Foot and Fire

The Aswang Inquiry Frank Lynch S.J. Illustration and Retelling by Gilda Cordero-Fernando Got this book because I liked the title. Also, the intent was to write a book for teens about Aswang because most of them read about dracula and Frankenstein but nothing about our very own.  My Stars go first to the illustration as it is stunningly creative as Fernando depicted Aswang in an "Aswang wears Prada" way.  As to the narrative, I can say that it's not comprehensive and kind of written from the desk of a school principal rather than from the desk of Sherlock Holmes. I think I can do better telling of Aswang incidents as I grew up with a lola and lolo from Antique, mingled with sakadas or sugarcane workers from Antique who worked in Negros when I was a kid and heard tales from my ancestors about tales when towns were still uninhabited by humans. I even accompanied someone "nga gina Kuno nga aswang" (rumored as Aswang) who went to Mindanao as s...

Carbo-loading can also be an interesting meal when done once in a while and in a creative way. Well, that's what the title of my blog suggests. My Modified Korean meal: Spicy fish and rice cake stew, kimchi with cucumber slices and noodles with veges Noodles with Veges Instant Korean noodles Water Coriander Lettuce Cut laver or seaweed Heat water to boil. Add noodles with its prepared flavoring, and chopped coriander. Serve in individual bowl. Garnish with lettuce and seaweed on top. Serve hot. Streetfood Stew 1 C water Rice cake Fish Cake Fish Tofu  Chives Coriander Onion Garlic Hoisin sauce Chili garlic sauce Heat water in a shallow pot, let boil. Add rice cake, fish cake and fish tofu which should be cut in serving slices. Let cook for 2 minutes. Add chives, onion and garlic. Stir in hoisin and chili garlic sauces gently. Let cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from fire. Serve hot. Napa Kimchi Sliced cucumber In a bowl mix nap...

I salivate over chicken wings sold everywhere online lately but I always end up not liking the sauce or powdered flavorings. Worse, the chicken is overcooked so that it's dry. Chicken wings cook easily as compared to thick drumstick cut. The secret is to just deep fry it in a hot cooking oil for 3 to 4 minutes to achieve consistensy as to doneness.   1 kilo chicken wings 2 cups Whole wheat flour 1 cup Starch  Salt and pepper water 3 eggs Cold Water Canola oil Clean the chicken wings and cut between the first fold to separate the bigger fleshy part and the smaller bony part.  In a deep bowl, mix flour and starch plus the salt and pepper. Make a well and add the eggs and the water. Adjust water by adding little by little until the batter is not thick and not watery. Add the chicken to the batter.  In a deep pot, add a big amount of oil that would cover the chicken when placed for frying. Let the oil get hot. To test, sprinkle some salt. If it sizzles g...

Who Moved My Cheese? By Spencer Johnson Hardbound This book is a quick read and very simple way of assessing self when faced with a big C, Cheese which stands for CHANGE in our job or personal lives. It's a motivational book for those who are afraid of or pushed to no choice but to change.  Yes we all know that Change is constant. And No one admits he's afraid of Change. But Most of us want to nurture constancy and famiarity. In this book, we will assess ouselves in how we are accepting of change. 

The Sweetness at the bottom of the pie A Flavia de Luce Mystery By Alan Bradley  2010 Softbound, 370 pages I am so happy now that I am done with it that I decided to finally read the book after it laid resting on my shelf for a while. Though by now, you know that non-fic is not my cup of tea, so much more is the mystery crime thriller. I thought I got this book at the BIG BAD WOLF sale in Cebu City but I just realized after closing the back cover that I got it from Book Sale. I must have picked up the book because of the word pie or preview at the back about Flavia de Luce or the mention of stamp collection. As I started and went along the book (many interruptions in between, of course), I feel like I'm reading a coming-of-age book or I myself was transported to my elementary or high school self reading a book. It's a surprise that this is an adult crime mystery. I wish this is made into film too. It's a delight to do some sleuth work with our heroine Flavia Sabina de Luce,...

Radio programming is one of the ways to augment the modular learning of our school children. But as we go on with the second year of this pandemic, it has also become one avenue to showcase our city and her people, to disseminate information, and to dispel despair hovering above us brought by isolation. Yesterday, I was privileged to be invited in the Tic-Talk with Dime in its maiden segment after the station went on hibernation for a while to sort its legal existence. Now, it came back as Trompa La Carlota 104.9 FM.  Yesterday, Sir Dime Capistrano and Miss April Chatman asked me about my books, poetry and essays as well as fundraising and advocacies. It was a joy to share. Here's the link to the fb live of the segment.  https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2523331991144799&id=100054660653228 CONGRATULATIONS to the Trompa Team!!! 

I had been a fan of soda water since it became available in the local supermarket. But of course, it has no plus facor for our gut health and I simply like the sparkles it brings to my juice. So I decided on Kefir Water as it includes fruits in the equation. The kefir grains are said to come from a healthful bacteria that fed on a cactus and one of the effects it make on the water is it makes it fizz. One can also make Kefir Milk using milk as the feeding material for the bacteria and one can make a Kefir Yogurt. I will try it when I get to grow more grains. In the meantime, I will have kefir water.    On the Left is the Kefir Grains while the two contaners has muscuvado sugar. The bacteria in the grains feed on sugar so that one has to feed them organic sugar so they will also give us a healthy water. The kefir has plenty of healthy bacteria and yeast that are good for our guts.  The Kefir Grains which I ordered online last May 2021. ...