This has got to stop...

...my food obsession, that is.

Lately, I've been into chocolates. In any form -- bar, pastry, drink (hot and cold), dips, ice cream, cereal, etc. I'd have it for breakfast, am snack, lunch, pm snack, dinner and mn snack.

For some reason, I suddenly craved for dark chocolate coated raisins. I know Raisinets carry his variant, but I couldn't find it here in the country. I've asked family and friends who have travelled to look for some for me. To no avail. However, I couldn't let this craving go. So what do I do? I make my own.

Now, this is unusual. Not normal at all. Me? Concoct something? Something sweet at that! I like to cook, but I am not one who will make/bake desserts. I just don't have the patience for it. But this craving was an exemption.

To end my obsession, I suddenly find myself melting chocolate chips and bars on my make shift double boiler, dipping my raisins into the melted choco, letting it sit, chilling it and eating it! I even threw in some marshmallows in there! I must say, it did satisfy and end this crazy craving of mine. Plus, it made me a little proud of myself for churning out something I never imagined I would. Now, if only I can improve the visual appeal of this creation. How do you make the coating smooth and round like those we buy in the market?

Ah well. Moving on.

Unfortunately, this obsession resulted in gaining 5lbs within 2 weeks! Much to the dismay of my OB-GYN. Uh-oh. Not only that. I just read that one way to alleviate heartburn (which is normal in this stage of pregnancy), is to avoid chocolates. Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. I never thought avoiding chocolates can be a challenge! But, I have managed. Whew!

I think I am over my chocolate craving. However, I think it's because Krispy Kreme has taken over (which is surprising, since my school is located right abover Krispy Kreme's flagship store. it's never been a novelty for me. what with all the freebies they gave us and the numerous field trips we've taken there, and arriving in school together with their delivery van, i have grown sick of it.). Oh no.

Now, wish me luck.

Food Frenzy

I think pregnancy has unleashed the foodie in me. Not only have I become a perpetual eating machine, I can't seem to stop thinking about food! Anything about food!

Aside from wanting to eat a different cuisine everytime, watching cooking shows, getting a certain food fix and satisfying a craving, I have started obsessing about cooking, that I have started collecting/clipping recipes and sticking them on a notebook given to me 2 years back!


My very first cooking scrapbook.

This obsession have crossed-over to my computer games! I recently got myself a Cooking Mama: Cook Off Wii game! It's virtual cooking right inside my bedroom. With lots of recipes to choose from! So fun!


(Virtual) Iron Chef right in your own home :)

IT HAS BEGUN...

I've been asked if it has happened or if it's happening. I've been told it would happen. I have somehow been looking forward to it. Now, I think it's here...the food cravings! Although I think they're more obsessions than cravings. It's crazy. I not only crave for it, I search high and low to get it, I eat it everyday, every meal (if I can. basta, as often as I can), then after a week or so, I move on to the next one (depends on how frequent I eat 'em).

Allow me to share my growing list of food obsessions:

* Japanese Sweet Corn. Perfect for an afternoon snack.
* Su Zhu Chinese Restaurant (their main branch in san juan, not their mediocre stall in greenhills, promenade). I am crazy about their pork & vegetable fried rice and steamed garlic beef. Too bad their delivery does not cover our area.
* Mongolian Buffet. I've been crazy looking for a resto that offers this! Just like the old Mongolian Grill along Milelong in Makati that we used to frequent. Thanks to my hubby's Atenean godchild who frequents Sweet Inspiration, I'm able to satisfy my salivating tastbuds. Heaven!
*Starbucks Sandwich (I forget what it's called). An accidental discovery, I must say. I ran out of breakfast options at home that I thought of just getting pandesal in Starbucks across our school. (Un)fortunately, they had ran out. In a panic, I scan the other sandwiches on sight and picked the one with fillings familiar to my palate -- ham, cheese & white egg. Didn't really expect to like it, much less finish it, but oh...my...Ang sarap! And that's coming from a non-sandwich fan. Unfortunately, I've only seen this variant in their Bonifacio High Street branch.
* Hershey's Kissables. When I first tried this chocolate variant, I didn't like it (I still preferred M&Ms). Last week, though, a student gave me a pack as a Valentine gift. Somehow, I found myself opening the pack (as oppose to dumping it in the refrigerator), popping the tiny bits into my mouth until the pack was empty! Masarap pala!
* Scallops. Now this I have yet to have. I don't know where to get some that's surely clean and fresh (can't afford to have another gastroenteritis attack). If you know of any place, please, please, let me know.
* Indian Mango. I have been obsessing about this since my second month, but I hear, the season for it is delayed (must be the global warming), so I can't easily get some. But I get my fill from family and friends who know people with Indian Mango tree growing in their backyard. I can finish 5 pcs, in one sitting.
* Dayap Cake (from Chocolate Kiss). The ever elusive cake. It's always a hit and miss when I go to UP to satify my craving. Mostly misses, actually (so I settle for their Queso Chifforn). I suppose the supply can't keep up with the demand, unlike their Devil's Food Cake. I'm seriously thinking of buying a whole cake for myself.

