Quick Breakfast Taco

A smaller cousin of the breakfast burrito, the breakfast taco made with reduced-fat Cheddar and egg substitute is a satisfying and healthy breakfast option.

1 serving
Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients
2 corn tortillas
1 tablespoon salsa
2 tablespoons shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup liquid egg substitute, such as Egg Beaters

Preparation
Top tortillas with salsa and cheese. Heat in the microwave until the cheese is melted, about 30 seconds.
Meanwhile coat a small nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat, add egg substitute and cook, stirring, until the eggs are cooked through, about 90 seconds. Divide the scrambled egg between the tacos.
Nutrition
Per serving: 153 calories; 2 g fat (1 g sat, 0 g mono); 3 mg cholesterol; 15 g carbohydrates; 17 g protein; 0 g fiber; 453 mg sodium; 207 mg potassium.
1 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 starch, 2 very lean meat

‘Saluyot pancit canton’, crab baked in salt

By Reggie Aspiras

Philippine Daily Inquirer

’TIS THE season to be jolly! Here are some of the funkiest holiday entertaining ideas I’ve stumbled upon, plus other treats that will surely make the holidays even more special.

Isabelle Dee turned 18 in Winter Wonderland.

Her mom Nellia, perhaps, feeling even more like a debutante than her daughter, worked wonders with the venue which she surrounded with ice sculptures.

The lighting was fantastic, a nice ice blue, lending a touch of softness to the white drapes that hung from everywhere.

The bar was filled with white day beds where the young ones and young once, all dressed in white, comfortably lounged.

Dancing heads

Have you ever had yourself videotaped grinding to the tune of “I Will Survive,” “Achy Breaky Heart” and “Lady Marmalade”?

If not, it’s time to call Confetti Effects and have them set up their dancing booth heads for the Christmas party.

See yourself garbed in leather or skimpy skirt and sexy top, with a 20-inch waistline to match.

If you’re a man, chances are, you’ve never seen yourself dressed as a cowboy, so rugged, so buffed.

All you must do is pick a song, sit on a stool, put on a green cape, while the booth operators synchronize your head movements with a video of a dancing body.

Then, voila! You have your own comical MTV disc to take home as souvenir. Freddie Martelino (tel. 0920-9005601) also has mini video stalls for those interested to put up a dancing head booth in the malls.

Club Fishbone was present to provide the music, cocktails and shooters – another attractive destination, I observed, for the teeners, who in their minds are now legally able to do as they please. Club Fishbone (Call Val Magallanes at 0917-8829011) makes hosting parties a whole lot easier.

Egg flan

For the debut, Representative Lorna Silverio brought egg flans she ordered from Eya Cabanos all the way from Ilocos Norte. They are real eggs drained off their content, filled with flan mixture and steamed. A novelty!

Cabanos also makes saluyot pancit canton noodles and the famous Ilocos garlic longganisa.

She sends them fresh from San Nicolas as you order (tel. 0918-5299085). The eggs make perfect Christmas tokens.

One of the most divine palatal experiences I have come across are Sokak (soft-shell crabs) Baked in Salt which I order from Tao Yuan Restaurant (tel. 0917-5308988, 5227010).

It is so delicious. The crab fat oozes from the inside. It is everything you want in a crab and more. Truly worth the trip.

I suggest you call to reserve. Though they have it every day, the demand for these export-quality crustaceans i high and the restaurant is always packed.

If they don’t have Sokak, go for their Hainanese Chicken Rice. For me, it is simply the best in the country. Try their fried lapu-lapu with mango, delectable, too.

My son loves the Yangchow fried rice at Super Bowl. However, it is not always practical to go to the restaurant whenever he craves for this delicious rice concoction. Can you provide me a recipe that would somehow taste near the Super Bowl version?

Gloria Say

Hello Gloria! I have asked chef Henry Cheung of the famed Good Earth Restaurant, and now of the newly opened Henry’s Place at the Forbes Town Center (tel. 3935915) to help you out.

