Let's move, buddha's hand of 13 fingers and banana bread!

Harana Men's Chorus, led by Music Directo Ed Nepomuceno
Banana Bread with Mango Slices and Orange Zest, next to 13 fingers' buddha's hand aka as lemon and new blooms on the orchid ( it took a year for it to bloom in my kitchen window )

Mangosteen and Chico, purchased in Westminster, CA -- tropical fruits normally found in the Southern Part of the Philippines...

Let's move!

I woke up at 530 this morning, eager to do an uphill walk up a canyon in Los Angeles, in keeping with the First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move Campaign. I chose to be part of it. It feels good to be fit, healthy, and full of energy to do the chores of the day, a much better quality of life!

I was in Leyte 3 years ago. Walking was easy for me, but for my asthma, my legs were strong, physically I could tackle the strenuous trails, but my lungs gave up at times. I was then physically fit, doing aerobics on the treadmill, elliptical, lifting weights, doing pilates so travelling was easy, walking was easy, except for moments when asthma took hold of my lungs.

Now, with my asthma under control, I want to be in charge of my body. It was a quick decision for me.

I decided it was time to be in charge of my body instead of my body being in charge of the quality of my life. This time, I want it to be different and part of the motivation is my daughter's wedding. It is a mother's dream to be next to her beautiful daughter, Corina Teresa Delacruz in her upcoming wedding to Sergio Nino Flores, and to satisfy my ego, to look not that much older, to look not much fatter, just fit and healthy!

So, let's move, I told myself. Get out of bed and let's move!

Take charge of my life. Wow, for awhile it felt difficult to write about this, to acknowledge I am in fact in the last two seasons of my life, fall and winter, having lived my spring and summer seasons.

I used to take pride in introducing myself as the youngest in a group, graduating 14 years old from high school, and 19 years old from a five year college degree. I will not claim to be smart, but it was an economic necessity for my mother, who did not have reliable babysitting and decided to enroll me at 4 1/2 years old in first grade.

Not anymore, I am now the 'oldest' in a group. One time, I joined the Wide Eyed Writers Workshop, led by Brandy Lien Worrall and Shirlie Mae Choe. I was the only 50 year old participant, the rest were 30 years old and under. I felt amused to be with these young adults and found it quite intimidating that they could be creative on demand: compose a poem or a rap or a story in less than an hour. Wow, that takes innate talent, I told myself!

And now, in my fall and winter seasons of life, I find that I am as creative as I wish to be. I have been writing now for 2 years, completed 24 stories the first year, did 64 editorial column submissions the second year, and with four front pagers to boot. And when I am not writing, I am cooking, creating recipes, even baking new ones.

It is something I am proud of, and my thanks to these young folks who helped liberate my creative self, formerly caged by years of resentment, anger, fear, and bitterness. It took arduous work to 'do the work', examine, challenge and remove these encrustation. Now, I am freer to write, until I dry up for lack of inspiration. Then, I keep moving, yes, moving gets me going. And music keeps me going.

In a week's time, two events converged to make moving so necessary.

First, my brother - in - law, Eduardo Alcantara got a triple heart bypass, one that kept him in intensive care's hospital bed for awhile, ala Pres. Bill Clinton who also got a stent recently to open up a blocked artery.

Second, I injured my back when I slipped when water from the dishwasher drain flooded the kitchen. After slipping, I went about my normal routines. I neglected to apply cold compress to the injured part. Instead, I went to a movie screening, cooked for Director Dante Nico Garcia and Bennie Salindong and visited for hours. My back was already 'talking back' in the evening, but, I dismissed it as simply tired from what I did.

The next day, I could barely walk. Bending down hurt my back. I could not even walk without my back hurting. When I applied hot compress, it gave me some relief. A full body massage allowed me to walk and even drive the car with tolerable pain. I pushed myself to move more the next day, but it was not a good decision.

With an aching back, cooking became too much to do. I got 'grounded' by my spouse, Enrique who insisted I cancel all meetings and heal myself first. I rested, but the pain did not abate. It got worse.

While lying down for 2 straight days, I realized that was not the way I want to live. Being on my back, incapacitated, and in pain limited me and with a deteriorating quality of life that is unfulfilling to my creative self. I was miserable, unable to write.

Six days later, I got better. By the 7th day, I worked out with my family, using kettle bells. The kettle bells resemble a kettle, round, hence the name, but with a U-curved handle. It takes a cluster of muscles to carry the weights, to make sure the wrists are straight, not bent the wrong way, and it takes precision to move the kettle bells.

The next day, all my muscles talked back. It was a very loud conversation, I took noticed of where these muscles were all located.

Back to Moving.

I started at the bottom of the canyon. Halfway through the canyon, our companion, Sergio had already completed a run uphill and now is going down. I was barely navigating a third of the canyon. Yet, I felt determined to reach further than the resting bench where I was before, a half mile up the canyon.

At the end of this uphill climb is a lovely view of Los Angeles, without the brown blanket enveloping the city. In a few hours, it would be different, it would be hot, as the sun rises in its full splendor, and the canyon filling up with runners, and folks who walk their dogs.

I moved slowly, still recovering from my muscles 'talking back'. I reached the next bend, about a mile or so. I wanted to go one more mile but my legs stiffened. I stopped and the sight of my husband coming down the hill got me excited, for now, I can have some support. But, his strides were longer. I assumed the same long strides, but still felt short. So, I told him to proceed.

Two strangers boosted my spirits " You are doing well. " " Keep going ", another said.

I did two miles. When I got home, my legs could barely move. I could not fix breakfast. My hubby fixed it for both of us, and with a good cup of coffee, I was filled with energy. A buddha's hand at the center of our table caught my attention.

The buddha's hand. I stared at it for awhile, wondering why 13? A friend, Nonoy Alsaybar came by to drop off 20 pounds of navel oranges. He looked at it and remarked " It is looking more like a devil's hand. "

Well, readers, if there are some of you out there, leave me a note, and let me know what it looks like to you. But, still why 13? Is it like Judas, the 13th apostle?

Unable to find my answer, I opted to bake banana bread, but altering my core recipe.

Banana bread with banana chips.

The changes included dried banana chips, instead of walnuts, diced mango slices, orange zest and orange juice.