There you go. So, if you plan to swing by our house, I would more than appreciate any of these. But hurry, as I might get tired of them soon. :)

Twisted Taste Buds

Those who know me, would know that it's very tricky to feed me. Not that I'm a food snob nor a proclaimed food expert, in fact, I eat simply. You can take me to a corner carinderia and I'll be fine. It's just that there are stuff I don't and won't eat (white meat, certain greens, dish that's sweet -- aka with pineapples, raisins, etc., but I'll eat anything with mango). See, it can be tricky, but eventually, one can get the hang of it. And if all else fails, just give me salt and rice and I'll be more than satisfied.

This was before I got pregnant. Blame it on raging hormones (yeah, blame everything on it), food that I used to love, I now hate. Imagine, I don't want to have anything to do with salty stuff. Me? Me, who my friends call "Ms. Patis" have turned my back on it! Neither can I take in anything that's sweet (save for ice cream -- which really makes one feel better, physically and emotionally). So if you want chocolates (all sorts), swing by our house and I'll gladly given 'em all to you. We have some cakes, too.

What do I eat now? Anything tasteless! Bread, crackers, rice, pasta (no sauce). Me? Eat bread? Geesh. There are moments I feel like eating something, but once I get to taste it, I don't want it anymore. It's just crazy! It's even more frustrating because I am always hungry, but can't seem to find the right food that will satisfy my constantly (I'm hungry every hour! Whereas before, I could last the day with just one meal!) grumbling tummy! So, I'd settle for bread.

I've been reading blogs about so many new restos in the Metro, heck there are several around my school, but I have no urge to explore them. Sigh.

They say I'll be out of this stage soon and that I'm going to be an eating machine soon. As for me, I just can't wait to savor anything that tastes good. Again.

Gastronomic Birthday

My birthday this year's on a Friday. We were going to be in Bangkok for the weekend (with my family), so, I didn't plan nor accept any birthday get-togethers. I must admit, the announcement of my birthday being a holiday (end of Ramadan) was anti-climactic. I had really wanted to spend that morning in school with my students, have the afternoon all to myself and leave the evening for my hubby to plan. Since it was going to be a holiday, I had a whole day of nothing planned. Little did I know that Hubby was onto something. Well, I knew something was up, and I was desperately trying to get him to spill the beans (he's bad at keeping secrets, you know), but (clap! clap! clap!), he was able to contain himself until the end of the day.

My birthday turned out to be a day of friends popping-up for breakfast, lunch, merienda and dinner! Needless to say, my tummy was filled to the rim that I could hardly move by the time we were done with dinner. Nevertheless, I had a wonderful birthday -- with friends and family around, what more could I ask for?

Here are snapshots of my gastronomic birthday celebration:

Dinner at Cantinetta (the night before my birthday) with my sis-in-law. She brought the uber dense chocolate cake from Banapple (I still have some if you like).

McDonald's breakfast (with 2 bags puto & kutsinta) at home with Myke's barkada (who are, obviously my friends, too). Naka pantulog pa'ko nyan!

Lunch at Secret Recipe with ex-Client, now super good friend, Olivia. Finally got to taste their famous super spicy Tom Yum noodle soup.

