Make it Work!

My experience as a blogger… well what can I say? When it first said to us that we will be blogging for online writing class the first thing that comes up with my mind was “that would be fun!” But I did not expect that we will have difficulties choosing the topic for our blog. Abby, Reynaline and I have different ideas in mind; we want to do many things. Since we can’t decide from the entire topic we have in mind, we end up with food trip. We all love to eat and travel at same time so our interests meet.

The first entry for the blog was soon scheduled and as usual we had again different thoughts in mind. After brainstorming we all agreed with the first topic which is street food. Another divergence we encounter was where and when we will do it. After the long discussion we finally settled everything and we’re ready to eat. When we were in the street we saw different kinds of street foods that we don’t know before. Then when we will about to eat and choose our food, we were saying to each other “hey! Go ahead choose but pay it” ofcourse we just student and we have limited budget. That is one of the problems as a food blogger, the money. So we decided to share to all the expenses we will have.

The second entry we featured was the famous “pinoy kakanin”. Like before problems is also present here. We have hard time looking for “kakanin” vendor because we want the “kakanin” vendor that goes everywhere with “bilao” in head or in wooden push cart. Yes we found the vendor we’ll look for but the problem is his goods were almost sold out. So we came up with plan B, we went to mall look for “kakanin” store that recommend to us by our friends. Thank God, problem solved.

Moving to the third entry we went to a “tapsilogan”. This time aside from the not so good weather luckily everything goes smoothly and just right. The food was great and it satisfied our appetite. I can say that the experience of blogging was really really fun and we really really love it. Though sometimes there are a lot of problems but we always resolve it. Blogging was really fun and enjoying. That serves as bonding for us and we don’t feel that it is a class requirement at all that we need to accomplish, we just go with it, enjoy and had fun. Learning is really not only in the four corners of the classroom and you can have leaning and fun at the same time. 

Watta Blogging Experience!

Actually I don’t know where and how do I start, but let me tell you my story --- my experience in blogging, my awful and enjoyable experience in blogging.  It was started month of September. I think third or fourth week of the said month when our professor and also our dean teach us and let us explore the world of blogging. At first, there was a mix emotion that runs to my blood. Excitement, nervousness, sadness, happiness and maybe that time, I feel all kind of feelings we have here on earth. (Laugh) I and my group mates (Abby and Wendell) decided to write all about foods, coz’ the three of us really loves to eat, but we don’t run after eating. We have lots of good and bad experiences.

As a blogger it’s not just writing, writing and writing. You need also to feel and to love what you’re doing, and for me for you able to love what you’re doing; you need to experience it first. Having an experience can help you write, it will give you encouragement to think and to write. Blogging is never easy but an interesting thing to do. As a person, I became a wiser in many ways, because blogging gives you lots of experiences, lots of memories lots of moments and lots of lesson that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

"Think your own Title"

Actually, I really don't know what to say about this article, i wasn't able to think what to write. I'm intellectually unavailable anyway. Considering that this is the last week of our First Semester, and definitely as a student, me together with my classmates were overloaded regarding in school requirements. and i guess we will not enjoy our semester vacation because we have a research task to be done. anyways what i'm saying is not related from the things i should write. let's go on to the things i must write.

Writing is really not my number one habit, but reading rather. Sometimes I felt that my grammar was wrong, i write in a way I understand what I have written, I mean as long as I understand it and get the point of it. Definitely I'm not good in grammar but I always trying to make it better and perfect rather.

Actually this is my first blog account and at first I felt that there would be some comments that might be against of me, since anyone can access this, yeah, fortunately no one appears, ha-ha... doing article in this blog with a fix theme was really enjoyable and delicious, since our theme was about food tripping. Blogging is not just about writing your experiences in one thing or expressing your own opinions, knowledges and perceptions regarding on your interested topic or your displayed graphics or videos, it is also an enhancer and a competitive tool into the World Wide Web in a way that you are actually facing the reality of world.

