2007 May | Ajay's Writings on the Wall

May, 2007

Now trying the Special K diet…

May 15, 2007 by ajay

Special K cereals.

Perhaps I have to thank the family gene pool for my fairly good metabolism. It has ensured that I will not balloon to obscene proportions even though am an avid foodie and do eat a lot. Admittedly, age has caught up with me and my midsection, nobody’s perfect after all, and am increasingly tempted to curb my cravings or munch in moderation if I am to stay in tiptop shape.

So now am trying the Special K diet which I first read about from Becky Kho, the editor in chief of fab new magazine Yummy (who I also had a good fortune of meeting at Diamond Hotel’s Wagyu fest). This looks like a very healthy, achievable diet since I don’t ever want to be popping pills whose contents I never know about.

The Special K diet is actually very simple and is fairly cheap, since a box of the cereals which will last you approximately two days cost only $2 at the grocery.

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Category Munchin' | Tags: | 11 Comments
LP 17: Egg’s a Deal! It’s squash yema

May 11, 2007 by ajay

squash yema

Thanks to Angelo of Eat Matters who is hosting this month’s Lasang Pinoy, a Filipino food blogging event with focus on any egg-based recipe, I had to rummage through my best culinary memory for a dish that can truly be considered Egg’s a Deal!

The result is this simple but great-tasting yema; not just any yema, mind you, but a squash or pumpkin yema that my veggie-hating kiddos relished with gusto. Kids always love sweets and so entranced were they with the taste that they forgot it’s something they wouldn’t eat otherwise if the squash was sauteed with other vegetables or simmered in coconut milk.

A yema is a Filipino round-shaped candy of Spanish origin which counts among its main ingredients egg yolk and condensed milk. The mention of yema evokes memories of my childhood since I always happily munched on this sweet treat and/or cooked this in home economics class.

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Category Munchin' | Tags: | 7 Comments
Diamond Hotel’s best ensaimada in Manila and much-talked about $2000 wagyu tenderloin meal

May 9, 2007 by ajay

Diamond Hotel Ensaymada

Those in the know about the in’s and out’s of the city would surely proclaim the Manila Diamond Hotel’s Kohikan pastry shop as having the best ensaimada this side of town. Ensaimada or ensaymada is a popular Filipino Spanish-influenced bread coated with butter, sugar and cheese. Aside from the gooey goodness of the finest cheese melting in the fluffy bread, the Diamond bakers have upped the ante further by inserting tasty bits of ube (purple yam) in the center, making it one of the truly filling and satisying Filipino delicacies indeed.

Two years ago, we fondly remember how this to-have for ensaimada cost only P45 but supply must have caught up with demand and the price has already doubled. Still, there’s no reason for other foodies not to scoop up a bunch of these ensaimadas with hot chocolate or coffee in this hotel which has the best garden and sweeping bay views of Manila.

However, this post is not about ensaimada alone; this is actually about our participation in the Diamond’s food fest slash taste test yesterday to launch its $2000 Wagyu beef meal, a truly decadent package which entitles interested diners to….

mosaic8093068

an overnight at the Manila Diamond Hotel Presidential Suite, with bubble bath set-up

a full-course menu of Beluga Caviar on Timbale of Salmon Tartare with warm broiled potato,

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Category Munchin', My Manila | Tags: | 6 Comments
Meeting a blog reader from Switzerland

May 7, 2007 by ajay

with Marissa.

Blogging can be a lonely avocation. But it can be immensely rewarding when you get feedbacks from people and then meeting those who claim to (ahermm) fanatically read your blog.For a blogger like moi, this is heartwarming because it means am not just talking to the wall. I am glad that my online persona strikes some as nice and approachable (because this is how I am too, in real life) and it means a lot when readers-turned-friends take the time to email and meet me, especially when they come from other countries and only visiting the Philippines.

Meeting this blog’s readers always highlight my year, and after the successful eyeball with Mira from Hong Kong last year, I was glad to chat face to face with Marissa Marquez-Scherer this time around. Marissa is a Filipina based in Zurich, Switzerland for close to 20 years now and considers dropping by AWOTW as part of her regular ritual (thank you. I am not worthy,hehe). It was good that Mdme. Scherer got herself billetted at the Hyatt Hotel & Casino Manila which literally made us next-door neighbors

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Category Life & Living | Tags: | 10 Comments
In search of the best Philippine road trip? Try the great North

May 6, 2007 by ajay

sagada_cave.

rafting.

Another friend, Jesus Casabar (who is contributing the photos in this page) recommends a road trip in the Philippines’ great North for a complete, all-in-one taste of the country’s varied natural and cultural offerings. Among these are the mountains of the Cordillera with their amazing rice terraces; the limestone caves of Sagada with their hanging coffins; the old Spanish towns of Vigan; Laoag in Ilocos Norte with its Fort Ilocandia , scenic Paoay Lake and its Malacanang of the North; the pristine beaches of Currimao and Pagudpud which are one of the best in the Philippines; not to forget the ecotourism province of Cagayan Valley from where one can engage in spelunking, kayaking and whitewater rafting.

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Category Uncommon destinations | Tags: | 1 Comment
Uncommon destinations: hidden Bora in Camarines Norte

May 5, 2007 by ajay

calaguas island.

(Note: Beginning with this post, Writings on the Wall will be featuring uncommon places and extraordinary experiences as seen and felt by my acquaintances and friends who have, at times, scoured the islands more than city-bound me. The idea is to uncover and discover hidden spots in the Philippines to guide us on our next trip. Do watch this site for more updates. Thanks )

There is obviously more to Bicol than its spicy food and the Mayon Volcano. The region hosts a bevy of old ruins and churches as well as a host of natural treasures like caves, hot springs, lakes, waterfalls and mountains. I’d also like to wet my feet at the spanking new Camarines Sur Watersports Complex (CWC) which prides itself of a world-class cable park with 11 obstacles, and a view of a 4.5 hectare freshwater lake.

Camarines Norte, also in Bicol, has also aroused my curiosity of late ever since I read an article in our newspaper about the sweet tropical life that can be had there. My friendster Therese had gone there for a short breather-cum-coverage and came back with tales about its beautiful islands.
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Category Uncommon destinations | Tags: | 18 Comments