Last weekend, I made chicken lumpia -- Not you traditional Filipino spring rolls. If your mom is anything like mine, veering from the original recipe is sacrilegious. Instead of using ground pork, I used ground chicken and ground turkey. The only reason I did that was because our local grocery store didn't have any ground pork that day. I also substituted the raisins with … [Read more...]
Thai Coconut Chicken Curry
Thai Coconut Chicken Curry is another one of my favourite Thai dishes. The bit of heat, the layers of flavour, the aromatics, the creaminess from the coconut milk...What's not to love? I have to admit that when I taught my first Thai cooking class, I made the curry to the heat level I am accustomed to. I didn't realize that it would be too hot for some people's … [Read more...]
Super Easy, Super Delicious Pad Thai Recipe
Pad Thai is one of my absolute favourite dishes. Whenever I go to a Thai restaurant, 9 out of 10 times, I'll order the Pad Thai. What can I say? I am a creature of habit, and when I really like something, I order it whenever I can! What many people do not realize is that Pad Thai is not an overly complicated dish to recreate in their own kitchens! It's actually super … [Read more...]
Filipino Spring Roll Bites
The reason I call these Filipino Spring Roll Bites is that these appetizers are bite-sized versions of the Filipino favourite. Lumpia, also known as spring rolls, come in the vegetable version and the meat version. I love the vegetable lumpia and my husband and daughter love the meat version (Lumpia Shanghai). Ever since I was a little girl, experiencing my Mom and her … [Read more...]
Happy Year of the Monkey 2016! Plus a Beef & Broccoli Recipe!
Gung Hei Fat Choi! Happy New Year! As we welcome the Year of the Monkey, we wish you a happy, healthy New Year. Living on Manitoulin Island, I wanted to make sure that Little One is aware of her cultural heritage and that she embraces her roots. Yes, she was born in Canada and is Canadian, but she also has Filipino, Chinese, Caribbean, Scottish, English and even a bit of … [Read more...]
Lengua Estofada
Though my grandparents on my maternal side have both passed away, I think of them often. Most days, life goes on as it always does, but every now and then, something triggers a memory and I miss my grandparents tremendously. Cooking with my little one reminds me of my childhood and spending lots of time in my grandparents' kitchen. I was always curious about our … [Read more...]
Thinking about my culinary roots with TVO’s The Food Chain: Girl Eat World
Some of my earliest memories involved spending lots of time in my grandparents' kitchen, observing them prepare food from their culture. Back then, it wasn't food from their culture -- it was soul food. It was food that nourished our family and brought loved ones together. When I think about food, and its important role it plays, it is not just for sustenance, but there … [Read more...]
Taiwanese Night at Buoys Eatery
When I moved to Manitoulin Island in 2004, aside from my friends and family, one of the only things I missed the most was the variety of different types of cuisine available. In order for me to enjoy international cuisine, I had to cook it myself. Thus the birth of "International Dinner Nights" came about. A group of friends and their families would take turns hosting … [Read more...]
Why Mexican Dinner Nights are Important in this House
The aroma from the kitchen, the sound of laughter, conversations with loved ones and sharing a meal made with love all make the kitchen the hub of the household and dinnertime the thing that memories are made of. Food is for nourishment, but there's also that social element to sharing a meal. One of our favourite dinner nights is Mexican night! The spices, the flavours, … [Read more...]
Filipino Siopao
It's incredible how certain sights, sounds and fragrances/scents can transport you back to a certain time and place. The senses can bring you back to a special moment in time. I find food has a way of doing this. Every now and then, I'll have a dish that reminds me of simpler times. I relive childhood memories where my Filipino side of the family would gather together for a … [Read more...]
Happy Chinese New Year 2015!
Gung Hey Fat Choy! Happy Chinese New Year 2015! The Year of the Goat It's Chinese New Year 2015! This year is the Year of the Goat! Though the Chinese word 羊 (yáng) is a generic term that refers to a sheep, goat or ram, many Chinese people believe that the animal in the Chinese zodiac is actually the goat. There are explanations to support their belief such as the fact … [Read more...]
Beef Bulgogi
One of our favourite dishes in our house is Korean Beef Bulgogi. Hubby just got me a meat slicer for Christmas and we tested it out last night! I'm a bit scared of super sharp blades (the meat slicer looks like a table saw). Okay, I am extremely accident prone. Hubby was the one who took on the slicing job and I just made the Bulgogi marinade and cooked our supper. … [Read more...]
Love Persimmons? Persimon®, Blueberry and Pomegranate Salad #persimonsays
For the holidays, we usually stick to our mainstays, but I thought I'd include this festive Persimon®, Blueberry and Pomegranate Salad this year. How gorgeous is that? I found the recipe on the persimonsays.com website. How gorgeous is this Persimon®, Blueberry and Pomegranate Salad? The flavours are so lovely and delicate. The salad was a total hit with everyone. … [Read more...]
Chinese New Year Traditions
Growing up in a multicultural household, I learned bits and pieces of my parents' cultures. What always sticks the most are the food and the traditions. Though we didn't learn how to speak my Dad's Chinese dialect and we knew little of the history of where in China his ancestors came from, we knew the basics. We observed Chinese New Year, we knew a bit about the traditions … [Read more...]
Festive Filipino Fruit Salad #recipe
As a child, my fondest family memories are of those spent at Christmas with my Mom's side of the family. The Spirit of Christmas was always felt in my aunt's house -- filled with warmth, laughter, singing, and lots of food! For me, Christmas was always special because it was spent with our entire family. Now that I'm an adult and creating new memories for my own family, I … [Read more...]