Merienda at Via Mare with my best friend, her family and our barkada Rene (Berns & Gats, I'll just see you guys in NYC!). Had Bibingka, Arroz Caldo, Tokwa't Baboy, among other things.

Dinner at La Cucina de Tita Moning with my First Wives Club Kuyug friends. Really good & sumptuous meal! From soup to dessert, yum-my!

Thank you to my hubby for a wonderful birthday. Mwah!

Pictures and story of my Birthday Weekend in Bangkok here.

Discoveries

Fresh Cherries -- call me ignorant, shallow or even pathetic, but I am raving about fresh cherries! I had a taste of them, for the first time, last weekend. They're soooo good! It tastes nothing like those preserved ones in bottles that you use to garnish a cocktail drink, nor does it taste anything like those mixed in canned fruit cocktail. It's like a mix of plum, grape & duhat. Delish! Now I wonder where they based the flavor of those psuedo cherries (including cherry-flavor cough syrup) because it's really far from the real deal. Oh, and whoever said you can "pop your cherry"? There is a pea-sized seed inside!

TimeZone Videoke Machine -- never mind that you need to swipe your card before each song. Never mind that the sound system doesn't make you sound like a pro. Never mind that you pick you songs from a song book. Never mind that they only allow a ratio of 5:1 (5 people per machine). It has High School Musical songs in it! That's good enough for me.

Cooking 101: Hard boiled eggs

I know I'm not chef material but, I am able in the kitchen. I can whip up a dish with minimal effort, follow a recipe easily or even invent my own dish. Although I admit I don't like baking (because it's very precise), I am really not a stranger in the kitchen.

However, last night, I discovered, I don't know how to boil egg! Yes. Embarassing as it may be, I don't know how. My goodness!

I needed boiled eggs to garnish a noodle dish. I threw in 3 eggs in a pan with water and let it boil. I don't know how many minutes passed, seemed like more than 5 minutes, when I checked, the water was boiling and one of the eggs' shell had cracked. So I figured, the eggs had been boiled.

I drenched the eggs with tap water to cool it down, peeled the shell off, and horror of horrors (!!!), this is how all three looked.

Since I can't use soft boiled eggs for my dish, I had to boil eggs again. This time, I made sure A LOT of time elapsed before I put out the fire -- even if the egg shells cracked...again!. For what seemed like forever, I let the eggs cool down and peeled them. Thank goodness, they were boiled. Whew! (For a while there, I thought it'll end up over boiled --if there is such a thing.)

While hubby and I enjoyed our dinner last night (Mee Siam! Yum! Yum!), I still don't know the formula of making hard boiled eggs! Can somebody please tell me? I don't want to eat more than one soft boiled egg for breakfast again. Or at least tell me what else I can do with soft boiled eggs aside from eating it as is.

Paying the Price

Yesterday, I saw a new (I know it's new stock because I practically enter that store everyday.)pair of swimsuit that I love! I love the color and the print. You know I am hardly, rarely attracted to printed stuff. But I fell in love with this one! So, without much ado (as if this is something I do everyday), I got my size and tried it on.

OH MY GOODNESS! I AM FAT.

I think this is the first time that I was disgusted with what I saw on the mirror of the dressing room, and I felt like crying. Really. My tummy is flabby. My thighs are the size of logs. There's fat bulging out of the swimsuit. Call it overacting, but felt awful...ugly. Fat.

Suddenly, the swimsuit I love, didn't look so lovely anymore. I stared at my face (not my body, because I couldn't stand it) and asked myself "What the hell happened?". And my alter ego was quick to reply with run down of what I've been eating.

TABA NG TALANGKA. I've been eating this with anything and everything. There are even times this is the only thing I eat.

CHICKEN CHICHARON. I eat this like I eat my chips -- I snack on it non-stop in one sitting.

TABA. ANYTHING WITH TABA. Liempo. Crispy Pata. Beef tapa (yes with the taba).

To top it all off, I always have to have a bar of chocolate after or in between eating these utmost sinful yet oh-so-good food.

That's it! Enough sinful treats. I am going to add these to my lenten sacrifice of "no soda" and get myself back in shape in time for summer.

