Do
you love fruits? I love fruits! Fruits make me happy. PIES make me even
happier. Was it just a coincidence that my mom named me Pie? I think not!
So
this month of July as we continue to celebrate the 5th year of Life is Sweet
here at Eat To Your Heart’s Content, I am sharing with you both of these
delicious food that makes me happy.
It’s
a happy month for me as I celebrate my birth month (and my mom too – our
birthday is one week apart!), I wanted to spread the happiness. With the help of
these amazing food bloggers around the globe, I give you 12 FANTABULOUS FRUITY
PIES. Enjoy and be happy, always!
Chocolate
and pie lovers, you are in for a treat! Eat To Your Heart’s Content continues
to celebrate the 5th year of Life is Sweet, we are sharing with you 12
deliriously delicious Chocolate Pies.
Do you have a sweet tooth? Do you
prefer to end a hearty meal with a sweet ending? Does mealtime feels incomplete
without a cone of sundae, a tall glass of milkshake, a piece of cupcake or a
slice of cake to end with?
Well, if you are looking for some
restaurants that offer delicious desserts after devouring a sumptuous platter,
check out these 18 Delicious Desserts
Around the Philippines. These are not dessert shops or cafés but
restaurants offering delicious desserts in their menu.
So bookmark this on your mobile phones
or tablets to keep it handy every time you have a decadent craving for a sweet
ending.
DISHES, DESSERTS AND DRINKS
This is a treat
to the first man in our lives. The pillar of strength and the head of the
family. The constant voice in our heads to do well, to be excellent in our
every endeavour. The one and only man we compare to every boy or man that comes
our way. This is a tribute to all fathers in a daughter’s life.
To show you how
much we care, we prepare an all-day feast from sun up to sun down. Father’s Day
Boozy Treats : Dishes, Desserts, Drinks - while on the booze, perhaps you will
somehow forget all those moments your blood boil because of us, your daughters.
Those moments when you disapproved of our life’s choices. Those moments when
you wanted something else for us but we wanted another. The petty arguments and
what not... Because today, is your special day. No matter what, you will always
be our first love. Happy Father’s Day!
The heat has been excruciating from the months of
March to May. To utter the words sweating
like a pig is an understatement (though I wonder, do pigs sweat?). For me,
I am frantic at the thought of the coming rainy months.
You see in this part of the globe, the months from
June to November have been tagged as the rainy season. It can be difficult to
travel with a slippery road, the thought of strong typhoons that can cause
floods is unnerving particularly after the detrimental typhoon - Haiyan (locally
known as Yolanda) and the never-ending relief operations for typhoon stricken
areas.
Looking on the brighter side of life, for a food
lover, the rainy season only means that we can start preparing our favorite
soup dishes and eat to our heart’s content.
This Pinoy Food Recipe is my family’s go-to soup dish. It can be a side dish for your dry
meal or as a snack. Some locals even enjoy Chicken Sopas in the morning.
Personally, what I love about this PINOY
FOOD RECIPE : CHICKEN SOPAS is the addition of some vegetables. So let’s
start to whip up this healthy and hearty soup dish.
A COLLECTION OF
PINOY RECIPES FROM FOOD BLOGGERS WORLDWIDE
The month of June is a historic time for the country
once known as the Pearl of the Orient. June 12th marks the
celebration of the Declaration of the Philippine Independence.
In recent years, the Philippine culinary industry has
been joining the celebration with the commemoration of dishes served during the
signing of the Declaration of Philippine Independence. Some establishments even
introduced Dr. Jose Rizal’s favorite dishes to the younger generation. Dr. Jose
Rizal is the country’s National Hero who pioneered the Philippine Revolution
during the 400+ years of Spanish rule.
