My life story starting with my childhood years in the small town of Barotac Viejo, Iloilo, Philippines up to my retirement from the United States Food and Drug Administration, Center of New Drugs in 2002 and beyond. Some of the photos and videos in this site, I do not own. However, I have no intention in infringing on your copyrights.
While searching for old photos from my files, I found the following article of our( (Macrine and I) one week vacation in Marbella, Spain including a one-day tour of the Rock of Gibraltar. Pleasant Memories Indeed and Thank you Lord for another beautiful day here in Northern California. Sorry About Ian devastation in Florida and South Carolina this week.
Macrine very closed to a Tamed Barbary Monkey overlooking the Gibraltar Strait
While cleaning the garage, Dodie discovered some old photos from David E photo files and it included photos of our vacation in Spain and the Rock Of Gibraltar in 2000. I am posting it here. We stayed at the Four Seasons Resort in Marbella and had one day tour to the Alhambra Gardens in Granada and the City of Malaga. We also had a one day tour to the Rock of Gibraltar and had lunch in Tangiers, Morocco, North Africa. Ella and Ditas joined us in Marbella and also in Granada but not in Tangiers.
Ella and Ditas joined us in Marbella after their tour in Morocco, Africa
The Rock of Gibraltar showing the tour buses Parking Lot
Ditas and I posing at the Reflecting Pool and Court Yard of the Alhambra Gardens, Granada
Lunch Break during our tour and a Photo of the Altar of the Catholic Church in downtown Marbella
Macrine and I had lunch at one of the restaurants in Tangiers, Morocco
The other day Typhoon Karding ( Nuro) hits Northern Luzon including Aurora Province. In Aurora province's hard-hit Dingalan town, more than 6,000 houses were
damaged and a newly built evacuation center housing more 200 displaced
families was battered by the fierce wind and rain but no injuries were
reported, officials said. Here's an excerpt from the local news dated September 26, 2022.
MANILA, Philippines — Typhoon Noru blew out of the northern
Philippines on Monday, leaving six people dead, knocking down power in
two entire provinces, trapping villagers in floods and forcing officials
to suspend classes and government work in and around the capital.
The
most powerful typhoon to hit the country this year slammed ashore in
Burdeos town in Quezon province before nightfall on Sunday then weakened
as it barreled overnight across the main Luzon region, where more than
52,000 people were moved to emergency shelters, some forcibly, officials
said.
The above news prompted me to do some search on the provinces in the Philippines.
During my elementary school days in the Philippines in the late 1940's. I believed there were only 50 provinces in the Philippines. Today there are 82* provinces divided into 17 regions. The provinces are grouped into 17 regions
based on geographical, cultural, and ethnological characteristics.
While surfing the Internet, I found the following video on Aurora Province which inspired me to post this article in my blogs. It is about 44 minutes but beautifully made documentary about one of the 82 provinces in the Philippines-my island of birth.
Macrine (RIP) was raised in Marinduque and I was born in the province of Iloilo. I finished my Bachelor of Science in Chemistry at the University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City in 1955. We moved and immigrated to the US in 1960 and became US Citizens in 1972.
Meanwhile enjoy this short video of Chateau Du Mer -our second home in Marinduque.
Here's the list of the 82 provinces of the Philippines for your information:
Meanwhile enjoy this photo of delicious lunch of coconut lobster and cucumber salad at Chateau Du Mer, Marinduque, 2013
Note: How many islands do the
Philippines have in 2020? A. According to the latest data by the
National Mapping and Resource Information Authority, the Philippines has
a total of 7641 islands.
Last week I purchased 8 Oxtails from Safeway. It is not cheap, But I had a longing for kare-kare and I could only order from Doordash this dish on Fridays and Saturday for $27.99 for 2 oxtails. Cooking it myself will give me several pieces of oxtails for a few more dollars.
Here's my favorite recipe for oxtail Kare-Kare. The tripe is optional. I also used pork hock and pigs feet for this recipe. Here's the recipe for your reading pleasure.
The vegetables are cooked separately in the above recipe for better plating and perfect cooking.
There are other recipes that I follow at times as follows:
Meanwhile enjoy this photo of my recent and may be the last of my purple okra harvest of the season.
Not as popular as the common green okra-but more nutritious and also grown as an ornamental plant in the garden!
The other day, I discovered that the star bread ( senorita) that I purchased paired excellently with the Romano Cheese in my fridge. This is my first time to have Romano Cheese paired with star bread since I am really not a cheese lover. This incident inspired me to write this blog about cheese in general. The reference below list the top 20 most popular cheeses in the World. The photo above list the types of Cheese available commercially. Are you a cheese lover?
