Christmas Eve
This Christmas is going to be different for me in so many ways. My son's father is traveling for all but two days of the winter break, so Will is with me 'til New Year's Day. Will, Rene and I usually open gifts on Christmas Eve morning, then go to Rene's for another celebration with his family in the evening, after which we take Will to his dad's around midnight. The day after Christmas, Will usually goes to L.A. to visit his grandpa and cousin Josh.

But this year it's all going to be different. We will have Christmas Eve at Rene's sister's house (the same one with the big Halloween party), and then we will spend the night at my place and open gifts here on Christmas morning, just like regular folk :>) I'm going to make French beignets (little deep-fried pillows of heaven, dusted with confectioner's sugar) and fresh fruit for brunch.

For my contribution to Rene's Christmas Eve family gathering, I am going to revisit a couple of recipes I've made in recent weeks. I've decided to make the Stuffed Mushrooms and the Salmon with Dill Cream Cheese and Capers from my Thanksgiving feast, and the Kufteh Sabzi Meatballs in Tomato Sauce from my 'Children of Heaven' Iranian Dinner & a Movie. They were all so easy to make, and all so delicious that I have no doubt they will disappear from the buffet table faster than you can say 'Feliz Navidad'.
12:07 AM PST Permalink |

Shopping for Fresh Ingredients & a Tally of the Cost of Dinner
I went shopping for all my fresh ingredients today and got very lucky at one of our local Mexican groceries. They have an in-house butcher shop with fresh meats and seafood at some of the lowest prices in town. I also found many of my specialty items there, including jicama root, tamarind paste, chorizo, jalapenos, and fresh mangoes. I had to go to another grocery store for the Asian items like ginger root, bok choy, bean sprouts, and oyster sauce.

Since the holiday weekend is upon us, I had to shop a couple of days early, as all the grocery stores will close early on Christmas Eve and will be closed on Christmas Day. I'm going to make my 'American Adobo' Filipino dinner the day after Christmas, and since the produce at the grocery store on Sunday won't be any fresher than what's in my fridge, I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed that everything will keep in my crisper and freezer until I'm ready to use it.

A Tally of the Cost of Dinner

The cost of the ingredients for my 'American Adobo' Filipino dinner are listed below. Keep in mind that the prices are based on buying everything new rather than using ingredients that I already have in my pantry. Of course there will be lots of things left over for future meals, so the actual cost of the dinner based on the quantities of the ingredients used to make the dishes will be much lower than the grand total of stocking a pantry from scratch for preparing Filipino cuisine.

Specialty Ingredients:

Tamarind paste or powder - .75
Jicama Root - .57
Oyster Sauce - 2.59
Chili Garlic Sauce - 2.49
Patis - 2.49
Cinnamon - .99
Pastry Crust - 3.58
Palm or Rice Vinegar - 2.49
Coconut Milk - 1.49
Sesame Seeds - .99
Sesame Oil - 3.59
Soy Sauce - 1.99
Bay Leaf - .99
Chorizo - .91
San Miguel Beer - 4.99

Fresh Ingredients:

Chicken Breasts - 1.41
Chicken Legs & Thighs - 2.99
Ground Beef - 6.22
Shrimp - 3.99
Fresh White Fish - 4.99
Whole Fish - 1.07
Limes - .50
Onions - .48
Garlic - .66
Carrots - .29
Scallions - 2.07
Potatoes - .35
Jalapenos - .07
Butter Lettuce - .99
Vinegar - 1.19
Ketchup - 1.49
Ginger - .50
Red & Green Peppers - .94
Green Beans - .81
Napa Cabbage - 1.15
Bean Sprouts - .49
Bok Choy - 1.61
Tomatoes - 1.49
Spinach - .99
Rice - 1.49

Basics:

Eggs - 1.12
Cornstarch - 1.19
Flour - 1.99
Cooking oil - 2.49
Sugar - 1.59
Brown Sugar - 1.19

Total - (in U.S. $) $78.70

12:30 AM PST Permalink |

Taking Photos of My 'American Adobo' Filipino Dinner
This month, both Will and Rene will be joining me for my 'American Adobo' Filipino Dinner & a Movie. We have also invited Will's best friend Jordan. So, I will have plenty of help with taking photos of all the dishes as they come out of the kitchen. Again, we will probably be using Rene's digital camera, as his photos always seem to turn out the best. Something tells me however, that it's the one holding the camera that makes all the difference.
12:22 AM PST Permalink |

Revisiting My Filipino Recipes
Since I research recipes and decide on the menu so early each month, I always like to go back and review them just to be sure I've included all the ingredients on my shopping list, and that I have a preparation plan clearly fixed in my head.

The recipes I use for each meal are derived from a variety of cookbooks, as well as from the Internet. Once I research the cuisine in general, along with dozens of specific recipes, I have a strong a sense of the way the ingredients are combined to produce the unique flavors of each culture. And as I prepare each dish, I improvise and personalize the recipe so that it becomes my own.

