Burnt Lumpia

Cora Cooks Pancit

Some say that it's never too early to read to your child--even reading to an infant still in the womb is said to increase a baby's language skills. So when the fine folks at Shen's Books sent me a review copy of one of their latest children's books, I couldn't wait to read it to my own new baby boy.

But the book I received was no ordinary children's book. It was a children's book about Filipino culture and food!

18th Annual FPAC

Just wanted to give a quick heads up to my SoCal readers about the 18th Annual Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture (FPAC) happening this weekend (Sept. 12-13) in San Pedro, CA.

Widely known as Southern California’s largest and longest-running Filipino cultural celebration, FPAC will feature live performances by a diverse line-up. This year's headliner at FPAC will be Filipino Amercian comedian, Rex Navarrete:

Poo jokes. They never disappoint.

In addition to Navarrete, FPAC will also feature performances by Geologic, of the rising hip hop group the Blue Scholars; MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew Season 2 finalist, Supreme Soul; YouTube sensation, AJ Rafael; and pop vocalist Ashley Robles.

The two-day festivities will also include its first-ever Martial Arts Village--a small enclave in which I envisioned festival-goers battling each other with sticks and knives (Sumbrada, anyone?). However, I've been told that the Martial Arts Village will feature demonstrations by the IMB Academy and the South Bay Martial Arts Club--and that's just as cool.

And lastly, yes, there will be Filipino food at FPAC! In light of complaints for a lack of actual Pinoy food at last year's FPAC (one of those complaints being mine), I've been informed that FPAC organizers have gone the extra mile this year to include more Filipino food vendors. (NOTE: FPAC makes sure to approach a number of Filipino food vendors every year, but vendors don't always have the time or resources to participate.)

Vendors providing Filipino food at this year's festival will be Aling Neri's and The Park's Finest BBQ, among others. And another new addition to this year's FPAC will be a Filipino Cooking Demonstration Booth run by Chef Cecilia DeCastro. I imagine workshops on lumpia rolling and "How to skillfully evade kitchen criticisms from your mother" would be popular topics, but no matter what is demonstrated, I'm sure Chef DeCastro will handle the booth with professional ease.

To make sure you get in on all the action that FPAC has to offer, you can pre-order tickets for the festival here. Tickets will also be available at the entrance on the day of FPAC.

For more information on the Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture, check out the FPAC website here.

What: The 18th Annual Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture

When: September 12-13, 2009. 10am-6pm for both days.

Where: Point Fermin Park, 807 Paseo Del mar, San Pedro, CA 90731

In Like A Lion...

As indicated by the three measly recipes I've posted so far this year (here, here, and here), I haven't been in the kitchen much as of late. My absence from the Burnt Lumpia Worldwide Headquarters Kitchen is not due to a lack of motivation or hunger (OK, maybe a little bit).

In all truthfulness though, my winter has been very, uh, eventful. As the saying goes, In like a lion... I suppose.

Note: Not an actual lion.

I've been generally busy, but the events that have really kept me out of the kitchen and away from my blog range from terribly bad (this economy is a mother-effing bitch!), to wonderfully good (woohoooo!). And yes, I'm being very vague on purpose--I'll share more later (maybe).

But I did want to check in and let everyone know that I'll be back to posting recipes regularly, answering comments, and visiting everyone's wonderful blogs very soon--I just have to catch my breath is all. Spring is just around the corner, better days ahead... out like a lamb.

Theme Magazine

Theme Magazine is a bi-monthly magazine based out of Brooklyn, NY that focuses on contemporary Asian culture. True to it's name, each issue of the magazine follows a different theme.

The current theme for the current Theme is "For the Love of Food." And, as luck would have it, I happen to be mentioned in a wonderfully written piece by food writer, Drew Lazor, entitled "Gastroporn."

In the article, Lazor talks about the growth and popularity of food blogs, and touches on a few different types of food blogs like Serious Eats, gas•tron•o•my, FriedWontons4u, Gastroanthropology, Rasa Malaysia, Lunch with Front Studio, Midtown Lunch, and yours truly.

In addition to finding the above article online, Theme also features a soundtrack of food-related songs that I'm actually listening to right now. (You're looking good fly colored Asian.)

The Food Issue of Theme Magazine is out on newsstands now, so do pick up a copy and check the magazine out.

For The Birds

A few things I learned after my second appearance on Kababayan LA:

1. I will definitely be cutting my hair, as in like, this weekend.
2. Next time I do anything via Skype, I will lean back a few feet from my webcam.
3. I will never again do a TV segment in the same room as any loud pets (this will be explained further, below).

Despite the above, this most recent appearance went pretty well compared to my first appearance on Kababayan LA. I actually got to talk a bit about my blog and about Filipino food. And while Janelle and her producers could see me (upper half only, wink-wink) via my webcam, I, sadly, couldn't see the Oh So Lovely Ms. So from my end--I was only able to hear her voice.

