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.