We welcomed the year 2009 with so many changes in our lives. Husband and I decided to change gears in as far as our careers are concerned. We both embarked on new beginnings in the food industry. But foremost to the many changes is a new home to enjoy. With the help of books and home magazines, we were able to transform a two storey house into a humble and relaxing abode.

Similar to the previous home, we settled on an Asian inspired decor / interior. Most of the furnitures came from the old house. New accents were added to make a major facelift. Since we wanted it to be Asian in theme, the dominant hues are earth and wood inspired. The kids have history of asthma and allergies, that's why we settled for wooden sofa. This is a lot easier to clean and maintain relative to the cushion type.

Most of the things on display were souvenirs from the neighboring Asian countries (Japan, Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan and China). I was privileged enough to explore these countries which probably explains for my liking of an Asian themed house. Locally, I prefer stores such as Landmark, Furniture Shops in Tagaytay, SM Homeworld / Our Home and Ace Hardware for a great selection of competitive home goods.





These are actually door curtains from Japan. I tried to transform them into window curtains instead. I love the effect they have on the stairs. They provided a good picture (sort of ambiance) on the way up to the second floor of the house.

This table runner was originally a Thai silk skirt I bought from Phuket, Thailand. Since it has long been resting in the closet, it's time to find a new use to it.

With the second ber month about to be done, the spirit of merriment has indeed arrived. In our family, the ber season is a period of having fun. Visiting carnivals and festivals is in our to do list. Last year, the kids had a great time in Global Fun Carnival. This year we’re set to experience the world of dinosaurs with the DINOS ALIVE TOUR in Manila. We can't wait for its opening this coming November 28. We've already marked the date in our calendar. If you would like to save the date too, check the details of the event on the organizer's announcement below.

I was browsing through the Philippine Star's website and I came across its section of "Kwentong Peyups" (stories about UP). Quickly, I got inspired and jumped straight unto my laptop keyboard and gloriously relived my UP life through this writing. Read on and join me in my walk down memory lane...

In a University with an Oblation Man(by Sherra Bernardo B.S. Food Technology 1994-1998)

In my teen years, the famous premier university in the country that is UP was every senior high school graduating student’s dream for a college life. It is likewise every parent’s choice for his child’s education. I remember how my mother fought for my UP education against my grandfather’s intimidating sign of a “no-no”. Well, how can you blame my grandfather for shielding me from the frightening initiation rites of fraternities and sororities, which UP is so known for? Add to that, I was entering UP at the height of Eileen Sarmenta’s rape-slay and Allan Gomez’ killing. Fortunately, my mother’s dream of a quality education reigned supreme and for that, I am forever grateful.

So in 1994, I found myself queuing in the UPLB campus getting enrolled in the Bachelor of Science program. Getting into the UP campus and living the UPLB way brought me a lot of distinctive realizations and discoveries.

At UP, You are you; I am I. Nobody care for what you wear or how you look. It is here where credentials weigh more than the physical looks. In the university, I can be me without the discriminating eyes of classmates and teachers. Do I dare say I had a taste of equality? Gladly more than I had. Students here have so much freedom but it’s prickly encased with real responsibility. You mould your own life but you also learn how to manage it wisely. Creating a balanced life is a pitch. You get to choose your own course plan even the type of brotherhood you want to cling into. But as they say, with great power comes great responsibility. So family values and support of your loved ones are very much needed to get through to UPLB living sensibly. And I thank my family for I did.

No sleeps but not necessarily reap the glory. On exam days, which we normally refer to as “hell week”, sleepless nights and group studies are so common. In this period, I had my own take on the 24-hour shift of life. But ironically, you still ask why is a week of studying and sleepless nights don’t seem enough to score high on the exam? Later, I came to know that it’s all about having a good study habit and then some. Plain intelligence is not enough. Diskarte, patience, persistence and real hard work, all play vital roles. More so, I often heard social interaction is key. Popular clichés like man does not live by bread alone or no man is an island holds true in this university. So much more if you stay in the dormitory. There, you learn how to deal with different people and consequently be trained on how to adjust the strand of your interpersonal skills. Anyhow, old exams and hand me down books are some of the must grabs for doing so.

