Foot and Fire

IN 2009, I gathered all of my books consisting of novels, condensed books of Reader's Digest, and some self-help books and gave it to the school in the fond hopes that they will find their way to the reader who cannot afford to buy books or who cannot decide yet what books to read. Actually, I have a twin intention. The other one was the hope that I can free my shelves too. And the recipient is my alma mater: Dona Hortencia Salas Benedicto National High School (DHSBNHS) in La Carlota City, through the outgoing student government at the time. I thought that was the last of it as I already cleaned up my bookshelves already. Until early in 2012, I decided to part ways with my old Reader's Digest and National Geographic issues. They were dear to me. Some of the earliest in the list of my reader's digest issues were second-hand when a family friend shared it to us after they were soaked in typhoon water. I painstakingly gathered and dried each page, and bound them back tog...

Pochero de Cebu is another cooking rendition of the favorite Bulalo which features a soup made from boiled large bones of cow with marrows inside. As I can recall pochero here in Western Visayas is a thick soup with some meat cooked with white beans, bananas and camote or potatoes and cabbage. But this Pochero de Cebu is actually a bulalo with sweet corn and some green vegetables such as string beans and pechay. I am not sure whether the name really represents its origin but perhaps it really came from Cebu as Cebuanos serve milled corn in lieu of rice. Here is the steamy hot bowl of Pochero de Cebu....

The 1900s train of LaCarlota City dubbed as the "Iron Dinosaur" now welcomes all vistors at the entrance to the city; no need to go far and wide via tricycle where the sugar central is located just to see this vintage beauty. Of course, it is painted and looks like a souvenir item in the photo. So, the next time you pass by or visit the city, do take time to smile beside or behind this train... For more information on this city, located in Negros Occidental, do click this link. http://negros-occ.gov.ph/about-negros-occidental/cities-and-municipalities/cities/la-carlota-city/ Here are our photos taken just before the powerful sun sets..

Just posting our first, and so only a few, harvest of abiu and tambis... We must be having a bountiful harvest next time... Abiu is a family of star apple said to bear fruit after 18months but it is not a tree but a bush so it is not some tree to climb on. Meanwhile, our tambis is said to bear fruits after three yeras only.. Here are the souvenir photo of the first harvest.. Till next time.

I love noodles when i cook them as i cook them with fresh vegetables. 2 T olive oil Cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed 1 medium onion, cubed 2 pcs carrots, julienned 12 pcs baguio beans, sliced slantly 200g vermicilli, soaked in hot water until tender 200g egg noodles, soaked in hot water until tender Soy sauce Salt and pepper 1 medium head cabbage, sliced horizontally 1 can Tuna in oil or with calamansi Saute garlic and onion In oil. Add carrots and baguio beans. Let cook. Add drained noodles and season with soy sauce, salt and pepper. Add cabbage, cover and let cook but not overcook. Add tuna in oil or calamansi and mix just before removing from fire.

Driven by an unusual force,  I plucked off the rack  the magazines and books reserved for “future” research. And by my by-hook-or-by-crook resolution, I painfully lifted the old TV set, the VHS rewinder, the karaoke cassette player  and others. As if nothing before my eyes is enough,  I ripped open the dusty plastic bags  and one by one tossed to the can  many “saved” things  from discolored Tupperware to broken screws. I should not feel anything about things. Then, I opened the curtain to a familiar rack.  I slowly gathered thirty-one pairs of my shoes and adjudged their destiny -- The faded, the broken, the ripped and the repeatedly repaired ones. More than half was exterminated. After that, I culled the cute polka dresses  I could no longer wear,  some Garfield baby tees  I love to keep but not wear and the “classics” I always wear  but should not anymore. I...

This is my favorite because while I get the full beef flavor just like bulalo without too much animal grease, I also get the vegetable serving of the day. 1 tablespoon canola oil 4 cloves of garlic 1 pc onion, cubed 2 ripe tomatoes, sliced 1/4 ground beef Soy sauce Salt and black pepper 1 pc upo or bottle gourd, sliced 12 stalks of malunggay, leaves separated from stalks Saute garlic in oil until it turns golden brown and add onion. Add sliced tomatoes until cooked and add then ground beef. Let cook until tender and add soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Let meat cook through. Add 4 cups of water and bring to boil. Add about 3 cups of upo and bring to boil until upo is cooked. Add malunggay and close lid. Remove from fire and serve hot over rice or as soup.

By GERLIE M. UY Maja blanca is a Filipino sweets made from cornstarch and coconut milk... 400g corn starch 12 cups thin coconut milk 2 cans condensed milk 2 cans corn kernesl or 1 can corn kernel and 1 can cream of corn 2 spons of corn kernel as garnish or grated cheese or raisins or ground peanuts. In a soup casserole, place all inngredients except the garnish. In a medium to high heat, bring the mixture to a boil and constantly stir for about 15 minutes or until it thickens and the mixture is milk white, not transparent. Pour in a mold pan. Makes two 9-inch pans of maja blanca. Put grated cheese, spoons of corn kernel or raisins or ground peanuts on top as garnish.

your gaze is my full moon *** our songs seethes through my sheets *** we wish seconds red Copyright 2003 by Gerlie M. Uy Precaution: Read in moderation.