Yang Chow Fried Rice

50 g chicken breast

50 g shrimp

10 g Chinese sausage

2 tbsp oil

1 pc egg

1½ c cooked, day old rice

2 tbsp chicken broth

2 tsp light soy sauce

White pepper, to taste

2 tsp spring onions, chopped

Mince the first three ingredients.

Scramble the eggs and set aside.

Saute the chicken, shrimp and sausage in oil.

Add eggs and scramble.

Add cold rice and mix well.

Add broth, soy, pepper, seasoning to taste.

Add spring onions.

Twisted halloween cocktails

by Ed Biado

I’ll admit that my taste in cocktails is quite vanilla. Just give me glass after glass of Bacardi Coke and I’m all set for the night. But there are thousands of concoctions out there and one of the biggest party excuses, Halloween, gets its fair share. Given the spooky theme, the names of these—shall I call them—poisons are just as interestingly creepy. But don’t worry, they taste divine. Screw Bloody Mary (hah!); here are 10 “disgusting” mixes you can suck dry:

1. Voodoo Caesar

Rim a tall glass with lime juice and seasoning salt. Fill it with ice, add the following ingredients and stir.

6 oz. tomato juice

2 tsp. lime juice

1/8 tsp. Tabasco hot sauce

1 oz. vodka

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

2. Bayou Slime

Muddle 6 fresh mint leaves and 2 oz. spiced syrup together. Place that, together with the following ingredients into a shaker.

4 oz. dark rum

1 egg white

Shake until well-chilled and frothy. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with additional crushed mint leaves.

3. Coffee of the Damned

Add all the following ingredients in a large mug.

1/2 oz. tequila

1 oz. brandy

1 oz. scotch

1 tbsp. sugar syrup

Then, stir in a cup of coffee and float some lemon zest on top. Add a topping of whip.

4. Halloween Cocktail

Mix the following ingredients in a shaker with ice.

2 oz. bourbon

3 oz. orange juice

juice of half a lemon

Then, pour into a tall glass. Top with ginger ale and garnish with olives.

5. White Witch

Mix all ingredients in a blender at low speed for 10 seconds. Serve in a chilled sherbet or wine glass.

1/2 cup vanilla ice cream

1 oz. vodka

1 oz. white crème de cacao

6. Black Witch

Mix all ingredients with ice in a shaker and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

1/2 oz. pineapple juice

1 1/2 oz. gold rum

1 tsp. apricot brandy

1 tsp. dark rum

7. Blood-red Lime Rickey

Muddle the following ingredients in a shaker until juicy and fragrant.

6 fresh cherries, pitted

1/2 lime, cut into 3 wedges

2 teaspoons sugar

Add 3 oz. gin and crushed ice. Cover with a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously, or stir, until combined and chilled, about 30 seconds. Serve in a whiskey glass.

8. Blood & Sand

Mix all ingredients with cracked ice in a shaker or blender. Pour into a chilled old fashioned glass.

3/4 oz. cherry brandy

3/4 oz. orange juice

3/4 oz. scotch

3/4 oz. sweet vermouth

9. Brain

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add all the ingredients. Stir until well chilled and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a fresh lychee fruit.

1/2 oz. sake chilled

1 1/2 oz. lychee nectar

1 1/2 oz. gin

10. Devil’s Tail

Mix all ingredients with ice in a blender. Pour into a chilled cocktail glass. Twist lime peel over drink and drop into glass.

1/2 oz. apricot liqueur

1/2 tsp. grenadine

1/2 oz. lime juice

1/2 oz. vodka

1 1/2 oz. gold rum

Are you a controlled or clean-plate club eater?

Do you find yourself eating less while at work then ending your day by eating a day’s worth of calories like ice cream, bag of chips or chocolate bars? This has been a common problem of busy employees, housewives and students.

Here are tips that can help you prevent eating at night, which sabotages one’s weight loss progress.

Consider timing of your dinner and sleep.

After three to four hours, you can hear your stomach growling, which signals hunger. During the time you are awake, you continuously burn more calories as compared to when you’re asleep because the body system requires more calories.

