The week that was...

Wow! I didn't realize I haven't posted in my blog for a couple of weeks.  I suffered from a very bad case of asthma allergy... I had flu like symptoms... ergo .. no appetite and my taste buds were not working properly.

Last week, Ate treated me for lunch at Lili's.  We had the dim sum buffet.
 

Sio Long Bao

Pork Siomai

Hakaw

Chicken Feet

Spareribs

Deep Fried Taro Puff with Seafood and Ham Suy Kuok

Pan-Fried Radish Cake

Baked Barbecue Bun - YUMMMM so flaky!!!!



Masachi with White Chocolate Filling

  I also had a longanisa craving.  I bought Sonsi Cabanatuan longanisa from Rustan's but it was tooooo salty!  Ate Gina of Celina suggested I try the Cabanatuan garlic longanisa from The Blue Kitchen.

Sonsi Cabanatuan longanisa

Then last Saturday, I bought Vigan longanisa from Salcedo Market.  Not bad, but it wasn't what I was looking for.  I really love the ones Mona always gives me from Cavite.  What's so good about it is that she half cooks them... so all I have to do is pan fry in a little oil and time to eat!  I don't have the patience to let it simmer until the water evaporates and oil comes out.  Usually ends up bursting all over the frying pan.

Vigan Longanisa

Saturday night, I attended the post birthday party of Lei.  It was such a fun night!  The invitation stated: Come in your craziest wigs.  Most of the guests did.

Prawns with Garlic

Vegie-Meat Steak

Vegie-Meat Barbecue

Delicious Vegetable Lasagna

 Mona and I tried this new snack, bought it in Landmark Supermarket, we couldn't stop eating!  It tasted like the chips we used to eat when we were younger...  Jack and Jill MUNCHEES.





Dayrit's Smoked Porkloin

A few days ago, Mariger and I were talking on the phone and asked me where she could find a branch of Bun on the Run.  I researched the net and told her at the G/f of Security Land Bldg, Ayala cor Herrera Sts.  I have yet to visit the place.  Mona said there is also another one in BF Paranaque.

The next best thing I could do was make my own Porkloin Sandwich. I went to Dayrit's at the Fort and bought 1/2 K. of Smoked Porkloin.  Then Laughing Cow Cream Cheese portions in Rustan's.  My breakfast this morning was my own version of our favorite sandwich.

2 pcs. Toasted whole wheat pan de sal
2 portions of Laughing Cow Cream Cheese, divide each portion into two
2 slices of Dayrit's smoked porkloin, pan fried slightly
Butter

I always split open the pan de sal before toasting in my ovenette because the tops get burned all the time.  Then I spread butter and cream cheese on the toasted open bun.  Put the smoked porloin on one face then cover with the other one. 

MMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmm

Mayette's Favorite Combination

Mayette loves to eat good food, she can even make simple dishes in combination taste really delicious.  Of course, her adobo is simply one of the best recipes I have ever tried.   Usually, after I eat it the first time, I shred  the meat and keep in the fridge with its own oil like a confit. 

I went to Baclaran today and was able to buy fresh Suahe.  I ate it for lunch together with Adobo Flakes Brown Rice sinangag, tomatoes and wansuy!  For Mayette and I, the best picnic Filipino food would be .....

Pork and Chicken Adobo, Hilabos na Suahe, tomatoes and wansuy!!! 

 I only eat brown rice but if I could eat it, the picnic food is better with freshly cooked sticky white rice and we would be in heaven!!!  Then ... drizzle the oil/sauce of Mayette's Adobo's over the rice( "Labay  Mantika").

It is really so simple but something I can eat over and over again.  I haven't had Coke Light since September 27... but this food combo goes well with ice cold soda!!!! 

Mama Sita's Soy-Stir and other things I like to buy in the supermarket.

I love Landmark supermarket the best because they have things you don't find in other supermarkets.  While I was doing my weekly grocery shopping I discovered a new product.  Maybe I wasn't minding it before, but in my eyes, it is a new product. 