1 stick butter
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
3 tbsps. sour cream

1 orange, add juice of half, zest entire orange and add to recipe
2 ripe bananas
1 1/2 cup flour
10 slices of dried mango, cut in thirds
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Cream butter. Add sugar. Add eggs, one at a time. Mash bananas. Add sour cream. Add salt. Add flour, sugar, the mashed bananas, orange zest, orange juice, dried mango slices, vanilla and baking soda. Bake at 350 F for 45 minutes or longer until the toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Do not overbake. It is baked when the toothpick comes clean and brown on the top surface. Serve with a good cup of coffee or hot tea. Sometimes I serve it with white cheddar cheese or cream cheese.

Since I am exercising this week, I cannot have the banana bread the way I want to, a slice for breakfast. Instead, I invited the Harana's Men Chorus, and tonight after their practice, they will have my banana bread. It satisfied my culinary artists' sensibilities without undermining my exercise routine or my 'get moving' program. First Lady, I am sticking to this national program, Let's Move, it is a matter of national interest as well as personal interest for a better quality of life. As I want to listen to more of Harana's Men Chorus Concerts and live music so I can live better!

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It is about Intentions!

“ Respect from outside is a fine thing, but inner respect is crucial. It is difficult to respect ourselves if we do not know what we are doing and why we are doing it. If we do not come from a place of clarity of purpose, and the respect for ourselves that flow from it, none of our actions will be fruitful. “ Gay Hendricks

Yesterday, I was fretting that I had not quite decided on a dinner menu to feed 15 folks, actually 19. I am not beyond ego yet, though I try hard to displace it. I could not decide as my mind was in control of my creative space and eager to “ impress folks “. The more I heeded my thoughts, the more I became misguided. It got to a point where I had butterflies in my stomach. All I had was disarray, cookbooks to look at, notes, and nothing definite 24 hours before the event.

My prior experiences of overfilled tables became overstuffed guests, who got confused with what to eat, end up choosing not to eat and so much left-overs. Yet, when the table is balanced, and the serving portions are enough, the guests go for seconds, the desserts are devoured and there are no left-overs. So, I decided I wanted a balanced table.

I reflected and gave the event some distance. Wisdom says when you are under pressure, the slower you should move. So I did.

I looked back. I remembered that I have been cooking since 4^th grade with my father. Yes, my dad taught me the basics of sautéing and how to extract flavors.

I reflected some more on what this invitation means, at least my intentions. I wanted to create a hospitable space, an inviting space where folks can have good home-cooked dinner and make music together.

Who got invited?

I invited musicians and Filipinos with musical talents to share: Bob Shroder with his flute; Lito Molina, with his violin; Sir Ric Ickard with his guitar; Dra. Charito Sison on the piano, and a tenor, Pete Avendano, who sings at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church. I also invited the founders of the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra, Roger and Cora Oriel.

If you know me, I get nervous around authority, it is not because Cora and Roger make me nervous, but they are the publishers of the paper I write for, so in a sense, they are my employers. I was also nervous as other good cooks were coming to my house for dinner and that was enough to put me into a tailspin. My competitive spirit was getting the best of me.

I visited Suzan, my former Taliba editor. I brought her and her son leche-flan. I shared with her my anxieties. She was accommodating and suggested two winning dishes: sotanghon to warm up folks from the rain and green salad to go with the salmon.

I relaxed. I decided to trust my instincts. The menu got created 8 hours before the event: baked salmon, chicken sotanghon, green salad, brocollini with shaved parmesan, pasta with marinara sauce and cheese with roasted cauliflower and tri-colored bell peppers, seared and braised ribeye steaks and steamed rice.

I covered all food groups, just in case folks have allergies to one protein group. I had a plate of appetizers: twisted cheese sticks, marconda almonds and garlic adobo peanuts. I served both red and white wine and orangina for non-wine drinkers.

As the day went on, rains poured. Evacuations were ordered in the foothills, particularly in the burned areas. There were hailstorms, ice, tornadoes and even, howling thunder. In the Los Angeles River, a man caught carp using his bare hands. Los Angeles was wet all through out.

The evening’s attraction.

The attraction for the evening was Jamie Lazzara, an American violin-maker who went to Cremona, after she took lessons in woodworking in Los Angeles. She realized she loved working with wood, so she has been crafting violins for 30 years in a shop in Florence. Each year, she makes 4 – 8 violins, one of which was for Itzhak Perlman, who played the Lazzara violin during President Barack Obama’s inauguration in January 2009. Jamie was self-effacing, humble and told us that Perlman's Stradivarius violin would have cracked in sub-zero temperature so, he played the Lazzara violin.

All her violins are commissioned, meaning, they are not done, unless someone gives her a deposit. When she finished our violin, a gift to my husband, I did not want to pay for the shipping costs of $1,000. So, my family and I went to pick up the violin in Florence, our first trip to Europe. That was 2002.

Every two years, Jamie visits her family and she services the violin she custom-made, either by fixing the bridge, or adding a new coat of varnish. This year is no different. And this year, Giovanni accompanied her.

Generosity of musicians inspire my cooking.

I had another revelation – artists and musicians are the most generous folks on earth. Invite them and if they are free, they come. The same with photographers.

I wanted to make the best dinner for all of them, a nutritious, home-cooked meal prepared by my own two hands, pouring all my love into the details.

I had one concession, desserts from my favorite bakery, La Maison du Pain where I ordered lavender creme brulee and chocolate chip cookies, which Cora Oriel happily paid for.

Salmon was thawing for two days inside the refrigerator. I examined it, flesh still firm and it is now ready for baking. I prepared the marinade: butter, lemon zest and brown sugar and tasted it. A thumbs up. I only need to make sure I do not overcook it. I refrigerated it after filling the belly with the marinade. I figured with 20 lbs. of salmon, I would need 4 hours at 300 F. And enough time to cool it down before I serve it.

I decided to bake it at 1pm, and serve it at 6pm. I wrapped the salmon in parchment paper and since it was such a humongous salmon, I split it in half. I had a pan of water inside the oven to provide moist heat, not dry heat.

I roasted the cauliflower with olive oil, pepper and butter. I did the same with orange, yellow and red bell peppers. Butter and olive oil are twins, I found out particularly in roasting. By itself, it burns, but together, they don't. I did not time it, but roasted salmon at 375 F. I used my nose as an indicator -- a distinct smell of the vegetables when fully cooked.

I started the marinara sauce: olive oil, butter, garlic, and fresh tomatoes about 8 pounds worth. I boiled it for at least four hours over low heat, added some red pepper flakes and towards the end, added few basil leaves. Smelling it inspired me more.

I cooked the pasta al dente and cooled it in the refrigerator. With my paella pan, I thought of decorating the pan with the pasta, marinara sauce, cauliflower and bell peppers, except I left the pasta in the pan. I also added shaved parmesan cheese on the pasta, careful that I gave it a hint of cheese not kill the flavors with cheese.

