OUR OWN OCEAN PARK

Some says that compared to others, the Manila Ocean Park is just a small version of its counterparts from other countries. Well, I don't care as long as we have one that we can call our own!!!

RIZAL PARK (LUNETA) REVISITED

Through the years Rizal Park have been a picture of neglect. This have been my impression, but during my last visit to our country's premier park I was really amazed to find that its clean, well maintained and relatively secure.

BABY SANDJO'S SMILE

C.P.A.- Chicken and Pork Adobo -

Cooking adobo is an art, meaning there's no exact measurement to create this delicious dish, everything depends on the artists'(cook) perspective (taste). Don't just cook it, feel it.

Chicken and Pork Adobo
1 lbs pork belly (sliced to serving pieces)
1 lbs chicken (sliced to serving pieces)
1 clove garlic- crushed
1 tsp whole black pepper
2 pcs. dried bayleaf
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
salt (to taste)/msg(optional)
1 tsp. sugar
water (enough to cover)
2tbsp cooking oil (vegetable or corn oil)

Procedure:
In a saucepan, put all ingredients, cover and let it boil (do not stir), then simmer over low heat. Reduce sauce to about half of the original. Get half of the remaining sauce and set aside. Add oil to the remaining mixture and let it dry out. In low heat brown the meat, you may add a little more oil if you like. When its done, pour the remaining sauce simmer for another minute then turn of heat.

Tip:
a)If its your first time to cook the dish use the ingredients sparingly especially the soy sauce and vinegar, you may use a little at first and gradually add some to suit your taste.
b)Adobo tastes better as it aged, if you are planning to eat it at lunch, you may cook it in advance preferably the night before. Just reheat it before serving.
c)It takes practice to perfect the craft,innovate, don't be afraid to try other recipes, everybody have their own best adobo recipe.
d) And lastly, put love in what you are doing or cooking.

FILIPINO ADOBO - A love Affair

If there is one other thing that we Filipinos are known for, aside from the fact that we can be found in almost every part of the world, is our love affair with a dish called ADOBO. The word adobo have already became synonymous to Filipino.

Adobo is a dish that every Filipino love, infact every Filipino who loves to cook have their own (secret) adobo recipe, some even says that there are 101 ways to prepare/cook the dish and they were not exaggerating I, myself believed there could be more. Actually I've been collecting and testing(and tasting) different kind of adobo recipe for quite some time now.

The dish mainly is a melange of different flavors for the taste buds, a fine blend of sour, salty,sweet and spice. Almost all types of foods can be cooked in this particular way of cooking, meats like pork, beef or chicken are the most common types, although other kind of meats (even exotic ones) and seafoods can also be as good.

Among my favorite variation of the dish is the C.P.A. or Chicken/Pork Adobo in fact, I'm going to share this recipe in my next post, so that those who haven't tried the dish may try this. But before I give the recipe I just want give this pointer, cooking adobo is not an exact science, its all about gut feel, the amount of ingredient and spices may vary according to your taste. Some like it sour, some like it more on the sweet side and some like it spicy. Like I said, its all about guts.

TURNING JAPANESE

"Everyone around me is a total stranger, everyone avoids me like a psyche lone ranger, everyone"

Living in a another place far from were you used to live creates a strange feeling wherein you feel like you're alone. Especially when people around you speak another tongue (language/dialect), you may feel like you have no one to talk to and your ability to communicate is somewhat impaired.

About a year ago me and my wife decided to go back to her hometown in Polomolok, South Cotabato in Mindanao (far south from Manila), for what we call an extended vacation . Although I've already been there a couple of times since we got married, I still have some apprehension since we are planning to stay there for quite some time.

Ordinarily, when you mention the place Mindanao, the perception is that its not a nice place to go to, that there is war going on there, the people out there are killing each other but those are just stereo type hype that our mass media sometimes project. Of course there's some trouble spots there, but it only comprises a small portion of the area, Mindanao occupies a very large land area since its the Philippines second largest island (among its 7,100 plus more) and trouble as we know it, is not exclusive to Mindanao, its everywhere.

Mindanaoans generally are gentle, hardworking, peace loving and friendly people (did I mention beautiful, I should know this, since I'm married to one), communication is not a problem, although they speak in cebuano, ilonggo and other native dialects, most of them can speak and understand tagalog and english. During my stay there I've learned to understand their dialect, although not that fluent, still, its enough for me not to get lost and be sold to slave traders , I'm just kidding, they don't exist there and I told you they're a bunch of nice people.

