then it was a green cake.

I have this theory about kids, give them what they want  now (if they’re not your kids) because you can’t afford what they want in just a few years.  For now, Youngest Nephew is happy with a Chinese-made, battery operated helicopter with lights, moving rotors, and sounds.  Cheap.  His older brother is happy with a real flashlight, “like a security guard’s” and a step trashcan – I got him both for his birthday last September.  He was happy.

Back to the cakes.  The first cake is a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting.  It’s a very basic recipe, very simply iced so I put these sugar decors I got from Goldilocks bakeshop previously.  It’s not perfect but when you light the candles on that cake, any 3-year old will be so happy, the imperfections won’t matter.

The second cake is a Mr. Bean car cake.  It’s supposed to be a Austin mini, complete with the padlock (badlock as my nephews call it, “to keep the bad men out”).  Youngest Nephew and his older brother aren’t the only ones in our family crazy about Mr. Bean, so is Spouse and Eldest Brother-in-Law.  This car cake was a big hit I have to say.

When the nephew told me about the green cake wish, I immediately thought of making this.  That was a couple of weeks before the birthday so I made plans, none of which I did.  I settled for a butter cake recipe, never tested but easy enough.  Then a couple of days before the birthday, I had the cakes sitting in my refrigerator and I didn’t start on it. I was stressing over it.  All I thought then was thank goodness I didn’t let on with the nephew about my plans because he was going to be soooo disappointed.   Spouse eventually told me it didn’t matter if the cake was not perfect.  He said so long as it vaguely resembled a car, any 3 and 4-year old will be happy…unlike their 40-something OC aunt I might add.  That made it easier for me to do the task.  It took time but it got done.  I started decorating the cake the morning of the  birthday, at 1:00 am.  I crawled out of bed wide awake with images of ways and tricks for decorating the cake.  So I worked like those little elves working for the shoemaker and was done in a couple of hours.

It’s not perfect.  But for a very non-artistic person’s efforts, it’s not half-bad.  My talents are not artistic at all, they lay somewhere else.  I’ll tell you where when I find out.

So I got a huge surprise when we opened our car door to show the kids what was in there, and they both screamed, “Mr. Bean car!!” – I have to say, it was all worth it.  Even when they were disappointed that the cookie wheels came off because they were trying to make it move, I was delighted.  They didn’t even think the car was a cake!

When it finally sank in that it was a cake, they very gingerly put their little fingers to that buttercream frosting and made a happy mess of it.

Recipes to follow…

Here’s the round-up for Lasang Pinoy’s 20^th Edition for the month of August titled, “Binalot – All Wrapped Up!” Thank you to everyone who took time off from their busy lives and sent in a contribution for this LP edition. We covered appetizers to dessert like we all planned it! I hope LP followers will enjoy this round-up as much as the host did.

From Cia in New York City where she writes her blog called, Writing With My Mouth Full, we have two entries featuring delectable Philippine-inspired fish dishes with a twist. She uses herbs like basil, rosemary and thyme not normally used in traditional Philippine cooking, a definite must-try for cooking enthusiasts. Her first entry is Pinangat na Isda or Bluefish in Tomatoes cooked the French-binalot way, en Papilotte or wrapped in paper.

Her next featured dish is Ginataang Isda or Fish in Coconut Milk wrapped in banana leaves. The fish is cooked with not only the usual garlic, onions and chili but also basil, cilantro and parsley. Can you imagine all those flavors in your Ginataang Isda? I can and I think we’re having this on our dinner table soon.

And from another Filipino food blogger writing from the Philippines, Mark of No Special Effects here’s the luscious-looking “La Pinay” . It’s a chocolate crepe filled with delectable mangoes slathered with everyone’s favorite bread-spread and more, Nutella. It’s served over more mangoes and topped with mango ice cream. It’s a beautiful wrapped dessert that will make you forget any diet you’re currently on.