In doing this blog, together with my two co-bloggers is said to be an achievement, an achievement for us and a challenge anyway, we have already eaten some sort of foods that are actually we hesitated to eat, most likely street foods, but on the other hand these were all delicious and affordable. Through this blog, we enjoy the time of being together especially in the time of eating and at the same time talking funny things which made our friendship stronger, I guess. ha ha... and I remember we always argue when it comes into the next topic, there was a time that I felt angry to my friend (co-blogger), I didn't talk to him for almost one week, though he actually approaching me. But I realized we're friends for almost three years and because of this unacceptable reason this would be destroy, with that I swallowed my own pride and decided to talk to him again, just like nothing was happened.

We made lots of experiences with this blog considered to cherish.

God Bless to all...

"TapSiLog" (Befriegg)

Filipinos like us really love to eat perhaps that’s why we are so creative in naming our dishes. Who will not be familiar with the “SiLog”meals? “SiLog” or “sinangag” (garlic-fried rice) and “itlog” (fried egg) is a meal combined with another dish which primarily served during breakfast. There are the “Longsilog” (longganisa (sausage), fried rice and fried egg), “Tosilog” (tocino, fried rice and fried egg), “Chiksilog” (fried chicken, fried rice and fried egg), “Hotsilog” (hotdog, fried rice and fried egg), and etc. but the most popular is “Tapsilog” or the combination of “tapa” (cured beef ), fried rice, and fried egg. Actually most of the restaurant that serves “tapsilog” was called “tapsihan or tapsilugan”. This slang word was accepted by the people and considered as a standard word in Filipino language.

There is no clear data that says where “tapsilog” was originated. Many restaurants and some people were claiming the discovery of “tapsilog” so no one can trace where the dish actually originated. According to my research “tapsilog” was first served in 1970s and popularized inthe 80’s comedy show “Iskul Bukol” by Tito, Vic and Joey. But what is clear is that we should thank whoever created this meal. Personally “tapsilog” is one of my favorite dishes and one of the “tapsilog” I find so delectable is the one served at “Tapsi Ni Vivian”. It is 80 pesos only but sure you’ll be satisfied and just right for your appetite. We maybe have different preferences on the way our “tapsilog” was served but what I love about their “tapsilog” is the sweet and salty favor and softness of the meat of their “tapa”, combined with the perfect blend of garlic in their fried rice, topped with sunny-side-up egg; Perfect match! My mouth is watering and it makes my taste buds tickling while describing it. I guess if your thinking that I’m over reacting you can try it for yourself and maybe you will taste what I’m saying. Just last Saturday my friends and I went at one of their branches at Project 3, Quezon City and just an opinion aside from delicious foods the place was relaxing, I love the ambiance and the crew was friendly and approachable. I think I can personally recommend it to you.

"LIEMPOSILOG"- a new and best SILOG ever!

Tapsilog is one of the most popular dishes that usually serve in the morning. It is a combination of beef (TAP -“tapa”), fried rice (SI-“sinangag”) and egg (Log- “itlog”). Tapsilog are slang words. However, these terms are used by those restaurants and many Filipinos of all social strata. Tapsilog therefore, may be considered standard words in the Filipino language and not slang. The word tapsilog has spawned many other dishes, all having fried rice (or garlic fried rice) and fried egg in it and suffixed with silog. One of the best examples of that is “LIEMPOSILOG”. Liemposilog is a combination of liempo, fried rice and egg. Pork liempo is one of the Filipino's favorites. Liempo is a pork belly, marinated with soy sauce, vinegar, onion, garlic and dashes of black pepper, chilli pepper and turmeric powder. Then grill it to cook and presto! You have already your grilled liempo or also known as “inihaw na liempo”. There is nothing like a hot “liemposilog” to start-up-my day. It is new to hear and new to my taste buds but this combination is perfectly delicious.