Here at Eat To Your Heart’s Content we are
highlighting Filipino cuisine for the month of June. You might not be familiar
with Pinoy food if you have not been to the Philippines. You may not have
tasted Filipino food if you don’t know any Filipinos at all - which is unlikely
to happen since so many Filipinos either migrated to another country or opted
to work abroad). You might not have heard about Filipino dishes if you don’t
watch Anthony Bourdain (who visited the country twice) and from Andrew Zimmern who
predicted that Filipino food is the next best thing – more on that here. You
may have not encountered some iconic Filipino dishes but there are many worthy
to be tasted with gusto.
So why don’t you relax, have a cup of your favorite
brew and scroll down for some delicious versions of MUST-TRY FILIPINO
RECIPES you can create for
your family. Who knows, Filipino food might just be something you can rave
about too. Here
is a collection of Pinoy recipes from fellow Pinoy food bloggers and versions
of Pinoy dishes from some food bloggers worldwide.
CREATIVE BLENDS
TO BEAT THE HEAT
The last couple of weeks have been
extremely hot, almost unbearable. My weather app registers a 99°F as of this writing,
which is about 38°C with a body heat index of 42°C according to the national
weather station.
When I am at home, I could not help
but take a shower for about four to five times a day and drink several liters
of ice-cold water. I refrain myself from drinking carbonated drinks and instant
iced tea. I opt to prepare healthier beverages for my family.
In my search to whip up some creative
blends to beat the heat, I have requested some amazing food bloggers to share
their delicious cold drinks in this RECIPE ROUND UP : 50
PLUS TEMPTING THIRST-QUENCHER.
I could hardly recall that I would
bring a lunch box during elementary & high school. My folks would hand me
my school money, enough to last a day. We have a school cafeteria with a snack
bar and only one catering vendor so the food choices were limited.
Back then, I do not mind the few
choices since the owner of the caterer vendor was not only pleasant and very
accommodating to us but she had some delicious dishes which became my
favorites.
One favorite was her creation of Arroz
ala Cubana. I look forward to the combination of this simple yet filling dish
since it consists of ground meat, sunny side up egg and fried bananas. It was
such a comfort food at that time.
Over the years, Arroz ala Cubana was
one of the simple dishes I would whip whenever I had these main ingredients.
This would usually be when I make my Pinoy Sweet-Style Spaghetti.
Allow me to share with you this PINOY FOOD RECIPE : ARROZ ALA CUBANA
with a few tweaks I made over the years. This recipe can be for one when you
are hungry or for two for modest munching.
When
foreign traveler friends plan to visit the Philippines and ask me what Filipino
dishes I would recommend, in a heartbeat, I would enumerate some of my
favorites – Adobo, Bagnet, Sinigang, Kare-Kare and the celebratory Lechon.
As my mom
and I were planning for our Sunday lunch it dawned on me, why haven’t I
suggested the rich tomato-based pork dish that my family enjoy during weekend lunch
at home? Trying to recall all the restaurants that I have been dining all
throughout these years, I asked myself where
I had this splendid dish in a restaurant. After several minutes of
pondering, I could not remember where and that was probably the reason why I have
not mentioned this to my travel friends. To think, this Filipino dish is so colorful
and easy to make with vegetables to boot.
So if you
are in search for some good ol’ Filipino dish whip up this PINOY FOOD RECIPE : PORK MENUDO. If you’re
traveling around the Philippines and end up choosing a place with your own or a
common kitchen, you know what to cook! Plus it is so much affordable instead of
dining at restaurants.
A Collection of Coastal
Dining Discoveries
The province of Cavite is a historic place. This is
the monumental site for the Declaration of the Philippine Independence,
celebrated annually on 12th of June.
When it comes to food, Cavite province has an abundance
of seafood and a mélange of coastal cooking. Any true blue food lover of regional
cuisines and culinary traveler will be astounded by the wealth of native dishes
and Cavite delicacies abound even to this day.
Over the years, while preserving traditional Cavite cuisine,
restaurant dining has evolved – Greek restaurants, European inspired dishes, Mediterranean
cuisine, farm-to-table dining, by reservation dining, the list just keeps
going. Cavite dining has never been so vibrant and worthy of a gastronomic
sojourn.
