Hi guys! I know I've been missing in action lately, but I am still writing and eating... and cooking!
Sharing with you one of my all-time favorite dishes when I was growing up. Actually, I still love and crave it until now, 35 years old and all, meaning it is perfect for little kids, teens, adults, feeling adults, seniors, and yes, old maids. Lol!
CHINESE SAUSAGE FRIED RICE
It is so very easy to make and this complete meal uses only 8 ingredients!
Check out the recipe on The Spoiled Mummy blog. Thank you, Grace, for featuring this dish!
Click here to see more easy but yummy recipes by The Spoiled Mummy.
While half of Manila was at the Alain Ducasse dinner at Enderun last Tuesday, we were all at home for Auntie Lucy and Gerrald's joint birthday celebration
First, we gathered around for the birthday candle blowing
And then we fought our way to the buffet table! Hahaha! Kidding! We let the guests go first. :)
Our food was prepared by Ahia Emil, our very own Alain Ducasse! :) See the kobe beef sukiyaki dinner he cooked for us here. That's Ahia Emil Ducasse, Ninang Nena, and Auntie Judy.
Garlicky Pork Tenderloin. So tender and tasty everyone thought it was beef!
Chicken Teriyaki
Fish and Tofu
Vegetables which I skipped hehehe
Birthday Bihon
Pork Barbecue - loved these because they tasted like those you get on the streets!
PORKQUET. My kind of bouquet. I ate around 8 sticks of this because I had extra space from skipping the veggies. :P
Homemade Leche Flan
And assorted mini cupcakes from Mrs. Emilie Ang of Sugar Bites (See more info on Sugar Bites here)
After dinner, the guests engaged in a few games which we all used to play during our younger years. God, that was such a long time ago I can't even remember what the games are called!
But it was fun and refreshing to see kids enjoy playing real games rather than the ones you can download from the apple store
I don't remember being so excited about any dinner lately as much as I was about this meal.
And it wasn't even in some impossible-to-book Michelin-starred restaurant!
It was at the Manila Bulletin Office, the home of the Philippines' leading national newspaper. This photo somehow reminds me of the Manila Hotel lobby. :)
The Manila Bulletin Building
Tonight we were "meating" in the conference room
Meating with a very important personality who just flew in from Japan - Kobe Beef! CHECK OUT THAT MARBLING!!!
Mushrooms were our choice of vegetables :)
Inside this Manila Bulletin teapot was a sukiyaki sauce made from scratch by the in-house chef
And look who was cooking for us that night!
Manila Bulletin's EVP himself, Dr. and my Ahia Emil Yap III!
Chef Emil sauteed the onions until fragrant, arranged the beef on top, and poured sukiyaki sauce over it
I wish this blog had a scratch and smell feature so you could experience the euphoria brought about by the amazing scent
Marbee got the first digs. Lucky girl! :)
THIS IS KOBE BEEF SUKIYAKI. Please erase all versions of your past kobe beef sukiyaki experience. This is the only legit K.B.S. #walangkokontrathankyou
And just when I thought I couldn't get any happier, these little dumplings of joy happened.
Ahia Emil has perfected the gyoza recipe. Look how thin the skin and how mighty the filling! I murdered five or six of these tasty babies.
The Chawanmushi was better than what I've had in many restaurants. So eggy, soft and silky!
For dessert, we had homemade Strawberry Shortcake also prepared by the in-house chef. I think I am gonna have to move into the Manila Bulletin office now.
The innards with our very own sweet and juicy Baguio strawberries
I don't care how heavy the cream and how much fat went into this panna cotta. It made my eyes roll up in pleasure and no panna cotta had ever done that to me. The others were afraid, but I cleaned up my bowl really nicely, Mr. Clean would be proud.
Cheryl, Marbee, Angelo and I award Ahia Emil 5 Michelin Stars!!! :)
The Aftermath
Don't worry! After dinner, we all went to the gym...
And I did some really intensive cardio workout for the next 4 hours.
Just kidding!!! We went back to the office and lazed around while watching Cheryl's brother Chris play against San Mig Coffee.
I also got to take home a few of these beautiful orchids from Ahia Emil's garden. They now sit in my room and bring a smile to my face every morning. :)
EMIL'S ANGELS "OMG!!! Ang tatakaw nila!!!"
After dinner, we went to the Tap Room at Manila Hotel to watch Margaux Salcedo perform.
Margaux not only eats well, writes well, she sings very well, too. She is such a joy to watch!
After our lunch at Kettle, while Ritchie and I went on a movie marathon, she went to buy these lanterns to set up her home for our impromptu Chinese New Year dinner.
Here's Ritchie photobombing my dining room shot
Prosperity Tree centerpiece
We were supposed to eat out, but Uncle Frank decided last minute that he wanted to be our Chinese New Year Master Chef. We happily said yes.
We've been eating out too often that the idea of a home-cooked meal sounded much more inviting than the chichi-est foie gras, truffle, kobe beef, gold leaf, birds nest dinner.
Here's what our Chinese Master Chef prepared for us:
Assorted braised meats and innards which were so delicious with rice!
Shrimps and celery
Duck adobo
Sweet and sour fish
Sotanghon that I shamelessly stuffed my face with. I love sotanghon!!!
Pechay stew
Pickled eggplant that whetted my appetite all night
Pork and radish soup
Homemade fruit salad with lots and lots of grapes, buko strips and cheese cubes
Carrot Cake from Homemade Carrot Cake by Cherry
Brazo de Mercedez also from Homemade Carrot Cake by Cherry. This was everyone's favorite.
Assorted Bambolini from Wildflour
Banana Bread from Wildflour
And my two childhood favorites:
Prosperity buns
And ampaw!
It was a very casual, simple, dress-down dinner at home
Heck, our utensils were served in a balde. Lol!
But the most important thing is that we were all together. And that is the real essence of Chinese New Year. ♥
Thank you, Uncle Frank, for preparing all the food! :)
Thank you, Achi Donna, for setting the Binondo mood! :)
