ILOILO DAY 2

Here's the second batch of pictures from our Iloilo trip. Been so busy over the week I didn't have time to post this one sooner.

This was taken during the christening of baby Vivienne. Lunch was at Days Inn Hotel. I didn't get to take pictures of the food because I was busy eating :-)

I had to take a picture of the cake though. I have to say, it looked really nice. It was made by a local baker and it came with these cute sugar cookies that looked like baby shoes. The kids loved it!

After lunch, we decided to go around town to buy some local pastries. We stopped by Biscocho house. This was where we bought most of our pasalubong for our friends and family. We also went to another place where we bought the squid rings and also the yummy barquillos.

Next stop was SM Mall. We wanted to check the stores that were there. We went window shopping. We were looking for a place to have coffee in the mall but it was too crowded and noisy so we decided to head out.

We were still full from lunch but decided to go to Ted's for the Lapaz Batchoy. I just had the special. The others had the extra special, where slices of liver were added to the soup. I have to say, there's nothing quite like it. It's probably the best batchoy I ever tasted! I enjoyed the soup so much I had to order an extra bowl of soup. I didn't really finish the noodles and the meat but the soup was really flavorful! According to Cathy, the secret of that soup is the addition of a little bagoong...which somehow doesn't make sense to me but hey if it works then why not.

Dinner was at Bauhinia. It's a Filipino restaurant. They serve Filipino food with a twist like Crispy pata with kare kare sauce and bagoong, then they have these shells cooked in red horse and sliced green mangoes,

We also tried the soup with mussels and lemon grass, then we had the Grilled stuffed squid,

We also had these two fish dishes that were also good but I forgot their names already....sorry about that.

Then the last one that came was lechon kawali. As usual, after trying all the dishes for dinner, we didn't have room for dessert anymore but they still ordered a chocnut cheesecake for us to try and some suman with latik in shot glasses. I really liked the way they did the menu and I think that this restaurant can definitely compete with the restaurants here in Manila.

I wish we had more time and space in our stomachs to be able to try more stuff . I guess we just need to go back there again soon for more food discoveries.

ILOILO WEEKEND FOOD TRIP

Believe it or not, this is my first time to go to Iloilo! I've heard so much about the province and their food. I was so excited because I was going with my friends Cathy and Anna. Cathy's sister-in-law Divine was having a christening of their baby girl Vivienne over the weekend and Anna was one of the god parents. I tagged along for a short weekend getaway!

We arrived at the Iloilo airport around 10:30 a.m. We headed to the Limsui residence and had Lanzones for snacks. We waited for the rest of the family members to arrive and headed out to lunch.

First stop was at Breakthrough.

The restaurant is by the beach and it was nice because of the cool breeze. Cooked food was on display like turo-turo. They also had tanks where they had the live seafood.

Here's a baby shark in the tank. Think that if someone ordered this, it will be served on the table. For now the meantime, its a pet of the restaurant.

Here we are by the waterfront. That's me, Cathy, Aan, and Anna.

Our food came to our table about 15 minutes later. We had steamed crabs, crispy fried catfish,

Grilled scallops with garlic and butter, lechon,

And everyone's favorite, aligue rice! We were so full, we didn't have space for dessert anymore. The rest of the afternoon was spent in the hotel. We all took a nap then headed down to the mall to window shop.

Dinner was at Amalfi restaurant.

For starters, we had focaccia bread and garlic bread sticks with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and parmesan cheese. Then here are the items that the group ordered.... A trio of soup ( pumpkin, cream of broccoli, and cream of tomato soup.

For appetizers, we had arancini balls sitting on a bed of basil, garlic and tomato sauce and drizzled with balsamic vinegar, then a seafood pizza.

For salads, they ordered foie gras with peached pears on a bed of greens, for pasta we had pasta with pesto sauce,

Spaghetti bolognese for the kids, Seared scallop pasta with tomato sauce for Aan.