Join me as we go on a virtual food trip, bookmark this
collection of deliriously delicious coastal dining discoveries, and enjoy Cavite Delicacies and Restaurants.
The northern part of the Philippines
is Strawberry Country. Baguio City, the country’s summer capital, has an
abundance of strawberry fields producing the juiciest strawberries perfect for
pancakes with strawberries, strawberry salad and strawberry shortcake. In fact,
Baguio City produces one of the great tasting strawberry jam you can find.
I remember one visit in Baguio City
for a promotional tour for a TV reality show I was doing a few moons ago. We were
time constrained, doing mall tours as we head to Baguio City and back to Manila.
With a limited staff, a bunch of male contestants of the reality show and the
numerous activities lined up, my only treat was the thought that I was going to
buy tons of fresh strawberries. My heart was pounding in great anticipation as
we headed to Strawberry Lovers Lane.
Growing up I know I have three
favorite dishes – Pinoy Sweet Style Spaghetti which I truly love because my mom
add tons of hotdogs, Sinigang na Baboy (Pork Sour Soup) and Fried Chicken.
My folks were also heavy meat eaters
when they were younger. Mostly, they would prepare dishes like Menudo (diced
pork with carrots and potatoes in a rich tomato sauce), Nilagang Baka (slow
cooked Beef with lettuce, onions and potatoes) and Adobong Baboy (Pork Adobo
cooked in a complimenting blend of soy sauce and vinegar with tons of garlic).
Seafood such as mussels, squid, crabs, lapu-lapu, shrimp and prawns were prepared
during special occasions.
As years went on and I took over the
household and our daily menu, my food preference changed. I still love Pinoy
Sweet Style Spaghetti, Sinigang na Baboy and Fried Chicken but seafood has
greatly been added to our menu. Not only does it help with a better digestion
as my parents get older, but it is healthier and easier to cook.
Shrimp is one of my favorite
ingredients whenever I prepare my menu. Readers of this food blog know how much
I adore shrimps and prawns. It is also one of the easiest seafood dishes to
prepare. If you’re like me who juggles numerous hats, your priority is to feed
your family with easy to cook dishes without suffering the taste and health
benefits out of every meal.
Allow me to share with you my
collection of shrimp recipes here at Eat To Your Heart’s Content. After all,
May 10 is the National Shrimp Day.
Let me help you celebrate with this RECIPE
ROUND UP : SHRIMP ALL-YOU-CAN.

Have you experienced an intense
craving of a certain dish, dine at the nearest restaurant near your office or
home and end up disappointed? Disappointed that you felt short-changed for
paying a hefty price but the taste was not even near the vicinity of saying the
dish was good.
Heck, you can’t even say it was okay!
I’ve had several occasions when I dine
out, mostly to eat pasta dishes and end up disappointed. The promise of an
authentic Italian cuisine, were all just a promise. Of all the many restaurants
I have been to, I only have about five of my favorite restaurants offering good
and I mean delicious pasta dishes but some that makes you go over your daily
budget.
Now if I have a pasta craving and
needs to stay on a budget, I whip up an easy to create pasta dish. Whether I
will devour this with my family or bring home to work to share with my
colleagues, it is comforting to know that the dish I created won’t fail me.
Allow me to share with you this Easy Recipe : Creamy Shrimp Linguine Pasta,
using the freshest shrimp you can find, this delicious pasta recipe is a
sure winner. No disappointments. No promises. Just simply delicious!
A COLLECTION OF
CHEESY GOODNESS
Every day is a celebration of food. I am not just saying that because I LOVE food (isn’t it obvious?! Lol) Every day is practically a food day on a certain state, country or worldwide. There are also national food months. These food celebrations occur when an individual, a company or an organization chooses a certain food or ingredient and creates a campaign, which is then picked-up by others and goes viral. To make a food day or month official, certain laws on a particular country must be processed. Once everything is in order, a national food month or day is celebrated.
For the month of April, aside from the
fact that we celebrate the National Food Month, it is also the National Pecan
Month (and day on the 14th) and National Soft Pretzel Month (plus
National Pretzel Day on the 26th). As for food days, National
Sourdough Bread day celebrated last April 1, National Cheeseball Day on the 17th
and National Blueberry Pie Day on the 28th.
Apart from those food days mentioned,
two of my favorite food celebrations in April are the National Grilled Cheese
Month and Grilled Cheese Day on the 12th. Yes cheese lovers, this is
for us.
What is it with cheese that makes
every dish so comforting? Don’t you just drool when you see melted cheese once
you slice a perfectly grilled sandwich?
Allow me to heighten your cheese
craving and make you drool even more as I share with you some downright
delicious creations by fellow food bloggers and a bonus recipe (so don’t stop
scrolling and reading okay?). Here’s a collection of cheesy goodness, RECIPE ROUND UP : GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH
and let’s celebrate the National Grilled Cheese Month and devour them to your
heart’s content. (Let’s do the happy tummy dance!)
For the past few weeks, the
temperature in this side of the globe has been extremely rising. My weather app
has registered a whopping 96°F to 98°F. I have been gulping ice water – I keep
my water bottle frozen over night which I bring to work and I am not even half
way through the day, the frozen water is just ... water and not so cold
anymore. That is how hot each day has been.
To beat the heat, I enjoy a variety of
ways from a simple chocolate fudge sundae, smoothie, freshly made gelato,
frozen yogurt, ice cream cake and the iconic Pinoy layered dessert Halo-Halo.
If you’re searching for summer
indulgences to beat the heat, look no further. Stay glued, it’s Chill Time here at Eat To Your Heart’s
Content.
HALABOS NA SUGPO
IN OLIVE OIL
If you live in an archipelago and you
have an allergic reaction to seafood, that maybe the saddest act for you. I
have a first-hand experience with someone who is allergic to seafood and
mostly shrimp. His lips would turn extremely red and the outer lip area would
swell. For a seafood lover, more so a Shrimp and Prawn lover myself, his pain
is heaven for me! (wink)
I am not being heartless. It just
happens that when I am with him, I get to devour more of the bounties of the
seas. Surrounded with water, I get to taste a variety of seafood dishes
whenever we travel across the country. When we visit other parts of the
archipelago, the freshest of seafood abound and these are mostly prepared in a
simple way.
Allow me to share with you a simple
Shrimp & Prawns recipe, using two techniques - Prawns
and Dill : Halabos na Sugpo in Olive
Oil.
I am not a vegetarian – I love too
much meat to be one (anyone in the same boat with me?). BUT (yes, it’s a BIG
but), I do LOVE tofu!
Growing up, I only know two ways on
how tofu is served. One, Taho – this
delicious soy creation served with caramelized sugar and sago (much like tapioca) and the other, fried tofu with a
soy-vinegar dipping sauce. The latter is what my mom used to make while the
former is usually bought at a local street vendor who shouts “taho” in the
morning. Oh my, this surely brings warm memories when I was a kid!
This dish is a combination of two
inspirations. The first inspiration is a popular Chinese dish from Sichuan
province known as Mapo Tofu (Mapo Doufu). The other is from a local restaurant
I visited on a writing assignment in Laguna back in 2010. I had dinner at Chef
Mau Luto ni Tatay sa Bungkol and happen to order a tofu dish that was not only
so affordable (Php 50 or a little over US1 per order) and it was truly
satisfyingly delicious. More on my gastronomic visit at Chef
Mau Luto ni Tatay sa Bungkol here.
With these two inspirations, allow me
to share with you a Tofu dish – Mapo
Inspired Breaded Tofu in Pasta Sauce.
For seafood lovers, squid is one of
the most delicious and easy to cook ingredients available in the market. Squid
is also quite affordable – where a kilo would only cost a fraction of a kilo of
medium black prawns.
Before I even tasted Calamari (also known
as Calamares, an appetizer in which Squid is dredged in flour then deep-fried
to a crisp) there was only one squid dish I have been accustomed to eating –
Adobong Pusit.
Adobong Pusit is the only squid dish
my mom makes when I was a kid. She makes this Pinoy Food dish with the freshest
of squid, cooked in its ink and seasoned with three main ingredients. This is called
adobo since it uses the main ingredients when cooking Pork & Chicken Adobo,
an iconic Philippine dish loved by many.
Inspired by my mom’s recipe but with a
few tweaks I have added, allow me to share with you this easy to whip up Pinoy
Food Recipe, Adobong Pusit (Squid Adobo).
SOME GOOD OL’ RESTAURANTS IN A BUCOLIC RIDGE
Tagaytay
City is known as the 2nd Summer Capital of the Philippines. Over the
years, Tagaytay City has been the go-to place for a quick getaway from the
concrete jungle. Being an hour and a half away from the metropolis, Tagaytay
City has been a haven for anyone who needs a rejuvenating day or weekend.
Over the
years, Tagaytay City’s landmark and pride is the stunning view of Taal Lake and
Volcano. Being in a bucolic ridge, the air is crisp and chilly. With a
panoramic sight and a relaxing environment, one thing made this vacation spot a
hit – good food!
Today,
numerous restaurants and dining-by-reservation have sprouted in Tagaytay City
but there are some good ol’ Tagaytay
City Dining Favorites that should not be missed.
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Pinoy Food Recipe : Ginataang Tilapia |
The Philippines, being an archipelago,
has numerous regions with a variety of specialty ingredients and dishes. One
region in the north is well known in producing deep-fried pork with a crackling
skin, exotic dishes abound in central Luzon while ceviché is widely prepared in
the southern most region.
In southern Luzon, the use of coconut
milk and chillies are the highlight of their dishes. Bicol region is famous for
two iconic coconut dishes – Laing and Bicol Express, both uses coconut milk and
chillies.
So with a craving of anything with
coconut milk, I am sharing with you this delicious recipe – Ginataang Tilapia (Tilapia with Coconut Milk).
A JEWEL IN DAVAO REGION
I have visited Davao Region's Davao City a number of times and I am
constantly captivated by its beauty and bounties. In my previous written works published in various food and travel magazines,
I have even entertained the idea that Davao would be a good place in the event
I relocate and felt the need for a better place after my overly stressful work
in the field of television production.
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Pinoy Food Recipe : Garlicky Pork Liempo |
Majority
of Filipinos are rice eaters. What’s the perfect partner for piping white rice?
There are numerous Filipino dishes that would be perfect for hot white rice –
Kare Kare, Sinigang na Baboy, Bulalo and the iconic Adobo. However, these are
somewhat elaborate to make, so allow me to share with you an all-time hit that
is super easy to create, Garlicky Pork
Liempo (Garlicky Pork Belly).
My mom has always been the chief cook in our home. I remember when I was growing up, she would cook my favorites and I would be by her side in great anticipation, enjoying even the aromatic scent that swirls all-over the kitchen.
As I whip up my own creations, mostly
inspired by the cooking shows I have produced and those that I have watched
when I was a kid, I would not dabble into my mom’s own recipes. But over the
recent years when I get to cook more and more dishes for her to savor, I have requested
her to hand me her own recipes. In a heartbeat, she would enumerate the
procedure!
So allow me to share with you one of
our favorites, it’s another easy recipe – Lumpiang
Shanghai (Pork Spring Rolls). I added a few tweaks but the main ingredients are what I have
been accustomed to, as prepared by my mom.
The Best Churros con
Chocolate in Town
Dulcinea was born in 1963. My mom and I have always enjoyed dining and their Glorietta branch is sort of a second home way back in college. When I have early morning meetings in Quezon City, I would have breakfast at Dulcinea whenever time permits. I enjoy their kiosk in SM MOA and for sometime, they even opened a kiosk in ABSCBN’s ELJ Building.