It is Mama Sita's Soy-Stir sauce in a pouch for only 9.95!!!

  I read the instructions at the back and so easy to use!  I made Pancit Canton when I got home.  I don't know how to make good pancit so this new product made my noodles taste good ( I added more than what the recipe called for), just like what you would order in  a restaurant.... even better if you ask me... I've tried Pancit is some restos and I didn't like it.

Another product I always buy is Eden Melt Sarap. 

I like it better than Magnolia Quickmelt.  My favorite breakfast is pandesal with either Zaragosa Hot Sardines or flaked left over Mayette's Adobo (the best adobo reccipe IMO) with grated Eden Melt Sarap.

I have been having my Pan De Sal obsession lately.  I even drove all the way to Poblacion Market to buy.  The one near the drugstore, Villena corner Gabaldon Sts. have the light and airy pan de sal I like.... that when you press it wont spring back ... or when you flatten, it will remain flat.  Unlike the pan de sal I asked my maid to buy across EDSA, it was dense and heavy or what they call "sik-sik", I don't like it, even Wriggly had a hard time eating the pan de sal.

The bakery style pandesal is best eaten with Dari Creme!  I really love it!  I always have to have margarine and butter at home.  I still have to find a butter brand that I like.  I've tried Lurpak, Magnolia Gold, Golden Churn and Queensland in can.  I also have to find out if salted or unsalted is good with bread.  I know unsalted is best suited for baked goods and frosting because you can control the amount of salt.

So for this week .... these are the things I like from the supermarket. 

Bohol Trip

All by myself

Day 1

The day started very early for me.  I set the alarm clock at 4:45 am!  I didn't get much sleep the night before because  I was excited and a very unwise decision to watch CSI NY and Criminal Minds after midnight.  When I looked outside, it was raining very hard!  Normally, I would just get a cab from Estrella but decided to call for a taxi pick up service.

The flight was only 1 hour and 5 minutes.  Seconds before the plane was about to land, it was raining and was a bit disappointed .  I prayed hard to God for sunshine and for me to enjoy my vacation in Bohol.  I know this is hard to believe but when I got out of the plane, there was SUN!  It was bright and shining!  PAL people were ready with lots of umbrellas though but we didn't need them!

As soon as I got to Bohol Beach Club, I immediately changed into my 2 piece swimsuit.  Yes, boys and girls! Bikini this time ... not tankini!!!!  Hahahaha I had the place all to myself... I could have even gone topless!  No... I think that would have be too much.

The beach was really beautiful... my only problem being all alone in the entire stretch of the beach was that I was too scared to go into the water.  The ocean could have eaten me and no one would know.  I just enjoyed my very own Nipa umbrella and lounger... read a few pages of my book.

Lia's lounger and nipa umbrella

I also tried taking a nap in a purple hammock.  The wind was  cool and so strong ... it rocked my "duyan" and me to sleep... I probably snored  hahaha.



Purple Hammock



My view as I rest in the hammock.  hahaha  I really meant to show my feet.

There are 3 swimming pools at Bohol Beach Club....  I was so excited to share this in my blog ... the pools were classified into 3 different languages. Hahahahahaha  Ok...   this is really quite funny. 

The first one is a foreign speaking pool... 

because most of the people who used it were talking in a foreign language. 

Pathway from pool 1 to pool 2

The 2nd one is an English speaking pool...

I went swimming in this pool because it was shaded by the coconut trees.

and the third... a Filipino speaking pool!  I kid you not!  hahaha 

Even if I was on vacation, I still watched what I ate.  I mostly chose vegetables and soup.  Not exciting and boring, huh? 

I loved the ubod which was very tender.

Clam soup



Pinakbet and Molo soup

Day 2
I didn't go to Bohol to tour the countryside nor watch the Dolphins. So for me, instead of the usual Chocolate Hills, river cruise and Blood Compact site(saw it on my way to the bakery), etc.,  I opted to go to Bohol Bee Farm instead.  I read in the blogs that they serve organic salads with fresh flowers!!!  The restaurant has a charm of its own.