This is what I learned from taking classes in Provence, France – the subtlety of cooking, the hinting of flavors, the muting of flavors, hinting at them, and layering them: roasted cauliflowers – the caramelized flavors, with the bell peppers and their the sweet, roasted flavors, and the pasta with marinara sauce and cheese. When I tasted it, I gave it a thumbs up. So far, so good.

Then, I marinated the steaks. I asked my husband to pick some calamansi fruits in our backyard. I told him to be generous. He picked enough and I used them all. I added garlic, olive oil, and reduced sodium soy sauce, but barely two tablespoons, as I also added Goya adobo seasoning liberally. That is the secret to my cooking – goya seasoning whenever I can, paired with calamansi.

Back to the refrigerator, I can sear the steaks, braise them or bake them later. I apportioned half a steak for each person so they can enjoy all dishes: salmon, chicken sotanghon, pasta primavera and green salad mix.

I took out my blue and white salad bowl to prepare the green salad. I laid out the green leaf lettuce, added the red heirloom tomatoes in the middle. I segmented an orange and distributed it in a circle. I did the same with Persian cucumbers. Then, I took some glazed pineapples and diced them. I shredded some cabbage and laid it as a nest around the green salad mix and finally marconda almonds in the inner core of the circle. I found a way of building my salads: a core of vegetables, a circle of colors, a layering of textures, one type of berry, and the key, a good citrus dressing. I included by its side the other half of the roasted chicken. It was a perfect salad for me, as it depicted all the colors I have in my garden.

I started the chicken sotanghon soup. Except I had no leeks, which is my secret ingredient. In the middle of the rain, I went out to get my supplies. Good thing, I am but five minutes away. I decided to roast the chicken breast to intensify the flavors. I sautéed the leeks, garlic, ginger with raw chicken pieces until their flesh turned to cooked. I added fish sauce and added chicken stock. Then, the sliced, roasted chicken, seaweeds and saffron strands and more water. I wanted enough water and only hints of sotanghon. Next time, seaweeds can stay out and so with saffron, for they leave somewhat of an unsual flavors and the Filipino memories of sotanghon is centered on garlic and ginger tastes. So, I made sure I had roasted garlic as a condiment.

In making soups, I add bonito or miso – another source of salty seasonings, something I picked up from another chef, Rick and my homemade marinara sauce.

Except that idea is not applicable for clear chicken sotanghon soup. I added fresh spinach just before folks walked in and served it in heated nambe bowl, a metal bowl that keeps its heat for hours. It works like the Korean clay pot, and holds the temperature of the cooked foods.

At about 6pm, I started to assemble all dishes. I heated up the roasted pasta with marinara sauce, reheated the cauliflower and bell peppers and plated it in my paella pan, decorated with lettuce leaves, rosemary bushes from my garden. I took a large banana leaf from my garden, washed it and laid the tail end of the baked salmon.

Hmm, looking good, I told myself. I was building up the table. I had also steamed brocollini, added the parmesan cheese shavings and plated it. I also took out the heated nambe bowl and served the chicken sotanghon with fresh spinach. Last, I laid out the pan-seared and braised steaks.

I said another prayer that all my guests enjoy the evening.

Folks ate their fill. The musicians took turns: from the guitar, to piano, to viola, to violin and the flute. I thought for awhile I had gone to heaven, as I could not wipe away the smiles in my face. I was filled with joy and I hope that everyone did too.

And Giovanni, who came with Jamie, he composed an Italian song on the spot to say thanks. I knew at that moment he had a good time for his creativity was unleashed by the magical moments we all had, listening to music that night and eating food that I cooked from scratch all by myself.

A blogger, Rene Villaroman, wrote about this evening as Food vs. Music, whether my cooking could hold up to four musicians. I honestly would defer to these musicians and say, they won. For me, I won my internal battle and left behind my self-doubts to recapture my innate source of inspiration to cook these many dishes.

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Morsels of Love

Lavender-infused leche flan.
Roasted potatoes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash with garlic and rosemary.


Roasted ducks.

Doing thanksgiving for a family group of 15 or more can normally make me nervous. Of course, any host would want it perfect. I am not beyond that, I am part of that group of hostess/cooks. Yes, I have double roles. I want to make sure that folks enjoy the meal, but also to create an environment where folks can be who they are, but still play, have fun, enjoy or simply cuddle in a corner with a book in the library. It is any which way you want to be, to a certain extent. Since of course folks are coming for a group meal, I do would like to hear their stories, how it has been for them throughout the year, without being obtrusive, without interrogating, but just simply being with them.

So, there, I have declared my intentions of why I host Thanksgiving, it is my favorite holiday of the year, for I do have a lot to thank for, especially this year, when most of my dreams for the year got manifested and became true: starting with electing Pres. Barack Obama, a trip to Paris, cooking classes in Provence, a trip to see the tulips in Kuekenhoff, a moment to whisper gratitude to Oprah for what she does for all of us, and now, an interview that simply converged all these experiences together, an interview with Thumbelina Designs, Inc. , which I will be posting in my other blog shortly. Shortly, meaning a few weeks from now after it is published.

I rearranged the rooms, because I wanted a community table, one where all can sit down and just hear stories from one another, instead of vanishing the vintage adults in one room and the younger adults in another. This year, I wanted us all together.

Menu.

I made a list of tasks to do. It took me two days to decide on the menu: Theme is using oranges and fall's harvest from the gardens: oranges, lemon grass, calamansi, lemons, mandarins.

mini quiches

duck a' la orange ( crispy skin is desired )

pork lechon with liver sauce ( crackled skin is desired )

guacamole salad

cheese bread from La Maison du Pain

sotanghon ala Sarah

roasted fall veggies

lavender infused leche flan

pecan tart

lemongrass tea with cinnamon and calamansi

Day 1.

It started on Sunday, Day 1, when I bought all my flowers: leesyanthus, white and red casa blancas, no sunflowers this time as the sunflowers from last week are still good, a bunch of wild flowers, the deepest blue purple I found. I was so busy going from stall to stall with my flowers, that I did not notice two bouquets of casa blancas were lifted from my cart. So, I went back to Jeff, said a prayer for the flower thief and offered him/her a prayer that perhaps h/she had a higher need. Jeff wrapped the bouquets of casa blancas and as I was paying with a check, he said no, but I insisted, he took my pen and wished me Happy thanksgiving. Now, even with a bad incident, for Jeff to turn it around and make it for more wishes of good thanksgiving, I got in the right mood. I will for sure bake him a loaf of banana bread with raspberries and orange zest.

