The First True Pinoy Burger

This is the result of watching Food Network Asia too much. I suddenly miss Hamburgers. Not just any burger. I miss the Tropical Hut Hamburger.

Before Jollibee and Mc Donald's became the icon for burgers in the Philippines, there was Tropical Hut Hamburger. We lived at the heart of Cubao for thirteen years and our apartment at Yale Street is 5 minutes away from the Araneta Center. The earliest  Tropical Hut Hamburger fast food store was located along the same arcade where Manila C.O.D. Department Store was situated.

This was the first Hamburger we've ever tasted. I remember my Dad bringing this home one Saturday afternoon as his pasalubong from work. The THH were generous in size, the beef patties were thick-cut and juicy but not overdone. No fuss and frills, just the beefy goodness of the first ever comfort food we came to love.

The other underated specialty of THH is their Spaghetti Special! The THH Spaghetti is the epitome of Pinoy's sweet-style spaghetti sauce with generous serving of slightly melted cheese and slices of sweet ham. Their menu evolved through the years to include the latest food fare. My other favorite from THH is the Tapsilog (Filipino style beef steak strips with fried rice and sunny-side up style egg) Their Cubao branch started serving this the 80s as a luncheon fare.

Before we left our home in the Philippines, THH opened a branch in our hometown in Sta. Rosa. My husband and I used to drop by at Tropical Hut even during week nights as an alternative to home cooked dinner. Their food repertoire now include salads, Pinoy dishes like dinuguan, kiddie favorites like fried chicken -- but my eternal favorite remains to be their original hamburger, spaghetti special and tapsilog.

Tropical Hut Hamburger

Partners In Crime

I had an opportunity to link up with old Cabuyao friends last July 21-22 here in Singapore. The F&HC Offsite is an annual event held in Singapore and the venue this year was the Marina Bay Sands. I'll talk about my MBS experience in a separate blog.

Meeting up again with old friends (...and when I say old, it means our friendships went back from years ago) made me realize I havent really laughed for a long time now. There wasnt really anyone who was good at cracking the sort-of-wholesome kind of green jokes, friends who have stories of misdaventures and mischiefs that could make me laugh 'til I cry, friends who are unabashed at making themselves sound or look silly just for the heck of it, friends who would stick it out despite me being me, and all that history.

Or friends who could listen to your woes and tears when you needed a shoulder to cry on. At one point in my life the past few months, the tears just came streaming down in solitude and I only had the rain to camouflage them.

This is a tribute to my friends from my old workplace. While work will never really cease to stop, the difficult days were easier because you have been there. I truly miss all of you.




My friendship with Ninnie is strengthened by a common clandestine bond. 

"Glo G" and I started out as project partners in 1998 and lunchmates since 6750 days.
Pretty much because we both get hungry by 11am. We also went through many shared EO days at the Plant and who would have thought our future home will be in the same Plant.




With Boss Ed and Ninnie. QA brought us together. In my case, I was their adopted member. Circa CLT days, we called ourselves the original outer circle.



My Kikay Friend at the Plant.
Zarah and I make up the formidable Liquids Initiatives Team then.
With 4 major initiatives per quarter. We were the good cop, bad cop team. Guess Who's Who?

We were batchmates at the B3 College held in SG, had a pact of solidarity.

Mommy Joyce is truly my mother and friend for all season.
Eversince my month 1 in the plant and we were seatmates at the front row of the Cabuyao shuttle.

Jas is my first mentor in PS and also a friend through the many episodes in my life.

One of the Best Team Ever! We were a team but we were also friends. Together we first brought to realization the MPO packaging dream of being Asia's best.

The title "partner in crime" last ended with Dwight so far.
We were friends since Liquids Engg days and we had gone through so many hilarious, forgettable, witty, desperate and argument-laden days. Our friendship even survived despite the expired Hopia- I thought he was being thoughtful leaving me a piece for merienda. He told me later it was expired!





Our Weekend Baking Bonding (and how I learned to bake...)

I learned to bake in 5th Grade after joining the Culinary Arts Club. I didn't join just for the free tasting, though I would say it makes for an interesting fringe benefit. But I really did put into practice what I learned. The first cake I learned to bake was the basic sponge cake. I cannot forget this because while in the process of melting the butter, I used a small skillet and used high setting for the burner. The result? The melted butter caught fire and before I knew it, the whole pan was on fire! Anyways, the cake turned out fine (after repeating my batch of butter). Then I moved to Devil's food cake, cupcakes and muffins. I stopped baking sponge cakes after breaking our electric mixer (did something very stupid...) and only made the ones that can survive manual mixing (like coconut macaroons and brownies).