I still bought the swimsuit (after a night of thinking about it). I suppose to motivate myself to lose weight and make sure I would look good when I wear it.

Pigging Out Weekend (an overdue post, i know)

We usually go out of town during long weekends. For this year's independence day weekend though, we didn't plan anything. We, however wanted to do something than just stay home or go to the mall. Little did I know that it will be an eating frenzy.

I've been on a strict no rice-no soda-no dessert diet for 2 weeks now. And this weekend just ruined it.

Friday. Red Box.

In between songs were spoonfull feedings of sisig and crispy pata. And how can you eat those without rice?!!

Saturday. Lunch. Kids At Work, Gateway Mall.

Children's party serving KFC Fried Chicken and ONLY soda for drinks.

Saturday. Dinner. At home.

Finished one whole fish by myself with I don't know how many cups of rice and finished it off with chocolate chip cookies.

Sunday. Lunch. Banana Leaf Curry, Power Plant.

One whole Roti Canai, some noodles and shrimp.

Sunday. Dinner. My in-laws' home.

A despedida feast for my father-in-law which I capped-off with a cup of hot chocolate.

Monday. Breakfast. Breakfast at Antonio's,Tagaytay.

I don't eat breakfast but I had 2 scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese, potatoes and a HUGE schublig.

Monday. Lunch. Sonya's Garden, Tagaytay.

Oh, you know how much food they serve over there.

Monday. Dinner. Salcedo Village, Makati.

Birthday party with food prepared by an awesome chef (love them non showbiz, non commercial chefs)-- thai curry shrimp, steak, steamed fish, chocolate fondue and glasses and glasses of soda.

I think I have enough food in my system to last me for the next 2 weeks! Oh, you might be wondering why the non-food related pictures. I purposely did that to remember the good company I was with, rather than all the food I ate.

Now, if you'll excuse me, gotta shed off the pounds I (re)gained.

Tidbits

Finally got to see Rent the movie! I am such a huge fan of the musical -- I watched it 5 times on stage, I memorize most of the songs, I know most of the lines! So imagine my excitement when they announced the movie version (I almost watched it in Singapore in the fear that they won't show it here in the Philippines!). I was not disappointed at all. I couldn't help but sing in the movie house. I loved it, like I did the first time I saw it. I clapped at the end of the film. Of course, Angel is such a darling. I just love her. I can't wait to see it on Broadway and watch Jai Rodriguez as Angel.

***

The other night, I swam with ear plugs on. Not that I have a problem with water getting into my ear while swimming, but I just wanted to see how it would feel like. It really blocks water entering your ear, but what I like about it is that it drowns out all the noise around (including the splashing of fellow swimmers), letting you concentrate and focus more on your exercise. I should get my own (those were my hubby's, hehe). And maybe I should get a swim cap, too (my hair is too long already, it gets in the way. Or maybe I should just get a haircut...)

***

I gained weight (eek!). And I blame it on this. I can't wait for my next shipment.

***

Finally got to go to Plantation Bay and contrary to popular belief, it is not expensive at all. Okay, okay, it's not cheap but the place and the experience is well-worth every penny you spend. Check out their website and I can attest that they definitely have truth in their advertising (I'll blog more about this place and other beaches next).

***

Just found out that Rotiboy in Singapore closed down (all branches!)! And I was looking forward to Myke bringing some home last weekend! WHY?!!! It is by far the best bun I have ever tasted! I swear, my mouth is watering just thinking of its buttery goodness! Oh well, when we just go to Malaysia then.

***

If you see me on YM, you would know that I'm back in the advertising world. Temporarily. I was hired as a consultant for a month and a half. I figured, since our house is fixed, we have house help already, I might as well do something with my time as I wait for that teaching job (which i will hopefully get in time for the next school year). And I must say, it is a VERY lucrative racket. Of course you don't get benefits, but that is well compensated, believe me.

***

This corporate stint is making me miss wearing my flip-flops, smoke more often, skip lunch again and most of all wake up early!

***

It's been a month since I requested for certified true copies of our marriage contract and until now it's not available yet. How inefficient can NSO get?! Now, I cannot have my name officially changed, can't open a joint account with my hubby and getting confused with what name to use. Even the renewal of my passport is pending! Augh!

