last night before I retired to bed. Chocolates particularly cocoa beans like wine grapes and coffee beans differ in flavor depending on it terroire or the location where it is cultivated and grown. Unlike wines however, the smooth mouthfeel, richness, flavor and aroma of chocolates comes primarily as a result of a complicated processing of the beans rather than the magic of art and science that transforms grapes to wine.

Early this morning when I woke up, I got sudden urge to make something chocolate. I feel the craving to have something bitter and sweet, warm and smooth with perhaps a little texture. I thought of what I could do for the day. A warm chocolate tart perhaps with a really dark chocolate filling? Hmmm… not quite. I want something pure, and I actually felt like doing something quick and really simple, I’m pretty sure I have my chocolates in there. I never run out of it! I opened my pantry for whatever ingredients I have left that I can use today. I did not want to drive and purchase ingredients anymore. Besides, its really early in the morning and I’m sure no supermarket will be open to serve me just because I have a whim to bake at this very moment! I realized I still have some almonds left! Perfect! I got my butter and eggs from the fridge and decided to do a fallen soufflé cake! Off to my station, I did my mise en place melted my chocolates and whipped my whites. Poured it on my pan and popped it in the oven. Hmmmm the color was not as rich as I wanted it too…. (eeek will I be disappointed with this recipe??? – I didn’t use the usual recipe I have.) While waiting, I got my daily brew and a couple of slices of brioche that I made for my mom. (Well she loved it, had it for breakfast, afternoon snack and midnight snack. She swore that this is what she was looking for in a soft bread but soon changed her mind and decided not to have it all and left it for me to have for breakfast when I told her the percentage of butter to flour in that recipe.)

Rrrrrrrring. There goes my timer. Back to my chocolate. Got it out from the oven and it did have a wonderfully crusty top. (A little smile). Light in color though... I was craving for something bitter, rich and dark! (ooooh, no!) I allowed it to cool a bit before getting it out of the pan. After lunch, I lifted the ring and Voila! I had a really dark chocolate exterior on the sides. Sliced it and Oooooooooh. I say I got it! The center is perfectly moist, still a little warm almost oozing out as I pull a slice of cake. The rest of the cake particularly the ones near the ring was very light almost like decadent angel cake, moist and just melts in the mouth. The top of course gives it a little texture. The recipe suggested to serve it with a little whipped cream or glaze it with ganache. I say its best served warm and naked!

Spices in the Sweet Kitchen (Plus A Little Bread Talk)

My friend Jen cam from Bali, and her gifts to me are gems, I guess chefs, home-bakers, foodies or for anyone who just loves to eat would know what I mean.

VANILLA BEAN




This is actually the 2nd most expensive spice in the world. Well next to saffron that is. Vanilla is actually the fruit of a type of orchid and is one of the most labor-intensive agricultural crops, that’s why it is so pricey. It is valued for the flavor and the aroma that it imparts. I think it is best used in its pureness with simple desserts where its flavor can shine the most. Its hard to improve on perfection they say, well, you don’t want to mask the scent of vanilla with other harsh ingredients. Hmmmm… ice creams, custards like crème brulee or panna cotta or maybe a sauce like anglaise poured over a warm dessert are among the things that a vanilla bean can be used in. Its flavor and aroma is a far cry from extracts that are sold in the market. The flavor is in the seeds inside the pods. You would know if you are served the real thing if for instance a crème brulee would have little specs of tiny black seeds in every smooth spoonful of custard. Vanilla pods are vertically slit open with a sharp knife, these valuable tiny seeds are then scraped off then infused in the liquid, drop in the pods as well, after cooking strain off the pods but don’t throw it away, it still has the flavor of vanilla in it! Rinse it with water and dry it out completely, put it in a jar of sugar and in time, its flavor will infuse in it. You would need a couple of pieces though, so that the aroma will be strong enough to come out in your coffee or baked items.

CINNAMON QUILLS



One of the first few spices that I grew to love even as a child. My first taste of cinnamon was from Mr. Ronald Mc Donald’s Apple pie! Hahaha. I remembered how I look forward to every meal in Mc Donald’s just so that I can have my dessert. It is actually a very versatile spice. One that is commonly used in both savory and sweet items. It is also used greatly in beverages. I was so amused when I was served a masala tea at Little India in Singapore with a quill of cinnamon as a stirrer.