Despite her very busy schedule in China, Lasang Pinoy pioneer Iska Montero of Iskandals comes up with every Pinoy’s favorite appetizer, Lumpiang Shanghai. We all have our different recipes for this meat spring roll but Iska has gone one step further and features her own way of wrapping it. You have to check it out. It’s priceless with the step-by-step photographs.

And from the US Midwest, Filipino Food Lovers blog author Robert has been busy wrapping his fish in newspaper! It’s a very novel way to cook and serve Paksiw na Isda. Curious? Go then, see what Robert’s been up to…

From the opposite side of the Atlantic, Celia of English Patis has come up with a great recipe for Lumpiang Sariwa or Fresh Spring Rolls. She includes the wrapper recipe with some tips to make it even better. This is probably the best recipe I’ve seen online and will have to try it myself.

Philippine-based Anne of Kitchen Conjugations prepares Laing, a national favorite every Filipino in every corner of the world has probably endeavored to reproduce. Laing is a spicy stew of taro leaves with coconut milk which Anne presents all wrapped up and looking hot!

Marvin of Burnt Lumpia in California came up with a great turon idea that’s bound to be a hit. It’s a Banana Foster wrapped in banana leaves, flambed and served with macapuno ice cream. Just roll that idea around in your head a minute…great idea, don’t you think? I was hoping someone would do a turon recipe and this one exceeded all expectations.

From California we move on to Cavite where Kai of the Bucaio blog writes from, we have the Pinoy gourmet breakfast item Kasilyo, more commonly called Kesong Puti. The freshly made cheese is wrapped in fresh banana leaves. Kai also gives great suggestions for incorporating this local cheese to various recipes.

Kaoko, also in the Philippines, writes from her blog called Kitchen Cow. In my opinion, this is one of the most visually-stimulating Filipino food blogs around. For this Binalot edition, she shares with us her family’s recipe for Lumpiang Shanghai.

Kaoko came up with still another spring roll recipe for us just before we published. You’ll be glad she did because this is another very popular Filipino dish to those who are familiar with Philippine cuisine. It’s Lumpiang Prito or Vegetable Lumpia. This is wrapped in thin lumpia wrappers and deep-fried to a crisp. This version is thinner than usual, making it an even crisper roll.

As host of LP20, I felt obliged to come up with more than one binalot recipe just because I’m anal and for fear no one was going to participate. I should have known better. Pinoys are reliable and this LP round-up proves it. My contributions are: Ginataang Tilapia Wrapped in Bok Choy Leaves, the Bicolano dish simply called Binalot, Muruecos and Suman sa Ibos.

Please excuse me for being so predictable and boring but I’ve always wanted to say: “It’s a wrap!” – and chances are, it’s a banana leaf!

There are a myriad ways of preparing Filipino foods and a favorite is wrapping in leaves. The dish is referred to as “binalot” and while it usually means picnic lunches, Philippine cuisine does have a thousand and one recipes that uses this technique of food preparation. It gives you a peek into the Filipino’s practical nature, ingenuity, creativity and propensity to have fun – wherever and whenever.

As in most Southeast Asian countries, the most commonly used leaf is the banana leaf. The banana leaf is huge and has this thin, waxy outer layer that makes it perfect for wrapping even the sauciest of dishes. Another commonly used leaf are coconut leaves, folded and woven into all kinds of shapes and sizes.

But Filipinos don’t stop at leaves. There’s fresh bamboo cylinders, then there’s crepes and wonton wrappers which are both an influence of the Chinese population in the Philippines. Whether the wraps are thrown on the grill over hot, live coals, or perhaps boiled or steamed, the wraps leaves its own distinct aromas and flavors to the dishes encased within. The experience of unwrapping while all the steamy goodness and aromas fill your nostrils is definitely half the fun.

The possibilities are just endless and instincts tell me there are more wraps out there being used for binalot recipes than we know of. It’s probably as many as the 7,100 islands of our modest archipelago in the South China Sea and the Pacific.