If you sleep at around 10 p.m., have dinner at 7 p.m. However, if you are a late-night sleeper, delay dinner to 9 or 10 p.m. to prevent eating unhealthy snacks.

Eat every three to four hours, depending on your schedule and hunger pangs. If you follow an 8 a.m.-5 p.m. work schedule, have breakfast at 7:30 a.m. then eat lunch at 12 noon. You can have a 100-150 calories worth of mid-morning snack if you get hungry or if you are physically active. At 3 or 4 p.m., have a calorie-controlled snack to avoid overeating at night. Have dinner at 7 or 8 p.m. if you sleep at 10 or 11 p.m.

Sleep on time. This will break your late-night eating habit.

Set a moderate calorie-allowance for dinner.

I always advise my clients not to eat more than 500-600 calories at breakfast, lunch or dinner to avoid extra calories, feel empowered while trying to lose weight and practice self-control.

A 500-calorie meal is equivalent to a half cup of rice (100 calories); palm size of grilled chicken or fish without the skin (approximately 100-150 calories depending on add-ons); cup of fresh green salad with 1 tbsp low-fat dressing (approximately 100-150 calories); and fist-size fruit (approximately 50 to 80 calories). Calories will increase by 100-150 more calories if oil is used or pork and beef will replace seafood or poultry.

Have late-night snack only if you can control your eating portion.

Controlled eaters

According to Heather Bauer and Kathy Mathews, authors of the book “The Wall Street Diet,” only dieters who are classified as controlled eaters can eat occasional evening snacks worth 80 calories like a medium apple, sugar-free Jell-O, 2 slices of turkey, light yogurt or low-calorie popsicle. They stop eating when full, are satisfied with a handful of chips and have similar eating patterns on weekends and weekdays.

The other type is the clean plate-club eater. If you are classified in this category, you eat fast, always finish your plate, often tempted by sugar and carbohydrates, find it difficult to control eating at night and drink less water.

Have a fruit after dinner and drink lots of water instead of flavored drinks or sodas.

Plan your night.

Make drinking water available at your room.

Don’t keep snacks inside your house.

If you have the tendency to crave for food, ask support from your husband/wife after dinner to remind you of your goals.

Distract yourself from thinking about food by watching television shows not related to food, reading your favorite book or preparing your things and clothes for the next day.

By Mitch Felipe-Mendoza E-mail the author at mitchfelipe@gmail.com

DO-IT-YOURSELF Homemade bath bomb

ENJOY a relaxing, soothing, sensory bathing experience with scented bath bombs that you yourself can make. This easy activity can be enjoyed by you and your family. Have fun trying on fragrances. Peppermint is soothing and invigorating. Lavender is relaxing, while the sweet aroma of rose stimulates circulation. Choose your favored scented oil.

2 tbsp cornstarch

2 tbsp citric acid

½ c baking soda

3 tbsp oil

¼ tsp essential oil of your choice

5 drops of food coloring (optional, to add color to your bath bomb)

Mix all the dry ingredients together. Slowly add oils and food coloring, a little at a time until the right consistency –like a workable dough – is achieved.

If the mixture is too wet, add more baking soda. Use wax paper as a surface on which to mold the mixture into balls.

Allow the mixture to dry for about 5-6 hours.

If the balls you form are a bit delicate, set them using a wrap made of light fabric or a baking mold.

Use 1-2 balls in your bath.

by Anton Barreto/Marissa Lopa

8 Fat fighting foods

Want to lose weight as you chow down? Your wish is granted! Your supermarket is filled with foods that studies show have lipid-melting powers to help melt fat and keep you slim. Stock up on these fat-fighting super bites, and you'll be trimmer even as you indulge. Read on to discover the eight foods that deserve a permanent spot in your fridge—and in your diet!