It gave me a big smile…really nice! This spice is close to my heart because its one of the first spices that I worked with. Of course there's my first apple pie and the first ever bread that I made were cinnamon rolls back when the Cinnabon craze was still on. That time, I knew this was my magic powder along with the frosting made with cream cheese and confectioner’s sugar. Cinnamon actually comes from the bark of a tree. To use, simply break a quill of cinnamon in about three pieces then infuse it in your liquid. A quill of cinnamon will keep its flavor almost indefinitely unlike the powdered form, which will only last for a while. For convenience though, the powder comes in handy for instant cinnamon flavor for pies and breads. Freshly opened bags are pretty potent, besides It is quite difficult to grind a bark into a fine powder don’t you think? Just be careful of another variety of spice, which is very close to cinnamon called the cassia. The cassia has thicker bark and a darker color when ground. Cinnamon has a sweeter more delicate aroma than cassia that’s why it’s preferred for baked items.


Thanks Girl-Friend! Jen definitely knows I’d love it. She’s one of the few non-chef friends of mine whom I can rave about chocolate covertures, different kinds of sugars as well as spices and herbs to crusty sourdough breads and baguette grigns. Talk about crusty sourdough breads! Needless to say I love breads Jen and I have found this great place where they serve Real artisan breads! I was telling her that I am already giving up my quest for the search of the real sourdough or rustic artisan bread here in Manila. Then one Saturday night, we tried Mickey’s Deli in Jupiter. Inside is a small boulangerie called Lartizan. It was impressive! Got me really excited! The breads were beautiful! It became an instant favorite, and swore that we will come back.

The Deli serves sandwiches and cheeseboards as well. Simple food but great quality. Visited the deli with Mike last week. We had ciabatta pizza with German Beer (Franziskaner) and shared a Murphy stout.










They have a good selection of beer actually. They carry Hoegarden White, we did’t order it but a good tasting beer I may say (See Sept 20 entry “The Duet”). To end the meal, we ordered a cheeseboard of Asiago, Tete de moine, and grana padano along with our bread basket of sourdough and ciabbatta.



That was a wow meal indeed! Thanks Mike!






For those in the Quezon City Area, Uno, a small restaurant near Morato at Scout Fuentebella serves good crusty bread as well. They have foccaccia and ciabbatta which makes me happy to wake up every morning and have a simple breakfast of warmed bread with my daily brew (only butter or nothing on it…. too good to mask). Also a place worth trying.

Rotti!

I did another consultancy project today. Got a call last Friday night just when I was crazy busy for my Saturday wedding. Rotti with Curry they requested. Wednesday 2pm, recipes, tasting samples and demo! I thought, hey, I got Monday and Tuesday, so yes it is! For some reason, they changed it to Tuesday…. Eeeek! Rush again!! Good thing rotti has been an obsession of mine a few years back. My first taste of this flakey Indian bread was in Singapore! I loved this bread the moment I had it! Practice, practice, practice. Finally, I got my recipe from one of my chef instructors in culinary school. He worked in Malaysia for a while and got to travel around the region. I remembered I had to learn it “FAST” since that was for a television segment, and of course, since those were orders from the Chef ! -- “Elaine, this is how you do it (while showing the motion) flip it really thin. Get it? Now give me 10 of those!” Obligingly, I said “Yes Chef!” Not really knowing if I could indeed throw that dough in the air with out embarrassing myself. The first few tries were full of holes! Hahahahhaha I quickly folded it to hide the imperfections (eeeek). I was getting quite better from 4 to 10 though. It was fun! I was happy I learned it.




Teaching it this time gave me a different high. The owner of the Asian Café I was doing consultancy for was really happy. She said she had been trying to do it and ended up with a biscuit-like pastry. I served it with different kinds of curry dishes. Beef, Chicken, Seafood and Fish. The Business Unit Managers of the company I’m working for were pleased, the resto owner was really happy.

Over tasting, the mood dwindled a bit with the conversation of the tragedy that happened in Glorrieta. They had a branch there, quite near the area where it happened. Good thing no one from her staff got hurt. One of her staff shared that it was really bad, they heard 3 explosions, the first one was quite weak, some did not mind it, the 2nd explosion was the big one, it caused the destruction. The 3rd one made it even worse. There are rumors going around that it was mismanagement of the electrical circuits. No one really knows what the cause is. Its quite scary sometimes to think that to be at the wrong place at the wrong time can totally change someone’s life just like that. Sometimes I just wonder why things like these happen.