"Choose your Silogs"

My friends and I really love to eat and hangout, we enjoy the moment of being together, talking gossip things and other than that, we also love to hunt boys or the barkadas called as “bird watching” hahaha… kind of creepy, but we’re doing this just for fun, (we’re not what you thinking of). Going back to the barkadas favorite habit which is eating, though this habit doesn’t manifest on our bodies. (Yeah! We’re not fat). Last Saturday, we go at “Tapsi ni Vivian at Bulaluhan” along project 3, Quezon City. We chose “tapsi ni Vivian” as our third place to go, for our third theme entry on our blog. “Tapsi ni Vivian” is a business which started since 1984 as a small time Tapsilugan, and now is a booming business.

We're Filipinos love to combine words and names, like silog, it is a suffix which combine at the end, and referring to the fried rice (sinangag) and the eggs (itlog). We have different kind of “Silogs” here in the Philippines which has different taste; this can be eaten in any meal and really great in breakfast. Like on “Tapsi ni Vivian” Place, they offered different “Silogs” like Tocilog, Tapsilog (Combination of Tapa, Sunny side up egg and fried rice), Chicksilog (Combination of Friend Chicken, Sunny side up egg and Friend rice), Liemposilog (Combination of Liempo, Sunny side up egg and Friend rice), Longsilog (Combination of longganisa, Sunny side up egg and Friend rice) and many more, which made me hungry while making this article. Moreover their place has refreshing ambiance and their services was good and fast. I ordered Garlic Rice and sunny side up egg with Tocino or here in the Philippines known as “Tocilog” as my meal worth php80 only. But for me, I didn’t like the taste of it, there’s something on the dish which made me to dislike the food. Perhaps that’s only on that time. But on the other hand, my two co-bloggers ordered their own “silogs”; they ordered Liemposilog and Tapsilog, which were really delicious and tasty. And if I will go home on my province I will ask my father to make some of these.

And Now I preferred "Tapsilog" and "Liemposilog" the next time I would be ordered that kind of Dish together with my friends or with my family.

A glimpse to modern day Kakanin

Rice is the staple foods of the Filipinos and with our creativity, we make it flavorful and extraordinary. It is called “Kakanin”; it is the native desserts or snacks of Pinoy.  It is made from rice (kanin), it can from whole grain, powdered rice or soaked in water for an hour then ground. It is regular rice or glutinous or sticky rice (malagkit) most of the time it has coconut milk and sugar to make it sweet. Kakanin are usually baked, steamed or boiled and always prepared or covered with banana leaves that add more favor to it. We have variety of kakanin in the Philippines, it came from different provinces and usually they have different versions of different kakanin.

Before kakanin was sold in the market (palengke), streets or vendors carrying "bilao" (basket) that peddle in the communities. Today kakanin can be found in the malls, restaurants, fast-food chain and also streets but with stall. The traditional cooking that usually took a lot of time and uses “coal” or uling that create a lot of smokes are now improved with technology. It is now smoke free, fast and effortless. The tastes were developed and add twist that makes it more flavorful and mouthwatering.

Kakanin is really a part of Filipinos rich culture. It is one of the distinctive identities of Pinoys that will always remain and preserved. As this week is the first week of “ber” months or for the Filipinos like us is the start of Christmas season and during this season the most popular kakanin are “bibingka and puto-bumbong”. People usually bought bibingka or puto-bumbong after “simbang gabi” or Dawn mass. Since “bibingka” is the most popular “kakanin” every Christmas season, here is a recipe of “bibingka” for you to taste it yourself or use it in your business this season.