Make do of what you have and live simply. We typically commune with nature to relax from the hurdles and pressures of studies. A climb to Jamboree and NAC (National Arts Center) or an eco-adventure to Botanical Garden is our definition of luxury. We happily settle for bidani balls, siomai and empanadas for our snacks sometimes even for our lunch. Starbucks is not yet born, so we’re satisfied with our stocks of 3-in 1 coffee in the dorm to last us longer in our night of study.

Sacrifice and heroism, are what the outstretched arms of the naked man in the university are all for. But it took a while before I appreciate the value of an oblation run. I almost passed out the first time I watched it. Nuns educated me in my high school days, to say that seeing an oblation run is a culture shock for me is so much of an understatement. Because of that, I was challenged to question some UP beliefs and advocacies. On the contrary, the symbol of the naked man epitomizes the intellect and vigour of a UP education and markedly, it’s imbedded in me.

On the whole, living a UPLB life is like an amazing race. It’s generally filled with roadblocks and detours but perseverance and more got me through to the pit stops. The adventure I had is a memory of a lifetime.

When Lucky Me! encouraged us to celebrate Famealy Day at home last September 22, all the more it occured to me that the essential benefits it gives can really go a long way. So, let me share with you my thoughts in living this advocacy...

“Daddy, kanina nag drawing ako! Ang galing ko na mag-drawing.” “Ako Mommy nag-color ako, ang ganda ng pag-color ko!” “Sarap nito Mommy, luto ka ulit nito hah?” This is how typical conversation at our humble dining table sounds. With such inspiring and heart warming remarks, tell me, how can I resist family meal occasions at home? This is simply the kind of happening we shouldn’t want to be missed. A happy memory we must all partake. That’s why; KAINANG PAMILYA MAHALAGA (Family Meals deemed important), became a mantra in our home. We are pleased to declare that it’s a place where absence in the dining table at dinner time is forbidden.
As a working mom, on weekdays, I get to enjoy eating with my family on a single meal occasion only. Though I prepare my kids’ foods before I go to work, I can hardly join them in all their meals. So it really pains me to count how much little time I have for them. However, no matter how challenging it may seem nothing should prevent me in gathering the entire family to the dining table to celebrate God’s bounty. Like all time-strapped parents and homemakers in particular, the desire to give my family yummy treats and scrumptious meal is still ever burning. So when I heard flattering remarks about my cooking and the smile of satisfaction in their palate, it makes all the sacrifice worth it. If dads are considered the foundation of the home and moms are its light, I would say the dining table is its roof. It shelters all of us from the many challenges of family life. Physically, it’s witness to everyone’s food preference and eating habits. But beyond that, it’s our important link to close family ties that could last a lifetime. What could be more rewarding than being with your family as you celebrate your many firsts and milestones? From contagious laughs to serious talks and lamentation, there’s plainly no better way than sharing these with our loved ones.

We've already started our countdown to Christmas and with just a few days to go, it's true that festivity is just around the corner. For us, Filipinos, Christmas time is synonymous to shopping, party, gifts and of course food (lots and lots of all kinds)! It's that time of the year where talks about dieting and slimming are considered taboo. It seemed that everybody found a way for an excuse to these things. We tend to indulge to high heavens in particular of sweets. Have you ever wondered why sweet goodies normally frequent gift baskets, boxes and jars during the gift giving season? Well, there are a number of reasons I'm sure. But foremost to that I think is that no one in this world hardly appreciate sweet treats. Everybody was born to have a sweet tooth. It's only our threshold that varies. So if you're thinking of giving home made present to your loved ones and friends, this is one recipe you can try and perfect just in time for the holidays. I remember making batches of this macaroon with my best friend during our highschool days. We learned the recipe from her aunt and just modified it ourselves. Eventually, we tried selling some to schools and small restaurants. We were so glad, we hit big time. This recipe is quite different from the usual macaroons we are all accustomed to. You'll find that the texture is between a typical macaroon and a cupcake. It's not gooey nor sticky. The aftertaste is so creamy and milky. You can also make different variations by adding fruits and nuts to it. If you want to commercialize it, you can blend it with natural or artificial flavors (e.g. hazelnut, dulce de leche and many more). This recipe is so easy to make, even kids can do it. So, have your mixer ready and start making this delicacy that is sure to delight anyone.