Almonds These yummy nuts are high in alpha-linolenic acid, which can accelerate your metabolism of fats. In fact, dieters who ate 3 ounces of almonds daily slashed their weight and body-mass index by 18 percent, while those who skipped the nuts reduced both numbers less— just 11 percent—a study in theInternational Journal of Obesity revealed. Chomp almonds à la carte (limit yourself to 12 per serving to keep calories in check). I get a pack at Starbucks and nibble throughout my day. Go nuts!

Berries "These are nature's candy!" Turns out they're also your body's best friends. Strawberries, raspberries and other vitamin C–spiked fruit can supercharge your workout, helping you burn up to 30 percent more fat, research from Arizona State University at Mesa has found. If they're not in season, buy the little gems frozen in a bulk-sized bag so you'll always have them on hand to whip up a Berry Bliss Smoothie or Strawberry-Sunflower Pops, regardless of whether berries are in season.

Cinnamon Adding 1/4 teaspoon to your plate may prevent an insulin spike—an uptick that tells your body to store fat. Sprinkle it on your morning cereal or coffee or on your yogurt in the A.M.

Mustard It's heaven on a soft pretzel, but mustard may also be a weight loss wonder. Turmeric, the spice that gives mustard its color, may slow the growth of fat tissues, a study in the journal Endocrinology finds. Use it on sandwiches instead of mayo, or sprinkle turmeric on cauliflower pre-roasting to give it a kick. Try it on tuna salad.

Oranges This citrus fruit, which contains fat-blasting compounds known as flavones, deserves to be your main squeeze. Women who ate the most flavones had a much lower increase in body fat over a 14-year period, a study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition notes. Eat oranges sliced or swig fresh OJ (including pulp!) to get the best benefit from the fruit.

Soybeans Reason to toss a half cup on your salad? Soybeans are rich in choline, a compound that blocks the absorption of fat and breaks down fatty deposits. Oh, and they're addictively delish! But if breast cancer runs in your family, experts suggest you should talk to your doc before adding soy to your diet.

Sweet potatoes The colorful spuds' high-fiber content means they keep your insulin steadier than their white sisters, which means less fat packed on your hips, research finds. Top a small baked tater with lowfat cottage cheese for a tempting side dish, or whip up Miso Soup With Sweet Potato Dumplings.

Swiss cheese Calcium-rich foods reduce fat-producing enzymes and increase fat breakdown, and Swiss has more calcium than many of its cheesy peers. Choose the reduced-fat variety, such as Sargento. Slip it into your sandwich, put it on top of high-fiber crackers or use it for a healthier grilled cheese. Yum!

For other tricks to eating your way to your healthy, happy weight, load up on these 20 slimming superfoods atSelf.com.

By Lucy Danziger, SELF Editor-in-Chief

Caring for your kidneys to avoid stone formation

Philippine Daily Inquirer

Do you have frequent severe cramps in the lower back? Are you always in pain when urinating? Is your urine cloudy or bloody? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might have a kidney disorder.

Kidney disease is one of the top 10 causes of death in the Philippines, according to recent studies. Every year about 120 Filipinos in every 1 million develop kidney failure due to stone formation.

One of the most painful kidney disorders is kidney stone—when hard pebble-like lumps develop from crystals that separate from the urine within the urinary tract. Calcium combined with oxalate or phosphate is the most common kidney stone. Another type of stone is struvite, which is caused by urinary tract infection.

Furthermore, stones occur more frequently in men than in women. However, people with a family history of kidney stones are also likely to develop stones. Kidney stones can also be associated with external factors like diet and lifestyle. Foods high in protein, fats, phosphorus, and sodium usually disrupt the kidneys’ natural process of filtration.

Plenty of water, healthy diet

To prevent formation of kidney stones, have a healthy diet and drink plenty of water. Also, avoid salty and spicy food additives or flavor enhancers.

Kidney stones can now be easily treated with modern advancements in healthcare. The most common kidney stone removal procedure is through extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). It uses shock waves to break kidney stones into small specks to make them easily move through the urinary tract and out from the body.

Instead of undergoing surgery, a noninvasive treatment is recommended by doctors like taking oral medications that can break down the formation of calcium and uric acid stones and lead to faster recovery.

You can consult a doctor about such preventive medicine.

If you have more than one kidney stone, especially if you have a family history of stones, you are more likely to have kidney stones again. But you can take steps to help prevent them:
Drink more fluids. Try to drink enough water to keep your urine clear, about 8 to 10 glasses of water per day. Slowly increase how much you drink, perhaps adding one more glass of water a day until you are drinking 8 to 10 glasses a day. This slow increase will give your body time to adjust to the extra fluids. You are drinking enough water when your urine is clear or light yellow. If it is dark yellow, you are not drinking enough fluids. If you have kidney, heart, or liver disease and have fluid restrictions, talk with your doctor before increasing how much you drink.
Change your diet. This may be helpful, but it depends on what is causing your kidney stones. Your doctor may do more tests before deciding whether changing your diet will help reduce your risk for developing another stone. The results of these tests may suggest that it could be helpful to do one or more of the following:
Increase how much fiber you eat. Fiber includes oat bran, beans, whole wheat breads, wheat cereals, cabbage, and carrots.
Eat less beef, pork, and poultry.
Eat a moderate or high amount of calcium-rich foods, such as dairy products. Getting your recommended amounts of calcium, combined with a diet low in sodium and protein, may decrease your risk of kidney stones.
Try not to drink grapefruit juice. Drinking grapefruit juice may increase your risk for developing kidney stones.
Avoid foods that are high in oxalate, such as dark green vegetables, nuts, and chocolate.
Try not to add salt when you cook or eat. Try removing the salt shaker from your table.

After Charice, Arnel Pineda invades 'Oprah'

ABS-CBN News

After Charice, it was Arnel Pineda’s turn to impress Oprah Winfrey, one of the world’s most powerful women today.

Pineda and the rest of the members of the American rock band "Journey” recently guested on Oprah to promote the group’s latest album, “Revelation.”

During the show, Journey's Filipino front man could not believe that he was being interviewed by no less than Winfrey herself.

"I'm facing you (Winfrey) right now. You are [one of the] biggest [names] in show business and I'm facing you. It's like… I'm not allowed to be here but I'm here. And I thank God for that," he said.

The show featured Pineda’s journey “from total obscurity to recapturing the voice of one of the greatest bands of our time."

Pineda’s rags-to-riches story has inspired many people around the world. His life story will be made into a film titled "Don't Stop Believing: Every Man's Journey." The biopic will hit the big screen next year.

The Filipino singer was discovered on YouTube by Journey’s guitarist Neal Schon. Jonathan Cain (keyboard), Deen Castronovo (drums) and Ross Valory (bass) were equally impressed when they first watched him on YouTube performing Journey’s “Faithfully.”

Cain said: "Neal contacted us. I checked the YouTube video just like he said. And there he was singing. And I said, 'The guy got great pipes, does he speak English?’ And, ‘How are we going to get him to the stage to check him out?'" Cain said.

Valory said he had “goosebumps surplus” when he first heard Pineda sing.

Castronovo was also blown away by Pineda’s voice. “It was frightening just to hear that voice come out from that little guy. We couldn't believe it. It’s just so strong. And the best part about it was just how humble the man was, how humble human being, beautiful heart."

For Pineda, being part of Journey still feels like a dream.

"I've seen enough pain and poverty in the Philippines. I've never been that big. All I wanted was to be able to get out of it -- the pain and the poverty - and live decently everyday," he said.

He said touring around the world with his band mates is “amazing, unbelievable and fantastic.” “All the superlative words that you can utter.”

He admitted that he felt the pressure when the band played in the Philippines early this year. “There was a big responsibility and thank God I pulled it off.”

And now that he is making lots of money, Pineda said he bought a home for his family and set up his own foundation to help poor Filipinos.

Journey's Manila concert is now available on DVD in the United States.

What to do when you get tired of gym workout

By Mitch Felipe
Philippine Daily Inquirer

IT IS important to find purpose or meaning in the exercise you do to make it a lifelong habit.

