Madel's Potato Salad

On a very rare occasion, our morning class was cancelled to give way for faculty meeting. I received phone call from my classmate regarding the scenario and was directed to go straight Metro South at Trece, Cavite with Total gas station as my landmark. Then, to south bend with orange gate leads to the Castillo’s mansion. Like with built in GPS in my system, I arrived with ease.

I was welcomed with the Christmas ambiance – gigantic Christmas tree adorned with ornamentals in red, silver and greens, Christmas stockings on walls and wreath along fire place that reminded me of a childhood cold Christmas experience in Baguio City. In no time, we had photo shoot when Jen’s niece arrived that made us well entertained and invited us for a swim, which we declined for we have no swimsuit ready. We opted to invade Jen’s room and went memory lane with their family album – we shared laughter and listened as Jen reminisce stories behind each picture. We lost track of time when Jen’s ate Madel cued for lunch is served. Yum!

Ate Madel kept apologizing for the quick fix lunch for they are not prepared for our sudden invasion. In contrast, it was smorgasbord – crispy fried chicken, Alfred’s chicken barbeque, Liza’s Mango flavored iced tea and the Madel’s Potato Salad. I love to travel / visit places as I continuously discover things that are so exciting, new and make me enjoy life which I found in Madel’s Potato Salad.

This in no exaggeration – I love potatoes be it boiled, baked, mashed, fried but not raw. Last to arrive on table was the potato salad. Ate Madel, recommended trying it with cheese. In bowl, was not of typical potato salad it has chopped hard boiled egg, onions, mayonnaise and perhaps salt and pepper to taste and that’s it! Potato was well coated enough with mayonnaise that gives sudden kick of acid, chopped hard boiled egg and onions added texture, while the peppery taste brings spice and cheese for hint of saltiness. The simplicity brought extravagance into the dish that defines potato salad and nothing else. Funny is that it’s a rush quick fix meal turned into gourmet that I tried making at home.

Ingredients:

Ingredients for Madel's Potato Salad

500g potato marblets (27.00 php)

250g Lady’s Choice Mayonnaise (30.00 php)

60g chopped hard boiled egg (1 medium size) (12 php)

30g chopped onion (5 php)

Dash of Mc Cormick black ground pepper (to taste)

Dash of Mc Cormick iodized salt (to taste)

Chianti fresh grated Parmesan Cheese (for garnishing)

Direction:

Wash potato marblets and boil (skin on) over high heat until tender but not mushy. Drain, set aside and allow to cool down

     Boil egg. Once cooked, peel off skin and chop. Set aside

    Chop onion, set aside.

1  In a bowl, combine boiled potatoes, chopped onion and egg. Toss well

1  Add mayonnaise and toss until potatoes are well coated. Add salt and pepper to taste

1 Garnish with Parmesan cheese and serve.

 Note: Best served with crispy fried chicken...Next time Alfred's Juicy Hotdog!

Ruby's Cupcakes

I happened to attend a kid’s birthday party in Sucat, Paranaque. Aside from the celebrant’s fairy costume with matching pair of wings another caught my attention was that of cupcakes surrounding the birthday cake – sprinkled with colourful star sugar candies over white tempting cream. I thought it was part of promo package which later I learned was homemade from one of the guest.

Cupcakes were of simplicity that screams of homemade quality and I promised myself to fight over and grab at least a cup to satisfy my craving. Luckily, like heaven heard my plea and alms for piece of bread, the host handed me the coveted cupcake. The base was made of moist chocolate cake, topped with generous amount of cream and adorable sprinkle of colours. Surprisingly, it was not that sweet to torture one of sugar guilt, the chocolate flavour was distinct, while, the cream was of smooth texture that does effectively its job to compliment well with chocolate base cake. I wish to have one more but as I look over the table it was ransacked leaving the area cleared of even crumbs for evidences.