Osso bucco with saffrom risotto for me and Anna, Sea bass for Eric,

Cathy had the Salmon fillet, and Divine had the Seared tuna. To end the very wonderful meal, we were all served with mint tea. Dessert to follow on the next blog :-)

FISH AND CHIPS

Here's a recipe that I did for the show which I think is a sure winner! Serve this with seasoned vinegar or tartar sauce. A cold beer completes this English dish.

Happy Weekend to everyone!!!

Ingredients:

150 grams fish fillet, cobbler fillet

BATTER

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 cups cold beer

100 grams french fries

Directions:

1. Slice fish if desired to make them smaller, but whole fish is ok too. Season fish with salt and pepper.

2. Combine all-purpose flour, cornstarch, cayenne pepper, paprika, pepper, salt, and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Reserve 1/4 cup for dusting.

3. Add the cold beer gradually and mix using a wire whisk to avoid lumps. do not over beat. Mix just until combined. Add more beer if batter is still too thick.

3. Heat oil to 375 F. When oil is ready, dunk the fish fillet on the beer batter and deep fry the fish until golden brown.

4. Place on paper towels to drain the oil. Set aside.

5. Meanwhile, deep fry french fries. Drain.

6. To serve, place the fish fillet and french fries on a serving plate. Serve with vinegar and tartar sauce.

TRUE CONFECTION'S NEW SET

Starting this weekend, True Confections will have a new look! Yehey and good job to the team that put it up!!! I actually like it because it looks like a comfy cafe with an open kitchen. Scroll down and check out the pictures!

Looking out our new window is our True Confections writer Angelo Comsti, host Sam Oh and producer Henrie Chavarria.
Here's Jackie and Sam preparing the ingredients for their recipe,
Here's Jackie taking a coffee break,
Here we are hanging out in our new sofa having drinks and pastries,
Sam taking her coffee break,
Ms. Lisa and Henrie getting cozy in our new set,
Ms. Lani checking our new cake chiller! Also, check out our cake display!!! On my next post, i'll be releasing recipes that we did in the show...pecan pie, mars bar cheesecake etc, etc...

BEEF TACOS WITH CREAMY GARLIC SAUCE

Here's something I made yesterday and I think I will make it again this weekend. It's going to be a long weekend and if I'm lucky, I just might hit the beach...and if I'm really going, I'm going to have this in my picnic basket. Now all I need is a margarita!

Ingredients:

CARNE ASADA

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons onion, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

150 grams ground beef

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

CREAMY GARLIC DRESSING

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup milk

2 tablespoons vinegar

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

2 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

ASSEMBLY

4 pieces taco shells

carne asada, cooked

1/2 cup lettuce, shredded

1/2 cup tomato salsa, serve remaining on the side

1/2 tablespoons creamy garlic dressing, serve remaining on the side.

1/4 cup quickmelt cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. Make the creamy garlic dressing. In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients. Stir to mix well. Set aside until ready to use.

2. In a saute pan, heat about 2 T. olive oil, saute the onion until translucent.

3. Add the garlic, then the then add the ground beef. Cook on medium heat until completely cooked. Add the seasonings - cumin, chili powder and paprika

4. Season with salt and pepper as needed.

5. To assemble, place the ground beef on the bottom of the taco shell.

6. Top with lettuce and tomatoes salsa. Drizzle with the creamy garlic dressing.

7. Top with shredded cheese.

8. Serve with creamy garlic dressing and tomato salsa on the side.

MY FAVORITE RECIPES STARTS TOMORROW AUGUST 17!

Cooking up memories: Following the sweet success of True Confections, QTV is airing My Favorite Recipes starting Monday, August 17 with host chef Aileen Anastacio whipping up dishes from memorable recipes.

MANILA, Philippines - Everybody has one — a favorite recipe, that is. It could be a recipe for something as alien as Poulet a la Grecque (Greek-style chicken) with sugar and spice and everything nice that you probably shared with your amore on a romantic cruise on some Greek island and whose delicious memory lingers on in your taste buds. Or it could be something as endearingly familiar as grandma’s hotcake smothered with milk and syrup, which you learned to make on your grandma’s lap when you were only 10.