1/3 cup margarine, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 small can sweetened condensed milk, 2 large eggs, 1/4 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 1/4 cup dessicated coconut

Cream margarine and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla extract and condensed milk. Mix well. Add all purpose flour. Stir in dessicated coconut. Drop a teaspoon of batter into a macaroon mould and bake at 150 C for 15 mins or until browning is visible on top.

Like any other blog, I want Our Taste of Life to elicit a positive appeal to its readers. Whenever possible, I try to have minimal not so good rants around here. Unfortunately, our recent experience with my daughter's milk formula did not prevent me in doing so. My daughter is a loyal patron of Progress Gold, one of Wyeth's premium brands of milk. Incidentally, it is having a massive stock out for almost a month now. This is actually not the first time that we experienced such difficulty in buying this milk product in the market. Being a picky eater, my daughter highly depends on this milk for nourishment and it's unavailability is causing us a lot of distress. She refused to take any milk alternatives because she's so accustomed with the taste of Progress Gold. Having used to taking more than 5 servings a day of this milk and then suddenly not getting any for a day, I simply can't bear the trouble she's going through. Her cries pushed me to send a letter of concern / complaint to Wyeth Philippines.

I have this pasta recipe sitting in my kitchen recipe bin for quite a while now. I've been wanting to share it with you but time was so hard to pin down again these days. Finally, my fingers found its way to my laptop's keyboard. This is a very simple pasta recipe to prepare. Kids and kids at heart will enjoyably make a mouthful of this creamy pasta dish. To break the satiation factor of its creamy note and to provide a juicy twist, I've added some baked tomatoes. Creamy and juicy that's how this pasta will conquer your palate.
What you need:
250 g farfalle (bow tie pasta), 2 cans of tuna flakes (drained), 275 ml all purpose cream, 1 cup pasta water, 1 med sized red bell pepper (cut into cubes), 1 med sized green bell pepper (cut into cubes), 1 small onion (chopped), 4 cloves garlic (chopped), 3 tbsps olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, 3 med sized tomatoes (cut in thin rounds, baked in the oven just until tender)

How to make:
Cook the pasta according to package directions then drain. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until fragrant. Add tuna flakes and saute for a minute. Add bell peppers, salt and pepper. Add all purpose cream and pasta water. Boil and simmer until the sauce is thickened. Stir in cooked pasta and serve topped with baked tomatoes.

It's that time of the year again for the food industry's much awaited Asia Food Expo (AFEX). It's an annual food exhibit held at the World Trade Center, Manila featuring all things related to food. Ingredients, machineries and equipment, food and beverage for end consumers, including product concepts are the usual must see in this food event. However, each year, exhibitors are getting fewer and fewer. It used to be a wealth of industrial food items but more interesting exhibitors tend to decrease in number through time. This is really a big sigh!

More equipments and packaging are featured this year with minimal franchise food items and food ingredients for industrial use. Processed meats, dimsums, doughnuts and coffee products dominated the exhibit hall. Interesting Wines that typically flood the event are nowhere to be found. Generally, it's still a venue for potential food businesses and concepts but content wise, it just filled the food enthusiasts' glass in half.

When I attended the AFEX 2008, Mulberry Mixed Juice Drink is the most interesting product I found. It's a ready to drink juice with No Artificial Coloring, No Preservatives Added health claims. It's made with natural mulberry juice and fruit concentrate available in two flavors - Apple and Strawberry, with the former being the more acceptable. It basically tastes sweet and refreshing especially when chilled or ice cold. A tannin taste typically perceived from tea is also noted but subtle and mild.