Romano Cheese is often compared to Parmesan- a cheese I am familiar with besides Gouda and Edam. Gouda and Edam cheeses remind me of my childhood years when we a have Ball Cheese during Christmas time in the Philippines. Macrine's favorites are the Brie and Camembert.
The reference below discuss facts that you want to know about Romano cheese.
I was shopping on line via Doordash the other day. I learned that fresh
frozen durian is available at 99 Ranch Market at fairly reasonable
price($17.29) for the above package. I have not tasted the fresh fruit, but enjoyed the fresh frozen vacuum packed because the smell is not that overpowering.
Durian is a tropical fruit and sometimes known as the King of Fruits. A lot of fans of the fruit describes it as a fruit that smells like hell but tastes like heaven. I agree! For complete description of the fruit see the information from Wikipedia at the bottom of this page.
The other item I purchased at 99 Ranch Market was Pia Cake($4.99)of mung bean and Durian imported from Vietnam. There are 4 cakes in the package. It is similar to the Filipino Hopia. I enjoyed this dessert with mango sorbet( photo below).
Here my other purchases from 99 Ranch Market-grocery store specializing on Asian Foods, Sea Foods and Groceries-
Here an article on the 7 Health Benefits of Durian
1. Durian makes you happy
The
yummy durian flesh is not the only reason for that smile on your face.
This decadent fruit actually has happy chemicals to make you feel good.
Durian contains the amino acid tryptophan which gets converted to
serotonin, a neurotransmitter that induces feelings of happiness and
relaxation. So your mood naturally improves after eating durian.
2. Durian helps to regulate sleep
Surprise,
surprise, the king of fruits can make you sleep better. Tryptophan (an
essential amino acid) in durian is converted to melatonin, a hormone
that controls your sleep cycle. The higher your melatonin levels, the easier it is to fall asleep.
If you have trouble snoozing, swop your usual bedtime snack for durian –
just one seed is enough! Remember to gurgle away the durian breath
thoroughly after that.
3. Durian helps to control blood pressure
Durian
is rich in potassium, an electrolyte that helps to maintain blood
pressure levels. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, can
lead to several health complications such as heart disease,
stroke and kidney failure. According to latest stats from the Ministry
of Health, almost one in four Singapore residents aged 30 to 69 has
hypertension.
4. Durian is an excellent source of energy
Durian is great as a pre-workout snack. It’s high in carbohydrates, which gives a quick release of energy to keep you going strong during exercise.
Two medium seeds (54g) contain 89 calories, and give you almost the same amount of carbohydrates as a medium banana.
5. Durian improves bone health
Iron
and copper are minerals that are essential for strong bones. And durian
is rich in those minerals. A study by the National Centre For
Biotechnology Information showed that having a higher iron intake helped
to increase bone density, whereas higher calcium intake had a negligible effect on bones.
6. Durian can give you good skin
With
11.6mg of vitamin C per serving (two medium seeds), durian contains
more vitamin C than most tropical fruits. Vitamin C has antioxidant
properties to fight free radicals in your body, thus reducing the
appearance of pigmentation and wrinkles.
Environmental factors like exposure to cigarette smoke and ultraviolet rays from the sun causes free radical damage to the skin.
7. Durian increases sex drive
Durian is known to be a libido-boosting food among Asians. In fact, there’s a well-known traditional Indonesian saying: When the durians fall, the sarong goes up.
Even if durian doesn’t improve your libido significantly, it contains many vitamins and minerals that are great for your overall well-being.
From Wikipedia: Durian is the edible fruit of several tree species belonging to the genusDurio. There are 30 recognised Durio species, at least nine of which produce edible fruit. Durio zibethinus, native to Borneo and Sumatra,
is the only species available in the international market. It has over
300 named varieties in Thailand and 100 in Malaysia, as of 1987. Other
species are sold in their local regions. Durians are commonly associated with Southeast Asian cuisine, especially in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.
Named in some regions as the "king of fruits", the durian is distinctive for its large size, strong odour, and thorn-covered rind.
The fruit can grow as large as 30 centimetres (12 inches) long and
15 cm (6 in) in diameter, and it typically weighs 1 to 3 kilograms (2 to
7 pounds). Its shape ranges from oblong to round, the colour of its
husk green to brown, and its flesh pale yellow to red, depending on the
species.