Food Shoot

Recently finished our photo shoot for the calendar of a flour milling company this week. It was a long project consisting of over 36 different recipes. After weeks of meetings and recipe testing, finally we have reached the finish line. Its a great experience to be able to work with food in a different angle. This time, its how it will look more than how it will taste. I particularly did a few adjustments as to the consistency of my mousse so as it be able to withstand the heat of the spotlight. Every detail was planned and each person has thier own contribution to the set. I made the desserts and garnished it. The food stylist added a few more touches to make it even look lively on camera. The set director was very particular about the over all look of shoot and of course the photographer took a shot adjusting the lighting as necessary. We worked long hours that day. It was fun though and well worth the time and effort!

All Natural Purple

Before I sleep tonight, I though I should do my purple yam filling for tomorrows bread. I am testing a recipe for a food company's 2008 calendar shoot this coming week. Well preparing the filling in advance will save me some cooling time tomorrow, so while I sleep it will just be chilling in my fridge.

I started on it. I got the yams from the market 2 days ago. I was searching for the perfectly all natural purple color! I did not want to add any artificial coloring if possible. I guess I'll just trusted my instincts. I got myself a large piece of yam. about 1.6K. Well I could not get anything smaller, because they won't allow me to cut it up. I don't want the smaller ones. I remembered one of my helpers in the province told me that for you to get a purple yam with a deep violet color, you have to choose the longer larger ones. Be carefull not to get the older ones though that might have a tough flesh. I don't know if thats a fact but, well followed her advice and brought what I though was the right size and weight and shape.

I was actually pretty excited to cut it up to see if I got the jackpot!




Well I did! Look at the lovely color. Deep purple. Isn't that beautiful? Went on with cooking it and turned it to my bread filling. Tomorrow or hmmmm.... later in the morning the yeast will be working its wonders again.

Durian City!

How do you know you have landed in Davao? As soon as the plane door opens, take a deep breath… inhaaaaaaale Ahhhhhhh…… yes! You’ll be able to confirm it! It was a business trip this time. I did a cooking demo and conducted a seminar for a milling company last week. It was the Mindanao Culinary Festival. There were competitions among professionals and students as well as shows and exhibits. It was a three day well attended event. I’ve met a lot of Chefs from Culinary School instructors to Restaurant and Business owners both from Manila and locally.

Day 1: To have Durian was at the top of my list before I even started packing for the trip! Indeed I got my wish! Gigi, The QA manager for the Davao sector of the milling company I was representing, bought me one whole fruit! They have a lot of varieties and the one that I first tasted was the Arancillo. This Durian variety is actually the small kind. It has large seeds, not the usual fleshy, cloudy ones (the Puyat Variety) that I imagined it to be, but the flavor is really strong. Its not for the faint of heart.

Day 2: I judged a culinary competition. Plated durian desserts! Whew! Over 22 different durian plates. That was indeed a lot. Lesson learned??? “Eat in Moderation” (Well in this case, I couldn’t, Its my job to taste everything!) , after the event that day, I went back to the hotel. Felt a little dizzy there. ☺

Day 3

Rice, my old college friend and her husband Mark has a durian farm. They toured me around Davao and even bought me to Paradise Island for brunch! Well, I can say they serve really good calamares!


They tried to bring durian for me, but the resort did not allow for us to have it inside, so we went to their place and had the durian there! It was the fleshier cloudier version!



The one that I was looking for. It was great, though with a really full stomach from lunch, (paella, fresh coconut juice, fish and all), it would not fit in my tiny intestines! Thanks Rice!


I got my wish! Hahahaha! a bit more than what I was expecting but truly a memorable food experience.

Never Say Never

There was a time during my younger years, when my baking objective was to make the perfect baked cheesecake. I have gone through a lot of books and websites, testing different varieties and flavors. In every restaurant I go to, I order a cheesecake whenever it is served. It’s something that I truly enjoyed. Its smooth creamy and light consistency with a hint of tang is heaven to the palate.

I am also a chocolate lover! The darker the better! I love Lindt 70% cocoa! That is my chocolate! Truly decadent, a temptation I could not resist.