Perhaps you’d like to feature the technique of folding and wrapping, that will definitely be interesting to readers from all over. Or maybe you have the best recipe for lumpia wrappers or your very own Philippine-inspired wrapped concoction using your own wrapper idea, that’s certainly welcome.

Whichever you choose to write about in your blog or someone else’s blog (this one included), Lasang Pinoy only requires that you submit your entries to the current host or the Lasang Pinoy team with your name, blog name and the link to your entry. For quick identification, title your emails, LP20: Binalot, and please use the icon shown here on your blog entries. As always, our icon for this month was creatively designed by Iska Montero and Mike Mina – maraming, maraming salamat! Thanks to everyone at Lasang Pinoy for your support too!

For this August edition, entries will be accepted starting today through the 1st of August 2007. Unless the host gets all wrapped up in some unforeseen circumstances, we hope to release the round-up within the first week of August…then we’ll call it a wrap!

Let’s get rolling and wrapping!

Eurobake has been around a very long time. This bakeshop made its name with two well-known products: Inipit and Malolos Ensaymada. Even when they didn’t have a Metro Manila outlet, people braved the horrific traffic and flocked to the nearby province of Bulacan for these two goodies. Are they worth it? Absolutely.

An uncle on my mother’s side married a Bulakenya and she introduced the family a long time ago to this shop’s goodies. Like every good daughter-in-law, she brought my Lola Blanca a regular stash every so often.

Spouse and I were there the other week and managed to rack up quite a bill. I just meant to get the Inipit but they also had Cashew Tarts, the Pastillas de Leche made with carabao milk and the Turrones de Casuy in the small, unbranded white tin can that it always came in…and then there was the Malolos Ensaymada. Did you know they now sell Sasa Vinegar? Well…I got a bottle of that too….and some other things.

Then of course, this week…off we went again. I hauled my two little nephews and my mom with us…with the excuse of going to the garden centers nearby. I did too! But this week I was good. I just got another box of the Inipit that the little ones love and call little cakes…and yes, another Malolos Ensaymada…love those ensaymadas that I didn’t have to bake myself in the sweltering heat of the kitchen!

We are so lucky to have these ladies bringing us fresh produce 6 days a week at our place. They come all the way from another province about an hour’s drive from where we live. They have a bicycle cart with a large colorful umbrella strapped onto it and peddle vegetables, meats, fish and seafood – actually anything you want that can be found at a wet market. But they don’t just peddle, they have their regulars and unless you’re a regular, they won’t bother to ring your bell or even pass your street.

My mother has been a regular and very loyal customer for years now so they obliged her and started dropping by at our place. Well, not at first. For all my food needs until a couple of months ago, I would still have to go to the SM Mall about a 10-minute snail’s pace drive from our house. But when they did stop by and I started ordering pork, beef, native sausages and even batik dresses for the summer from them, they came by more often – almost everyday in fact.

They are sisters-in-law and live in the same family compound in Nueva Ecija. They invited Spouse and I to come visit them at fiesta time at the end of May. They have a compound outside the main town they said, with a little brook at the back of the property with plenty of mango trees. I think there’s no turning that invitation down, especially since I’ve never been to that province before. Spouse and I are really looking forward to do that.
They have been serving our neighborhood for about 6-7 years now and have gotten to know a lot of the neighbors. They are also a great source of news – nothing nasty of course, they are always nice. But you do get the skinny on what house in the neighborhood is for sale and all that. In the Philippines, very few people seem to be willing to put out a sign on their yard when a house is for sale.

Apart from the convenience of having goods delivered to your doorstep the day after you order it, they also offer produce which you may have never tried before. There was this one shiny, silvery oddly-shaped fish called “sapatero” which I couldn’t remember ever having (mom said we’ve had it before though) and so I tried it and will order another batch for grilling. I’ll write about it another time and hopefully not forget to take photos.