Running, for example, is a type of purpose-driven exercise since you can go 5 kilometers, 10 km and up to 42 km or even more. Do cross-training activities because they will bring progress to your performance, fitness level, weight and health condition.

Relate the benefits you can get from cardio machines to your situation.

Can you imagine yourself using an elliptical trainer or recumbent bike for 20 to 40 minutes every other day for the rest of your life? Some people might get bored with these machines especially if they can’t understand the essence of the workout. But it’s a different story for an athlete advised to incorporate a 20 to 30-minute elliptical machine in his weekly program for cross-training purposes, which will improve his sports performance.

As a runner, I can last a 5 to 7-km run on a treadmill once or twice a week because I am aware how it will maintain or improve my marathon goals. Otherwise, I might always find an excuse to discontinue treadmill runs especially during rainy days.

Why one quits

One of the reasons health club members quit is because they just follow an exercise program designed by a trainer without knowing its purpose. If you want to finish a 30-minute recumbent bike, understand how applicable it is to your current situation. Its benefits include getting stronger thighs for outdoor cycling or improved endurance for an adventure vacation trip which involves a lot of walking, cycling and climbing.

Focus on improving your fitness level and performance when joining classes.

Many group exercisers believe that exercise classes are the solution to excess weight.

If you want to make group classes a part of your lifelong exercise commitment, balance them. Indoor cycling will improve and challenge endurance and lower-body strength. Martial arts-inspired classes which include punches and kicks will improve balance, core control, coordination, and whole-body strength. Mind-body classes like yoga or Pilates will improve breathing, awareness, core strength, balance and flexibility, which are all important for injury-prevention and sports performance.

Have the right expectations when getting a trainer.

What you need is someone to influence and inspire you to change for the better, aside from getting a great strength-training session.

A trainer can help you stick to your exercise habit only if you are aware of your present goals. Look for a trainer who will motivate you to make progress even without his services, who is passionate about your improvement and ready to help as you face anticipated difficulties along the way like boredom, lapses, and burnout.

E-mail the author at mitchfelipe@gmail.com.

Mushrooms help prevent allergies

By Cory Quirino

Philippine Daily Inquirer

THE “BER” months have arrived and this means cooler temperatures and longer nights. During this time, your body begins to adjust to the changes. With every season, there’s a host of health challenges.

Allergies

Allergies come in many forms and symptoms and the causes are many such as MSG, food-coloring preservatives, eggs, chicken, seafood, peanuts, alcohol, chocolate, environmental chemicals, pollution, dust, mold and spores, pets and animal hairs. Not only people get allergies. Even animals do, would you believe? Your pet could be allergic to something if it keeps sneezing.

If you have an allergy, it is best to see your doctor. Ask about a blood test that will provide you with an accurate reading of your sensitivity to certain substances. The ImmunoCAP machine from Sweden can detect allergies and auto-immune diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis within the day. It is available at Makati Medical Center, Asian Center, Medical Center and UP PGH. (For more info, call Trianon at 815-3239.)

A surefire preventive measure is to maintain a clean environment. Studies have shown that the greatest cause of allergies is unclean surroundings. Do you know that every day, your body is bombarded by fungus and microbes? Your best defense is to keep your immune system in good condition. Remove all the irritants inside your home.

One of the best ways to rid your residence of pests is the latest, state-of-the-art air and room cleaning system called Hyla NST, a portable heavy-duty cleaning machine. It is a 4-in-1 equipment – air purifier, vacuum cleaner, floor polisher and more importantly a bed, carpet, curtain and upholstery cleaner. It literally sucks out the dirt and dust mites. (Dust mites are one of the main causes of asthma, rhinitis and respiratory ailments.)

Air is drawn into the cleaner with a rotating separator that turns an amazing 25,000 rpm/second or 416 times a second. It successfully removes dust particles from the air and binds them to water inside the machine. The end result is pure cleanliness.