A FEAST FOR THE
LUNAR CHINESE NEW YEAR
The number 8 is the most auspicious number in the Chinese culture and believed to be one of the luckiest numbers in China, together with numbers 6 and 9. The number 8 means wealth and fortune, which is highly favorable to most Chinese businessmen and even among Filipinos who practice some Chinese traditions.
The coming Lunar Chinese New Year falls
on February 8, 2016 and to start the Year of the Red Fire Monkey allow me to
bring you luck as I have rounded up 8 deliriously delicious and easy Chinese
recipes. These 8 Easy Chinese Recipes
may not only bring you luck in the kitchen, but perhaps in your love life too. As
the famous saying goes “The way through a man’s heart is through his stomach.”
Don’t forget that Valentine’s Day is just around the corner too.
So if you have any craving for Chinese
cuisine or would want to prepare some delicious Chinese dishes in the coming
Chinese New Year, here are 8 Easy
Chinese Recipes for you and your family to enjoy!
The Home of Swiss Cuisine in Antipolo City
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Vieux Chalet, Antipolo City's Gem |
Swiss-German
descent Tony S. Hassig lived in various parts of the globe, paraded the streets
with high-end vehicles like Jaguar, Harley Davies and Ferrari. Then he traded
his high-profile life when he fell in love to a Filipina named Susan. Their
loved blossomed that led to the opening of Vieux Chalet in 1984 in the area of
Villa Cristina in Antipolo, then after three years they moved to its present
location.
If the creation of Vieux Chalet was romantic, the view in this new location is breathtaking especially at night when the city lights are aglow, where you can see the runway of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the skyline of Makati, the happening place at The Fort and even the towers of TV networks in Quezon City, all seen in a 180 degree sweeping motion.
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Nutty Shrimp Lettuce Boats |
Do you
love Shrimp? Don’t you just go nuts when you head to seafood markets and see
an array of fresh shrimp all for the taking?!
Most often,
when I shop for food, the first thing I would check is the availability of
seafood. Though I have a list of menu planned, Shrimp and Prawns will always
take the front seat if they are fresh. I’m like a child offered a bowl of
candies the moment I see shrimp and prawns. I am sure all of you food lovers
feel the same way whenever you see your favorite ingredient!
I am a nut
lover too! Whenever I am so stressed and tired with my day job, I snack on some
nuts (mostly with chocolates) and the stress seems to be manageable. I get to
relax, think, and overcome stressful situations (and people – LOL). Thinking
happy thoughts does not hurt too and I open Instagram to look at hilarious (and
may I say adorable) photos of bears, panda and chow chow (yes to simple joys!).
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Grape Bruschetta |
Are you a fan of Bruschetta? How about
a fruit lover? Since the time I prepared Mango Bruschetta for my family, I
started creating this delicious and easy to prepare snack or light meal with
more and more fruit varieties.
What’s interesting about Bruschetta is
that it is so versatile, quick to create and quite filling. You can opt for the
original tomato topping or go crazy with numerous toppings.
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Pinoy Sweet-Style Spaghetti, a Pinoy food recipe |
I love Spaghetti! It’s my favorite dish
next to fried chicken. My mom cooks spaghetti the sweet style. Filipino-style
that is, sweet sauce with ground meat and tons of sliced hotdogs! When I was a
kid, she (in her early 70s now) has never heard of oregano, basil, mozzarella
and parmesan that make any pasta dish more aromatic and flavorful.
So when I was growing up, I would only
be familiar with the kind of spaghetti she prepares, until I got to taste
various pasta dishes served in restaurants and those I’ve seen in numerous
international cooking shows. This Pinoy food recipe is a combination of what my
mom used to cook with some tweaks I have made since cooking this spaghetti dish
several years back.
Since January 4 celebrates National
Spaghetti Day, allow me to share with you what brings warm childhood memories
and a definite comfort food for me and any Pinoy who grew up accustomed to an
easy Pinoy food recipe – Pinoy
Sweet-Style Spaghetti.
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