Our Taste of Life

It's the second time for me to make this cake. And as the usual cliche goes, "it's lovelier the second time around". True enough, this cake is now officially in my list of favorites. How could it not be? The recipe is from one of my favorite food celebrities no less than "the" Ina Garten of Barefoot Contessa fame. I made some modifications of the recipe though to suit my own liking. What I particularly liked about this cake is it's very mild profile. It's not too rich neither overwhelming in sweetness. It got the right balance of taste. The crumb gave an enjoyable texture to the overall flavor.
What you need:
For the Crumb or Streusel:
1/8 cup granulated sugar
scant 1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup all purpose flour

For the Cake:
6 tbsp unsalted butter (3/4 stick), at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cup …

If there's one type of cake that will be quite easy to play around with in terms of variations, it will definitely be Upside-Down Cake. As soon as you've perfected your base, the choice for decorative topping is endless. The most popular to use are nuts and fresh fruits. I'm starting to develop a high liking for this kind of cake. Within a month, I've already served three types of upside-down cake to my sweet tots. But why bother to count? For sure there are still more to come.
What you need:
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature 1/2 cup light brown sugar 2 apples, peeled, cored & sliced into wedges 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup milk
How to make:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat bottom and side of an 8-inch round cake pan with 2 tablespoons butter; sprinkle bottom with brown sugar. In a medium bowl, toss apples w…

The kids were enrolled in a swimming lesson. So their normal routine on weekends usually starts with a fun activity. If swimming is to them, then cooking is for me. Because this translates to having me prepare a filling breakfast to provide them the much needed energy for such a physical engagement. No complains though, it's an errand that I'm always more than willing to take. As usual, I'm happy to serve any wandering palate. Last weekend, their plate consisted of a carbo-rich meal - Tuna Linguine, Cucumber-Dill Egg Sandwich, Baked Beans and Fresh Fruits.
Tuna Linguine

What you need:
250g linguine
1/2 cup pasta water reserve
2 cans tuna in olive oil
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp ground basil leaves
salt and pepper to taste
grated parmesan cheese

How to make:
1. Cook linguine according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, drain linguine and set aside.
2. Heat olive oil in a pan. Saute onion and garlic until fragrant. …

One of the things that I truly missed in the Philippines is the abundance of delicious baked goods. From subtle and mild to sinful and indulgent, the market never runs out of new product ideas. The sweet industry is always abuzz with new craze. There was a time where premium Ensaymadabecame a must try pastry. And one of the names that made a mark was Mary Grace. It became popular for its melt in the mouth texture. For that alone, Mary Grace Ensaymada definitely won the sweet Filipino palate. Fresh from her recent trip to the Philippines, a colleague brought some in the office and I had a bit of nostalgia from every bite. It still tasted the same since the last time I tried it. It still delivered that promise of soft, moist and melt in the mouth indulgence.

Undoubtedly, Lemon Cake is one of the most popular cakes around. So popular it is that in fact, recipes are abundant. It's almost a must have in any baking book. Likewise, there are a lot of variations available and the choices are limitless. Inspite of its popularity though, some people will still either hate it or love it. Since our taste buds were oriented with cakes having a sweet profile, anything that's out of the zone should require a development for liking. Generally, it can be quite subjective. But for me, the melding of sweet & sour notes is something delightful. When baked or combined with other sweet substances, the sourness of lemon becomes subtle and mild. It also provides a distinct juicy character that makes the cake more mouthwatering. This cake can be best served as a dessert to rich and creamy meals. It will definitely break the satiation factor.
























What you need:
Cake 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 3/4 cup sugar 3 large eggs 1/2 cup butter, softened 1/3 cup milk 1 …

I'm a big fan of the classic Italian cake dessert - Tiramisu. Although I'm slightly averse with alcoholic notes, the blending of sweet, bitter and creamy flavors of the cake is something really enjoyable. It maybe one of the easiest cake to make since it only involves a simple mixing and layering process; but it could be one of the most delicate too in terms of preparation. The classic recipe includes raw eggs and food safety precautions must be observed at all cost against possible salmonella contamination. Personally, I don't prefer the recipe that calls for raw eggs especially if I'll be serving it to small kids. Hence, I came up with this child friendly recipe that both kids and kids at heart can enjoy. For people who are veering away from alcohol and caffeine, it's still possible to indulge into this yummy cake with this recipe.  
What you need:
200g pack lady fingers or Savoiardi biscuits
300ml whipping cream
40g icing sugar, sifted
2 tbsp granulated instant d…

As a mom, my first errand on weekends is usually preparing breakfast for the kids. I look forward to it because it's the only day where I can dedicate ample time for mommy duties. I have two different kinds of palate to please. One that's adventurous and another that belongs to the more challenging group of picky eaters. Hence, it's quite tough to come up with food varieties from time to time. Nonetheless, the challenge of preparing something in between is always a welcome dilemma.
This year, I'll be starting some food series for the blog and one of which is Weekend Breakfast. It'll basically chronicle all our weekend servings of good food at home. I just couldn't emphasize more on how important family meals are. With a big sigh, weekends are our only time to get the best shot of gathering our loved ones. That's why personally, these are really treasured days for me. So let me start this series with an Italian and French combo meal - Penne Alla Norma and Ch…