Annie Santos, a 54-year-old housewife, had been suffering from severe asthma for 10 years. Each time she’d have an attack, she would have to be rushed to the emergency room. Upon discovering the Hyla cleaning system, her bed has been cleansed of dust mites and she has since banned her pet dog from sleeping in her bedroom. Her trips to the emergency room have stopped. (Call Rotarian Gerry Gamez of Gammonco Trading Co. for a free demo, 092-28903367.)

According to Dr. Earth Mindell’s “Vitamin Bible for the 21st century,” a nutritional defense versus allergies includes vitamin B complex, 50 mg, twice a day; pantothenic acid, 500 mg, twice a day, Vitamin C, 1000 mg, once daily.

According to Japanese and Chinese traditions, reishi, shiitake, maitake, agaricus and cordyceps are also effective. This is surprisingly found in a 5-in-1 supplement called Multi Five. (Call World of Wellness, 332-3864/723-3878.)

Anti-allergy regimen

1. Wake up in the morning with happy thoughts and a smile on your face.

2. Drink one cup of lukewarm water with 1 tsp apple cider vinegar and 1/2 tsp honey.

3. Drink 2 full glasses lukewarm water. Drink water every 1 1/2 hours until bedtime.

4. Increase hydration through juicing (fresh is best).

5. Eat healthy.

Affirm today: “I am healthy and happy.”

Love and light!

A must-stop in Palawan

By Micky Fenix
Philippine Daily Inquirer

SOMEWHERE new always marks my trip to Palawan. Last month it was eating at Ditchay’s Bistro. To the lifestyle and travel circle, the name can belong only to Ditchay Roxas.

She was in the news in April when she protested the development of a luxury resort in an island of San Vicente town in Palawan. Ditchay has a lease on Boayan Island, where she ran not only a small resort but also had created a grassroots ecotourism enterprise.

She was asked to continue operating her resort, she told us, but decided to quit Boayan nonetheless and move to Puerto Princesa.

So that’s where we met Ditchay a second time. The first was when she cooked dinner for a select group in Manila. Her specialty then and now is French cooking with a touch of Asian, which is how she describes her cooking.

Ditchay and I communicated about places to go to while I was there. She gave me a list of her suppliers, organic farms run by NGOs who teach farmers the technique and the whys. She also directed me to her cheese supplier. And to another French bistro located near her place. And, of course, we set a date to dine in her new place.

The tricycle driver told us we had to pay extra because Ditchay’s place was far. My trips to the provinces have taught me that “far” in provinces is about 10-15 minutes away, the equivalent of a snap in Manila time.

Ditchay’s Bistro has four tables in the balcony of her house (the family lives on the second floor) and a table inside what looks like the sala, where the walls display framed art photographs of her husband, Philippe Girardeau.

A tall girl walks past and is introduced as her daughter, Amelie. She serves diners, does her bit at plating with directions from her mother who, because she’s petite, can’t look over her daughter’s shoulder.

Starters

So after visiting Ditchay in the kitchen, we sit down to taste her cooking. The starters, while filling, also whet our appetite. There are rilletes (cold shredded pork), paté de poisson fume (smoked fish paté), mozzarella pane (breaded mozzarella) and terrine de campagne (meat loaf).

Over at another table, two Japanese tourists go through their salad and main course in a relaxed but talkative mood.

On our table, the series of main dishes come: red snapper fillet with lemon caper sauce, Moroccan beef tenderloin served with pita and hummus, grilled prawns in herb butter sauce and crunchy delectable pork belly rolled and stuffed with herbs then roasted until the pork is crisp, a better lechon kawali.

All those have salad incorporated in the dish so it really isn’t necessary to order one, but salads are available for those who like only veggies.

Wines, of course, are always available and Ditchay brings in what they serve and provides wines for some of the restaurants and hotels in Palawan. We go through great kir, white and red and a sneak of martini in between all that.

Desserts included éclairs, lemon tart and frozen orange cream named after Amelie’s grandmother. At the end of all that, we wondered if we could fit into the tricycle we hired to wait for us.