Bibingka Recipe

banana leaves, optional

1½ cups rice flour (galapong)

1 tablespoon baking powder

pinch of salt

¾ cup powdered sugar

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup coconut milk

4 tablespoons melted butter

kesong puti (farmer's white cheese), sliced into 1 inch x ¼-inch thick pieces

Procedures:

• Preheat oven toaster to 425°F.
• Line muffin cups with banana leaves. In a medium bowl, mix all the ingredients, except cheese, until well incorporated. Butter should be runny; add more milk to adjust consistency. Fill the cups half-full. Top with 2 pieces of cheese and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until tops are golden brown.
• Spread some butter and sprinkle sugar on top, if desired.
• Best served with hot "salabat" (ginger tea)

kutsinta (Brown Rice Cake) as Juan's native delicacy

Kakanin are commonly known rice cakes. This Filipino word comes from kanin (rice) it also means to eat hence kakanin. Kakanin are native’s delicacies of Filipinos which come in different forms, taste and bases, typically made from various forms of whole grains powdered, soaked in water then ground of regular rice and glutinous or sticky rice usually and combined with coconut. We have different kinds of rice cakes here in the Philippines such as palitaw sa latik (sweet rice dumplings in coconut milk), espasol, kutsinta (brown rice cake), puto (steamed rice cake), sapin-sapin, biko, bibingka, puto bumbong and many more (many to mention). For every kakanin I’ve been tasted there’s an extraordinary taste and its unique presentations made the kakanin more attractive which is to be considered as pinoy pride and part of Filipino culture and tradition. But my most favorite out of these delicious foody is really the kutsinta (brown rice cake), it is a type of kakanin usually made with or containing any or combination of coconut, coconut milk, rice flour, glutinous rice and cassava. It is tasty super easy to make, and said to be healthy because it is almost fat free and low in calories. I remembered we used to buy it regularly from a peddler on a bike when I was in my province. We usually have this at morning in addition to our breakfast and on snack time. When I hear the familiar sound of the peddler’s horn I will run to the street, wave him down and shout "kuya pabili po" and buy my favorite kakanin – kutsinta (brown rice cake). I actually surprised how is it really easy to have, when I asked my mom to make some of these.

Here’s the process to have a delicious kutsinta:

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup of all purpose flour
2. 1 cup of brown sugar
3. 2 cups of water
4. 1 tease spoon lihiya
5. Minute amount of yellow food coloring (optional)
6. Cheese/latik/fresh grated coconut

Instructions:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the ingredients (purpose flour, brown sugar, water, lihiya, and coloring food) and mix well.
2. Pour into muffin cups, until half full.
3. Steam in a large pan with a cover; the water should be 2 inches deep.
4. Cook for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Add more water if needed until cooking is done.
5. Remove from the muffin pans and serve with what you want toppings: freshly grated coconut, latik or cheese.

Pinoy Sweets

We Filipinos especially I really love to eat sweets and I think you are not a Filipino if you are not going to eat rice every day. The combination of these two is having a product of “Kakanin”, imagine! Having two likes of Filipinos in one is so delicious. One of the best delicacies of every Filipino in the Philippines is what we called “Kakanin”. It is very popular when month of “ber” was/is coming, because “ber” month is a month of winter season, that’s why people always want of some hot and heavy food to fill up their needs and that is “Kakanin”. It gives extra benefits for those people who ate it. First, it can satisfy your stomach needs. Second, since it was made up of ground rice it can help your body to supply lots of nutrients and lastly, it is “sulit” or get more what we pay for, since it was affordable and available in every season.

Without “Kakanin” on your table during Christmas feels like an ordinary day, because having “Kakanin” in Christmas gives more excitement in every Filipinos. Now that is month of “ber”, lots of vendor selling it along the streets so, it is easy to find, affordable and yummy and especially it is pure Filipino so we better patronize it. “Kakanin”! Gawang Pinoy.