I have searched for heaven in combining two of the best, creamy cheesecake and intense chocolate. For a few years, I have tried it in the city’s dining scene as well as baked the recipes in the cook books around. None of which quite made it. So I made a conclusion. Cheesecake is a star on its own! It is great with flavors like maple or coffee. Berries work well too. Chocolate seems to be too strong for it. Like harshly grabbing all the attention. It is either too rich that one bite satiates the palate or not enough that will make you feel like it is added merely for color. Chocolate in its pureness is best left on its own. It can be accentuated with spices like cinnamon or made more interesting with nuts, pralines and liquors. That was my conviction. Never make cheesecake with chocolate.

This was it until one Sunday afternoon during my visit to my Uncle Chris’ place in San Diego. He knew my love for desserts. So for Lunch, he along with his wife Melissa brought my sister and me to the Cheesecake Factory. They have a very lively interior with a friendly crew of wait staff. After a Philly cheese steak sandwich, we ordered a Ghirardelli Dark chocolate cheesecake. The best on the menu he says. I did give it a try. With a bite, the marriage of the two flavors worked wonderfully in this dessert. The chocolate truffle layer has a really dark and rich intense flavor, one that I crave for in dark chocolate desserts. The cheesecake with the chocolate has its signature creaminess and lightness that is heaven to the palate yet giving way to the intensity of the darker flavor, all of this crusted in a rich fudge brownie-like chocolate base. Truly delicious! This broke that conviction! Never Say Never!

the duet

This is a special blog entry. This is not written by one, but two authors. To our last night in Scottsdale, and to the best night.

Well, let's kick this entry off... where do we start?

elaine: "We went to Yard House"...

Hmmm... that doesn't really work... let' see... maybe we should kick it off with a photo????

But before that, The Yard House boasts of its wide selection of beers! Over 114 choices all in all.





That's me and sis... just snapping away on Oldtown Scottsdale... where the streets are lined with endless art galleries. And Southwestern style bric-a-brac, from Indian -American jewelleries to brass sculptors to Mexican hats! The ambience feels like you went back in time... ala-Back to The future with Dr. Brown and Marty....



Luckily it wasn't too hot, a bit cloudy so we could stroll the streets... it was pretty balmy, the sky was getting ready for some rain... a few minutes later, the scottsdale trolley passed by so we took a ride back to the mall.

As if we didn't shop enough, it was a day for kitchen and cooking stuff! We got some really good books at a bargain... at almost 75% off, it was such a good buy... we got cool tools... a cheese slicer, a silicon pastry brush, a digital thermometer, a little cookie scoop, a MICROPLANE fine grater (not only one but two, one for each of us) and a jar scraper (yes, you can see, we are so spoiled in the kitchen). If i (marianne) didn't hold off, I was so tempted to buy the air tight, humidity-controlling canister for coffee beans, it was sooo tempting. And we thought we were done shopping! Now the only other challenge is how to pack it all up and head back to LA.

TO CAP THE NIGHT OFF...

Where else, but the Yard House :)... and mind you the music was much better this time. It was a party... even for just the two of us. Elaine started a bit on the childish side with Wyder's Raspberry cider... it tasted like 7-up flavored with artificial raspberry juice. We ordered blue crab cakes (we hear it's good)... it's "well-made"... crisp, not greasy, golden brown but it doesn't tickle our fancy.



As for beer, Marianne had Old Speckled Hen. It had a bitter after taste but it was very smooth. A good drink if you wanted something with character. Elaine had Hoegaarden, a belgian white beer, that is my(Marianne) favorite... and this is what dear sister says: "the only beer that I might ever drink, and actually like it!" It is an easy favorite, really.

I(Marianne) followed mine with a Hawaiian brew -- the Kona Longboard Lager.

To pair our second round, we had Grilled Artichokes... which to me was the strangest food I've seen. Strange because, well... first you snap off the little artichoke leaf, bite from stem side and scrape the soft part of the leaf... practically nothing to eat really... just fun food, i guess.

The chips were chips... but lacks a bit of salt. The best part, like our server vanessa says is the heart of the artichoke... hmmm... I'd go back to banana hearts anytime. It was an experience... but it wasn't really for the joy or eating.

BUT...

yes, BUT!!!!

The Clincher of them all is.... (drum rolls)... because i could bet you might not have tried this if you haven't been to Yard house.

beer with ice cream.

yes...

BEER WITH ICE CREAM. BEER FLOAT

here's proof:




Now before you wince and belch, hear us out... The Lindeman's Framboise (another Belgian Beer) with vanilla ice cream could easily pass off as dessert. Sweet, syrupy, drink it like milkshake... creamy with a candy-ish raspberry aroma. It's sooo smooth, and frankly, it's too good to share!

Now the second one is a bit more challenging and not for the uninitiated... There was Young's Chocolate Stout with Vanilla Ice Cream (yes, yes, it doesn't really look appetizing any way you put it, whether with photos and with words. First off, Beer and Chocolate, just doesn't sound right together, does it?

It is, surprisingly a combination that works. The strong flavor and bitter aftertaste of the stout (which actually has a very prominent chocolate in it) blended with the creamy and sweet vanilla ice cream finishes the drink with a caramel flavor and the froth turns into a rich cream that's just really really, heaven.

yummm... that's a good night cap :)

Tortillas and Margaritas!

Located at the Arts District of downtown Scottsdale, Old Town Tortilla Factory captures timeless charm and distinct atmosphere. It is built from a historic 75-year-old adobe home. They have a firewater patio and a world-renowned tequila bar that offers 80 premium tequilas! To date, they also have one of the oldest pecan trees in the city. Not to mention that they are part of The Food Network’s “The Best Of” Margaritas.

They make fresh tortillas in over 25 flavors! It actually tastes different from the ones sold in the market. These were really thin flat breads, soft to the bite with a hint of flavor. Chile, cheese, cilantro, black beans, these are among the tortillas all lined up. We had Shrimp Diablo for our appetizer. Its made with sautéed mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, onions and garlic in red chile butter. It was served with toasted bolilio bread-a crusty bread shaped into tapered rolls. I preferred having them with my tortillas though.


My sister and I shared The Old Town Tortilla Soft Tacos. Yes the beef was tender, juicy and well cooked. It was good ol' comfort food.Simple and satisfying. A little bit of sour cream would have made it even more delicious

We also had Pollo y margarita. These are rolled chicken stuffed with peppers and cheese in a Tequilla lemon sauce. The concept was good, the sauce was wonderful though I would suggest that for anyone of you thinking of trying Tequilla Factory, get the beef dishes, They had stuffed fillet mignon on the menu that I was really eyeing for but just thought that it was too heavy for me. The chicken was a bit on the dry side.


After dinner we got ourselves our Lime Margaritas and indeed it was the best I’ve ever tasted. It was well worth its price.Served with its shakers on the side, we had lalmost 2 servings per person for an order. Nice comfort food and a great night cap.

La Brea

La Brea is Nancy Silverton's Bakery! If you're a food aficionado I'm sure you will know her. She is one of the who's who in the Baking world here in the States. As a culinary student, I have heard and read so much about her. Back then it was just like someone I see on books and who’s recipe I follow. Now I have a chance to visit her shop! That was at the top of my must-visit- places. She currently has branches all over L.A. she even supplies her breads to the bigger establishments such as Disneyland. I preferred to visit the original La Brea Bakery though located at 624 South La Brea Avenue Los Angeles. It was just a few minutes drive from Hollywood boulevard.


It’s a quaint bakery, which has a grandmother homey feel to it (I remember my Lola Feling’s Bakery in La Paz back in my hometown). Nancy dropped by that morning! Too bad I was not able to catch her! With a friendly staff, their artisan breads line the display counter as well as the shelves behind. They also serve granolas and pies on the side. It looks so wonderful! The different crust colors, bread shapes and grains, it looks so rustic. I did not know what to choose. I got my self their sourdough baguette, which was of course perfectly shaped band browned. The grign was beautiful. Very large and open. Got my Be-I-Po her favorite breakfast treat, multi-grain bagels and my sister had their apple pie.


I loved the baguette! Yes it was perfect! It was very crusty and with that perfect shape, even the crumbs are well spaced and the flavor of the sour is really intense. It was really impressive! Great breakfast with butter and my daily espresso shot! Yummy!

Packing Up! (again...)