***

I really, really want to buy a new camera, but I'm getting myself a new PC and broadband internet first. Sigh. Hopefully, I get to purchase it before we travel.

***

I can't wait for Easter, when I'll be able to start drinking soda again! No colored drinks is usually my Lenten sacrifice and believe me, IT IS a sacrifice because I am a Coke addict. Plus with the summer heat, who wouldn't want to sip into a glass of refreshing fruit shake?!

***

We felt so bad we ran out of tickets when it was staged. Thank goodness Zsa-Zsa Zaturnnah (Ze Muzical) is having a re-run! And we grabbed our tickets the day it hit the ticket stands.

***

Pardon the disorganized thought-flow. I'm just taking a break. Alright, I better go back to work.

My Sweet Tooth

Along with my impacted wisdom teeth, my sweet tooth had just started to erupt.

I have never been fond of desserts. I'd only eat desserts when they were offered and be picky about accepting them. I'd occasionally look for them if only to wash out the taste of my meal . But I've never been one to be suspected as having a sweet tooth.

But, lately I've started to change. And I tried to pinpoint where it all started, and I can only blame it on my officemates who always, always have something sweet after lunch and merienda! And unknowingly, slowly, and surely, I think I got sucked into the same habit.

So, here I am constantly craving for dessert! Gasp! Not only that! I also have acquired a list of favorite sweet stuff that I CANNOT say no to! Oh dear.

And here are my new found friends...

Caramel Cake
Not exactly a new one. Even as a kid, I had always preferred caramel cakes over chocolate. My all-time favorite, of course, is Hizon's caramel cake (Just an aside, I am now related to them by affinity, so the cake now comes to me!)! But, as this sweet tooth of mine started acting up, I've been in hot pursuit of other caramel cake makers, and what do you know, I found some!

• Ensaymada Factory. Their cake is a simple sponge cake (I think it's angel cake. You have to pardon me because I am no baker.). But the thick caramel-custard (I don't really know) is what makes it extra special. I have no idea what goes into that it, but it sure is heavenly! Call 895-9476 to order. You might want to try out their very sinful yema rolls and Canonigo.
• Estrel's. Because of it's distance (you need to pick up this cake from QC!), it took me months from the time it was recommended to me, to finally order and try it out. It tastes just okay for me. Don't get me wrong, those people I got to share it with liked it! It's just that the level of sweetness was not enough for me. But what's special about this cake is the way its decorated! It's too beautiful to eat! Best given as a gift. If anyone is celebrating his or her birthday, call 372-2965 and this cake will surely make his or her day.
• Costa Brava. Yet another one that you need to order and pick-up. It tastes like Estrel's but with no frills decoration. Nice thing about this though is it's in the heart of Makati! If you're interested, call 896-1267.

If you know of any other good caramel cakes out there, do let me know.

Figaro's Chocolate Cake
My boss and I decided to have coffee after a draining meeting. He's the type who needs to have dessert with his coffee (not the other way around). So he ordered this small cake and had the waiter heat it a bit. When it was served on our table, it smelled so good that just I had to taste it! The moment I put the tiny piece in my mouth, all I could say was "Oh...my...god!!!" After that day, I think I ate this cake every single day for an entire week!

Divine Desserts
This bakeshop is a pleasant discovery. Myke and I actually drive by this shop almost everyday but we never really took notice of it. Until my officemate brought leftovers of what he called a Blackout cake, sharing it with us, promising that the cake is a real winner. And yes, it was! Very moist and tasty, with the right level of sweetness (reminds me of the chocolate cake from Shell Magallanes). Then one time they had this cake called Caramel Fudge and because it said "caramel" I decided to give it a try! And this is definitely more of a winner than the Blackout cake! It literally melts in your mouth! YUM-MY! This place is located along Katipunan Road, near White Plains. You might want to call first before dropping by because they only bake a few for walk-in customers (proof that their cakes are all freshly baked). Their number is: 913-9875