Flavors of the Streets

Are you hungry but you’re budget is not enough for fast-food restaurants? The sidewalks are the perfect place to go! You can find delectable, convenient, practical and best of all easy on the pocket foods that can satisfy your appetite. These are ready-to-eat foods and drink that cost less than a restaurant meal or popularly known as the Street Foods. Most of the street foods are barbecued, fried, boiled or steamed, etc. and sometimes exotic.  This is suitable for most of the people with limited time and budget. Street foods have become part now of Pinoy cuisine and culture. Here are some of the most popular street foods:

"Halo -halo ni Juan dela Cruz"

Juan dela Cruz was really popular in terms of creativity; for every crops they made, there's a reflection of tradition, culture and patrimony to their motherland; love, happiness and care to everyone; and even in the names they've given to those crops, were creatively done, which recognizes as one trademark of Juan dela Cruz. And some of those were foods.

Halo-halo, adidas, barbaque, balot, penoy, isaw, betamax, kwek-kwek and fishballs are some popular foods for Juan, which you may buy along the streets (Streets foods). Those street foods were really affordable and delicious, that's why those were indeed popular to the taste of Filipinos and even sometimes to those foreigners.

Halo- halo can be categorized as street food and is one of the most popular dessert or Snack for Filipinos and even to other nationalities who have been visited Juan. Since the country archipelagos were found near the equator, Philippines spent its year of mostly hot weather. That's why this food is really in demand.

Halo-halo is basically made up of different ingredients or a mixture of banana, ripe mango, gelatin, ripe jack fruit, sweet corn or chick peas (garbanzos), shredded coconut, cooked sweet yams (ube halaya), shaved ice, milk, scoops of favorite ice cream and chopped peanuts or rice krispies.

To say that Filipino Cultures were reflected in this food, that is Juan's cultures were mostly influenced by the western country, as you can see the ice cream, which is a Western ingredient, may be on top of the concoction, likewise, to say that Filipino culture is essentially Eastern at the same as taking only the Asian tropical fruits in the halo-halo and failing to drink the melted ice cream in the mixture. One then misses passion, which is the creme of Filipino culture.

But on the other hand though there are various interpretations about this, no doubt that even Filipinos have different cultures and traditions we see that just like Halo-halo, contained different ingredients, put together, there's a wonderful taste that everybody would search once they taste it. like on Juan's Cultures and traditions, even those were diversified, when those were put together you'll see the beauty, reality and amazing colors of Juan dela Cruz.

Turu- turo (pointing out the Pinoy taste)

“Turu- turo” or Street foods. I think the best way I would define street foods in the Philippines are, affordable and readily available at all streets and corners. It is ready-to-eat food or drink sold along the street or other public places like schools, churches, parks, office buildings, or any other place with a sidewalk, even in malls. Everywhere you look you will find crowded people eating along the streets and corners, because prices of commodities are getting high, many Filipinos look for cheapest food, and at the prices ranging from three pesos(P3) to twenty pesos(P20) you can now easily satisfy your hunger somewhere out there.

I can also say that street foods are Filipinos addiction; it is a mouth watering pleasure that is quickly satisfying and perhaps and most importantly affordable. It is an alternative to restaurant dining or meal that can also fill your stomach without spending too much.

Foods play an important part of Filipino culture. They say street foods are often reflecting to our culture, because we Filipinos really love to eat even when we’re happy, sad, anxious, bored and angry, sometimes we just trip too. While the infinite number of unusual restaurants or street stalls ready to serve us to satisfy our hungry and cravings.

Each street food activity/enterprise is generally small in size, requires relatively simple skills, basic facilities and small amounts of capital, yet they are very numerous and have considerable potential for generating income and employment. It is a good remedy for those who are unemployed because of difficulty of attaining jobs in the formal sector. The income derived is enough to supply their daily needs.

In my opinion, I think we need to acknowledge the importance of informal sector, even though some of us thought that it symbolize as a lack of our economic development, but we need to understand that not all Filipinos are in a good way of living. Selling foods along the streets create a big help for the low-income families to support their daily needs and it would be worse off if there were no street food vendors to serve fast in inexpensive foods. So let’s support street foods.