So, anyway, back to buying my produce, I went to Doug Powell's stall at the Farmer's Market, and I picked my butternut squash, sweet potatoes, shallots, potatoes all for my roasted fall' s harvest. His daughter, oops, her name escapes me at the moment, gave me a pumpkin and wished me a happy thanksgiving.

Day 2.

Even my trip to Trader Joe's was uneventful, I got all that I needed, no traffic, and no lines, of course, it was a Monday at 10 am, a vintage woman with platinum hair even helped me with my questions: will sharp cheddar cheese work with aged gruyere cheese for mac/cheese dish? She said yes, it would, but I decided that mac/cheese is a daily offering in any restaurant or cafeteria, it may not be that special. So, no mac/cheese.

This day, I made leche flan, lavender infused. You are wondering where is the recipe? It is in a prior posting on my blog, but to make it easier for you, the readers now, here it is.

1 can of condensed milk

1/2 can of water

6 egg yolks

1 tablespoon of sugar - put on the mold, caramelize the sugar, meaning, heat the sugar over low flame until it turns brown. No need for water, just watch it carefully until it browns. Then, with the brown liquid, swirl it around until the flat bottom of a mold is fully covered. Set aside to cool.

In a low flame, add 1 can of condensed milk, 1/2 can of water ( using the empty condensed milk can as a measuring cup ), add two tablespoons of lavender flowers. Boil over low flame. Then, filter over a strainer to remove the lavender flowers.

My initial taste of the liquid is muted lavender taste. So, I made lavender syrup. When I plated the leche flan, I poured lavender syrup on the plate first, then, unmolded the leche flan.

Day 3.

It is the day for preparing orange sauce and lavender syrup. It took me most of the morning. But, it is so worth it. The orange flavors are coming through, or should I say, the flavors are present.

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 1/2 cups orange juice

2 tablespoon shallots

1 1/2 cups chicken stock or water

4 oranges, sections cut from membrane

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 tablespoon orange zest ( use the zester, rub it against the orange peel, they come out shredded in texture or peel the orange and slice the peels to desired size, I minced mine. )

Boil sugar and water, until syrup caramelizes a golden brown. I did not do golden brown, just light brown. Add sherry vinegar, careful with this step as the steam starts to form. Add shallots, water is what I used as I wanted it muted, not too rich. Stir in orange sections. Simmer until reduced to less than a cup. Add butter and a one tablespoon orange zest. Set aside. This will be my accompaninent with the crispy duck.

When I made the orange sauce, I made a mistake, instead of stirring in the orange sections and orange zest just before serving, I boiled them and that left a pronounced bitter taste. The preferred sauce for the roasted duck became the Mang Tomas Lechon Sauce.

Let us offer some good wishes that the duck comes out crisp as intended.

The idea is to have all the flavors, but not too rich. I learned self-restraint as the other day, I made this wonderful seafood soup, it was good, but it was so rich, that after four spoonfuls, I stopped. That is what rich tastes does, it satiates you fast and that is not good for me these days. I want folks to linger with their food, where surprise flavors wake up in the back of their tongue as they chew and swallow. So restrained in flavors and muted in placing different flavors to my dishes is a new theme for me.

Day 4.

I baked banana bread with raspberries and orange zest. It turned out okay but, it is kinda low in raspberry flavor, as half of the tub of raspberries had to be thrown out.

After baking four batches, reserving most as thanksgiving presents, for drop-in friends, I was invited to see a screening of Delhi 6 by Janet Nepales. First, we went to lunch at Spago's and the menu was extensive:

When I got home, I was so inspired, I started marinating the two ducks, using sage, thyme, lemon zest, orange zest and salt. Then, I made slits on the pork loin and inserted garlic cloves, and seasoned it with adobo seasoning ( only the Goya brand, I tested the others, they do not compare to the Goya ), garlic salt and lemon zest. I baked it at 325 F and after an hour, the pork loin was done. I tasted a slice and it was so right on..just enough citrus, just enough garlic and just enough salt.

Then, I refrigerated the ducks to dry overnight in the refrigerator and tomorrow, they will cooked using the rotisserie.

Day of Thanksgiving.

I offered a prayer first that all turn out well. I prepared the vegetables and salad mix. The roasted vegetables were flavored with rosemary and minced garlic and sauteed with olive oil. After searing all the vegetables, I baked them to fully cook at 350F for another 30 minutes.

Using residual heat from the oven, the roasted vegetables got cooked some more. I reheated the roasted pork loin and inserted a thermometer to make sure that the pork was well done at internal temperature of 165 F.

As to the roasted duck, the rotisserie plan worked out well and the ducks were roasted at 300F and after two hours, two 5 pound ducks were done. I decided to crackle the skin at 500F for another 20 minutes.

The rest was laid out at the table with help from family members. I got so excited to have a table of 13 happily seated at the table, but what gave me inner satisfaction was the roundtable exchanges of " what I am thankful for ".

And what are they? Lord, we are thankful for: our mother's health, for our lives, for our spouses who allow us to go camping by ourselves, for our mothers and fathers for enabling us a debt-free college education, for our own health and no emergency hospitalizations for a change, for our jobs, for our community, for being able to stay rent-free at parents' house, for being supportive of our higher education goals, for keeping us in college when some of our friends could not afford to continue, for giving us photography jobs, for giving us jobs in doing make-up for others, for our education courtesy of the military, for our jobs, for teaching so our children can go to college, for going to work to support our family, and lastly for the generosity of folks who allowed dreams to come true: to visit Paris, Amsterdam, Provence, Philippines and to see Oprah in person.

Not content yet to end the night, my daughter suggested to go see a movie, " The Blind Side ", starring Sandra Bullock. Our 94 year old mother-in-law, mother, grandmother agreed to come. Imagine that! She had the energy to simply go along. At the theater, she was so wide awake and stayed engaged. We all had a great time!

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A fall-inspired Sunday dinner for 2

Yup, it is dinner for 2. Regardless, I like to do it as if our table is an empty canvas to be filled with sensually appealing colors, flavors and textures. Tonight, I went with what is available in the farmer's market: broccolini sprouts, arugula and romaine mix, wild salmon and jumbo shrimps. And of course, baguette from our favorite bakery's La Maison du Pain.

*****

Salmon and Shrimps with Olive Oil and Garlic ( I want to call it vampire shrimps and salmon, because I use lots of garlic, a whole bulb enough to kill a vampire. ) I have no scientific proof for that, only old wives' tales.

olive oil, 3 tablespoons
butter, one tablespoon
goya adobo seasoning
a whole bulb of garlic, skinned and macerated cloves

Heat up the cast iron pan. When fully hot ( unable to touch, but the heat can be felt three inches high from the pan ), add olive oil and butter, and quickly, the macerated garlic. Add the shrimps, when they turn pink in their shells and the meat inside is no longer raw, about 3 minutes ( do not overcook ), they are ready. Set them aside.

Take the salmon fillet and apply generously Goya adobo seasoning on both sides of the fillet. I chose wild salmon, the preferred in our family, and luckily they were available at the Farmer's market. I took it home, with a bag of ice, as fish is a perishable product, that needs to be refrigerated. In lieu of refrigeration, a bag of ice is an alternative. Well, that also goes for the shrimps..., with bagged ice as its partner in transport.

Sear the salmon, skin first, over medium heat, in the cast iron pan with olive oil and butter. Folks ask me why the combination - because by itself, butter will burn, so will olive oil and the worst taste is burnt oil. But the combination allows a higher temperature to be attained without burnt oil taste. Searing is done when you can move the salmon with a tong with ease and it can be turned over and ever so gently please so as not to ruin the fillet. Sear the other side.

Observe the sides of the fillet, you will see a change in translucency. Why is that observation important? It will be the visual indicator of how fish cooks, without overcooking it. Observe the raw salmon's color, and notice the color of the fish as it cooks, just before the sides of the fish turn white, remove the pan from the stove.

Pre-heat oven to 350 F, and finish cooking only long enough until the salmon flakes off. Turn off the oven. Why? Residual heat from the pan and the oven's give the fish additional cooking time. It would be enough to finish the cooking of the fish, without the risk of overcooking.

My hubby of course complimented the salmon as done just right! I do not live for his compliments, but it is nice to hear it especially since I try to make a masterpiece of my cooking each night, well sometimes, I only manage colors and textures, and flavors will be off. That happens when I am in a foul mood. So, when I am in that funky mood, I do not like to cook.

*****
Garlic Parmesan Bread

Baguette from La Maison du Pain
Three cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon of butter or more, if needed
Parmesan cheese ( two thick slices )

Use a small processor, a 4 cup size. Add mashed garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon of butter, 2 slices of parmesan cheese and grind into a paste. Break open the baguette and apply the paste. Place in a pre-heated oven at 375 F for 5 minutes, enough to melt the butter. This cheese is not mozarella, so it will not melt completely, and there will be bits and pieces when you bite into the baguette. But, this is just the yummiest garlic bread you would have tasted.

How do I know?

Well, Steve came up with this recipe, we watched him melt the butter, add the garlic and grated parmesan cheese as he prepared the garlic bread to go with the gumbo. I decided to tweak his recipe and not melt the butter, and just allow it to happen when the bread is heated in the oven with garlic, butter and parmesan cheese paste. My hunch was right, and I saved myself an extra step of melting butter in the microwave. And it is so good!

*****

Arugula and Romaine Mix
Jicama, skinned and cut up into pieces
Heirloom Tomatoes, sliced
Persimmons, peeled and cut into quarters
Broccolini Sprouts, raw ( a handful )

Dressing: Use a processor and mix in 12 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon seasoned, gourmet rice vinegar and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar with raisin syrup, salt and pepper. If a bit sour, add a teaspoon of sugar. It is slightly sweet, citrusy, light dressing. Add the dressing to the salad mix.

We decided our dessert is either cinnamon/lemongrass tea ( which my hubby makes from scratch, using lemon grass from the backyard and cinnamon sticks - he has a precise formula that after boiling them together, a very tasty tea that is not too sweet and slightly lemony in taste) or brewed colombian coffee.

The entire meal took me 20 minutes to cook, including preparation time. It was gone in less than 10 minutes.

I wish sometimes for the European way of eating, three hours at the table, prolonged conversations, so much laughter and of course two glasses of wine at dinner time.

Except, for me, only my hosts get to drink, as I am allergic to wine!

Ha, ha, I am actually okay with the American efficient way of eating, I get to blog afterwards and feel like I am preserving the family's recipes for the next generation.

Actually, I love blogging what I cook and what I create. It keeps me motivated, particularly when readers stop me at events and tell me they read the blog. I just wish they leave the comments on this blog instead.

Bon Appetit, till the next one!!

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Uphill Climb to Organic Lifestyle

Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup with Caramelized Shallots

Eggs Josephine ( Poached Egg over Crabcakes and Spinach with Rosemary Potatoes

View of Los Angeles from Runyon Canyon Park in West Hollywood

Runners and Walkers going Uphill to Runyon Canyon

I started at the bottom of Runyon Canyon and already, my heart was pumping fast. It is such a steep climb that by the time I got to the entrance of the park, I felt my chest about to burst. Not giving up, I walked up some more, with sweat running down my forehead. The climb uphill to the first bench and a few feet beyond got me going and my heart got used to it.

I just had to stop a number of times to soak in the view of Los Angeles. I am posting the photos so you can have a sense of that day.

Yes, it is beautiful day in Los Angeles! The dogs were unleashed and they were running up the canyon. Some of the hikers are so fit, they took the more steep climb uphill. As for me, I just modestly walked up the first part of the canyon, inching my way up to the top. But, today, did not quite make it. I was too tired to go on and started my walk downhill.

By the time I got down, Activate folks were giving away their berry, orange, fruit punch and lemon lime drinks. It is kinda a cool drink, with liquid vitamins stored on the cap and several twists to the right releases the vitamins into the drink. So, it felt like you were interacting a bit more with your drink before gulping down the liquid. As to their vitamin claims, I leave that up to you, the consumer, to make sure they are substantiated to be true. At any rate, a free drink at the base of the canyon after a vigorous climb is so so welcome!

With hungry tummies, La Maison became our breakfast stop. Surprisingly, when I ordered La Maison breakfast, Rio surprised me with a new entree, Eggs Josephine: poached egg, crabcake and sandwiched in between is sauteed spinach, with a side entree of rosemary potatoes. It was so so good that my hubby remarked " a sexy entree " and all I could say was fabulous! It was so worth every bite and every dollar we paid for both. On Saturday, cheese roll was available and I grabbed my half dozen. While waiting for breakfast, Sienna came with Cayden and their mom, Bettina and it became such a reunion of neighbors. Bettina even split up a pecan tart with me, so yummy!