An acquired taste,
some people regard the durian as having a pleasantly sweet fragrance,
whereas others find the aroma overpowering and unpleasant. The smell
evokes reactions from deep appreciation to intense disgust, and has been
described variously as rotten onions, turpentine,
and raw sewage. The persistence of its odour, which may linger for
several days, led certain hotels and public transportation services in Southeast Asia to ban the fruit. The nineteenth-century British naturalistAlfred Russel Wallace described its flesh as "a rich custard highly flavoured with almonds".
The flesh can be consumed at various stages of ripeness, and it is used
to flavour a wide variety of savoury and sweet desserts in Southeast Asian cuisines. The seeds can also be eaten when cooked.
The other day was my 5th Okra Harvest. I feel I should try cooking okra tempura. However, I can not decide whether to pan fry it or use my air fryer. Here are videos showing cooking by pan frying versus Air frying.
There are Pros and Cons between the two cooking methods. Air Frying is healthy but may not be as tasty or crispy as Pan Frying. Here's an article on Okra tempura Air Frying.https://platedcravings.com/air-fryer-okra/
How to make Air Fryer Okra
Start with washing and cutting the fresh Okra. Chop off the stems and ends, then cut into 1/2″ slices.
Combine all the breading ingredients with a fork and combine the egg and milk in a shallow bowl.
Toss
okra into the egg mixture, then transfer in batches to the flour
cornmeal mixture. Lightly shake off excess flour and transfer to Air
Fryer Basket.
Spray with oil. We use light olive oil spray, avocado oil spray, or coconut oil spray.
Air
fry for 10-12 minutes until golden, shaking the basket two times during
cooking. Spray with more oil as needed so all the floury spots are
covered.
Tips for making Air Fried Okra
Traditional southern Okra recipes use a cornmeal-flour mixture
but you can also only use flour if you don’t have cornmeal on hand.
The cornmeal adds some more texture and flavor to the fried Okra
Add extra seasoning to the breading mixture like cayenne pepper, paprika, or garlic powder for extra flavor or heat.
Instead of egg and milk, you can also use 1/4 cup buttermilk.
Use a high smoke point oil spray that is flavor neutral like avocado oil, light olive oil, or coconut oil.
Shake the basket gently so the breading doesn’t fall off.
Depending
on your Air Fryer you might have to air fry in batches. The cooking
time can also vary depending on the model you have.
Fried Okra tastes best served right away with a sprinkle of salt
Can you air fry frozen breaded okra?
If you don’t have time to make fried okra from scratch, try making
breaded frozen okra in your Air Fryer! Using an Air Fryer instead of
pan-frying or deep-frying frozen breaded okra saves time and calories.
Put the frozen okra in the Air Fryer Basket and air fry at 400 F for
about 15 minutes until crispy, shaking the basket once or twice during
cooking.
Air Fried Okra
Air Fryer Okra made with a cornmeal and flour breading is crispy, delicious, and air fried to perfection in only 15 minutes!
1poundokra, caps and tips cut off and sliced (about 20)
1egg
1/4cupmilk
1/2cupall-purpose flour
1/2cupcornmeal
1/2tspsalt
1/4tsppepper
Oil spray
Instructions
Preheat air fryer to 400 F (200 C).
In a shallow bowl combine egg and milk.
In another bowl combine flour, cornmeal, salt, and pepper.
Toss
okra into the egg mixture, then transfer in batches to flour mixture.
Lightly shake off excess flour and transfer to Air Fryer Basket.
Depending on your Air Fryer you might have to fry in batches.
Spray
okra with oil spray and air fry for 10-12 minutes until golden, shaking
the basket two times during cooking. Spray with more oil as needed so
all the floury spots are covered.
Remove okra and sprinkle with salt to taste. Serve hot.
Last Night with three Digit Temperatures and heat warning here in Northern California, My central air conditioning stopped giving me cool air. Thanks to my 2 electric fans, I was able to maintain the house temperature to 85F. However, I was not able to sleep, so I started calling a couple of AC repair companies with emergency services starting at 1AM to 3AM. After a couple of tries, I was able to connect to the call center of Lees Aircon Services. I was able to make an appointment for 10AM this morning. By 11:00AM I have my air condition running just in time for this afternoon projected 115F. This event cost me a fortune but Peace of Mind and a One year Maintenance Agreement membership. The technician installed a brand new compressor Saver Start Assist and a new dual Run Capacitor made in the US. The technician informed me that the old capacitor was made in China. Now I am enjoying a cool 78F inside, while it is blistering hot outside. I am very please with the prompt service from LeesAir.com
While talking to the technician, I learned the Person ( female) who answered my Help Call early this morning is located in Armenia. A couple of years ago, When I call for Help on my TV, Internet and Phone, an agent from the Call Center either from the Philippines or India handled my call for Help.