Baking has now become a weekend bonding for me and my kids. We take a special favor for muffins because they are quite easy to prepare, you can mix and match flavors and ingredients, it works best with tea or coffee and most of all, I better put to good use my Muffin Recipe book!

Kyla is my all around side kick- she helps me fetch some ingredients, mix the batter (when I'm done with the mixer) but she has to do it manually of course, add the choco chips or sprinkle the toppings. Kevin is our morale booster, patiently watching while we are at it. He even pulled a stool to sit near us.

The simple cheese cupcake is my favorite while the kids love choco-chip muffins. I will try the peanut butter variety as my next project.

Here are the samples of what we have made so far...

There are my first attempt to do Iced Cupcakes.

Loved the Blueberry Muffins. I used icing sugar as sprinkles.

And these are the Choco-Chip Muffins.
Last week I also baked Choco-Banana variety with Cream Cheese frosting.

Baking has now become one of our weekend activities.

There are many more muffin recipes waiting for me -- days of weekend bonding with the kids. I know that when they surely remember muffins, the fragrant aroma will bring memories of home.

Blueberry Muffin Recipe

125 g softened butter
140 g caster sugar
2 eggs
140 g plain flour (I used Gluten Free flour for Kevin)
1/2 tbsp baking powder
125 g dried blueberries
2 tbsp milk
icing sugar, for dusting

Line a 12-hole muffin pan with paper muffin liners. Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat together until light and fluffy, then gradually beat in the eggs. Sift flour and baking powder and fold into the mixture. The fold in the blueberries and milk. Spoon the mixture into the paper liners.

Bake in the preheated oven, 180 dec C for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer into a wire rack to cool completely.

Dust the tops with sifted icing sugar once the muffins have cooled down.

Makes 10-12 muffins.

*fold - this is a technique in mixing

Happy Baking!

Does Anyone Still Own a Walkman?

My 13 years-old Sony Walkman still in top form.
I just need to get a circuit board (I'm guessing) repaired.

The first thing I bought from my first paycheck - after graduating from college and landing a job with P&G - was a Sony Walkman.

I've coveted the Walkman since my grade school and high school days but since we cannot afford these things then, I had to wait until I got my own salary to be able to buy one. It was quite a long wait as you can tell because by the time I bought one, the Discman was already the in-thing for music lovers.

When I started working in Makati, I took the public transport everyday to Ayala Avenue where the Philippine G.O. was located, from our hometown in the countrysides of Binangonan, Rizal. And when I say countryside, I am not exagerrating. Our home lies at the foot of a hill-y terrain. The backyard connects to a creek and vast track of land and a chicken and duck farm (we don't own those, by the way). After living in a dormitory during college days, I want to come home at the end of the day and have a hot, decent home-cooked dinner rather than spend another episode of boarding some place else.

Besides, if I tally the cost of living independently in the Metro, I'll be living a wonderful life of independence with an empty pocket by mid-month while walking along posh Ayala Avenue looking all jazzed up. Nah! I'd rather go home and save some. I even bring my own packed lunch all the way to Makati then.

Back to the Walkman.

That said, the Walkman was my daily companion as I took the 60-minutes or so travel time from Rizal to Makati City. I have at least 2-3 casette tapes lodged in my bag everyday so that I can tune in to my favorite music and block out everything else in the world. This is especially true if the music playing in the jeepney (and later on, the more comfortable Toyota FX vans with the Rizal-Makati route) is an abominable one!

Even after the Discman and much later the Apple's Ipod came to rule the musical universe, I kept my Walkman and my assorted casette tapes. One by one my casette tapes started to fade out of old age and I can't play anything anymore.

Much later I got married and lived in Makati, we had two kids, moved to Laguna, built our new house, moved into Singapore and who knows what future is up to, but I still have my Walkman with me. With one casette tape left (ballroom dancing music).

The Walkman is what my daughter would now call as "a thing from the Olden Days." They had a lesson from school about the so-called Olden Days and they were asked to come to school in an attire to reminisce the Olden Days from their country. They also brought things from the past. Since she can't carry our antique wooden baul (casket), the antique and very heavy plantsa (flat iron, this is one where you need to put hot coals inside the main compartment and strike while the iron is hot) and our iron-casted bowls, we opted to have her bring the old rattan ball (it is lightweight). She should have brought the walkman. None of those kids would recognize it anyway.

As of today, the Walkman can't play a thing anymore. When I attempted to place AA batteries and pressed the 'play' button, it gives off a whirring sound. Some mechanical thing is working but I guess the electronic boards were busted by now. It's a hunch.

But I'm keeping it anyway. Someone may be able to fix it. And then my next problem is where to get a casette tape. But that's another problem for another time.

