just ranting...

There have been tremendous persistent clamor for an update in this blog left in the dust for so long.

Hahaha… what a wishful thinking!!!

Thanks to occasional visitor probably brought here by mere curiosity but I seriously doubt if anyone has actually read anything here in full, just the same I think it’s about time I try to resuscitate this.

I’m not really a writer who can rant and rave on anything. I started this because of an epiphany that has long been gone. Other inspirations have also come and gone. I still don’t have anyone to muse about but I think I still have so many other things to rant about, so hopefully I can fill pages with all these things boiling inside. This has been one of my emotional drains after all.

The dictionary defines superstition as a belief or notion, not based on reason or knowledge, in or of the ominous significance of a particular thing, circumstance, occurrence, proceeding, or the like. As much as I would like to think and even to a certain extent deny this but a part of me is really that, superstitious in a way.

I have been troubling and agonizing over a decision these past few weeks more so in the last couple of days, and lo and behold I got this text message early this morning, The message is my horoscope for the day talking about me, that I “should take the leap of faith…” that I shouldn’t be afraid of change, for it will be for the better. Creepy, for this is exactly the fear that has been piercing and twisting my head over this decision.

Yes, indeed, this will be a leap of faith. I would like to believe I have the faith, I just hope to find the courage and strength to make the leap.

My version of Roast Chicken in Herbs

Kabayan,

Here as promised; huli man daw ang dating, masarap pa rin hehe :)

Enjoy!

From my last simpleng handa

(Roast chicken at 10'0clock)

Preparation:

Wash chicken (either whole or 6-8 pieces of quarter cut) thoroughly under running water, drain water and pat dry with paper towel.

Pick leaves of 3-4 twigs of fresh rosemary and equal amount of tarragon leaves. Grind to bits using food processor or finely chop. Mix this with about a teaspoon of black peppercorn.

Put the chicken in a shallow baking pan.

Generously rub salt rock unto chicken, including the inside (if using whole chicken).

Next, rub unto chicken the herb mixture (rosemary, tarragon, black peppercorn)

Squeeze 2 lemons (either green or yellow, sometimes a combination the two) and rub these unto chicken.

Next, rub the whole chicken with generous amount of olive oil, and sprinkle about a teaspoon inside the chicken crevice.

Place half of the rind of squeezed lemon inside the chicken's crevice; together with 3-4 cloves of peeled garlic.

Leave it to marinade overnight in the refrigerator or at least 4-6 hours, leave the chicken with breast facing down.

Put another 4-5 cloves of crushed garlic in the pan together with the remaining half of the lemon rinds.

An hour before cooking flip over the chicken, with the breast now facing up or if using quarter cut; make sure the skin part of the chicken is facing up.

Cooking:

For the vegetable sidings:

Thinly cut into strips 2 pieces of medium-size carrots.

Wash about half a kilo of marble potato

In a pot of water with a pinch of salt boil potato for about 8 minutes, and then add the cut strips of carrot and boil for another 4 minutes. Remove from heat, drain the water and put under running water to cool it down. Set aside.

Pre-heat the oven and set at 195 degree centigrade or between knobs 4-5 setting.

Cook the chicken for 45 minutes; at the end of 45 minutes remove the chicken from the pan and lay down the carrots and marble potato in the pan, and then put back the chicken on top of this bed of vegetable. Baste the chicken with some of the juice from the pan before putting it back in the oven. Cook for another 30-45 minutes.

The chicken is cooked if clear juice is coming out when you pierce the meat with a knife.

Kainan na! :)

Gubat sa paso...

ang aking pinagkaka-abalahan, gumawa ng gubat sa paso hehehe... :)


meet rosemary, minty green, oregani, sweet (basil), lemony and calamansi wahihihi :)


my morning coffee corner... :)

paso population, nearing 70!
somebody stop me please! lol :)

Galunggong atbp...

My version of garlic fried galunggong fillet!

I don't follow exact measurements but usually prepare and cook food as I see it fit.

So the recipe is as simple as I usually prepare it...

Wash galunggong thoroughly under running water until water return is clear.

In a clean covered pot (earthenware-palayok is preferred) spread kamyas (pierce each kamyas with fork first) at the bottom of the pot (calamansi is an alternative- cut in half, remove the seed and spread in the pot with the cut-half facing up). Add 2-3 cloves of garlic in between.

Lay the fish on top of that bed of kamyas (or calamasnsi); sprinkle small amount of sea salt and black pepper. Top it with another 3 cloves of (this time crushed) garlic and 3-4 more pieces of kamyas or calamansi.

Add water, about 1 to 1&1/2 cup or 1/3 full of the total volume in the pot.

Put in high fire and once it comes to a boil put into low fire and slowly simmer until the water is almost completely evaporated. This would take about 30-45 minutes.

Once cooked, let it cool for a minute or two before removing the fish from the pot carefully by hand one by one.

While still hot, remove the head off then slice the fish in the middle to split it open and remove the bone, whole. Carefully pick out remaining bone, usually located at the head and tail parts. Lay it down in a clean plate with the cut half facing up; do this for the rest of the fish. Once done, carefully squeeze (but do not mash) the remaining juice from kamyas and garlic and mix this with the remaining sauce that has settled/remained in the pot. Spread this to the cut half of the fish. The fish can be eaten as is, or this can be fried to crispiness. The cut head of the fish can be deep fried to crispiness in any vegetable oil. Crunchy -Yum!!

For the garlic fried fillet!

Peel and finely minced several cloves of garlic.

In a non-stick pan, put olive oil just enough to coat and cover the pan; put in high fire for about a minute until the oil is hot then, reduce fire into very low setting . Sprinkle the minced garlic in the pan until all surface of the pan is covered; let the garlic fry for 10-15 seconds before putting the fish. Place the fish on top of the bed of minced garlic with the cut half facing up and sprinkle some more garlic on top of the cut half of the fish; fry for 1-2 minutes on each side or until all the garlic has turned brown. Remove the fish from the pan together with the fried garlic. Put in fresh bed of minced garlic for each batch of fish to be fried. Get the remaining used olive oil and spread it in the fried fish before serving.

Voila, a delicious gourmet galunggong!!!

Atbp...

That was my recipe of galunggong I have recently shared over YM chat with a childhood friend. During the course, he blurted out that he has come to know and read this blog. And so, another soul has made the discovery.

Was I surprised? I have seen it coming actually. I was actually expecting it to be precise, from the time he stumbled upon on my YM address which is linked to my other world. I was sure glad he told me, that only meant he was ready and open to receive the revelation; and I was happy with his reassurance that nothing changed with the revelation. I have a hunch he's not the only one among my friends who has stumbled upon this blog, maybe they're not ready yet. Just the same I'm just here waiting to be discovered...

Thank you kabayan!

Enjoy the crispy garlic galunggong!!!

:)

Bebe...

A change in the name…

A change in image…

A change, out of the closet into out in the open…

When the late Rustom (with due respect to the man) came out on national TV with his confessions (more of confirmation than confession) one of the things he shared as his realization was that, not all gay men are parlorista that people have stereotyped. He was sure to emphasize that a man need not dressed or be dolled up like a woman to be gay. I was sure to be glad that he said that, I thought here is a man coming out to shatter the stereotype. Alas, Rustom is dead and Bebe just reinforced the stereotype. 

I was supposed to make a more lengthy discourse on closet, coming out, label, plu and what have you about being gay, but then it’s been too long since I first drafted this so let this be as it is for now.