After a fruitful day of exercise, a good breakfast and a reunion with good neighbors at the bakery, I got home and wrote some more. Tonight, I am blogging for I felt like experimenting with fall harvest: sweet potato, butternut squash and shallots. The inspiration came from seeing our First Lady Michelle Obama become first farmer in harvesting sweet potatoes with middle school children. A wheelbarrow full of sweet potatoes, some 700 pounds of produce were harvested from about $150 worth of treating the soil, seeds and plants. A great bargain when you think of it, aside from being good to Mother Earth.

When we are good to Mother Nature, as the folks in Gaviotas did in Colombia, after planting 6 million trees, they turned a desert into a rainforest with a thriving economy from rainwater processed into bottled water, with plastic packaging like legos, that are used as toys later; and paint thinner, and other cosmetic raw materials harvested from the barks of the trees.

We may not have to harvest from the barks of our trees, but in our back yard, we can plant, just like the First Farmer/First Lady, and then, from that harvest, experiment with making soups, which I did tonight.

It is called Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup. Okay, do you want to know how I did it, it is so simple...

2 Shallots, sliced thinly ( slice them thinly to caramelize them and use them as garnish when serving the soup. )
2 Sweet Potatoes ( peel and slice into cubes )
1 Small Butternut Squash ( peel and slice into cubes )
Fresh Ginger ( slice thinly a few pieces )
Salt
Ground Ginger ( one tablespoon )
6 cups of water or chicken stock

Heat up your pot. Add olive oil and few tablespoons of butter. When the oil is heated, add sliced shallots until they turn brown. Set aside some as garnishes. Add ginger and when the oil is infused with ginger ( smell the waft of ginger from the oil ), remove the ginger. Add the sweet potato and butternut squash. When browned, add ground ginger and salt. Add 6 cups of water. Boil until the vegetables are soft. Use the lowest flame and do slow cooking. As you cook the vegetables, a sweet organic aroma fills up your house. Then, you know fall is here.

Before serving, use a potato masher to blend in all the vegetables, or a processor or a hand blender. I prefer to use no electricity and to only use the masher, as if I am cooking in the countryside. It also helps to conserve energies so as not to add to global warming.

Serve with cheese bread. Two bowls of soup and we were done!

Reflections:

It was a great day of walking up the canyon with my hubby. And a nice quote from him as well " Appreciation comes from knowledge of contrasts. " EBD.

Indeed a knowledge of contrasts allows me to appreciate an active lifestyle. I know what it was like when I was sick, bed-ridden in a university infirmary, fighting for my life when asthma, influenza and allergies all converged to weaken my immune system. And my only prayer to God is what gave me strength, the antibiotics and even the oxygen tank took three days to work on my weakened body. The good care and companionship of my new friends in Visayas State University kept me sane and whole, even if with a weakened body. And my hubby had to walk, take the jeepney several times to purchase my medications. On the third day, I was released, but only after meditating for my vitals to be normal. At 6am, when the nurse checked me, my vitals were abnormal and I was not going to be released. Three hours later, after prayers, meditation and journaling, my vitals normalized that I was released.

Since then, it took two years of juicing every day for my immune system to be stronger, thanks to the experimentation that my hubby did to find a formula that works for both of us. By the way, I do have the power juice recipe in this blog if you want to try it.

No claims will be made though, just to share that I found myself getting stronger with juicing, exercising, and eating organically! Of course, that comes with a good night' s sleep and lots of laughter, courtesy of my friends, Josephine and Carmen at La Maison du Pain, and if Bettina walks in, she would get into the rhythm of our conversations for the day, and all four of us would be laughing.

Beginning Sundays, until Dec. 31, visit La Maison du Pain, they will be serving hot chocolate, sweet crepes and Eggs Josephine. I cannot wait for tomorrow to be! Are you coming to have breakfast with me? C'mon now, mix and mingle!! I sent out invitations to folks in Facebook, and let us come in droves and make this a happy neighborhood!

So, going up the canyon, walking in the sun, even if my chest feels like giving up, and as long as I can still breathe, even with a bit of discomfort, I prefer being active. And I nurture that wellness by eating organic, or less preservatives, less chemicals, and more of Mother Nature's harvests!

And while I use more of Mother Nature's harvests, I invent, I create, and I find that just listening to my instincts, I can actually come up with recipes, my own form of culinary arts!

It helps that I buy these organic produce from the farmers each Sunday. And sometimes, they too get to taste my banana bread that I bake when Maura visits me.

So, from Mother Earth to the farmer who tends the soil and the harvest, and from my table to yours, bon appetit is what I greet you today. It is indeed a good day and night this last day of October 2009, Halloween!!

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Creating Pasta without pasta, instead spinach!

Concealed and Revealed I Painting by Benedicto Cabrera

Yes, you guessed it, I am at it again. I am feeling brave, more like taking good natured risks in my cooking. Why? Well, after viewing Ben Cab's exhibit and falling in love with his painting called Concealed & Revealed I, which I am posting the image here, it got my inner child going. I consider my inner child the source of my artistic instincts. We all have them, as being creative is what gives our spirit life and it keeps us connected to our Higher Source. Some folks do it with palette of paint colors, some do it with music bars, some do it with written words, I happen to do it with organic harvests from the earth.

My philosopher hubby is so funny, he said if he ate anymore organic, he will be reduced to the soils of the earth. I laugh so hard. Why, because our refrigerator is literally filled with vegetables and fruits, and then on our table, more fruits, and around this time of the year, the colors are so vibrant: red from pomegranates, orange from persimmons, green from limes, and of course yellow-orange green kabocha squash.

Do you see how BenCab's art resembles the colors of nature during the fall season? Hmm, it is so breathtaking, there is a certain drama about his painting, it invites you to inquire some more and see what the painting's soul is about. Do you get the feeling?

Even the flowers get the feeling that I am talking about. Flowers this time of the year are bursting in red, pink and burgundy colors. It reminds you that Christmas is just around the corner. Or Valentine's in another few more months...

Okay, here is what I did...

I used spinach to replace pasta ( steam over double boiler ). Do not overcook, and as soon as the leaves get wilted, take them out and place on a platter.

Of course, the meat sauce has to be prepared first. I did decide to post it last as it requires me to share more instructions. Just the same, we had our carbs by having toasted cheese bread from La Maison du Pain, buttered of course.

