What is on the menu today?

When my employer and I met the for the first time, that was after we both agreed to meet so that we can talk and get to know each other a little, she had mentioned about planning as part of a caregiver / nanny job.

Although I know already that house cleaning and some household chores are part of the job, I was unsure about planning. I know I am going to follow order, but planning? Of course I know it is house matters, so I have to leave that to the couple I am going to be employed with.

After three days of trial, she decided to get me full time and be a “part of the family”. During the working hours, she has to ask me about grocery lists and some stuff that we need for the house necessities.

Stuff for cooking obviously, is one of them. That, now I know is planning. Planning a grocery list and planning what to cook at least for a week. That also made me worries because we have a different kind of cuisine. We Filipinos, can eat their food, but them to eat ours? I doubt it.

However, they amazed me when they like my sea food fried rice, pancit (fried noodles to them), sotanghon (noodle soup) – and I tell you, they share the news to their friends that I can cook a delicious sotanghon. I even cooked chicken tocino, menudo, mechado – which they called beef stew, chopsuey and different kinds of shanghai rolls. I don’t know if they love those but at least they eat it. Or they don’t have a choice?

Needless to say, I get to learn some of their dishes too, and I am glad that my employer also told me that I can learn some recipes too (she has a lot of recipes in the kitchen), and even search some recipes from the Internet for me.

Planning for supper which is Canada’s big meal for the day is definitely a task for me. Since I am not really a good cook, I need a recipe book for a help. But I am not a recipe book reader; I’d rather leaf through my fiction/non-fiction books than a digest full of cooking elements. Yet, I can browse through the net for recipes.

I am glad that there’s a lot of blogs that caters into this topic and I am so happy that I saw the DayRecipe to which they update their blog daily with their favourite recipes that I can try cooking.

Babalik at babalik ang hindi nabayarang kasalanan

Napansin nyo ba ang posters sa mga poste sa Metro Manila na nagsasabi, “Suportahan si Presidente, Ibagsak ang presyo ng kuryente.”

Mukhang malaki ang pondo nitong kampanya laban sa Meralco. Ngunit mukhang ang gumawa nito ay hindi nakihalubilo sa taumbayan. Mukhang doon lang sa kanyang airconditioned na upisina na bayad ng Malacañang kung hindi man mismo sa Malacañang.
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Lopez, Pidal, Rolex

by Lito Banayo
Malaya

Their paths will always cross. Across generations of their family even.

Mariano Arroyo used to be the appointed governor of Iloilo back when we were yet to be a commonwealth of the Americans. Together with a Chinese rice trader named Sualoy, he introduced jueteng into his province. And what a hit it made with the timawas who bet daily on the numbers game. Such that the illegal numbers racket hit the pages of a local newspaper published by Benito Lopez, who turned it into a crusade.
(more…)

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With Yano, there’s hope

One good thing going for the new Armed Forces chief, Alexander Yano, is that he succeeds Gen. Hermogenes Esperon.

No one could do worse to the military establishment that what Esperon had done – bringing to the pits the reputation of the military establishment with his alleged participation in the 2004 elections fraud and for bullying those who chose to hold on to their principles of truth and justice.

The optimism that greeted Yano’s assumption of the highest military position is amazing. It should warm his heart. But it’s also an awesome challenge considering the damage that Esperon had done not only to the morale of the personnel but also to the personal lives of many of the officers and enlisted men.
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Manila’s cheapest Japanese buffet at Takaaki’s

Since I think it’s really criminal to spend P500 per person on a mundane lunch meal in Manila, I was so glad to stumble upon the doorsteps of Takaaki’s Restaurant at HK Sun Plaza in the reclaimed area’s Diosdado Macapagal Avenue.

At only P199, they have the cheapest Japanese lunch buffet I can find now in Manila.

Eat all you can is the key phrase here, and it depends on where you want to start. Advice number one is to skip breakfast and go to the place hungry.

You can begin by laying out your meat and seafood on the built-in hibachi grill, while your stuff for the shabu-shabu cooks in the background…. Takaaki’s display counter has a wide selection of greens, noodles, seafood and meat.

Or have a taste of their fish and shrimp tempura. For the bargain price, they’re certainly plump

Or order the assorted sushi. The cup of fried rice is delicious with the grilled barbecue.

A cup of iced tea and a trio of desserts to cap the meal.

It is always fun to cook the meal in your own table. And I like shabu-shabu because I get to eat some greens and it looks healthy.

Eat all you can tempura, sushi, yakiniku and barbecue?? It’s the real deal! The place just opened last May 1 so this must be some kind of promotion. I thought Takaaki’s owner ran some kind of charity soup kitchen with all that food. But it’s all good!