I had the chance to chat with the creator of the said cupcakes – her name is Ruby Ann Camposano (or Ruby), a graduate of Food Technology and had worked with Restaurant specializing with Cakes and currently employed in a food manufacturing. I had learned that pastries (cakes in particular) are her forte and had been creating cakes for family, friends and brethren. She literally bakes at home when ever order comes in.  She dreams of opening her own café before she retires from work and focus on being a businesswoman. The most surprising fact I learned on that day was that cupcakes was priced at lowest 25php a piece – with the volume and quality of her work, I won’t be fascinated to see her name go far in cake business.

Ms. Ruby resides in Sucat, Paranaque. You can text her at 09177519478

Taal Lake - Volcano Island

Month of August comes Research day at DLSU-D for graduate school and prompt panic as mid-term exams follows sequential of events. For our Environmental Toxicology class, we are tasked to invade Taal Lake and conduct biological, water and soil analysis. As scope, this blog entails my journey and strings of experience I had at Taal Lake, while, limitation – to exclude results and discussion of our experiments.

Saturday morning as PAGASA predicted, typhoon Gener should have left the country. However, heavy rain and wind made one think that Gener had “fun in the Philippines” and decided to extend its stay. At 6 am, we are summoned in Dasmariñas, Cavite ground and were loaded in one van together with our paraphernalia, boxful of Gardenia breads and array of sandwich spreads. We left quarter before seven and took Silang Route to Tagaytay, then Sungay down to “Kay Liling Resort and Spa” for our pit stop.

Tagaytay City is the vantage point to Taal Lake and Volcano. There are several means and ways to reach Tagaytay – a 2 hours drive from Metro Manila, it can be reached via Coastal Road (Aguinaldo Highway) or South Luzon Expressway, take the Carmona Exit and drive down through Governor’s Drive and turn to Maguyam, Silang up to the entrance of Tagaytay City or through Sta. Rosa exit going straight to Tagaytay City.    Public buses are also available, with terminal station in Pasay City ply Tagaytay route. BLTB buses bound for Nasugbu or Balayan and Batangas passes Aguinaldo Highway in Tagaytay.

We arrived at Kay Liling resort and spa at quarter past 8 and had short brief discussion about the experiment over complimentary brewed coffee. My group was tasked to do Soil Analysis and sampling sites includes shorelines, soil at Taal Volcano Island and somewhere near the lake. Taal Volcano Island – tagged as “a volcano within a lake within a volcano” This makes Taal Volcano unique for the fact that the volcano itself forms an island that has a lake of its own inside its crater, the top point is the perfect spot to view “Crater Lake”.

The volcano island can be reached by taking a half-hour boat ride from practically any town on the shores of Taal Lake. The popular jump off point is from the town of Talisya. As per Municipal Ordinance No. 13-2006 Boat ride (maximum of 6 passengers) charges at 1,500.00 php, tourist fee of 50.00 php, tour guide fee of 500.00 php and horse back ride (if you opted not to walk) at 450.00 php. Economic dimension of Sustainability, locals grabs opportunity to sell rain coats, bottled water, energy drinks, coconut juice and souvenirs doubled the price. We choose 1-hour hike and accepted the fact of getting dirty and wet (literally its horse shit everywhere).

The hike was an intense cardio work out and effort not to step on horse poop was added challenge. For the first time I thanked heaven for the heavy rain as it cool down my system and washes out my sweat. I was physically worn out but along the way the sight was overwhelming and enriching to ones mind.  We encountered tourist from different continents but mostly Koreans, soil transformations, rock formations and experiences that made me appreciate taking Environmental Science.

Reaching top view point was divine. Burned calories were paid off with the magnificent view of Crater Lake – picturesque, serene and portrait as I described it. Still luscious emerald green of lake, red brick colored crater lined with backdrop of sky, islands of greens was like a postcard taken from the book “Mist of Avalon”, but looking beyond on southern part, was a dismay sight of fish pens and cages over crowding the lake that reminded me of the horrible fish kill that happened late last year. Day dreaming was interrupted as a lady approached and vends us to make a wish by throwing golf ball out in the lake for 35.00 php /ball. As per local, it was introduced by Koreans and wishes do come true as guardians of the lake hear and grants wishes. For fun sake, my classmate and I had indulged.