Mulberry tea is making big news around the world. It's recognized as the next big thing in the tea market after the much hyped black, green and white teas. Many food manufacturers and tea growers are claiming that mulberry has higher antioxidant levels than green tea. Furthermore, it contains almost all 18 amino acids essential for our body. True enough, when I looked at the nutrition facts pannel of the juice drink it states 17.3 mg of amino acid content per 100 ml. If you consume the whole drink in 500 ml bottle size, that's an 86.50 mg servings of amino acid!

A ready to drink (RTD) juice with antioxidants to eradicate the free radicals and toxins in our body, a good dose of amino acids for the growth, repair and maintainance of body tissues, a possible aid for lowering blood sugar and body weight, this is a must grab drink for a healthier lifestyle! But just like any new product in the market boasting of great health claims and benefits, it's essential for every consumer to check and validate prior to making a purchase and later becoming a loyal patron of it. I just couldn't over emphasized that it's also a consumer's responsibility to check and probe the validity of the claims and benefits of any food item prior to consumption . It's always better and safer to ask.

Frozen Yogurt is making a big buzz around town. It is probably the most talked about food trend these days. Because I have heard a lot and perhaps have read enough too, I was intrigued and wanted to try it myself. Frozen yogurt is a typical dessert item similar to ice cream in terms of physical properties only, the fat content is lower. Just like any usual yogurt, it may or may not have the live active cultures. When present, frozen yogurt is regarded as healthier than ice cream. The active cultures aide the digestion of food specifically for the lactose intolerant people thereby making the nutrients readily available for absorption without the discomfort. The nearest store to our place that houses this particular food item is White Hat. So that was where we went and sampled.

White Hat’s Italian Frozen Yogurt comes with great claims; "authentic, all natural, 98% fat-free, definitely guilt free and with live active yogurt cultures". Pretty good product attributes for a dessert item. With a selling proposition of being "so gooood, you can’t get it off your head"! How can you resist from giving it a try? With 21+ toppings to choose from like healthy citrus fruits, tempting sweet goodies such as cookies, chocolates and cheesecake, creating your own yogurt is made more exciting. Priced at Php 85 for a regular size (yogurt only) and Php 115 for the bigger size, this is relatively expensive compared to any ready to eat yogurt you can find in the market shelves. However, making a direct comparison may not be fair considering the "premium" tag attached to the product features of the frozen yogurt. But then again, the price sensitive segment might still have a thought about it. With that, it maybe more of an indulgence rather than a habitual type of food.

Taste wise, it has a distinch sourish after taste typical of yogurt, smooth and creamy mouthfeel even without much fat, milky and light at the same time. I had strawberry-kiwi toppings for my regular size. For this particular combination, I was overwhelmed with the overall sourness. The fruits added more of this note on top of the characteristic sourness that the frozen yogurt already had. That's why, my son's preference was more acceptable. He had strawberry-choco drops. The dark and sweet taste of the choco drops balanced the sour back note of the yogurt. Actually, I find the taste combinations quite tricky and ironic. To maximize the health claims of the frozen yogurt, one (like myself) would prefer fruits and nuts toppings over the sweet and fatty alternatives (e.g. cookies, chocolate, cheesecake etc). On the contrary, some fruits have inherent sourness that might prevent a good balance of taste as opposed to the other options. At any rate, it all depends on preference and taste liking. But still, I would encourage White Hat to create more healthy and tasty choices of toppings to push the acceptability and premium profile of the frozen yogurt further. More so, the maturity index of the fruits being used must be properly looked into.Other things notable about White Hat are image and packaging. The name itself simply states the product expectation. Talking about the presentation, it's visually appealing and innovative. The "customer picture taking" promo is also a catchy marketing tool. Overall, White Hat's Italian Frozen Yogurt is a gem among the many food finds at the SM Mall of Asia. Repeat trials or more frequent consumption of it will depend on the general liking, location and price.