Through the Years: Our 12th Wedding Anniversary and 18th Years Together

This day twelve years ago, we began a lifelong commitment and journey.
A journey that actually found its beginnings eighteen years ago.

I cant remember when you weren't there. When I didn't care for anyone but you.

Taken by Robert Leal during the UST ChE General Assembly in 1995



I swear, we've been through everything there is.
Can't imagine anything we missed. Can't imagine anything the two us cant do...


UST ChE North Luzon Field Trip. We dont have a lot of pictures from College.



Through the years, you never let me down. You turned my life around.

The sweetest days I found with you.

Our Wedding Day.
June 26, 1999 at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Shrine Parish, New Manila.
You can tell this is an old picture before the digital age.

Through the years, I've never been afraid. I loved the life we made.

And I'm so glad I stayed right here with you through the years.
 

Punta Fuego, Batanggas, Philippines



Through the years, when everything went wrong, together we were strong.

My surprise Birthday celebration from Alvin

I know that I belonged right here with you. Through the years we never had a doubt.

Back to our Alma Mater in its 400th Year Anniversary
This is where it all began in 1993.

We always worked things out. I learned what life's about.

Our first year in Singapore. Enjoying the sights and sounds of SG.

By loving you, through the years.



18 years (since our college days) and still going strong



I thank God for what Was. Is. And Will Be.

For our life together.
For the special mission we were given for an Angel's earthly life.
For our wonderful gift of all: our children.

Happy 12th Year Wedding Anniversary!
And cheers for 18 years of togetherness!

lsy

Hero

Someday I hope the kids will be able to read this blog; and even if they might not, I know deep on their hearts, they share a special bond with their father.

In 2004, my husband made an extraordinary decision to leave this career so that one of us will be able to focus for Kevin's daily needs, go with him with his therapies and special education ans be his guardian angel. It was not easy but we made it through. He made it through. Kevin and his dad share so many stories, happy and poignant, hilarious and outrageous - as they weaved through Kevin's early years together.

Much later when it was time for us to move in Singapore, Alvin has been there for my little girl, during the days when I couldn't -- like the first day in her new school, her weekly soccer games, the student-led conference and the class parties.

You are our hero, Daddy!

This poem is an adaptation from Joanna Fuchs, dedicated to the Hero in our lives.

You are my hero, Dad

You're my secure foundation.
When I think of you, I'm filled with love
And fond appreciation.

You make me feel protected;
I'm sheltered by your care.
You're always my true friend; and Dad,
When I need you, you're always there.

You have a place of honor
Deep within my heart.
You've been my superhero, Dad,
Right from the very start.



Missing Our Lanai

My facebook status went like this: "......suddenly missing our Sta Rosa home, hanging out at the lanai while kids play by the swing under that weird tree at the yard..."

Been watching an episode of the Australian Masterchef 2 where one of the ex-wanna-be-masterchef  got booted out. They have a post-mortem shot of the contestant arriving at her home while being welcomed by her family. That scene reminded me of our home. Better yet, our lanai.

Our lanai is an open air extension of the living room, framed by a heavy wooden sliding doors. Most people thought these sliding doors were the main door to the house!

We installed a set of hardwood bench and table we bought from Tagaytay for a very reasonable price. We love hanging out at the lanai during summer nights when it is too stuffy inside the house, every weekend nights before retiring to sleep and during the Christmas season too, even though we freeze to death sitting at the benches with cold wind blowing freely. Christmas carolers also flock this area during yuletide season.

The lanai shortly after the house construction.

The kids love to have their afternoon snack by the lanai. Or play games. And hang out with Kimby. And with our neighbors' kids. It opens up to a wide cul-de-sac road which is an open area.

Our Family Reunion in 2009.
All four siblings were in Manila for the first time after 9 years.

 
Kevin's favorite spot at the lanai is the left bench. If he caught you sitting in his favorite spot, he'll shoo you away.

Kevin's Corner

 
Just beside the lanai is a weird looking tree (I learned it was a Banaba tree). Before the house was constructed, we wanted to cut it down and plant a new one (like an Indian Mango tree) because it looked so awful with dark stains marring its leaves. But it was part and parcel of the village developers' design and we were not allowed to cut them down.

 So Alvin put it to good use and installed a swing beneath the tree. Eventually, the tree looked vital and light purple flowers blossomed from the tree.   I believe that when the area was inhabited, the tree came to life again. Kids loved the swing. Even Kimby loved it.
 



Even Kimby loved the swing!




With my Cabuyao "Outer Circle" Friends

 
I miss our lanai. It held a lot of memories from our home. With loved ones.  Neighbors. Friends.

When life was as I know it.