Another local approached us trying to retail souvenirs but ended up lecturing us about geography. We learned that Tall Volcano and Lake are wholly located in the province of Batangas. The northern half of the Volcano Island falls under the jurisdiction of the lake shore town of Talisay, and the southern half to San Nicolas. The other towns that encircle Taal Lake include Tanauan, Talisay, Laurel, Agoncillo, Santa Teresita, Alitagtag, Cuenca, Lipa, Balete and Mataas na Kahoy.

Note: Permanent settlement in the island is prohibited by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology or PHILVOCS, declaring the whole Volcano Island as a high-risk area and a Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ). Despite the warnings, poor families have settled on the island, risking their lives, earning a living by fishing, farming crops from the rich volcanic soil and eco-tourism.

J.Co Donuts

Yes, J.Co has finally arrived in the Philippines! With its very first store at Mall of Asia, I had experienced to line up for two hours just to acquire my two dozen donuts! The store opened a month ago and had my taste bud enjoyed J.Co’s donuts just last week when my younger sister generously slashed 350 php of her take home pay for a dozen of donuts. Boxed in bright orange, I immediately picked this creamed colored ring with generous sprinkles of shaved nuts which my sister named “alcapone” a favorite pick at J.Co. The alcopone was a treat – aesthetically it looks gourmet donut in elegant cream color; texture was a mix of soft and crunch from dough and nuts; sweetness in just right proportion both from dough and cream that makes me guilt free.

As the saying goes… every first is unforgettable! Thus, it prompt me pay visit at its store at MOA and secure myself two dozens of assortments to pamper my taste buds with the region’s favorite treat. On a Sunday evening, I arrived at J.Co quarter past eight and was amazingly surprised to see clean shelves and was informed by guard-on-duty that they run out of donuts as early as 7 pm and another batch was expected to arrive by 9 pm. So I decided to have a beef bowl on nearby store as I wait. By 9 pm patrons were already lined up, good thing is that they have number system and freebies of yogurt and frozen drinks that pacified our discomfort.

While obediently on line holding my no. 18 claim tag, I had learned a lot about J.Co as I stared and tried to read signage in store, chit chatting with my fellow customers and demanding explanation from crew on delayed donuts:

• J.Co have their dough (base donut) manufactured in Imus, Cavite and only the sprinkling, coating and designing was done in store – this I learned from J.Co staff as she explained that delivery truck was stuck in traffic in Cavite.
• J.Co’s logo is not the female “clit” but of a peacock!- this I figured and argued with my companion as we stared on it’s logo for the longest hour

• J.Co’s donuts were reasonably priced: 230 php for half dozen; 350 for a dozen and 550php for 2 dozens in assortment

• J. Co offers not only donuts but one can chill with J. Cool Yoghurt, be delighted in the bite-sized J. Pops baby donuts, or just marvel in the rich flavor of J. Coffee
• J.Co is Asia’s finest – with stores in Bali, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Shanghai and now Manila
• J. Co’s tagline: “Enjoy it the J.Co way”
• Contact them – hotline:+6328448441; www.jcodonuts.com.ph; email: hello@jcodonuts.com.ph

Almost 11pm when I had my Alcapone, Oreo, Mr. Green tea, Strawberry sprinkles and Black forest boxed up, I wonder how long J.Co fever will last. The scenario was no longer new for me, I had lined for openings of clothing line, Health Juices and the likes but after a month or two they could not sustain the same amount of customer during opening. Like sugar glazed of Krispy Kreme and Bavarian of Dunkin Donuts; the Alcopone of J.Co will be its flag bearer for its memorable, stand out and delightful. Having a dozen of J.Co donuts as I write, I say that J.Co is something to look out for – it has innovation, it’s not complicated that you could easily decipher each donut represents, reasonable price that doesn’t intimidates and their sweetness is in right dosage that made you ask for more.