Last week when I have no Internet, TV and land line phone services, the person who answered my call was from Central America. I had no service for 24hrs and I realized how dependent I am to the Internet and Television.
I am just wondering- Are Call Centers in the Philippines still active? I appreciate to hear from my FB friends in the Philippines.
Meanwhile, the event last night made me hungry for Fish & Chips and crab cakes today.
I have 7 red burgundy okra plants as well as the One Common Green Okra this year. Do you know the Difference?
The common green-podded okra varieties are the usual grown in summer gardens, but varieties with red pods are those that can deliver a dual role of an edible and an ornamental crop. Red, sometimes called magenta or purple okra, makes an unusual and fun addition to an ornamental garden.
Is red okra more nutritious?
It did not become popular because it was expensive. However, some farmers are growing it now as it is known to have more nutritional benefits than the green variety.” Red Okra, which is rich in anthocyanins and phenolics, can be grown in both summer and rainy seasons.
Only one Green Okra survived to Maturity in the Garden-but I have 7 Red Burgundy variety survived from the seedlings stage.
Okra is one of the few
crops that thrive in high temperatures and this year with the hot, dry
weather it is the star of my garden.
Okra is in the family Malvaceae
(mallow family), the same family as the hibiscus. The blossoms of okra
and hibiscus are similar, but okra has large yellow petals with dark
purple throats and gives the added benefit of edible pods. The common
green-podded okra varieties are the usual grown in summer gardens, but
varieties with red pods are those that can deliver a dual role of an
edible and an ornamental crop.
Burgundy okra has green leaves with burgundy stems, leaf ribs, and
branches. The burgundy-colored 6″-8″ long pods turn green when cooked.
Okra is used as the thickening agent in Cajun gumbo, but it also can be
boiled, broiled, fried, roasted, steamed, canned, or pickled. Use dried
pods in flower arrangements! Okra has attractive, edible flowers.
Okra – Burgundy – Abelmoschus esculentus
Soil & Water: Okra prefers moderately rich soil. Its low water requirements make it an easy plant to grow.
Planting & Growing: Okra is heat loving. Sow seeds outside
in spring after all danger of frost has passed, when the soil
temperature has reached 70F. It’s a good succession plant after early,
spring-maturing crops. Expect good yields on this 4-6′ tall, bushy
plant. Makes a great trellis for pole beans and other vining plants.
Harvesting & Storage: Pick okra pods when they are 2″-3″
long for tenderness. They are best tasting when eaten the same day. Some
people develop a contact dermatitis while handling okra; avoid the
itchiness by wearing a long-sleeved shirt and gloves.
From Left to Right: Chili/vinegar sauces, Ginisang Bagoong, Greek Peperoncini and Picante Sauce. The only brand I will used for the shrimp paste ( bagoong) is Barrio Fiesta. The Picante sauce I like is Medium spicy-not mild or Hot and the Peperoncini is a substitute for the Papaya Atchara(pickled green juliene papaya) that I do not have. The chili/vinegar sauce, I used for my Pasta and Empanada Dishes.
The two bottles are Muscat Blanc and Gerwurztraminer Grape Juice from Navarro Vineyards. These two wines are excellent pairings for Fish or Seafood Dishes.
If you are following my food blogs, you already know I am not a Meat and Potato person. I have an adventurous palate and will try any edible food commercially available. However, there is one Filipino food item ( sauce) that I dislike- Patis or Fish Sauce. In place of Patis, I used soy sauce, rice vinegar, shrimp paste or oyster sauce. The other side dishes and sauces that I enjoyed are shown in the above photo.
This is my favorite side Dish-It is an excellent substitute for Papaya Atchara
Atchara is a pickle made from grated unripe papaya originating
from the Philippines. This dish is often served as a side dish for fried
or grilled foods such as pork barbecue.
How about you? What side dishes and sauces do you use? I know a few relatives who do not used side dishes and sauces for their dishes. But to me the side dishes enhanced the flavor and enjoyment of the main dishes. Allow me to end this blog with following quotes:
“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
“We all eat, and it would be a sad waste of opportunity to eat badly.”
“You don't need a silver fork to eat good food.” “After a good dinner
one can forgive anybody, even one's own relatives.”
Meanwhile, here's my latest purchase from Shef.com- A Side Dish That I really enjoy- mango salad.