So, what’s your favorite recipe? Food lovers, take note: Cooking starting tomorrow, August 17 on Q Channel 11 is a 10-minute program, My Favorite Recipes, that promises to delight the eyes, tickle the palate, and warm the heart. To be served three times daily, the show is hosted by Aileen Anastacio who aims to create (or recreate) life’s delicious moments for everyone, foodie or not. To date, it’s the fifth cooking show to air on QTV, following the sweet successes of True Confections, Quick Fire, Secrets of the Masters and Daddylicious.

But first, a few words about the host, Aileen Anastacio. Aileen learned the ABCs of baking in grade school (she went to St. Paul’s Pasig for elementary and high school). She must have inherited her cooking genes from her two grandmothers whom she swears are “the best in the kitchen.” She followed her culinary dreams and went to the California Culinary Academy in the US. There, she learned the science and art of baking from chef Bo Friberg, a certified master pastry chef with over 40 years of experience under his toque. Oui, Aileen also worked with French chef Jean Yves Duperet who owned a patisserie called La Nouvelle in San Francisco. At La Nouvelle, Aileen was pastry assistant who specialized in fruit tarts, mousse cakes, pies, muffins, napoleons, croissants, jams, etc. Fact is, her name has become synonymous with all things sweet and decadently sinful. Another one of Aileen’s sweet claims to fame is her string of stores called Goodies N’ Sweets, where you’ll simply go bananas over the banoffee pie and erupt in sheer delight over the chocolate lava cake that’s proof positive of her eternal lava affair with chocolate. She’s currently putting together a cookbook for international release, featuring coffee and dessert recipes. She’s author of The Flavored Cup where she shares her coffee recipes because life is too short to waste on a bad cup of coffee. But other than java and lava, Aileen’s pasta is not to be passed up — her daughter just loves it, even if it’s just cooked in butter and cheese.

What’s Aileen’s favorite recipe? This kitchen queen loves Chicken a la King, one of the first recipes she learned at home with her sister and which she will be cooking for the pilot episode of My Favorite Recipes as she retraces her childhood days growing up amid the aroma of good food cooking in the Anastacio kitchen. Other delectable dishes lined up for the show’s first week and which bring back many yummy memories are Mushroom Crespelle, spaghetti and meatballs, and Breakfast Burrito.

What else is cooking on My Favorite Recipes? Aileen whips up favorite recipes that range from main dishes to soups to salads down to desserts. All these recipes are made even more delicious and memorable with dollops of Carnation Evap and Condensada.

“I just love cooking with Carnation because it’s a very versatile ingredient — you can use it from the main dish to the dessert,” gushes Aileen.

Like Carnation, which is co-sponsoring the show, My Favorite Recipes promises to be warm, inviting, and something every member of the family can enjoy. Through the years, Carnation Milk has been a trusted name in many a Pinoy household.

Aileen opens the show by teasing our appetites with her inspiration for the recipe of the day — it may be anything from a cherished old recipe from a friend or an unforgettable trip or from daily interactions or reunions with family and friends where the favorite topic of conversation is what else but food! With her expertise and burning passion for cooking, Aileen transforms these inspirations into mouthwatering creations for her viewers to vicariously enjoy. Here, have some!

But don’t just sit there — cook something and create your own delicious memories.

* * *

Starting tomorrow, August 17, “My Favorite Recipes” airs weekdays at 10:40–10:50 a.m., 11:40–11:50 a.m., 6:10-6:20 p.m.; Saturdays at 10:45–10:55 a.m., 2–2:10 p.m., 8:10–8:20 p.m.; Sundays at 12–12:10 p.m., 2–2:10 p.m., 9:10–9:20 p.m. on Q Channel 11.

MY FAVORITE RECIPES AIRS ON AUGUST 17 ON QTV