Cadbury's Three Wishes
I like chocolate. But only milk chocolate. I don't eat white (too sweet) and dark (too bitter), and you can never make me. Until one of my officemates (told you I have them to blame for these sweet cravings of mine) offered me this really addicting bar of chocolate which I thought was milk chocolate only to find out (after consuming half the bar, because I only saw the top layer) that it actually has milk chocolate as its top layer, white for the middle layer and dark for the bottom layer! I was surprised because I didn't taste the sweetness of white and bitterness of dark. I thought the white and dark layers were fake (colored milk chocolate, I mean), so I took the layers apart and on their own, and found that they did taste like they're supposed to taste. But put together, it's chocolatey, creamy with the right level of sweetness. I rarely see this variant, but do look out for them on your next visit to the grocery or Watson's.

dippin' dots
If I remember correctly, the first and last time I had this was way back in college. I wasn't really impressed by it and never tried it again. Recently though, while in Eastwood I wanted to eat something refreshing and a dippin' dots' stall was in front of me! So, I bought a small cup and boy did it hit the spot. I wonder why I didn't feel this sensation before, but it was like eating flavored ice!

Teazann's Souffle

I have always liked souffle's but never had the patience to wait for for them to be made. Recently, Myke and I were in Metrowalk and wanted to indulge ourselves in some stress-eating binge (and I suggested Teazan as I remember that they had good food based on the few times I ate in their Valero branch). Stupid me, couldn't remember what I ordered before so we tried out what looked good in the menu. Much to our disappointment, it wasn't as good as we expected, so in the middle of our meal, I decided to order a souffle, hoping that by the time we were finished with our meal, it would be ready. But, we had to wait for a few minutes (that seemed like forever). And voila! It was worth the wait! And worth the price too (only P195, but 3-4 people can share)! I can't wait to have some of this again!

There you go. Hopefully this list won't grow any longer! : )

Beat the Heat!

It’s the height of summer and wouldn’t it be nice to just jump into the water and stay there? That would just be perfect, wouldn’t it? But if a suitable body of water is not within immediate reach, here are some refreshments to beat the scourging summer heat.

(I’m no foodie; so don’t expect any explanations on how each ingredient contributes to the taste of each item. This is my subjective list of perfect-for-summer treats.)

Razon’s halo-halo
Don’t be deceived by the boring look of this halo-halo. With only 4 ingredients (macapuno, sweetened beans and saging na saba, and leche flan) mixed with finely shaved ice and carabao’s milk, Razon’s halo-halo can truly refresh with its creamy taste (You may also indulge in other yummy halo-halo versions from Digman’s, Little Quiapo, Chowking or even your nearby neighborhood halo-halo stand.). I like my food simple, with no-frills that’s why I love this halo-halo! Indulge in a serving for only P55 at any of their branches: Ortigas Ave. in Pasig, Jupiter St. in Makati, Food Court of Robinsons Galleria or their branches in Pampanga (there might be more branches that I’m not aware of).

Fuzion Fruit Shakes
Summer or not, these shakes are a true delight. This no-sugar, no-ice fresh fruit shakes can hit the spot any time of the day. You have a choice of a blend of 2 or 3 fruits, with or without yogurt for less than P100. Drop by when you’re in Robinsons Galleria or Podium (soon to open in Greenhills and Eastwood) and while you’re there, you might want to try their very affordable pastas and wraps.

Ice Monster
A re-invention of halo-halo, I must say. Ice monster’s snowflake like shaved ice topped with your choice of fresh fruit and syrup, (plus some extra toppings like ice cream, sago or corn flakes) can give you that refreshingly ice-cold sensation with every spoonful for as low as P75. Try my all-time favorite mix, mango-sago! There should be an Ice Monster stand near you as they seem to be popping up all over the place.

Ice Cream
I’m not a dessert person, but I can’t say no to ice cream. Probably the one dessert that can satisfy almost anyone – variety of flavors, comes in different forms, can get in from almost any resto or street! I especially love Fruits in Ice Cream (FIC) and the “dirty ice cream” from UP and lately, I’ve been craving for Nestle Twin Popsies.

Water, water, water
Yup, re-hydration is the best way to beat the heat! Do carry a bottle with you always or put it in those really funky water jars to keep it cold. Just make sure you’re drinking safe, potable water.

That’s it. That should help you continue to have fun and enjoy summah!