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Ang Pag-aaral at Tsokolate

(Chocolate- Food for the Brain)

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Sabi ng karamihan, ‘wag bigyan ng tsokolate ang mga bata. Makakasira ng ngipin, nakaka-hyper, nakaka-taba, etcetera at iba pa. Sa akin naman OK lang yun. Para sa akin, masama lang naman ang isang bagay kung sobra.

Saka hindi kaya child abuse na yun pag pinigilan? (Hehehehe… joke lang po para sa mga kaaway ng tsokolate). Pero sino ba ang batang aayaw? Lalo pa at sa mga bagong pagsusuri, food for the brain daw ito. Mahusay sa memorya at tunay na nakaka-hyper ng ilang oras kaya maigi kainin habang nag-aaral o bago mag-exam.

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Distinctly Halo-halo with a Twang!

I have always thought that halo-halo – a popular dessert that is a mixture of shaved ice, fruits and what-nots – is something that only Filipinos have. But traveling through Asian countries, even living in one situated in the southeast and one in northern Asia, I have found out that mixing fruits and anything sweet with shaved ice definitely appeals to the Asian palate.

Halo-halo means ‘mix’. The usual ingredients or at least those that I like to get into my glass of halo-halo include mung beans, minatamis na saging na saba, nata de coco, kaong, macapuno, pinipig and sago, topped with ube and leche flan. Love it with lots of milk.

Then, there is air batu campur (pronounced ayir-batu-champur) or simply called ABC in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Brunei. Guess what air batu campur means? Air batu literally means ‘stone water’ or ice and campur means… ‘mix’! Coincidence? It is also known as ais kacangais for ‘ice’ and kacang (pronounced ka-chang) meaning ‘beans’. Mung bean is a main ingredient, and so it is in our very own halo-halo. I tell you it’s very much similar to our famous dessert but with ingredients native to these countries and more to their palate.

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LP#11: Pato Mang May Layang Lumipad…

(The Flying ducks)
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Sila po ang mga pato sa aming neighborhood. Kasama nila ay mga pukeko at kung minsan naman ay mga sea gulls na palipa-lipana lamang sa kung saan-saan. May isang linggo na kasi silang hindi nadadalaw sa tapat ng aming bahay kaya kahit malamig ang hangin pero mataas naman ang araw, nilakad ko ang malapit na reserve area sa amin. Wala pang limang minuto ay nandito na ako, dala ang aking bagong biling cookbook upang magbasa-basa. May dala din akong tinapay para sa aking mga paboritong mga kalaro. Kaysarap nilang tingnan, hindi ba? Malayang nagagawa ang mga bagay na gusto nilang gawin. Malayang manirahan sa kung saang lugar nila gusto manatili.

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This Blog Turns 3!.. and More

wine.jpg That’s a bottle of wine I received as a gift from our lawyer clients just few hours ago during the opening celebration of my 1st completed project in New Zealand. A well-reviewed project matched with a pay rise in a little less than 6 months? Sabi nga ng mga Kiwi… “not bad aye?” Life is beautiful.

At tamang tama ang regalo hindi ba? Below is a glass of wine and a slice of cake… as this blog turns 3 today! Weeee! More than 2 years of blogging from Beijing and now from Auckland, NZ. What makes me go on? First and foremost, I still love to cook and ISKAndals is still my online recipe journal. But what really comes as a surprise delight is when I receive comments and emails of appreciation for my home-style recipes, how easy to follow they are, and how much they like my site. Isn’t it great?

Behold! Tis’ tiramisu adorned with a single red rose petal. Yum!

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Just like the previous years, my simple way of saying thank you will be another compilation of selected recipes posted since June last year.

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LP#9: Ihip ng Hangin

Taglagas na talaga! Sa ihip ng hangin ay naglalaglagan ang mga tuyong dahon sa likuran ng aking rock lobster.(Recipe na matatagpuan dito.)