Anyways, here's the vid:

Kababayan LA: The Return of Burnt Lumpia!

A few of you may remember that I made an appearance last year on a (very, very, very) local television show called Kababayan L.A.

And if you are one of the two or three people that remember that little factoid, you may also recall that the interview kinda fell short in that I really didn't have a lot of time to talk about Filipino food--the conversation, for whatever reason, centered around the very general topic of blogging.

Despite the little hiccup of a food blogger not talking much about food, I chalked the whole thing up to experience and appreciated that I got to sit a few feet away from the Oh So Lovely Ms. Janelle So.

As it turns out, the Oh So Lovely Ms. So contacted me again very recently and asked me to come back on the show. Why ask me back? I initially assumed that she had the hots for me. But she vehemently denied that over the phone when we spoke.

The real reason she asked me back on Kababayan L.A. is because she wanted me to partake in the show's new segment called "Viral Thursdays" (I didn't make that name up, though I wish I did) in which she talks to bloggers.

Besides my hair don't, a few other things will be different on my second appearance on Kababayan L.A.:

• I insisted that we talk about Filipino food. We'll see how that goes.
• I won't be in studio. Instead I'll be interviewed via Skype and my webcam. I imagine the show's producers want me as far away as possible from the Oh So Lovely Ms. So.
• I may opt to go sans pants (it's just another Thursday for me), on account of only my upper half being visible.

Since I'll be in the comfort of my own home, I'm not too stressed about this like I was last year. But that isn't a guarantee I won't make an ass of myself.

Anyways, if anyone in SoCal is going to be at home on Thursday Feb. 19, tune into LA 18 at 4:30pm to watch me on Kababayan L.A.

And if you miss the show, I'll post the vid when it becomes available.

No Reservations Update

Hello Everyone. Just wanted to provide a quick update on the No Reservations: Philippines episode. In my last update, I said that episode would air on the Travel Channel on February 9, but I've just been informed that that has changed. On February 9, a No Reservations: Food Porn episode will air instead (mmmmm, food porn).

No Reservations: Philippines is scheduled to air on the Travel Channel here in the U.S. on Monday, February 16 at 10pm ET. And yup, you guessed it, that time and date is subject to change. I'll keep everyone updated as the date gets closer.

In the meantime, enjoy a sneak peak of this Monday's episode of Tony in the Azores:

New Year's Reservations

Happy New Year everyone! Sorry for the lack of posts lately, but in addition to enjoying the holidays and the New Year, I've been saddled with a nasty cold that's curled me up into a pathetic little ball hidden underneath a pile of sheets and blankets. Good times! As soon as the fog, grog, and snot clear from my head, I'll be back to posting shortly, hopefully.

But I did want to write today in response to a handful of emails I've received from some readers the last few days. It seems that everyone is wondering when the No Reservations: Philippines episode will be airing on the Travel Channel. I assume this line of questioning is directly correlated to the season premiere of No Reservations being debuted tonight (it's the Mexico episode), and people are curious about the Philippines episode.

I found these emails amusing because I usually only receive emails that A)Tell me how much I suck (thanks, I enjoy constructive criticism), B)Ask if my father really is as violent as I portray him to be (ehh, maybe), and C)Ask if I really am married (yes I am, now leave me alone).

Anyhoo, to answer the original question, the No Reservations: Philippines episode will be airing here in the U.S. on Monday February 9 at 10pm ET, so I'm told. Now don't go marking your calendars with ink just yet, use pencil as that date and time is tentatively scheduled. And I'm not sure when that episode will air in the Philippines and the rest of Asia, so it's best to check your local listings, or to follow along with Market Man as he will actually be appearing on the Philippines episode and undoubtedly knows a whole lot more about it than I do.

When I know more about the Philippines episode of No Reservations, I will definitely post the info here as I'm sure everyone is super excited about it.

In the meantime though, I was given a sneak peak of the season premiere episode in Mexico (airing tonight on the Travel Channel at 10pm ET) and I'd like to share it with everyone here:

A Traveler Amongst You

Word on the street is that a particular Ramones fan with a taste for world cuisine is in the Philippines right now (as in right this instant). I just received an email from Paoix over at One Filipino Dish A Week that alerted me to this little tidbit:

Bourdain in the Philippines

That's right, Anthony Bourdain is in the Philippines (at long last) filming an episode of "No Reservations." So to all the peeps in the 'Peens who didn't already know, keep an eye out for him. And tell a friend.

He walks amongst you.

Tidbits

Vegetative State

Ugh.

Sorry for my absence in this space last week. On top of being busy at the office, things have also been hectic here at the Burnt Lumpia World Wide Headquarters as I was struggling with a side project for a few days (and by "busy at the office" I mean surfing the internet, and by "side project" I mean laziness, boredom, and a case of poo-poo brain).

Not that this post marks the end of my "busy side project-ness"--I still haven't spent much time in the kitchen as of late [for whatever reason I can't seem to shake my current state of blah]--but I have at least been out and about...