I'm kind of a 'kamikaze cook', in the sense that I dive headlong into a recipe, making things up as I go along, and therefore it is extremely rare for me to follow a recipe to the letter. There are also certain foods that I can't or won't eat, so I sometimes have to adjust a recipe accordingly, by either omitting or substituting certain ingredients.

The menu for this month's 'American Adobo' Filipino dinner features Lumpia & Empanada appetizers; Sinigang, a Tamarind Seafood Vegetable Soup; Kinilaw, a Spicy Fish Salad in Coconut Cream; the two-dish main course will be Chicken Adobo and Escabeche; with Fresh Tropical Fruits and Coconut Sorbet for dessert.
12:16 AM PST Permalink |

Deciding What to Wear
The weather has turned quite cool here in the Napa Valley, so my kitchen attire will have to be somewhat more insulating than usual. But given the tropical nature of the meal, I still want to keep it colorful. I have a leotard with long sleeves, and several brightly patterned skirts and sarongs. One of them is bound to strike my fancy on the day of the dinner.

Traditional Filipino garments were strongly influenced by the presence of the Spanish during Colonial times. For women, an ensemble called the Terno was customary. It consisted of four garments: a long-sleeved blouse called camisa; a shawl called alampay or panuelo; a long skirt called saya, overlaid with a shorter skirt called tapis, which was worn mostly by servants and peasants. Prior to the arrival of the Spanish, women wore a Chinese-style kimono over the saya skirt.

For men, the traditional garment is called the Barong Tagalog, an embroidered tunic with a round neckline and long sleeves, made of fine, translucent cloth called pina, woven from the fibers of the wild pineapple plant using a treadle-powered loom. The finished Barong Tagalog is embellished with delicate embroidery, and each region has its own distinctive style. The Barong Tagalog is worn over loose fitting trousers.
12:05 AM PST Permalink |

Special Cookware
As best I can tell, Filipino cuisine requires no special cookware. Of course, any meal is always easier to prepare with modern conveniences such as an electric rice cooker and grill, both of which I have. And I will probably use my tabletop hot plates to keep some of the dishes warm throughout the meal. But other than that, I think my set of garden variety non-stick cookware, plus my wok will serve me just fine for this meal.
12:20 AM PST Permalink |

Beverages to Go With My 'American Adobo' Filipino Dinner
With the exception of the Muslim population in the south, the consumption of spirited beverages is an integral part of everyday life for the inhabitants of the Philippines. Bars and outdoor beer gardens are popular meeting spots for the locals, where Tanduay is a favorite brand of rum, and San Miguel beer is not only the most prevalant local brand, but is also exported to countries all over the world.

The rural areas are known for several types of home brews, including a wine called tuba, made by extracting the sap of the coconut trees, which is then allowed to ferment. This same coconut sap can also be distilled into a stronger spirit called lambanog. In the Cagayan Valley, the Ybanag people make a very strong corn spirit called layaw, and in the northern province of Luzon, a wine called tapuy is fermented from rice. The Kalinga and Ilocano people make a sugarcane wine called basi, and the vineyards of Cebu and Ilocos produce wine made from grapes.

The coconut wine sounds especially appealing, but if I can't find any, a nice cold San Miguel will do nicely as an accompaniment for my 'American Adobo' Filipino dinner.
12:06 AM PST Permalink |

Dining Filipino Style
Food is a way of life in the Philippines, and with it comes Filipino hospitality. The Filipino people are quick to invite visitors to join them for a meal, however if invited, it is considered polite to refuse the first invitation by saying you've already eaten, and wait for a second invitation before accepting.

A Filipino meal is typically served all at once rather than in courses, and is accompanied by a variety of condiments and dipping sauces. A little food left on the plate serves as a signal that one's appetite has been sated. Many Filipino dishes are eaten with the hands, but when silverware is used, it is customary to hold a spoon in one hand and a fork in the other, and knives are usually unnecessary.

A typical day includes three meals, which are often supplemented in between with a second breakfast called 'segundo almuerzo', and an afternoon snack called 'merienda'. In the rural areas, lunch is the main meal, whereas in the cities, the evening meal is the most substantial. Seafood, rice and vegetables are the main staples, and where there is a lack of refrigeration, the primary ingredients are purchased fresh daily, or preserved with salt.
12:04 AM PST Permalink |

Christmas in the Philippines
There's a reason why I chose to focus on the Philippines for my December Dinner & a Movie. Unlike most other Asian countries, the Philippine Islands have a large Catholic population and a rich tradition of celebrating Christmas.

The tradition of Christmas was introduced to the Philippines by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi in 1565, and has since become a beloved celebration. In preparation for the feast, a novena (nine day prayer ceremony) known as Misa de Aguinaldo (Gift Masses) is started on December 16. Misas de Aguinaldo began in Mexico in 1587 when Fra Diego petitioned the Pope for permission to hold Christmas masses outdoors because the church could not contain the multitude who attended services. The masses came to be known as Misas de Aguinaldo.