My view while having lunch.



Antique sewing machine table



They gave free appetizers, CabCab with green tomato salsa. Cabcab is cassava nachos.



The Chicken Halang Halang soup tasted like tinola with thin coconut milk.  What I like about their food is that all the vegetables used were from the farm, organically grown.

Coconut soup with chicken, patola, okra, turnips, carrots, red pepper and malunggay leaves.

I also tried their Camote-Mango-Pineapple Shake.

I couldn't taste the camote.

The Baby Back Ribs came with red rice and salad.  The flowers tasted like lettuce leaves. I loved their Honey Mustard dressing, it was like Mango milkshake. They served a small bottle of it and you could put as much as you like.  Very generous of them.



Edible flowers, yum!

  The Malunggay ice cream was too sweet for me, I didn't finish it. 

The texture and taste of the ice cream was that of the "dirty ice cream" type.

So that was my "Bohol Tour".

Day 3

I moved to the Dumaluan Beach area.

Dumaluan Beach

 There were more people.  Finally!  I was able to swim for a while in the morning.  The water cleared up a bit.  They said, usually after a storm, the water would be cloudy because the sand bed was disturbed.  I met 2 new friends while swimming.

I checked out early of the resort because I wanted to go to Island City Mall.  Hahaha... a city girl would always look for her comfort place.  I told the driver of the airport pick up service to drop me off at the mall instead of the airport because I wanted to get a cab and go to the Broas Bakery at the back of Baclayon Church.  The driver was giving me a "sales" talk that I still have time to do a little of the "Bohol Tour" for a fee, of course.  I said, No, thank you.  But when he volunteered to take me to Baclayon, I immediately agreed... for an additional fee. 

If some people were happy because they saw the Chocolate Hills (which I saw from the plane going home)  or held a Tarsier... for me, the happiness factor was very high because I was able to visit the bakery and had
 my picture taken!


Happy!

I'm in my BROAS obsession at the moment.  I bought 3 big packs! 

I also bought a small pack of baked polvoron from Sampaguita's but I didn't like it.  Tasted like puto seko.

 Their version is light and biscuit-like... 3 1/2 inches in length...



Osang's Broas


but too sweet for me... still... i ate a lot when I got home and spread thick butter on it!  I have to conclude, my broas taste better! Hehehehe.   The next time I bake, will make it as narrow and as short as Osang's.



They dry the broas over twigs and charcoal.

 When I got to the Island City Mall, I checked in my luggage at Travel Hub.

Yes, I used a luggage, hahaha  for a 3 day trip... it was over the weight limit when I checked in, 15.6 kg but they didn't let me pay for the excess.  Going home it was a bit lighter by 1 kg.  I never travel light.

For lunch, I went to Jo's Chicken Inato "Payag".  I took a tricycle from the mall.  I've read in some blogs that their barbecue chicken was good plus the place has a "cocky" whimsy appeal.  Indeed, it was decorated with different kinds of chicken-rooster stuff, even their lights where shaped like chicken eggs, one chandelier was a basket with small egg shaped lights inside.  I saw my new friends there and joined their table.

 I ordered the Chicken and Pork Barbecue combo and adobong Kangkong.  I always have to have vegetables with my meals now.

 

I took another tricycle ride to the mall to kill time before my flight.  I had lemongrass juice at The Buzz Cafe, mall outlet of Bohl Bee Farm. 


I was so happy to discover  that the supermarket has  my favorite bacon from Cebu!  I bought 2 packs.

It was a short cab ride from the mall to the airport. And then.... Home Sweet Home!

Bohol  is truly a beautiful and scenic place.  If one seeks peace and tranquility, then it is the place for you.

But then ... as I've said, I'm a city girl. I still prefer Boracay 100 times over.  It is like being in Manila but with a beautiful beach.  I can't wait for my next trip!