Missed a few days of blog. Had wonderful Asian food Adventures on those days! Wonderful! I'll write about that on my 16 hour flight headed for Los Angeles tomorrow. Its 2 am and I'm still wide awake. Good thing all of my clothes dried up from the washing machine. Just about to finish packing, Whew! How am I feeling???? Excited!! Yess! Really excited! Funny why I don't feel nervous for that pastry job interview, I guess it hasn't gotten to me yet. Hopefull! yes! very hopeful! I feel really positive today! :) and starting to get quite sleepy as well.

After A Days Tour

Yesterday, I went to visit The Grand Palace here in Bangkok where the Kings and Queens of Thailand used to reside. It’s a very beautiful place. The temples are all intricately handpainted with gold and colorful Thai patterns. It’s a place where I was able to draw out inspirations for some of my cake creations.

It was however a very tiring and long trip. For anyone planning a vacation here, please read up on Bangkok scams on the net and be ready to face a few of them as you go on with your tour. From Taxi and Tuk-tuk drivers to men pretending to be employees of the Grand Palace misleading you to go to another tour guided trip with them. Whew! Those guys made me really hungry at the end of it. While on the train back to the hotel all I could think of is to get some food, head up to my hotel and take a long nice swim.

I was famished! Then I saw this lady making thin pancakes on a griddle. Hmmm… .looks interesting. She was making crispy crepes! It’s a traditional Thai snack. When the crepes are cooked. She puts meringue on top and coconut spiced with pepper. Definitely, I got my self an order. When I turned back, I saw another food stall with soups in large bowls. Looks like ginataan. Feeling so hungry, I thought I can finish one bowl of these warm desserts. I chose a bowl of Tapioca with sesame seed in coconut cream. Then I saw sticky rice pudding with mangoes! I remembered my sister told me she loved it! I could not help my self but purchase one serving as well. (Hmmmm never let me order when I’m hungry, tend to over do it!). Went back to my hotel room and shared it with my family. Here are some of the food shots I got.




The crispy Thai crepe tasted like our barquillos with a sweet –salty topping on top. It was pretty okey although not something that I would crave for. Quite satiating. The Tapioca and sesame soup taste like our ginataan indeed, but with less of the ingredients. (I like the Filipino ginataan better). The rice pudding with mangoes was good. It is a lighter version of the Filipino suman but with more flavor. Its not as sticky since they used long grain rice for this dessert. They added more coconut cream on the mixture and stronger pandan flavor. Since they used less glutinous rice in their proportion, its not as heavy as our suman. The mangoes and coconut milk goes with it perfectly.
Fully satisfied and re-energized, I went to swim on the beautiful blue lagoon.

Lemongrass

Dinner time and my sister brought us to an authentic Thai Resto where they usually bring their foreign guests and business associates. It’s a small restaurant in Sukumvit Street. Just like a house with a signage. When you go inside, you will be welcomed with exotic Thai interiors. Very Asian. We had Som-Tum salad. It is made from papaya, carrots, and other mix of vegetables dressed with dalanghita vinaigrette and sweetened with palm sugar. It was serve in a bowl of red cabbage. You actually eat it with raw long beans and cabbage. Yummmy! We had Tom-Kha-Gai for our soup. My favorite from what we have ordered that night! There’s a contrast between the creaminess of the coconut milk and the sourness of the soup. It has chicken in it and is made more robust with basil, white ginger and lemongrass. It’s a combination of complex flavors that I could not fully describe but am plainly just enjoying it. Had two bowls that night! Yummy Yummy. We had Cha-nom-din (minced pork with chilli and basil) and Par-boong-di-dang (sautéed vegetables – dad’s favorite for the night) Everything was Yummy, yummy, yummy but not for those who cannot have a lot of chilli. The service was excellent. Another WOW meal for me.


Night is not over though! Lenotre still in my mind. I purposefully left space for dessert and am craving for chocolate! Went back to Emporioum. I spotted Feuille d’ Automne. It’s a chocolate mousse cake with layers of French meringue in it. Bought it to our hotel room since its almost closing time. It was well made. The chocolate work is perfectly done, the design is classy and very enticing… like calling to you “bite me!” The mousse is made with rich and dark chocolate. I can say that the chocolate used is of really good quality; the snap of the chocolate work in the garnish, the smoothness in the texture of the mousse and the over-all bittersweet flavor and mouth-feel of the dessert. The meringue layer is light and crisp, which is very difficult to achieve for desserts like these especially if it is taken out. I was truly impressed! It was nothing but perfect. A SUPER WOW dessert for me.