Burnt Lumpia: Filipino Food | Filipino Recipes | Culinary Hijinks

Rolling Soon...

So for the last few weeks, I haven't really been updating this here blog with many new recipes. And I haven't been visiting or commenting much on any of my favorite food blogs either.

Sorry.

Besides my usual excuses (kid, travel, laziness), I have another really, really, really good excuse for my absence in this space and the rest of the blogosphere.

Really. I do.

I just can't say exactly what that excuse is right now. But I can say that I've been working on a HUGE "project" with another food blogger friend of mine for the past few months. Unless things go horribly wrong (and I wouldn't be surprised if they did), we will be announcing this project very soon.

And I promise, it's a doozy. A doozy, I say!

I know, your wheels are spinning from that vague tease, but you'll have to wait just a while longer.

Until then, buckle your seatbelts...

Filipino Flavors: A Symposium

Attention all Filipino food lovers!

On May 15th and 16th 2010, the Asian Culinary Forum will be hosting a symposium on Filipino cuisine entitled Filipino Flavors: Tradition and Innovation. The symposium will be held at the International Culinary School at the Art Institute of California in San Francisco.

Included in this weekend-long celebration of Filipino food and culture will be various classes and seminars taught and hosted by a variety of Filipino food experts and Filipino celebrity chefs (yes, there is such a thing).

According to the ACF:

"Featured speakers include Amy Besa (Memories of Philippines Kitchens), Margarita Araneta Fores (Cafe Bola and Cibo restaurants in Metro Manila), Reggie Narito (Master Sommelier), Chef Kelly Degala and Chef Tim Luym, plus many many more authors, culinary experts and special guests.

Select from a fabulous buffet of choices or join in the entire feast.

Online registration closes May 12, or earlier if sold out."

To me, a couple of the standout classes/seminars of that weekend include the hands-on cooking class taught by Amy Besa (also of Purple Yam fame), as well as the Chef's Panel entitled "Inspiration and Innovation: The Future of Filipino Food". Heck, there's even an Adobo Throwdown!

Just from the looks of it, I am very hopeful that the symposium will do much to elevate Filipino cuisine.

To register for any (or all) of the symposium events, CLICK HERE.

Remember, registration closes May 12, or earlier if sold out!

Stay Thirsty, My Friends

As some of you may remember, a few months back I partook in a most excellent adventure to South Africa. In addition to witnessing the sheer beauty of the South African bush, I was also able to sample some of that country's best wine and spirits. And as it turns out, I ended up writing a piece for Mutineer Magazine about a South African liqueur made from the mysterious and exotic marula fruit.

Here's an excerpt from my story:

"While South Africa was once the diamond capital of the world, it can be argued that the marula fruit is a rarer gem. Marula trees themselves cannot be cultivated; they grow wildly in only one place on the entire planet—within the subequatorial plains of Africa. Marula fruit cannot be exported to other countries, and they are harvested only once a year from January to March. Given this information, it seems that my February arrival in Limpopo was a timely one.

Aside from the marula trees that flourish in the Limpopo area, it is also the location of the primary production plant of Amarula Cream Liqueur—a rich and smooth South African spirit made from fermented marula fruit. So although I was technically on safari, I was also on what equates to a “vineyard tour” of Amarula’s key crops. But instead of seeing neat rows of trellised grapevines, I saw arid, wide-open plains broken up by groupings of wild and majestic marula trees. And instead of the customary scarecrow, these vineyards were guarded by a bevy of wild animals.

The vineyards of Amarula are, indeed, unlike any other vineyards in the world."

To read my article in its entirety, please do pick up a copy of the May/June issue of Mutineer Magazine on newsstands now.

And if reading about my South African safari isn't enough to whet your whistle, just take a look at the magazine cover above! Egads, man! It's a cover story on The Most Interesting Man In The World!

I don't always read magazines. But when I do, I prefer Mutineer!

Askinosie Chocolate Giveaway Winner!

Congratulations to Mia, who won my giveaway for TWO Davao Chocolate bars courstesy of Askinosie Chocolate. Mia's comment was as follows:

"I love dark chocolate and the sweet-salty combination of fleur de sel and chocolate. I would eat this straight up, one square a day."

Out of 99 comments, Mia's comment was randomly chosen using the handy dandy Random Number Generator.

Again, congrats to Mia. You will be receiving a 77% Davao Dark Chocolate bar, and a Davao Dark Milk Chocolate bar with Fleur de Sel.

Enjoy!