Ditchay’s Bistro (Manalo Extension, Bancao Bancao; tel. 0487231530) is another addition to must-visits in Palawan. Those include Ka Lui with its fish and vegetable selections, crispy pata and sinigang dishes of Kinabuch and breakfast at Casa Linda. And our stay at Asturias Hotel made us discover the laing and kinulob na manok as well.

What's your martini?

by Ed Biado
The martini is one of the most widely-recognized cocktails in the world. In pop culture, it is a symbol of discriminating taste as many historical figures and fictional characters are known to prefer it to the point of making it their signature drink. And why wouldn’t one enjoy a martini? It’s crisp, clear, has an infusion of bright flavors and notes and it comes in over 40 variations (and counting). Here are the most popular kinds:
1. The classic standard martini is made with gin and dry vermouth in a four is to one ratio and is stirred with ice. After straining it in a chilled martini glass, it’s garnished with an olive or lemon peel. This produces a clear, colorless cocktail. The shaken version is slightly cloudy and the gin being “bruised,” producing a more bitter taste.
2. The vodka martini obviously substitutes gin for vodka. It is one of today’s most popular martini preparations and it’s almost assumed that when one orders a martini, it’s made with vodka.
3. The dirty martini puts the garnish to the forefront as it uses olive brine together with dry vermouth or omitting the latter altogether. The essence is further heightened by using three olives (instead of one) as garnish. A dusty martini, meanwhile, only adds a small amount of brine, simply to bring out a hint of the essence.
4. The Dirty Pickle substitutes olive brine in the dirty martini with pickle juice. This is garnished either with a mini gherkin or a dill spear.
5. The smoky martini is simply gin with a splash of Scotch, stirred and garnished with lemon peel. It is also called burnt martini.
6. The dry martini uses less dry vermouth than usual. Extra dry would mean even less. It’s virtually all gin with just a few drops of dry vermouth. The standard dry martini has different names, depending on the garnish—Okratini (pickled okra), Buckeye (black olive), Gibson (pickled onion), Gibsontini (onion-stuffed olive) and Spiceland (garlic-stuffed olive).
7. The Vesper is a James Bond invention. According to the pages of Casino Royale, it contains three measures of Gordon’s gin, one of vodka and half a measure of the French aperitif wine, Kina Lillet. It’s garnished with a slice of lemon peel and served in a champagne flute.
8. The Bronx is a fruity martini that was once ranked third in the world, in terms of popularity (after the standard martini and the Manhattan). This is a shaken cocktail that contains six parts gin, three parts sweet red vermouth, two parts dry vermouth and three parts orange juice.
9. The Kinopanorama martini is made with four parts London gin, two parts vodka and half a part each of Noilly Prat vermouth and Lillet Blanc. It’s shaken and garnished with a twist of lemon.
10. The Valencia martini uses Fino sherry instead of dry vermouth. Before pouring, orange peel is flamed in order for its oil to drop into and coat the martini glass. It’s garnished with an unburned orange peel. The vodka variant is called the Flame of Love martini.

Every second well spent

It's my off today from work and I'm starting to get excited to spend the rest of the day with wife. I started with a hot steaming coffee and checked for some emails. I always wonder why when you're taking your day-off from work, time passes so quick when you're just at home. Makes me a little uncomfortable so I always spend the rest of every minute okay. I'm also sometimes discouraged in doing this blogging thing, but my wife inspires me to continue. She's truly a wonderful person. I have to move my body because I don't have much exercise these past days. It's time to move my body. Take a 15 minute warm-up and ready to hit the roads. It's also nice to bring my ipod with me to energize me with my kind of music. Feels so good after a long jog around the village. People are also very aware of their health today as I noticed a lot of joggers and also some taking a brisk walk. I felt the breeze a feeling of Christmas season coming just around the corner. So relieved as I got home when my wife surprised me with her special fruit medley kind of a salad she bought from the market this morning so fresh. Not to mention I'm gonna add some calories again, guilty pleasures actually. Fresh apples, kiwi, pineapple, sweet mango, grapes, cantaloupe, watermelon, sweet corn, gelatins, and milk for calories? delicious anyway. I love fruits. How I wish that today's never gonna end.