Life Begins at 30

A quick trip down memory lane leads me into some of my most favorite trips during last quarter of 2009. Starting off with…. **drumroll** Switzerland.

Paragliding Trip in Grindenwald

I did chicken out…bok bok bok bok!!! but I came back another time but the weather did not cooperate… so we decided to just go up the mountains for some sightseeing before partying all night long.

Mount Pilatus on a Semi-Sunny day

As a birthday treat to myself, I decided to go for a drive to Paris… I dunno for what reasons people go, but I did simply to take pictures.  I used to wonder why people would always take pictures of the Eiffel Tower and find it rather romantic despite its very massive masculine exterior, but when I saw it at night, my jaw literally dropped… as if all my doubts instantly disappeared.  I was just mesmerized by its beauty… it’s like a giant wand that really made my heart skip a beat. I was in awe at its beauty, I was left without words.  So enjoy my short 18 hr stint in Paris… perhaps I will be back again soon.

Eiffel Tower at Night

It is a pity that I didn’t manage to capture so much of the fall colors in my trips but I had a really great time exploring European cities this year.  But I created a whole lot of memories… new friendships formed… and great experiences, unfolding one after another.  What better way to end the year than with a big thank you to the people who made all that possible.  Snaps from the company’s annual dinner – a toast to a great year, even better years ahead… and of course, beautiful people! (don’t forget to click on the photo below to see the full album)

Cheers to beautiful people in black!

As the commotion seems to die down… it is time for the holidays. Spent my holidays reuniting with family and friends in the US. One heck of an experience… truly unforgettable!!!

First Stop: Los Angeles, California

A day in Universal Studios with Ejong

Next Stop: San Diego with Jeof and Mie

Shamu Day in SeaWorld

Next Stop: Everywhere in LA… Hollywood Blvd, Rodeo Drive, Chinatown, City of Angels Church, Disney Concert Hall, Santa Monica, Santa Barbara…

Me and Nathan with Bumblebee!

Oh… a trip to LA won’t be complete with out a quick Vegas weekend!!!

Las Vegas, baby!

Of course, who would miss Hoover Dam…

I so heart Hoover Dam!

Post Christmas,  I flew to the midwest to spend the New Year with the sisters!

Exploring the midwest with the sisters!

Good bye 2009!!! Kickstarting 2010 in Chicago to reunite with my gorgeous friends!!!

The EAI girls conquer the Windy City

And finally the last leg of the trip came… reuniting with Reycia and Donna, Mitch and Ejong in NYC!!!

NYC at Night

Saturday seemed like a long night of phone calls,  Sex in the City marathon with the girls, over a bottle of Italian red wine, chips  and cheese.  The wine that our dear sister Xing brought on Saturday night was a Primitivo, the kind that could knock you off completely. I know, because I couldn’t drive her home after finishing the bottle.  While it has this effect on most people, it usually has a very different effect on me – it keeps me unusually wide awake but not sober! So while everyone decided to crawl into their pyjamas, I was up and about. I spent the rest of the evening(morning) browsing, blogging and bugging my friend on YM, who was also working the evening shift for a big launch.

Finally, at 5am I dozed off to dreamland. I slept like a baby and woke up half past 1PM on Sunday to find the house empty and my iPhone dead. I hurriedly charged it up and unlocked the SIM to find several SMS’s, a couple of  missed calls and 3 voicemails.  Yes, I was dead to the world for the entire morning.

After returning a few calls, I dragged myself out of bed to start my day with some warm lunch.  I whipped up Nido Oriental soup (which was supposedly Chinese though my Chinese friend doesn’t know what it is), warmed up some rice left over from the Kimchi dinner the previous night,  and pan-grilled Spam slices for a late lunch with Xing.  Sunday  did not actually go by in a blur for me.  Though I never managed to step outside the house,  a lot of things happened to me today that really kept my spirit at an all time high.

Sunday is my Italian Day. Starting off with a long overdue surprise from Giuliana – I learned how to prepare proper Italian Espresso with a proper espresso machine and really really good coffee beans from Bari! Here, here, look! My verdict – mmmm lekker!!!

My Bialetti and Saicaf

After coffee, I had a hair dyeing session with my Italian colorist…and by 5pm, I felt like a new person wearing slightly red locks!

In the evening, we decided to do some knowledge exchange in the kitchen!  Giuliana schooled us on the right way of preparing Lasagna – the Italian Way! I was happy to be her assistant! I love Italian food!!!

Homemade Italian Lasagna by Giuliana

And finally, I showed Xing and Giuliana how to bake my popular Chewy Moist brownies. Buon appetito!

Chewy Moist Brownies met Slagroom

I am not exactly sure if Kaldereta is a Filipino original, but for sure it is a classic dish that is never missing in most Filipino feasts. It is a dish that uses tender cuts of beef as its main ingredient, stewed with carrots, potatoes, peas and tomato sauce. In some parts of the Philippines, it comes with goat meat (kambing) instead of beef. I find kaldereta to be one of the easiest dishes to cook. The secret is to make the meat really tender without breaking off. Here’s to share my version of the Spanish-inspired Filipino dish called Kaldereta (Beef Stew).

Beef Kaldereta

Beef Kaldereta

Ingredients:
1 kilo beef, cut into cubes
2 squares beef buillon
4 pieces medium sized potatos, cubed
2 medium-sized carrot, cubed
1/2 cup Spanish Olives
1 large red bell pepper
3 pcs bay leaves
3 cups water
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 head medium-sized garlic, minced
1 head red onions, finely chopped
1 cup green peas (optional)
1/2 cup pineapple chunks (optional)
6 pcs hand crushed soda crackers (Skyflakes, Jacob’s)
1 cup red wine of 1 small bottle of beer or 1 cup cola
1 small can tomato paste
salt and pepper, to taste

Procedure:
Put olive oil in a pan and melt butter in it. Saute beef with garlic and onions, until the meat is golden brown. Season with salt and pepper. In a separate pot, mix water, red wine/beer, soy sauce, beef buillon, bay leaves, whole pepper. Add the sauteed beef and cook in slow fire for at least an hour or until beef is tender. If needed, add more water. Add carrots and potato to the pot and cook until tender. Take extra care that potatoes are not overcooked as it will affect the consistency of the sauce. Add peas, olives, red bell peppers, pineapple chunks. Stir in tomato paste and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes. Throw in the handcrushed soda crackers. Let it simmer for another 2 minutes.

If you fancy, you can also bake the meat for another 5 minutes and top it with grated cheese. I have done this a few times, but even without baking, kaldereta is something I will never pass up on.

Being an archipelago of 7,107 islands, it is no surprise that Filipinos coming from different regions have slightly different ways of preparing food. However diversified the cooking style maybe, it cannot be questioned that Filipinos all over the world have a common love for all things seasoned and marinated.

Among the variety of Filipino dishes, one that stands out as un-officially everyone’s favorite comfort food is Adobo. As opposed to its Spanish and Puerto Rican definition, adobo in the Philippines generally refers to a dish cooked using a preparation technique indigenous to the filipino cuisine.  This involves tenderizing meat with vinegar and cooking it under low fire with soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves and peppercorns in a pot. This is a cooking style that dates back to early ages when refrigeration was not yet an option. To most Filipino families who do not have access to a fridge, this is a way to preserve food from spoiling, as the vinegar helps to kill bacteria, thus extending the food’s shelf life.

Dried Pork Adobo with Rice

Silly though it sounds, there is no standard way of serving adobo – it could come as dry, spicy, soaked in soy sauce, crispy/fried, or in dry flakes… you name it! I have probably seen over a 100 ways of serving the dish, but one thing is for sure – you can never go wrong with an adobo!

Here’s to share the traditional “Dried Pork Adobo” recipe for some weekend indulgence.

Dried Pork Adobo

Ingredients:
500 grams Pork cubes, cut in 2in squares
1/2 cup Sukang Maasim (Vinegar)
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
6-10 pcs peppercorns
3 Bay Leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
4 cloves garlic, minced

Procedure:
1. Put together all ingredients in a pot and cook in low fire.
2. Let it simmer, while stirring occasionally.
3. Allow the meat to cook in its own fat, until the sauce drains out.
4. Increase the heat and stir the meat until it becaomes slightly dark brown but not burned.

Remove from heat and serve with steamed rice.

Enjoy!