If If you have been gazed at and his eyes say your hair is wonderful and your nose is impeccable (though you think they are otherwise); If you have been gazed at and his eyes undoubtedly say your lips are kissable and your neck is immaculate (though you believe they are otherwise); If you have been gazed at and his eyes say your fingers are candle-like and your skin angel-like, (though you feel they are otherwise); Lucky you are: Yours is his world and yours alone are his eyes. By Gerlie M. Uy Copyright 2012 Photo taken at Danjugan Island, Cauayan, Negros Occ.

this scent outlines a curvy lips *** love leaves no later *** pen exposes me Copyright 2003 by Gerlie M. Uy Caution: Read in moderation.

your heart arrests my argument *** your loosening grip tightens my heart *** your fading steps vivify my grief Copyright 2003 by Gerlie M. Uy Caution: Read in moderation.

a teacup awaits your lips *** his footsteps knock at my heart *** your nape negotiates my kneeling Copyright 2003 by Gerlie M. Uy Caution: Read in moderation.

lips leave me naked *** your heat is my bread *** Morpheus you are in my sleeplessness Copyright 2003 by Gerlie M. Uy Caution: Read in moderation.

GOOD NIGHT HERE, GOOD MORNING THERE miel, i siempre sueño de ustedes /   cuando mis ojos se cierran y el suyo acaba de abrir /   i sueño de que usted o que usted ha soñado de mí mientras mis ojos están abiertos. honey, i will always dream of you/   when my eyes are closed and yours just opened /   i will dream of you/   as you have dreamed of me while my eyes are wide open. Copyright 2009 by Gerlie M. Uy Photo taken at one of the temples in Angkor City, Cambodia *Spanish version was auto generated by a web application, not mine.

LOVE, I DARE NOT SAY MORE! Love is the mother of all poems if poems are heartaches so is love. if poems are understanding so is love. if poems are joy so is love. Poems are children of love. If love shows joy so do poems. If love shows understanding so do poems. If love shows heartaches so do poems. Love is poem. Poem is love. I dare not say more. By Gerlie M. Uy Copyright 2013. Photo taken by a jacuzzi on top of a hotel in Bangkok, Thailand.

HOW DO WE MEASURE LOVE? Is it by the years of togetherness or one's willingness to wait? Is it by the times of thoughtfulness or one's joy in receiving? Is it by the times of care or one's ability to share? Is it by the moments of despair or one's capacity to contain pain? Is it by the few moments of joy or one's ability to multiply it? How do we measure love? Is it by how we love or how love matters to us? by Gerlie M. Uy copyright 2013 Photo taken at the Malacanan of the North Ilocos Norte 

By GERLIE M. UY I rubbed the steak with pounded cumin , (I think I have two kinds, the plump palay-like seeds and the thinner ones) and rock salt. I refrigerate it overnight. I like the contrasting sweet and pungent dizzying smell of cumin... I first tasted cumin in the yangrou (lamb) barbecue in Beijing. With this grilled porterhouse steak and with the right red wine, the New Year's Eve or Valentine's Dinner is ready to go!

By GERLIE M. UY While I declared in the past that hunger is the mother of all kitchen invention, I must add now that variety is the godmother of all kitchen invention! Mothers satisfy, godmothers spoil! So, for a change, I served Black rice sushi for my birthday last year and it tuned our so well that it calls for part two soon. I already posted how to make sushi in my past blog. Here is the link to my  sushi . Follow the procedure except for the rice part. Here is my rule of thumb. A kilo of rice can be wrapped by 20 regular nori sheets or two packs. For black rice 3 cups black rice 1 cup violet sticky rice or malagkit...

By GERLIE M. UY 2 pcs Steak 1 small pack of Tomato Sauce 1 cup red wine (I prefer Sangria and slightly sweet) 1 t dried Basil leaves salt and pepper Wash the steak quickly and let drain. In a pan with lid, arrange the steak, add the rest of the ingredients for marinade. Refrigerate overnight with lid. Pan Grill or Grill over charcoal until desired tenderness. Serve with remaining red wine.

By GERLIE M. UY I had this entree for lunch today. So filling, especially with my Java rice with toasted garlic on top. Fried Bangus 6 pcs small Bangus 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup vinegar cloves of garlic, crushed 3 T fish sauce Canola oil for frying Clean Bangus but leave it unscaled and slice it with butterfly cut. Marinade fishes with the next four ingredients, adding a little amount of oil. Let stay for at least 30 minutes before frying. Fry in a a hot oil. Mango Okra Salsa 2 Semi-ripe mangoes, seeded and cubed 8 pcs Okra, boiled and cubed 1 medium white onion 3 tomatoes, seeded and cubed salt and pepper Mix all ingredients and chill before serving.