After staying there for more than a year, I can now say that all my apprehensions are gone, the perception has changed and my stay there will be life long experience I will not forget.

"I'm turning japanese, I'm turning japanese, well I think so"

Why the song Turning Japanese? Well, I like the song.

BLACK SAMBO RECIPE- Made Easy

I just want to share this simple recipe

BLACK SAMBO

First Layer:
1 cup water
2 sachet powdered unflavored gelatin(Knox)
1 big can condensed milk
1 big Nestle Cream

Second Layer:
1cup water
2 sachet powdered unflavored gelatin(Knox)
1 big can evaporated milk
1 cup cocoa powder
1 cup white sugar

Direction:
For the first layer, mix all ingredients then cook over low heat. Pour in a mold, let it cool while preparing the second layer.For the second layer follow the first procedure then pour it on the same mold to make two layers. Let it cool before putting it in refrigerator.

BLOG WRITING 101

I have a secret that most people around me doesn't know, I always wanted to write, I want to be a writer.

It's my secret passion and perhaps my frustration. I love reading literary works like novels (even romantic ones), essays, anecdotes, biographies, even jokes. I always wonder how those writers manage to put those ideas into paper and how they manage to make it seems that you are part of the story. While reading, you imagined yourself as the hero, the heroine and even the anti-hero. They also make you feel that you already been to places where in your actual petty life never been to.

I wanted to know what makes them tick, is it, maybe they were born with it and or maybe they trained to be a writer or perhaps its just practice like what I'm doing right now. I always admired those guys and wanted to be like them and at any rate I will not stop until I reach that goal. As they say practice makes perfect, well almost, you also need to put your heart into it.

Don't be afraid to ask for guidance for those who knows the craft. Most of all if you really want to be a good writer that inspire other people, be your own good self and write only about things that makes you and other people happy.

HEY, I'M A BLOGGER

I'm a BLOGGER, but you what? A few days ago I don't have a slightest idea on what is a BLOG and what BLOGGING is all about.

Actually I'm here because I was invited by a friendster friend of mine, asking me if I want to earn extra money while doing something that I like most i.e. spending time on computers. I got curious and now, I'm here writing my very first article (as if I really know how to write) and hoping that someone will read it so that I can now receive my very first check (wishfull).

They say that you don't have to be writer to do this thing (Blogging), just think of it as your own diary or perhaps your journal or maybe your bulletin board. In your Blog you may post anything, a story, an anecdote or an opinion or two on issues that you like. You may also post helpful tips or guide for others to follow. Even trivial things, hobbies or jokes for everybody to enjoy.You just have to be yourself and express what you feel.

Now I know why a lot people are enjoying this, it's fun, you can say anything you want, yes anything and it will reach a lot of people across the globe. Money is just secondary as long as you love what you are doing. YES!!! WELCOME TO MY WORLD! WELCOME TO MY BLOG SITE my very first. And guess what? I'M A BLOGGER.

COFFEE BREAK "it warms your soul"

Are you a coffee drinker? Well I am, I can say that I'm a coffee lover and I cannot start my day without a nice cup of coffee.

My kind of coffee...

My kind of coffee differs depending on my mood, there were times that I like it strong, with very little sugar, especially during the morning after a night out with my buddies. But most of the time I like it sweet and creamy, I have my exact measurement for my favorite blend. For a cup of coffee, I put 1 1/2 teaspoon of brown sugar plus 2 teaspoon of coffee creamer.

A fine way to drink...

Actually I do have a ritual when it comes to drinking coffee, first, I don't stir it for more than five times so as not to change the temperature and second, before drinking it I will wait for at least 30 seconds before taking my first sip. I will just smell the aroma of the coffee for the whole 30 seconds of it, then slowly sipping it and letting it stay in my mouth for awhile before swallowing it. I recommend this way of drinking, its good and my recipe, well it depends on you, because I know some of us are afraid of sugar, its just that I have a sweet tooth.

What do I get?

Some experts says that drinking coffee is not really that bad, it speed up your metabolism which is good for those people whose trying to loose weight (just watch out the sugar) and it got anti-oxidants that removes the toxins from our body that causes cancer. On the negative side, well, I don't dwell on the negatives, you see when you love somebody, you only see the good side of that person and you disregard everything that is bad, Its the same way with my coffee I love drinking it so I only see the good effect. Now, If you will ask me what do I get from drinking coffee aside from keeping me awake, well, it clears my mind, it opens my thoughts and it warms my soul.