Meat Sauce:

hamburger ( 1 and 1/2 pounds )
leeks ( two bunches, only the white part, use the green part for soups )
heirloom tomatoes ( three whole ones )
Goya adobo seasoning
Rufina patis
plenty of crushed garlic cloves

Heat the pan. Place olive oil in the pan. Add garlic and leeks. After the garlic smell is released, add the hamburger meat. Brown the meat, add Rufina patis, goya adobo seasoning. After the meat is well browned, add goya adobo seasoning and the heirloom tomatoes. Use slow heat and cover the pan. After a few minutes and when the tomatoes are getting cooked, turn off the flame, keep the pot covered and allow the residual heat to further the cooking. Serve on the platter with the steamed spinach and toasted cheese bread.

Well, the verdict, for me, I wiped out my plate clean. My hubby, he opted for a lighter meal but kept me company just the same. Those are moments I am grateful for, good company during dinner time or any meal of the day! There are not enough years to squander as I am part of the aging generation of baby boomers and we are all approaching more than half a century.., yes, more than five decades, and with platinum highlights, we are getting up there. And getting up there means that one cherishes what life is: joy, love, art and good food!

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Julia Child Remembered one Los Angeles Morning!

The rains have passed. The grounds are drying up. The bougainvilla plant bloomed with purple flowers. You can hear the birds chirping in the background, as if a constant orchestra accompanying you for the morning. The sun is mild in its rays, safe for a morning run for my hubby and daughter. The plumeria plants are rich with white and pink flowers. Even the calamansi tree is bursting with green and orange ripe fruits. The persimmon tree is full of fruits, I had to give some away and kept some for juicing. Life is good!

Several friends have left the house beaming with smiles as they carried their bags filled with persimmons, pears, apples, kalamansi and sweet potato leaves. Tonette joyfully called it " her farmers' organic loot. " I call it God's blessings shared with friends.

Today, I decided to prepare breakfast early to fit the busy schedules of my hubby who teaches and my daughter who goes to law school fulltime.

This is what I call Delilah Breakfast on the Run! ( Named after my daughter's beautiful dog, who also goes on her morning run with them. When she got to the house, she was so thirsty, she drank from our indoor fountain until we found her and stopped her. In a few days, she gets her grooming and I get a special visit from her coming home from her dog salon. Oh what a joy to see her as she struts her body filled with pride. Do dogs have pride or am I projecting my emotions on him? )

Okay, back to Delilah Breakfast on the Run!!

Cheese bread ( from my favorite bakery La Maison Du Pain ), slice them thick into servings ( I am preparing four for 4 folks )
Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Basil Leaves, sliced like ribbons
Sliced Heirloom Tomatoes ( I chose Yellow to match the sunny weather. I even bought a pot of yellow mums to match, it is getting me to smile more. )
Olive oil

In a separate pan, over boiling water, break open jumbo eggs and poach them, ala Julia Child taught us. Use fresh eggs and wait until done, not too well, just when the white of the egg is softly done and the yolk is over easy. Gently scoop out each egg and season with pepper and a bit of salt.

In a cookie sheet, lay out the four slices of cheese bread, sprinkle some olive oil, add a sliced heirloom tomato, add basil and grated parmesan cheese. Bake at a preheated oven of 400 F for 5 minutes or until slightly brown. Scoop the poached egg on top, sprinkle more fresh basil and add shredded parmesan cheese. Serve with three thin slices of ripe avocado..and of course plating is as important.

It is such a great breakfast, but one serving is enough and it is balanced, you have your carbs, good fats, dairy, protein and vegetables. You just need some fruits, and ours was in our power juice. Then my naughty hubby read something in the Los Angeles Times and read it loudly to me, we both laughed, it is a private joke so I can not share this one. It is so funny we said we would revisit it. He left, my daughter left and now, I am blogging and keeping the public in suspense over that LA Times article. Find that interesting one and read it to your special someone and you will know all is right about the world today!!

Good morning Los Angeles, as we remember Julia Child this morning. But, I am not Julie by any means, I want to create my own recipes and this one was inspired by what Carmen shared in preparing breakfast for her family. Take care one and all and till the next one, I will blog about Chilaquiles with Maura!

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Two Step Chilaquiles

I created this recipe when I got frustrated in not getting my usual chilaquiles at a local farmer's market. The vendor got married that Sunday and I went home empty handed. It has been a ritual for me to have chilaquiles, it felt like a good start for the entire week and it was a good breakfast/lunch which lasted for four hours, sometimes longer.

I like cooking and lately, the inventions have kept me going back to my stove more often. Of course, the cooking tires me out physically but somehow, after the creative dish is plated, well how presumptous of myself to label it creative, but it truly is for me, as I do it without recipe.

Here goes..

Shallots

Zucchini

Green Onions

Cilantro

Tomatoes

Adobo Seasoning ( only the Goya type, others are poor imitations, trust me on this as I have tried them before I discarded the other brands. Goya is a winner and I get no royalties or fees for truthfully sharing this. )

First: prepare the shallots, dice them. Set aside. Slice thinly the green onions and leeks. Cube fresh tomatoes and one zucchini. If the zucchini is a large one, use only half.

Heat up the cast iron pan. Add olive oil and add shallots, leeks, and green onions, sliced rib eye steak or ground meat. Brown the meat completely. When shallots are partially glazed, add zucchini and tomatoes. As soon as they all change colors, add goya seasoning ( mixture of garlic, oregano and salt ), a bit wilted ( definitely not brown ), add goya seasoning and cilantro. Keep it under heat for another ten seconds. Plate it and set it aside.

Clean up the pan and add olive oil. Add a handful of tortilla chips, add Pace Picante Salsa, Mild or Medium, be generous to coat most of the chips. Add shredded mozarella and after semi-melted, turn off the heat, add more green onions, if desired. Plate them.

Now, you are ready to serve both plates. Keep the salsa handy just in case folks want more salsa. I like to keep the chips a bit crunchy so as soon as the sauce coats the chips and cheese partially melted, I plate the chilaquiles and serve with the precooked zucchini with tomatoes. I then sprinkle the cilantro as garnish. Serve with sliced or cubed avocado. Happy eating!!

PS: I like making this dish as it only takes me at the most ten minutes...

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Our Organic Entertaining Style: Artisan Cooking with Friends as Sous Chefs and Special TasteMakers.....

Artists are considered trend setters and tastemakers. Chefs are the same. They invent using food as their paint palletes and the seasonings as their hues varied. The more I involved my friends are with my cooking, the less tired I become and more able to enjoy their company.

It used to be that I did it all: menu planning, marketing, cutting, slicing, dicing, cooking, plating, and hosting. Well, those were the days, when I was barely twenty or thirty with twice or thrice the energy reserves that I have.

