Must-haves for my culinary pursuits

Alton Brown is a culinary wiz because he has access to great culinary instruments. After watching a season-load of Good Eats, I have decided to formulate a wishlist for my kitchen needs so that cooking can be made more convenient for my part. (Plus, I get to whip up some “good eats” like AB himself.) These are my top five priority items that I’m wishing for. (Actually, I’m more of requesting for these items… Ahem, SA MGA MAY KASARANG NGA MAG-”HALAD” SANG MGA INI SA AKON, LIHOG LANG DA AH.)

1. Digital weighing scale

Kick-ass Features: Tare weight; no more annoying springs or manual adjustments; instant read! Woohoo!
Purpose: Very helpful in baking and other cooking which requires weight measures rather than volumetric ones.

2. Cast Iron Skillet

Kick-ass Features: Durable; takes up heat very well; lasts forever (if maintained properly)
Purpose: Not only good for frying and sautéing, but baking as well.

3. Probe thermometer

Kick-ass Features: No risk of broken glass and colored alcohol/mercury spill-overs; instant read! WOOHOO!
Purpose: Perfection in food often requires the perfect temperature. Budlay na daan kon batok.

4. Candy thermometer (digital)

Kick-ass Features: Can be fixtured in scalding oil/syrup-filled pans; instant read!
Purpose: for getting to that target temperature for frying or candy-making

5. Muffin Tin

Kick-ass Features: MUFFINS!
Purpose: MUFFINS!

*****

I suppose it’s better for me to practice cooking (like Alton “Good Eats guy” Brown) than to get hooked so much on videogaming.
Again, I would like to reiterate: SA MGA MAY KASARANG NGA MAG-”HALAD” SANG MGA INI SA AKON, LIHOG LANG DA AH.

Good luck, godspeed, God bless!

Musical Agitation (featuring Redgum)

A bit of musical agitation is what I need to face life’s everyday challenges. It’s like taking a cue from the armies of long ago who had war drums, battle cries (or chants) and trumpets to boost their morale. As of now, I’m featuring now-defunct Australian prog-folk rock band, Redgum.

1. A.S.I.O.

Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO) is the Land Down Under’s equivalent for our NBI and America’s CIA. There are indeed possible risks in asserting rights to exercise privacy and free political choice amidst state surveillance. Even the premises of one's home doesn't offer a feeling of certain security when one knows somebody's watching him/her. Just a classic case of having Big Brother gone awry.

“Don’t use your phone and don’t use mine
Don’t speak treason, they’re tapping the line…

Break-in, stake out, tell it in code
Everything is legal, anything goes
The nights gettin’ darker and the ill wind blows
Your life’s in a databank at ASIO”

2. Running with the Hurricane

I believe this song came out during a very socially and politically turbulent time for the people of the world: the late 80′s to early 90′s. Cold War was coming to an end as perestroika and glasnost were on the rise while Soviet communism was waning. Freedom movements of every political creed from the left to the right upheave the Third World: Latin America, Eastern Europe, Africa, and even Southeast Asia (especially the Philippines).

“Mass march, rally in the twilight, heart and soul, a call for peace
If power is blocked through the ballot box
Then we’ll vote in the open streets.

Thunder in the distance, running with the hurricane
Feel the cold winds turning, keep the faith burning
Fire in the Ukraine, dust on the high plains
Thunder in the distance, running with the hurricane”

3. The Long Run

Poverty, unemployment, uncertain job security, war, economic bondage, unequal distribution of wealth… All these are realities in the modern world that we must face as a generation. There will be tough times, but as long as there is always action to innovate, to forge meaningful solidarity within society’s sectors, to create hope for a better future “…it will be alright in the long run.”

“From the shadow of history a convict screams
The shearers curse, the people dream
We’ve taken some right turns
They’ve been the wrong ones…

Troop ships leave and the headlines blaze
Australia remembers happier days
And the faith lives on within the haze
It’ll be all right in the long run

…And the sun streams in with power and might
And you look at your kids in a different light
And you know in your heart as you kiss them goodnight
It’ll be all right in the long run.”

* ** * *

As this is the first “Musical Agitation” post, there will be more in the future (hopefully). In the meantime, good luck, godspeed, God bless!

Most awesome line ever…

“I came here to drink milk and kick ass… And I’ve just finished my milk.”
— Moss, “IT Crowd”

* Here’s the actual video

Domingo sa DownTown, San Sebastian, Plaza Mart kag Araneta nga Bahin sang Bacolod

One can easily determine if it’s a Sunday in Bacolod City. Relative serenity and people’s excursions aside, another obvious marker that it’s a Sunday in Bacolod is that…

You hear this…

Baltimora – “Tarzan Boy”

…and that undying “hit”…

Modern Talking – “Brother Louie”

Of course, who can forget the song that is allegedly the soundtrack of a vehicle (i.e. jeepney) on reverse? I’m talking about…

Modern Talking – “Brother Louie”

To those who are NOT faint of heart, NOT weak of mind and NOT irritable by ear, try making this your Ipod playlist or your cellphone ringtone. Here’s a suggested scheme for the latter:
* SMS ringtone – “Tarzan Boy”
Note: This is slightly tolerable, especially if you remember that palm tree scene from “Beverly Hills Ninja”.
* Call ringtone – “Lambada”
Note: If this rings in a room with you and other people, you will definitely be forced to momentarily leave the room either to answer that phone call right away, to hide your embarrassment (or both).
* Alarm clock – “Brother Louie”
Note: Ah, the piece de resistance! Sin-o pa ayhan ang indi makabugtaw 5:30 sang kaagahon kon amu ni ang iya wake-up alarm? Sin-o?!

Speaking of that palm tree scene from “Beverly Hills Ninja”…

May your Sundays be as serene as ever with these “awe-inspiring” tunes! Wahahaha… Mwahahaha! BWAHAHAHA!!!

Good luck, godspeed, God bless!

Soundtrack of my life… -_-

“Dismal Day” – Bread

Omelet for brunch

I don’t go for the complicated filled ones. French style omelets are what I do well. The key to a successful omelet, based from my experience, are the following:
1. Use two to three eggs. A lone egg just doesn’t make an adequate omelet.
2. Beating the eggs in a coffee mug makes a more controllable pour (and no spills).
3. A pat of butter in the frying pan is a more controllable (not to mention better-tasting) fat of choice than oil.
4. Start on medium heat (to melt the butter) and turn to low when eggs are already in pan. Temp control, friends.
5. Salt and pepper are the quintessential omelet seasonings for purists.
6. Ketchup or mayo, though optional, are great.

And if ever require extra wisdom on the “Zen Art of Omelet-making”, I refer to this Good Eats episode: