Pimp my sauce!

A trip to the grocery somehow reminds me of Chemistry class. Acesulfame potassium,  Sodium acetate, Monosodium glutamate are just few of the many additives, enhancers, artificial coloring names that reminded me of my Junior High year. I was never been a fan of chemistry anyway and I certainly don't want to beat my brains out  over a bottle of Knorr/Maggi sauce and how a teaspoon of it would affect my anatomy.  Microwave heated meals, prepared sauces and canned foods,   an  epitome of what Not to eat but I eat anyway. Welcome to my world!

It was just another weekend trip to the supermarket when I came across an aisle of ready made sauces. One particular bottle caught my attention. With its I'm brighter-than sunshine-color and a-steal-3.50-euro-for-a-pure-lobster-essence-price, this bottle screams artificial and I just could not wait to try it.  Just a little bit of pimping and this sauce would be promising. After all, there's no unsavory sauce that enough butter and cream can not salvage.

Gnocchi with Shrimps in (bottled) Lobster Sauce

•  Clean, peel and devein 500 g of tiger shrimps.
• Heat  2 teaspoons of butter in a skillet or pot  and saute shrimps until it turn pink.  Season with salt and pepper, take it out of the pan using a slotted spoon and set aside leaving as much butter as possible.

1. Deglaze pot with 250 ml of  wine , I used Rosé since FF opened a bottle the night before.Let wine cook for about 3 minutes while scrapping the pan with a wooden spatula.
2.  I then stir in the contents of this wonder lobster sauce into the pot. Lower the heat to medium and let sauce simmer for about 5 minutes, covered.
3. Carefully stir in 200 ml of cream until everything is well incorporated. Bring sauce to a gentle boil.
4. Add in 50 g of freshly shredded Pecorino Romano cheese. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Fertig!

 To serve: Cook gnocchi as instructed. The one I bought could be pan fried in butter. Place cooked gnocchi in the serving plate, drizzle sauce over it.

  

 Heat a bit of butter in a skillet and reheat shrimps for a minute over high heat. Place warm shrimps over the gnocchi, garnish with freshly shredded Pecorino and some chopped greens like parsley.

 After using 500 g of gnocchi, I still have some leftover lobster sauce which I used for lunch the next day. I just cooked another batch of shrimps,  although salmon cubes on pasta could also be a nice alternative. Serve with garden fresh salad and there goes your balance diet. Carb on your right, coke on your left and lettuce leaves in the middle to cool your head.Enjoy!

Raspberry Dessert ala Emily

 I should really come up with a better name than that. Say, raspberry float or cream dream ?! Summer slurp  ?!?! Okeey, is it just me or things are starting to get a tad bit weird around here? I guess, recipe naming is  way beyond by ability scope  so let's just leave it to the masters.  However, don't let my lukewarm/so-so dessert name fool you for it will knock you off your feet.It might go straight to your hips but who cares! It tasted better than ice cream without the churning and bain- marieng! No frills, no bake, an absolute foolproof yet so delicious and  so easy to make you could practically do it  while  swirling and tiptoeing around your kitchen in tutus . Here's how to do it. 

1. Bake/Toast a handful of sliced almonds until aromatic and golden brown. Set aside.
2.  Beat 500 g mascarpone cheese , 200 g Speisequark or farmer's cheese with 3 tablespoon of caster sugar using an electric mixer. You could naturally add more sugar if you like your dessert sweeter. Hey it's your blood sugar!
3.  Beat 400 ml cream and 2 tbsp of vanilla sugar until frothy. Add cream stiffener if necessary and beat until soft peak is formed. Add into the mascarpone & cheese mixture and whisk together until well combined. 
4. Prepare serving dish. Ideal would be glassware for wow effect. Spread  cream & cheese mixture as a  base.

1. Cover cream mixture with meringue.
2. Spread cream & cheese mixture over meringue.
3. Sprinkle frozen raspberry . Very important! Use frozen raspberries instead of fresh ones. It will thaw in an hour or so.
4. Spread cream & cheese mixture over the berries, sprinkle crushed biscuits/cracker like: Graham, Leibniz or similar and garnish the whole thing with toasted almonds and raspberries. It serves 12 .

Alternative: The Mango version



Mango -Oreo  Dessert ala Emily





 I actually liked it better than the raspberry but it's a personally preference. I luurve mangoes!

 Let the pictures guide you. Spread cream & cheese mixture, add crushed biscuits, cover biscuits with meringues, spread cream over it. Easy, no?

I then cut 1 huge, ripe mango into small cubes. Pureed another smaller mango with 1 tbsp vanilla sugar. You could also use mango pulp. Mix cubed mango and mango puree/pulp (   about half a cup). Spread mango mixture over cream & cheese mixture and you could serve it as it is.

I was feeling playful that time so I spread another layer of cream & cheese mixture over the cubed mango. Then garnish the dessert with crushed Oreo cookies and toasted almond slices for extra calories nom noms.

Bohol Bee Farm.

In every trip that FF and I made, there's always something we called ''The Highlight''. It could be an adrenaline pumping moment which  stirred our usually mellow disposition chaotic, a quiet yet eventful day soaked in a picturesque scenery  , an unforgettable meal that literally knocks us off our feet. But the things is, agreeing on A highlight is not an easy feat since FF and I are poles apart.  My interest is not always his interest and the thing that excites him  like a kid in wonderland sometimes sends me to sleep. It goes without saying that even though we explore a place together like two peas in a pod, his highlight is not always my highlight.  FF must always commune with nature while I on the other hand, love anything fake and artificial .  He likes old architectures and I love the malls. He loves the sea, I prefer the pool. He likes fresh open air spaces, I prefer air conditioned and contained edifices. The list could go on forever.We used to play tug of war on the street with him wanting to tread right and me heading in the opposite direction . Before serious marital problems arise, we learned to compromise  . We decided to have His and Her-time during vacation.  He must to have enough time to visit a place  where all things that grow and green are abundant and where culture and heritage dominates the scene like an impossible to miss  street sign and  I got to spend enough time to go malling, stroll through knick-knacks shops and souvenir stores searching and buying things that I don't need  . Girls...yah know.



Dining with a magnificent view

Visiting Bohol Bee Farm was a pleasant surprise.  They have things that captured both our interest. Nestled within the cocoon of lush surroundings, developed and was made even more beautiful by human imagination and creativity. Bohol Bee Farm is a bed and breakfast/restaurant/spa establishment that  pays a great value on agriculture and environmental development as well as organic farming.   We both fell in love with the it. 

The entire place is filled with things both interesting and fascinating and  my eloquent curiosity  about how anik-aniks are made was piqued. Using indigenous materials,  they make woven baskets, mats, hats, fans, beaded accessories, key chains, home decorations and much much more .  This is also a part of Bohol Bee Farm's livelihood program, helping the community by providing some locals a way to earn a living. Kudos to the person who made all these possible!

The Boss' unique crib

While I was having a blast looking at the different souvenir items and  edible products, FF wandered around the place looking bewildered. If there's something Bohol Bee Farm is good at, it's paying attention to details. Hidden in many   nooks and crannies are things that could capture one's attention. Beautiful flowers, exotic plants and shrubs, artistic wood works, paintings, sculptures, seashells and woven crafts  adorned the place .

 The entire resort is somehow a reflection of the the owner's unique taste. Although Filipino inspired, it is somehow tinged with a subtle country-style flair.

If you want to know everything about Bee cultivation and honey production, BBF offers  a guided tour which is both educational and entertaining. Honey products are also sold in their shop and could be a very nice pasalubong . However, if all you want to do is to fill your tummy with sumptuous yet healthy foods  while bathing in see breeze and magnificent view, stray no further. Bohol Bee Farm offers all that and more.

Two out of the three restaurants of Bohol Bee Fare are located on a cliffy area overlooking the sea. Loved the different table  settings with miss matching furnitures  . The weather beaten look  of the   floor , some  tables and chairs added more character to this rustic place. The restaurant  has a homey feel to it, casual enough to be enjoyed among family and friends yet relaxing and has a romantic milieu suited for couples.

Woven Menu cards.

And then there's the food. Organic, homegrown, delicious! This lunch was the best meal we had in Bohol . FF and I both agreed on this. Not knowing what to order since everything sounds appetizing, we decided try their  buffet which basically consist of their best sellers .For only 550 PhP/person , array of  delicious  foods were laid on our table, it was almost overwhelming. We invited our very friendly tricycle driver who drove us around Panglao island that day and the three of us had a feast!



Organic Garden salad with honey mustard dressing

Lesson of the day, if  bees can eat it, so can you. Try some of these edible flowers! The crunchy greens and its colorful accompaniments will have you mooing for a good reason.

Camote Bread with three kinds of spreads.

Freshly baked , super fluffy and aromatic . So divine! Filipino has a  propensity for sweetish and soft breads  . Served with delicious trio spreads of honey, pesto and mango. Can't make up my mind which one was the best since I loved 'em all! These spreads and many other alternatives are also sold in their shop.



Cab-Cab Chips with green tomato salsa

 A healthier option to those who loves chips. ( Batman look to your right!).  Never thought that Cassava could be served this way. Interesting crunchy texture with a subtle taste .




Seafood Soup

 Healthy and flavourful with enough veges that would make your doctor proud of you. The broth has a gingery tang to it with well balanced amalgam of greens , shellfish and clams  . Very comforting. Won't really mind having a bowl or two of this on a cold and  snowy day here in Germany.

Honey glazed chicken,  baked spare ribs and grilled  Marlin Steaks.

Protein rich and filling main dishes.  Both the meats and fish retained their succulence . Portions are generous and enough to feed a family of 5!

Seafood lasagna

My  favorite among the extensive spread.  It was cheesy, tomatoey and savory. Since this is a buffet, you can ask for seconds...or thirds of any of the dishes on the buffet menu. This is more than enough though.



Organic Red rice with sweet potato

A feast is not  a feast without rice, not in the Philippines anyway. Bohol Bee Farm gives  Pinoy's staple food  a healthy and palatable twist. For once, you could have enough carb without filling guilty.

Home made Mango and Malunggay ice cream.

We ended our hearty meal with this treat . Again, I was amazed at the ingenuity of the people behind this . Malunggay leaves, a bitterly herb which is usually used in our soups and stews was added to this cold tasty dessert to impart its own unique flavor .Never thought of that! The ice cream from Bohol Bee Farm was a bit dense with texture resembling our sorbetes, not  as satin smooth  or as creamy as gelatos but it was never the less delicious.

So what makes this place so amazing? I guess were awed with the whole concept. Turning a indistinct piece of land into sometime productive and  self sustaining. Engaging the locals, teaching them  how to take care of the environment, how to grow and nurture locally grown foods  effectively, using it differently and wisely. Looking at how the place and its people grow together and making this community foster was astounding. ''Bee...happy!'',   says Bohol Bee Farm and looking at the people who work here and seeing  pride shine through  their eyes as they show their crafts and livelihood and  savoring the foods they plucked from their own backyard ,we did feel privilege to have experience it and yes...happy.