In the Philippines, during the harvest season when the farmers had to start work in the fields at dawn, the masses were held at 4:00 a.m. In the villages, just before the mass, the parish priest leads a lively musical procession through the streets, knocking on doors to awaken the town for the Misa de Aguinaldo. After the service, they drink a ginger tea called salabat, and enjoy puto bumbong, a traditional dish of steamed violet rice served with sugar and grated coconut. On Christmas Day, they exchange gifts, pay homage to godparents and visit with friends and relatives.
12:09 AM PST Permalink |

On the First Day of Christmas...
I've just returned from my son Will's Christmas chorale performance... and what a lovely way to get into the holiday spirit. The singers are organized into six groups: Men's Choir, Treble Choir, Men's and Women's Acapella Octets, Chamber Singers and Concert Choir. Will sings in both the Men's Choir and the Concert Choir.

Tonight's program included an array of Christmas favorites, as well as several classical pieces sung in Latin, selections from Fiddler on the Roof, and a rendition of 'Danny Boy' by the Men's Choir that left not a dry eye in the house. The performance ended with a beautiful benediction in which all the singers joined hands to form a circle around the audience as they sang 'May the Lord Bless and Keep You'.

Rene and his mother Jovita accompanied me to the performance, and thanks to Rene's diligent efforts, we managed to get the whole thing on videotape. After the concert, there was a pleasant chill in the evening air, and I came home to the warmth and sparkle of my holiday decorations. And just like that... it's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas.
12:02 AM PST Permalink |

Getting into the Christmas Spirit
Every December, whether sooner or later, I eventually get into the Christmas spirit. Depending upon how busy or distracted I am, some years it takes me longer than others. This is one of those years. I usually like to get my modest Christmas decorations up on Thanksgiving weekend, but this year, I didn't get around to it until last night. And although, amazingly, I'm completely finished with my Christmas shopping and have mailed all my out-of-town gifts already, even that hasn't quite filled me with the holiday spirit.

But one thing that's sure to do the trick is my son Willl's Christmas Chorale Concert tomorrow night. He sings in a 15-member Men's Choir, and a 72-member Concert Choir, with a performance by the Chamber Singers in between. They always put on a lovely show, and the singers all look so elegant in their gowns and tuxedos.

And tonight, as I admire the basket of brightly wrapped gifts and the twinkling garland that now surrounds my bookshelf, I think I feel it starting it already.
12:03 AM PST Permalink |

Desigining a Table Setting for My 'American Adobo' Filipino Dinner
For my 'American Adobo' Filipino dinner, I want the table setting to be very colorful and tropical. From dinners past, I already have several items, including some flat, woven bamboo baskets and placemats, several wooden serving bowls, and lots of little generic dishes for condiments and small servings. And I think my basic white everyday dishes will make up the rest. However, as always, it's fun to go poking around in my local thrift shops in search of interesting additions to my repertoire.
12:02 AM PST Permalink |

A Little Background Info on 'American Adobo'
The tagline on the box of my 'American Adobo' DVD goes, "Sex is the appetizer. Love is the main course. Friendship is the dessert." Sounds like a food film to me. Directed by Laurice Guillen, American Adobo follows a cast of diverse Filipino characters as they gather to enjoy meals together over the course of a year in New York City. The players include Cherry Pie Picache (love that name!) as Tere, a 40-something accountant in search of true romance; Christopher DeLeon as Mike, a married-with-children editor, struggling with the woes of domestic life; Ricky Davao as Gerry, a gay man grappling with the dilemma of 'coming out' to his mother; Dina Bonnevie as Marissa, a loose-lipped socialite married to a philandering playboy; and Paolo Montalban as the womanizing Raul.

Never having seen the film, after a long day in the kitchen, I'm looking forward to spending a couple of hours getting to know these five characters and comparing my Filipino food with the dishes featured in the film.
04:32 PM PST Permalink |

A Little Background on Filipino History and Culture
Throughout the busy month of December, I will be writing a lengthy article on the rich history and culture of the Philippines and posting it in this very spot. In the interim however, ThingsAsian already features an excellent article: Land of Wonders, Philippines by Ee Lin Wan.
12:37 AM PST Permalink |

Tracking Down Exotic Ingredients for My 'American Adobo' Dinner
Specialty ingredients for my 'American Adobo' Filipino dinner include Tamarind paste or powder, Jicama Root, Oyster Sauce, Chili Garlic Sauce, Patis, Cinnamon, Pastry Crust, Palm or Rice Vinegar, Coconut Milk, Sesame Seeds, Sesame Oil, Soy Sauce, Bay Leaf, Chorizo, and Hearts of Palm.

I already have cinnamon, a jar of chili garlic sauce, a bottle of oyster sauce, and a bottle of patis. Coconut milk is easy to find, as is sesame oil. I'd like to try to find some palm vinegar, but if it's not available locally, then rice wine vinegar, which I already have, is a recommended substitute. Fortunately, I feel confident that my favorite local Mexican grocery will serve me well for the tamarind, jicama, and chorizo, not to mention all the fresh fish and chicken. Rene recently bought a couple of small jicama roots at a Mexican market here in town and raved over how fresh and crunchy they were.

For those of you who wish to purchase any of the Asian specialty items I mentioned here, AsianFoodGrocer.com is an excellent online source.

08:55 AM PST Permalink |