The great Lasang Pinoy 25 round-up….

… is coming soon!

Apologies to our dear participants who made their own creative bentos. End of the round coincided with a major house move, which presently leaves me with boxes of unopened stuff and no internet connection, ugh. What could be worse for a blogger, especially a blogger who’s supposed to do a timely round-up?

But I did promise some stuff for the bento-makers and they’re here, namely a couple of Filipino cookbooks, bento box, lunch kits and my sexy friend Alma from GeiserMaclang has even donated a P1000 gift certificate from Delifrance. So it’s still fun

Here’s a summary of participants and their bento creations. It wasn’t MANY but I do believe in quality rather than quantity. Also, I realize that bento-making is not really part of the culinary mainstream..it’s more like an acquired taste for our aspiring slash busy cooks. Still, I’d like to give my kudos to the following blog friends for coming up with their entries:

Early bird Iska came up with a beautifully-laid tocino bento consisting of yummy cured pork, hard-boiled egg and vegetables.

Ryan of KainPinoy prepared something most of us just couldn’t resist: classic adobo bento with sidings of fried eggplant, tomatoes and bagoong which they brought on a sunny picnic to the La Mesa Ecopark!

Pinoy bento princess Kaoko of Kitchencow did a great feat of submitting two entries: the soy vinegar pork belly bento and an irresistible-looking adobo flakes and daing bento. Yum!

Lasang Pinoy’s resident moderator Mike Mina educates us on the origins of the fiambrera (Spanish for lunchbox) of his childhood. These are the multi-level tin lunchboxes we see in the stores up to now, and very handy too! See how Mike makes his baon more special with a tower of fiambrera goodies.

(to be continued)

Kabaliwan

Dalawang reports sa mga dyaryo kahapon ang nagpapatunay ng kasabihan na “Whom the Gods wish to destroy, they first make him mad.” Sa tagalog, “Ang gustong parusahan o sirain ng mga Diyos, ginagawa munang baliw.”

Ang mga reports na aking tinutukoy ay ang tungkol sa Meralco at kay Archbishop Oscar Cruz ng Lingayen-Dagupan.
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‘Tanay boys’ rule out seeking pardon

Photos taken after the hearing Tuesday. The court martial panel instructed the prosecution to review the cases again and see if they could recommend to the new chief of staff “nolle prosequi” or will not pursue further the cases.

Everybody was in high spirits expecting fairer treatment under the new chief of staff. Lt. Gen. Alexander Yano.

by Victor Reyes

Key leaders of the alleged power grab attempt in February 2006 yesterday said they are not going to ask for pardon from President Arroyo.
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Escorted throughout Lahore

In Lahore, we had the elite Punjab police (equivalent to our Special Action Force) as escorts. That was most thrilling. I’ll have some more pictures of them later.

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Wifi country

Karachi -Nang papunta pa lamang kami sa Pakistan noong isang linggo, marami akong hindi magandang imahen sa bansang ito sa South Asia.

Nandyan na ang nakadikit na imahen ng terorismo. Katabi kasi sila ng Afghanistan kung saan nababasa natin na doon nagtatago si Osama bin Ladin ng Al Qaeda at mga Taliban. Akala natin ganoon rin sa Pakistan.

Sabi ng mga opisyal na aming naka-usap, marami sa kanila ang namatay ar nasira ang buhay- biktima ng terorismo. Kaya hindi sila pwedeng akusahan na nagku-kunsinti ng terorismo.

Akala ko rin malayo tayo sa development sa kanila. Kasi nakikita natin ang maraming mahihirap na Pakistani sa ibang bansa na nagdu-domestic helper. Mas mababa ang kanilang sueldo kasi hindi sila masyadong marunong mag-English.

Mga maling akala.

Kahit hindi sila magarbo, hindi sila nahuhuli sa mga mahalagang bagay. At kung iisipin natin ng mabuti, hindi tayo dapat magyabang na kinukuha nila ang ating mga professionals -mga engineer, nurses at hotel workers .

Totoo hinahangaan nila ang mga Filipino . “Well-trained at highly skilled,” sabi ng gubernador ng Punjab province. Sabi niya hindi raw sila magaling sa pag-train ng kanilang mga tao para magpatakbo ng mga factory, hospital at mga hotel.

Kaya inspirasyon daw nila kung paano na-train ng pamahalaan ang mga Filipino na ngayon ay nagtatrabaho sa kanila. “Nagkulang kami diyan,” sabi niya.

Masarap pakinggan. Ngunit kung isipin mong mabuti, hindi natin dapat ipagmalaki ang sitwasyon. Kasi kung magaling tayo, bakit pumupunta ang mga Filipino dito para magtrabaho. Bakit nandito sa kanila ang mga planta at factory? Bakit hindi sa atin? Di ba magaling tayo kung tayo
ang nagpapa-sweldo sa kanila?

Hindi bongga ang mga Pakistanis ngunit kung alam nila ang kanilang priority.

Ngayon nasa Karachi airport ako, ginagawa ko itong kolum habang naghihintay kami ng aming flight papuntang Dubai. May mgas internet stations, libre. Walang ganito sa airport sa Pilipinas. At lahat na hotel sa pakistan may wifi. Pwede ka mag-internet kahit saan.

Dapat siguro tayo ang matuto sa Pakistan.

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Healthy Tips On How To Conceive A Child

Because She/He Is A Lot Better….

Similarities of Pakistan and Philippines

Lahore- The governor of Punjab, Lt. Gen. Khalid Maqbool (ret.), in welcoming visiting members of Philippine media, enumerated three features common between Pakistan and the Philippines that should move relations between the two countries from “warm and cordial” to vibrant and gainful.

The first common feature, the governor said, is the two countries’ adherence to democracy “haltingly but successfully.” Second is both governments’ reliance on employment of nationals in other countries. Third is our colonial past.

It is interesting how Pakistan and the Philippines, in their own peculiar ways, have dealt and are still dealing with these realities.
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Maligayang araw ng mga ina!

Galing kay Malaya ang tag na ito. Ang sabi niya, ibahagi daw ang paborito mong “mother’s day quotes” at isulat ang iyong blog at pangalan pagkatapos ng isang pirasong likhang sining.

“Kung ano ako at sino ako ngayon, kung sino at ano ang gusto kong maging, utang ko ito sa aking mahal na ina.”

1. Irresistible Fascinations / Naomi
2. Manna from Heaven / Lena
3. And Life Goes On / Lena
4. Sheng’s Simple Thoughts… / SHENG
5. My so-called world / Kaka
6. Manilenya / Melai

At kung sino ka man na gustong gumawa ng tag na ito. GO Sago! Idugtong lang sa blog at pangalan ko ang blog mo at pangalan mo.

Mabuhay tayong mga ina sa araw na ito!

Mga Pinoy sa Lahore

Lahore –Gusto nyo bang maging chef sa Chinese at Japanese restaurant sa Pakistan?

Magbubukas bago matapos ang taong ito ang Avari hotel sa Islamabad at tumatanggap sila ng applicants para sa posisyon na yan. Tingnan nyo sa www,avari.com.

Itong impormasyon ay sinabi sa amin ng chef ng Avari Lahore na si Bonifacio Chew. Si Boni ay Filipino. Siya ang mag-iinterview ng applicants at magrekomenda sa may-ari ng hotel na isang Iranian.
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connection problems

Making RP-Pakistan relations robust

Islamabad -At the Jinnah shopping mall, where we made a stop after a series of interviews and a visit to the historic site of Taxila outside the capital city, we heard three young boys horsing around, speaking Tagalog.

We were glad to see Filipinos as we needed tips and directions in our effort to contribute to Philippine –Pakistan economic relations.
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Global talaga ang Pinoy

Karachi – Sa unang araw namin dito, natuwa kami nang may nakilala kaming dalawang Filipino seaman na naghihintay ng kanilang barko. Sina Buddy Acub at Jessie Yongco.

Kababayan ko pa si Buddy na galing Antique at si Jessie naman ay galing Tanjay, Negros Oriental.

Naghihintay sina Buddy at Jessie ng kanilang barko na galing Germany. Matagal na silang seaman at naikot na nila ang mundo.

Pangalawang araw, nakilala naman naming si Aristotle Baricuatro, tiga Cebu at Gerry Alas na galing Surigao. Pareho silang engineer at nagta-trabaho sa Ericson Electronics, isang Swedish telecommunication company.
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Fascinating Karachi

Karachi - I have always thought of camels as desert animals. It was therefore a surreal sight seeing colorfully bedecked camels strolling on Clifton beach against the backdrop of the Arabian sea.

Camels on the beach is just one of the delightful surprises of Karachi that I and five other Filipino journalists (Gemma Cruz -Araneta of Manila Bulletin, Tals Diaz of Inquirer, Fatima Parel of People Asia, Lyn Resurrection of Business Mirror, and Dante Francis Ang of Manila Times) are discovering about Pakistan this week on the invitation of the Islamabad Policy Research Institute.
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27 officers arraigned for Feb ‘06 ‘coup plot’

Accused enter ‘special pleas’27

By Joel Guinto
Inquirer

All 28 military officers facing mutiny charges for allegedly plotting a February 2006 coup attempt were arraigned on Tuesday, over a year after court martial proceedings against them started.
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