Herbs Are For Savoring

Aromatic but overly mature herbs can be literally intoxicating. I'd spent an entire gloomy afternoon sorting out those that go in the bin and those that need to be hung in open air to dry.

Thank God for my youngest sister Nini, for passionately chopping these little dynamites of fresh and dried aromatic herbs such as sage, rosemary, basil, oregano, and dill.

There's a lot going on in this balsamic vinaigrette: red cane vinegar, ground pepper, assortment of finely chopped herbs, EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)... Nini was always confident in concocting our vinaigrettes!

Two straight months of El Nino summer and we are finally ushered to the La Nina rainy season. I speak herbs, I breathe herbs, I talk herbs, I blog herbs...No matter what the season maybe, herbs have become a family staple. And why not? For this rainy season, a few days before bidding summer goodbye, I have finally pruned and harvested some of my green pets, some overly mature, and some super overly-overly mature, ha, ha...that's because I simply love to bask in them during hot days when they're at their greenest, just to keep them there for a lil longer. So I thought a little BRAGGING here wouldn't hurt. Brag a little about the 1-2-3 of how these herbs have made it from my greenhouse to the kitchen and into my beloved family's heart and hungry belly. They will definitely help keep us warm this rainy season. This bottle of savory vinaigrette was just one among the many collaborations I've had with Nini. And like the others, it rests in my pantry for now until our next meal together. Perhaps later...

This May Be The SECRET SAUCE of Art

An artist will always be influenced by their past, their cultural exposure, the travels of their youth, the mentors they were afforded, and the family in which they were raised. These have a great impact on one’s artistic inclination; they help to shape their artistic process, the way they view things, and how they translate the world in their creations. Whether it’s through music, fashion, fine arts, architecture, or any other art form, these influences always find their way to his creation being amplified in a fitting manner. For instance, Paul McCartney of the Beatles wrote the timeless song “Yesterday” at just 21 years old. It resonated globally because the lyrics were remarkably profound and melancholy for someone so young. “Why she, had to go I don't know, she wouldn't say I said, something wrong, I don't know For yesterday” People wondered where he got his inspiration for such a sad song considering his age. Sir Paul noted that pain and grief were the key element...

What's Wrong With This House? Series: The Marble Island

My heart was in a good place when I requested my husband to include a marble island in our tiny kitchen, to which he readily obliged. We were a young couple brimming with hopes and dreams as we started building our first home. To my mind, it wouldn't hurt if we used the few pieces of immaculate white marble tiles that were left with my side of the family after enduring a business bankruptcy just years before I got married. I wanted it to serve as a reminder of the Lord's faithfulness and lovingkindness for the next generation to see. How He gently ushered my family of origin into a life of full dependency on Him in the '90s, minus the earthly possessions that my parents had invested in through years of honest and gainful hard work. It will be a reminder of how the Lord saw us through during the humbling times of letting go by way of eviction . Back then, eviction , spelled with a big "E", was not yet glamorized in the entertainment industry such as in the...

Super Easy Banana Bread Recipe, That's a Promise

Baking banana bread is not rocket science. All you need are the basic wet and dry ingredients such as eggs, butter, over-ripe bananas, flour, fast acting yeast, salt, and sugar respectively. These ingredients are readily available at supermarkets anywhere in the world. So, it's really not a problem finding your supplies because they are actually your kitchen staples. You may not have to leave the house to buy them because it is likely that you already have a stash of them in your pantry. What I've found a bit tricky though was measuring each ingredient in the exact amount as we would have done back home in beloved Philippines. Although we're grateful for our tiny, yet homey kitchen here in Moscow, where there's an old but well-maintained electric stove-top and a good-sized oven, it does not have the luxury of your kitchen baking implements like measuring spoons and cups, baking pans, mixing bowls, sifters, or an electric mixer. And I have been disciplining myself...

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