One of my favorite things to order, aside from the garlic sausages are the cooked Rellenong Bangus (stuffed milkfish) they order from another lady in Nueva Ecija. It is just delicious and Spouse absolutely loves it. In fact, there was one time when I was away and the ladies came calling and Spouse took 2 large Rellenos – which I never would have taken! Between the two of us, we can finish up a whole medium-sized relleno in one sitting. So the two large stuffed fish was just too much for the two of us. I took it to my mom’s and she confirmed it tasted great. It also keeps very well in the freezer. As a matter of fact, I have one medium-sized relleno waiting to be eaten as I type this.

Ooops, gotta go…my doorbell’s ringing. That must be my ladies calling!

There was a blizzard in Colorado Springs when we held this American-style barbecue for the family in Bulacan a few days after Christmas. It was surreal to be sitting in the sun and enjoying a summer barbecue while the place we just came from a month and a half ago was in the middle of a back-to-back winter blizzard.

Back to the subject of this post, I always wondered what my family in the Philippines would think of an American-style barbecue with grilled burgers, salads, boiled corn and barbecued beef ribs. It’s very different from the barbecues we are used to with Inihaw na Bangus, Inihaw na Liempo, Skewered Pork Barbecue, etc. I got to try it on them last month and am happy to report that they loved it. Fortunately, the weather cooperated too…cloudy and just a tad windy so it wasn’t too hot for an al fresco lunch.

Spouse took care of the grilling aided by the brother-in-law and my Dad. Everyone pitched in to help. Eldest Sister brought some green-leaf lettuce and a tangy tuna dressing to go with it. She also brought her yummy pork barbecue that was the best I’ve ever had. I will try to get her recipe for the marinade….it’s just too good to not feature in a future post here.

My 20-year old niece and I prepared the Caesar’s Salad and it came out even better than what I did for this blog some months back. Her croutons were perfectly done. Youngest Sister did her tangy Garlic and Cheese Dip for the chips. It was so good someone even tried it on their burger instead of mayo….ohhh, it was delicious.

What I prepared was the Feta Burgers I had featured here before. We also did a Filipino Macaroni Salad, a Nilagang Manok (Boiled Chicken) with Green Beans, Potatoes and two different cabbages, Grilled Talakitok Fish (Trevally in English) which was meant for the parents who dug into the burgers instead. We had boiled corn which was sweet enough, but not quite New Jersey corn-sweet. And for the piece de resistance – the Steaks marinated in Cattlemen’s Authentic Smokehouse Barbecue Sauce. I stuck bottles of this barbecue sauce in several boxes, anticipating a barbecue just like this with my family.

I found some good quality barbecue steaks from the Monterey counter at SM City here in Marilao. They were very reasonably priced for the cut. It was odd-shaped, but it definitely was the T-bone with the loin still attached. The only thing Spouse noticed was the unevenness of the cuts, making it difficult to grill. I hope the butchers of Monterey Beef would take their craft more seriously. I also think since the company is owned by the established San Miguel Coproration, they certainly can afford to train their butchers better.

The burgers were the big hit of the day though. You should have seen my niece’s eyes when she first bit into her burger! This niece is very health conscious. When she was a kid, she was obsessed with those infomercials of products that would cut down the fat in your diet. Since the burgers were ground round (sirloin was sold out)  which I personally picked for its leanness, it passed all her picky standards. She also hates cheese (go figure!) and so we didn’t let on that the burgers had feta cheese buried in the patties before it was grilled. Oh, it was deliciously creamy with that melted feta cheese oozing through the burger!

For dessert we had a No-Bake White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake served with strong, hot mugs of Papua New Guinea coffee that my mom’s neighbor had given her for Christmas. A perfect ending to a perfect lunch with the family.

Spouse and I enjoyed ourselves immensely. It was our first barbecue for my family and it was a success. In fact, we did another barbecue just a few days ago with just my parents and Youngest Sister and her two boys. We’re now planning to make it a regular Saturday activity where anyone in the family who doesn’t have much to do that day, is invited to come.

A year ago, we were in beautiful Colorado Springs staying warm indoors and heating up the kitchen with my cooking.  This year, I’m back in the tropics where I belong. My cooking activities have decreased quite a bit, not only because of the heat but also our eating so much less because of the heat…there’s also my mom who lives close by who always invites us over for meals.  Who can say no to Mama?