Main
ingredients: Chili, mangoes, carrots, red onions, red bell peppers,
crispy onions, crispy prawns, cucumber, jicama, mirin, olive oil.
The Golden State is one of only five regions in the world with a Mediterranean-type climate.
The skyline of San Francisco appears above the evening fog as the sun sets on the Marin Headlands in Sausalito.Robert Galbraith/Reuters
The
allure of California has long been its almost unbelievably good
weather: predictably dry summers and pleasant, if occasionally rainy,
winters. Who wouldn’t want to escape swampy heat for this temperate
paradise?
Our typically agreeable weather (current heat wave
notwithstanding) is officially called a Mediterranean-type climate,
defined as having cool, wet winters and dry, warm summers. Only five
places in the world share this climate: California, Central Chile,
southwestern Australia, South Africa and, of course, the Mediterranean
Basin.
“The
California climate of having this several-month period of no rain that
coincides with the hottest time of the year is globally really weird,”
said Anna Jacobsen, plant ecology professor at California State
University, Bakersfield. “It’s a really special and kind of unique
climate cycle.”
The
location of these five ecosystems is no accident. All are on the
western edge of continents, between 30 and 45 degrees latitude, with a
cold polar current running along the coast. Prevailing wind patterns and
the cold current effectively prevent precipitation in the summer, the
season when rainfall is most likely in the rest of the world.
The
desirable weather that results is not only a draw for humans, but also
tends to foster a wide variety of plant and animal species. All five
regions are recognized as global biodiversity hot
spots, accounting for roughly 2 percent of the world’s land area but
nearly 20 percent of its plant species, said Dick Cameron, director of
science for land and climate programs at the Nature Conservancy in
California.
California
in particular, with its varied topography and microclimates, is home to
more than 5,000 species of plants, roughly a quarter of which exist
only within the state. “Plants far and away are our contribution to
global biodiversity,” Cameron told me.
But
the unique characteristics of Mediterranean-type climates also make
them more susceptible to the impacts of global warming. Because
California, for example, gets so much of its annual rainfall from a
handful of storms in the winter, even small shifts in weather conditions
can produce large effects.
In
other words, the very characteristics that make these climates famous
(the rain-free summers) “predispose those regions to water scarcity,”
said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California,
Los Angeles. “If the storms don’t occur during the wet season, you’re
screwed.”
Plus, increasingly warm weather exacerbates drought conditions
by melting snowpacks and quickly evaporating water that’s stored in
lakes and the soil. California is currently in the midst of a historic
drought, and South Africa, southwestern Australia and the Mediterranean
Basin have all grappled with severe droughts in recent years too.
These
Mediterranean-type climate ecosystems were already dry places that
global warming is making even drier, said Brandon Pratt, professor of
biology at California State University, Bakersfield. He put it this way:
“You’re already on the margin and now you leave the margin and you jump
off the cliff.”
That’s
adding up to worse fire seasons too, experts say. These regions have
long experienced fires, and their landscapes are in many ways adapted to
burn, Swain said.
But
the exceptionally parched land and warmer temperatures are fueling
fires that become far more destructive than what’s normal. “All of those
places are places that have big issues with wildfire.”
Today, September 1, is the beginning of the "BER" months. The weather forecast for this week here in Northern California is a whole week of 3-Digit temperatures. In other words it is a Heat Wave-first in the history of California as the longest heat wave ever recorded. It is not good news specially for those whose jobs requires them to be outside. However, I am turning this negative news, by being positive and enjoy a special lunch of Pork, Scallop and Shrimp Dumplings with my Chili Sauce ( see photo above).
I purchased the dumpling on line from 99 Ranch Market-a store that specialized on Asian Foods. With it I purchased my first Vietnamese Pia Cake of Mung bean and durian.
The Pia Cake is similar to the Pinoy Hopia- the durian make it taste great. I will have this for dessert along with my mango sorbet. I purchased other items from 99 Ranch Market including a Live Main Lobster. I had the Lobster dinner last night. Here are some photos:
Besides the Lobster and Pia Cake, I purchased Longanisa(Pinoy sweet sausage) mango and tempura mix for my okra.
My Lobster Dinner with Sauteed Okra paired with Navarro Chardonnay
Here'a a photo of my cut okra ( 6th harvest)- ready to be sauteed in Bagoong ( Barrio Fiesta brand. Finally, if you live in California, keep cool, stay inside and Hydrate. If you live in the Philippines, May I wish you an advanced Merry Christmas. September 1 is the start of the Christmas season in the Philippines.
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