I recently found a way of balancing my love for entertaining friends with teaching culinary arts to others, as well as learning from other skilled artisan, organic cooks. Of course, since I am hosting, I like the idea that I am coordinating the efforts of many artisan chefs, and I am in charge of menu planning.

For tonight, as always, since my friends are gaining in wisdom, and gaining in platinum highlights ( my polite way that we are all graying baby boomers ), I want to indulge in vegetables.

So our menu consisted of:

a. Garden mix of vegetables, a fusion of opposites: the theme of the salad was a fusion of opposites: circles with cubes, and an array of colors and a mix of red leaf lettuce and dandelion leaves. Red leaf lettuce has a neutral, bland taste, so I decided to blend it purple green dandelion leaves that are a bit bitter, almost like arugula, except a heightened version.

Two of my friends came early to be my sous chef. Since they own an organic rice farm, I thought they would enjoy harvesting what we will use today. So, we harvested our pears, our apples, the calamansi fruit, and persimmons. Manny asked me for a knife. He started to eat the fruits that were partially eaten by the birds. Of course, I immediately remarked, " My husband does the same, he takes out the parts eaten by the birds, and then, partakes of the uneaten parts. This way, I am assured it is the best fruit on the tree, he would emphasize. " Imagine that, taking our cues from Mother Earth.

So, I assigned them to cut the following, of course that included me: I cut the persian cucumbers in 1/2 inch circles, Angge peeled the jicama and sliced them into cubes. Then, we carefully arranged them in a tupperware: cucumbers ( green ) in one side, jicama ( white ) in another side, cherry tomatoes ( red and yellow ), grapes ( blue gray ).

We prepared the dressing. I like to experiment when there is company, it is like a performing stage artist on theater, who improvises what they do and varies the lines each night. I do the same, I am inspired by the presence of folks surrounding me. So, tonight, without any inkling as to how it will turn out, I decided to trust my instincts.

Yes, instincts, as i have been cooking since age six, and after five decades, I kinda know the general principles. So, combining acids is a lesson and an artsy way of flavoring dressings, without making them piquant or too acidic. So, what did we combine: a tablespoon of freshly squeezed Calaman-C juice ( harvested from our backyard ), a tablespoon of gourmet, seasoned rice vinegar, a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar flavored with raisin syrup. We macerated two cloves of garlic, added a pinch of salt, the three tablespoons of acids, and twelve tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.

Plating is as important as the flavors inside the bowl. I decided to use my handcrafted wooden bowl that my college classmate, Reme B. bought for me, made by artisans from the Benguet Mountain. It carried a special significance for me, as you could feel the bowl had a life of its own, the multiple hours of labor of someone etching the curves on the piece of wood, until it became a bowl. I carefully laid a bed of red leaf lettuce mixed with dandelion leaves and now carefully laid on opposite sides of the bowl: the jicama, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, the persimmons in the middle, slices of heirloom tomatoes, slices of avocados, blue gray grapes.

The theme of the garden mix of salad: fusion of soft and hard textures, a fusion of circles and cubes, a trio of citruses, and a palette of colors. I have always believed, as others that one feasts with one's eyes first, then, taste follows and of course, the mouth has to crunch a lot to feel satisfied. And it was a success, folks came back for seconds of the salads..

b. Filet mignons - marinated in crushed garlic, lemon zest, juice of one lemon, Kimlan soy sauce. I marinated the filet mignons in a container, and kept them marinated for the whole day inside the fridge. When the guests arrived, I heated up the cast iron pan. I added olive oil, seared the filets on each side until well browned. The key to testing it if well browned, if the meat is no longer sticking, it is time to turn it over. Then, the rest of the cooking was done inside a pre-heated oven at 350 F for 5 minutes.

The result: folks raved about how tender the meat was, with juice still oozing and medium rare but well flavored.

c. Side entrees were brought in: steamed asparagus with shredded parmesan cheese, Piave cheese brought by Lucita and Giorgio, which blended so well with La Maison du Pain's cheese bread that I bought of course from my favorite bakery. The bread was well-heated and kept warm by a well heated pizza stone. The cheese was simply the best but nothing like pairing it with good cheese bread from La Maison du Pain.

d. Dessert was carefully planned. It was sauteed apples, sauteed pears with a side serving of chocolate rice risotto. Hmm...I think I will leave the dessert part kinda a surprise to tease the readers so they would leave me comments, if they want the recipe. And the combination of the two surprised me as well for it was a hit. The sauteed apples and pears were used the next day as topping for Greek Style plain yogurt.

e. Drinks were mojitos with Beringer Red Wine brought in by Tonette and Nick. Hmm, simply the best tasting drinks to go with the dinner.

f. Mung bean and ube hopia, directly from the Philippines, courtesy of Tess and Fred, which were heated in a toaster oven, with cups of organic coffee....

After dinner, we sat around the oblong table in the library and it became an impromptu sharing. Len started with sharing a piece she wrote at a writing workshop with 80 year old Jewish young artists, who shared their lives with candor: some with discreet love affairs, still while married, some divorced, some in very happy, unmarried relationships. She shared about the exercise: to write about their First Kiss.

Len decided to write about her Last Kiss, as she is about to be divorced. She shared the piece and we all could feel the intensity of that last encounter. Strangely, what I remember is the crush, crush, crush of the plates that were broken that night. I cannot even excerpt the story here as it is still under embargo until Len decides she is ready to share it with the world. We encouraged her that this is her path, to conduct writing workshops with folks and publish their works.

It turns out she recently edited and had published a scrapbook, actually a book of essays about Fr. Abe, a Jesuit priest who died and left such an imprint on other folks lives, including his valiant attempt to survive Stage 4 colon cancer, using his own alternative treatments of meditation, raw foods, massage, and managed to outlive another family friend with a similar ailment who undertook surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, by three more quality years with lucidity and sharpness of mind.

The lessons we had for the night: fellowship from friends and family overtakes all, love always conquers all. Love precedes, love transcends, and love will be eternal.

And for my readers, here is my offering of photos for the evening....it was truly a night to remember, like all nights when there is good food, wholesome fun, friends and genuine friendship!!

By the way, for the evening, we were joined in by 93 year - old Felisa, my husband's mother, who shared her love for God through a prayer before the meals and it was so touching and endearing....and she set the tone for our togetherness for the evening, we are all God's children and may the loving hands who prepared this food, partake of it that they may become not just nourishment for our body but for our spirits!!

And a special rendition of live violin music by my very own Mozart in residence, who played music from Constancio de Guzman. The evening was so perfect: food, wine, good violin music and authentic stories written by three artists/writers. Amen!!

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