Thank you to everyone who came by, browsed, left a comment or just found this site by accident.  It amazes me how many people have been through here at one time or another…and from so many places, some of which I’ve never even heard of before. One time, I actually took out a map to look up where in the world the Faroe Islands is located!

Sincerely, thank you.  I feel so honored that my sometimes awkward words about  my kitchen successes and disasters, my memories and my cuisine were read.

I have been so busy after our big move from the US to the Philippines, with a million and one things on my plate, and unfortunately neglected this blog…again.  Mea culpa. 

One of my resolutions this year (aside from the recurring “to-lose-weight” resolution) is to go back to regular blogging.  How often?   I can’t say right now, I have a million and one things to get done – still!    

In the meantime, here’s a photo of my 2-year old nephew in his jammies I want to share with you.  I took him away from his mom one morning before Christmas and brought him home with me.  He looked so cute in his jammies as he plucked a Christmas ball from our tree, I just had to take the shot.  I’ve sent this photo to friends as my E-Christmas card and also posted it in our family’s Yahoo Group.   

Please accept my sincerest wishes for a Blessed, Happy and Peaceful 2007 to everyone who comes by this blog.  A Happy and Prosperous New Year to All Of You!

Spouse treated me to lunch at our favorite place in Denver, Cucina Colore.  I like this place because the food is no nonsense and always fresh, the staff is friendly and the restaurant is just so bright and contemporary I always enjoy my meals so much more. 

The first photo is the Carpaccio served with arugula, shaved grana and caper berries with a perfectly tangy vinaigrette. I never knew capers had berries so this was pretty interesting for me.  The caper berries looked almost like olives.  There were a gazillion little seeds inside the not so thick skin.  The berries were pickled and tasted pretty much like  regular capers, which are the flowers of the plant.  I thought this whole appetizer dish would make the perfect Italian sandwich….soo good! 

Spouse had the Shrimp and Scallops Pasta with Sun-Dried Toamtoes.  It looked delicious and he said it was.  I think they sun-dried their own tomatoes because they didn’t look reconstituted at all.  They were sliced, ripe tomatoes that had the sun-dried flavor so I’m thinking maybe they do a batch every so often using fresh summer tomatoes.  

I had a light pizza with  roasted red peppers (so sweet!), shavings of grana cheese, and fresh mushrooms.  I was so tired from the morning’s goings-on, I only ate a couple of slices and took half of my delicious pizza home. The glass of Pinot Grigio we had with our lunch was just the perfect thing to relax me.

Now on to the Event part of this post….you might be wondering why I placed this under the Markets, Events and Festivals Category of my blog. 

Spouse and I were in Denver last September 19 for my US citizenship ceremony held at the open-air Denver Civic Center.  It was a beautiful, perfect “Good-to-be-living-in-Colorado” kind of day.  What a surprise that there were 600 other people being sworn in as new citizens.  According to the organizers, we were from 80 different contries around the world.  How cool is that?

The well-liked mayor of Denver, John Hickinlooper was there…along with a few other guests.  The Jewish Association sponsors the event and they even handed out bottled water and cookies to everyone….much appreciated because I left the house without eating breakfast. They also had tables where you could register to vote and submit your passport applications….even have your photo taken for the passport.  So I did all that and am really looking forward to cast my first vote in this country come November!

Here’s a picture of the Filipino Sari-Sari Store in our city by the Front Range of the Colorado Rockies.? The photo shows the restaurant side of the store.  You can’t miss the cafeteria-style counter since it has that canopy over it, reminiscent of a nipa gut.

Like most Asian stores in our area, Wednesday is the day to be here.  They offer live crabs, fresh fish and fresh Asian vegetables that you normally wouldn’t get on any other day of the week.  I believe everything is flown in via Denver, probably from California. Most store owners will make the drive from Colorado Springs and have their haul ready by noontime.