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Sa pangalawang pagkakataon para sa Litratong Pinoy, ito ay larawang kuha sa aming hardin. Kung inyong madadalaw ang aking Binagoongan post ay makikita ang puno na kulay berde pa. Sa aking LP#8, taglagas na talaga at ang dahon ay medyo kulay dilaw na. Pero sa pagbagsak sa lupa ito ay singpula na ng rock lobster.

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Ang Malungkot na LP5

Nagbakasyon sa New Zealand para hanapin si Gollum at Frodo. Kayganda ng Lake Taupo pero…

Magbakasyon ba namang mag-isa at hindi kapiling ang pamilya.
Nagising sa umaga sa lamig ng winter breeze.
Maulap at tila ayaw sumilip ng araw.
Pati kulay ng mansanas tila ba ayaw maging pula.
Hindi ba’t kaylungkot?
Yan po ako nung una kong linggo sa kiwiland. Larawang unang nalathala dito.
(Breakfast at Lake Taupo)

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LP4: Hugis ay Pahaba

Ito na po ang aking pangalawang Huwebes para sa Litratong Pinoy na may temang hugis ay pahaba. Ano ang ibig sabihin? Ako’y magiging aprubadong litratista na ng LP… yehey! O sya… simulan ko na!

(The anchovy and Ikea chopsticks )

Opo, alam ko pong hindi tsina-chopsticks ang dilis pero for the sake of litrato e chinapstiks ko ang dilis. Ang matindi po nyan ay kinaliwa ko pa ang pagkuha ng larawan. Ang kahabaan ng aking mga daliri sa kanang kamay habang kinokodakan ko gamit ang aking kaliwang kamay. Mas mahirap sa akin ang humawak ng chopsticks gamit ang kaliwa.
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Litratong Pinoy 3: Apat na Kanto

Sa kabisihan, ngayon ko lang nalaman ang tungkol sa isa pang LP… ang Litratong Pinoy. Nakita ko sa blog ni kaibigang Cecilia. Sayang at sana nakasali ako sa mga naunang tema. Mahilig din po kasi ako kumuha ng mga litrato kahit na halatang obvious na hindi propesyonal.

Kaya tuloy para sa aking unang Huwebes…


(Milk chocolate with colorful, flavored crispy coating)
Mukhang pang-aquarium, may asul, may pula, dilaw at berde
Masarap, matamis at sa Peking ay kung sa’n sa’n lang nabibili
Tsokolateng mukhang batong pamukpok sa ulo
Pag hinati sa gitna lalabas ang apat na kanto.
Larawang una kong nailathala dito.


Ang garlic bread…
Masarap na kasalo ng spaghetti.
Kung paano ko ito gawin ay napakasimple.
Ang dinikdik na bawang sa butter ay igisa…
pagkatapos ay ipahid sa toasted bread. Sarap na!

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LP25: 10 Things About Bento

The 25th round of Lasang Pinoy is all about bento (or should I say baon) and since I’ve been packing lunch for work almost always for the past 6 months, I decided to list down 10 things about it.

1. The size of my usual teeny weeny lunchbox makes my officemates worry so much if I’m eating enough.

2. The Kiwi lifestyle is that everybody eats lunch in the office. Or at least I think so. Uso ang magdala ng baon. Bakit kamo? Ewan ko but most probably because they all believe in preserving the environment. Usong linya po yan sa opis. Seriously, I think health and frugality are the main reasons.

3. The office lunchroom:
– Very baon-friendly. Clean and efficient except for the fact that the cutlery drawer is too far from the coffee station. With 2 large dining tables and a long bar counter, it is big enough for our informal meetings and gatherings. It is also a library.
– Love the kitchen. Complete whiteware. 1 big fridge and a small one full of bottles of fresh milk. (Not to mention that hot, hot, HOT 20-something Maori milkman who delivers ‘em!) There’s hot and chilled water direct from water filter tap. Easy to prepare your lunch as there’s bread toaster, oven and microwave. Cleaning up isn’t a problem, too. Everybody’s responsible enough to place their dirty stash in the dishwasher.
– Coffee (fresh or instant), tea and chocolate drink are free anytime of the day. Drinks (beer and wine), nibbles and lollies free every Friday afternoon.

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