Molecular Gastronomy and Modernist Cuisine

I first got introduced to molecular gastronomy and the modernist approach to culinary arts in Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations episode when he went to elBulli restaurant in Spain right before it closed down. The restaurant was owned by world renowned chef Ferran Adrià whose philosophy and methodology when it comes to preparing and serving food just blew me away. It is surely an episode that I would recommend to all of you.

Ferran Adrià

I wasn't really a big fan of fancy or "michelin star" types of restaurants, cooking, or food; probably a bit similar to Bourdain's views in Kitchen Confidential. I'm more of the street food and authentic type, I would like to think. But then the whole concept of molecular gastronomy and the approach of chefs like Ferran Adrià is just so mind-blowing and intense that it somehow changed my mind about it all.

The way Adrià describes his approach and philosophy makes him much like a renaissance man of sorts whose expertise goes beyond cooking and into fields like chemistry and other sciences, history, sociology, psychology, philosophy, and others. Imagine all that, with very intricate attention to detail, all put into cooking and the dishes he serves. Aside from being innovative, it also feels a lot like being revolutionary of sorts. I'm really just out of words and I don't even know how to explain what I mean. 

Nathan Myhrvold

It just so happened that I just watched Top Chef season 9 episode 9 and they featured Nathan Myhrvold, also a renaissance man when it comes to molecular gastronomy and author of "highly coveted" series of books on Modernist Cuisine and I got so reminded of the elBulli episode and am now learning so much more about the modernist approach in cooking as more of a revolutionary movement than just a methodology.

It all just reminds me so much of freedom, art, passion, and the desire to change the world. Of course, it's also making me really hungry.

KFC Gravy Recipe Philippines

There is one problem with getting KFC taken home or delivered: you won't have access to the unlimited gravy. And we all know that the gravy is one of the most important factors that make KFC one of the most awesome fast food chicken providers in the known universe.

Libreng Sabaw?

I woke up today and remembered I had some leftover KFC chicken in the fridge but got disappointed when I noticed there wasn't any gravy. It's just not the same. It's depressing, actually. It makes me feel as if there is no hope in this world.

One of the first articles I ever wrote that got me into the whole earning through blogging thing would be the KFC Delivery Philippines I posted on my Wordpress site one time when I was sick and I had KFC delivered to my house. I noticed that my traffic surged and realized that this was because I was ranking already. I would have to say that a lot of it was luck and randomness. And I quote from that blog post:

"I am sure they put something illegal or radioactive in their recipe. It is surely more than just salt and pepper that makes their recipes so good and addictive. There was a time in my life when I wanted to work for KFC just so I can climb their corporate ladder until I am given security access to their secret ingredients and then after that expose it to the public. I do believe that their KFC chicken recipe has something to do with the Holy Grail or maybe the aliens who built the pyramids"

Later on I wrote KFC Menu Philippines on my HubPages (this is where I get most of my earnings) and slowly made my revenue and content grow. Then eventually, I decided to create this blog, one dedicated specifically to eating and cooking. So really, I owe a lot of my inspiration for writing about food to KFC.

My urologist actually advised me to avoid gravy. He says uric acid is dangerous for my history of kidney stones. That's when I shoved all the office and medical supplies on his desk onto the floor. I walked out of his clinic, climbed atop his receptionist's desk, and then addressed my fellow patients:

"Give me liberty or give me death!" I shouted, "you can take away everything but don't take away my gravy!"

Itlog na Maalat na may Kamatis (salted egg with tomatoes)

Salted eggs with tomatoes, very easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. This classic Filipino favorite is surely satisfying in spite of its simplicity!

Itlog na maalat na may kamatis (salted eggs with tomatoes)

I was going through the fridge, looking for something to eat and figured I should prepare myself this classic dish and eat it with rice. It's really so simple to make and for something that's this simple it's really so good.

There's this wonderful contrast of textures and tastes with the salted eggs and the tomatoes. And the yolk, my favorite part, is so complex. It really goes perfect with the freshness of the tomato.

Plus, it's very affordable. I remember eating it when I used to live alone during college. And since I had a fixed weekly allowance, for something that's this affordable, I really got my money's worth.

It's interesting how this blog continues to earn in spite of lack of posts. Since I told myself I will be focusing on blogs and articles that are more profitable, expect to see more frequent updates here in this blog. Thank you for dropping by!

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1. Jollibee Delivery Menu

2. Chowking Delivery Menu

3. Kalibo Festival and Boracay

Omakase Menu - American Dream and Unidon

I have discussed in my previous blog post about Omakase how I'm not so fond of fusions and modern innovations and use of deep-fried ingredients in maki/sushi. So when I was in Omakase again for a dinner, I figured I have to make the most of it and order one that is a fusion and one that is classic and authentic.

American Dream

American Dream is a deep-fried maki made with salmon with cream cheese. It does make a lot of sense. Anything with salmon and cream cheese is good so what more if you make a maki from those ingredients and then make it deep-fried. It's around 200 or 300 pesos, if I remember correctly. I'm not entirely sure though (sorry if I'm not really helpful haha). It's one of their bestsellers so it's surely a must-try.

Uni
And then something super simple and classic: my absolute favorite Uni (sea urchin) on top of a bowl of sushi rice. I can't even describe in words how pleasurable and sensual this meal is. It's around 300 as well. I'm not even sure if this is something you can consider authentically Japanese. When I was Mindoro, a fisherman explained to me that the locals there have been eating raw sea urchin for a very long time. I guess what makes it very Japanese is the sushi rice, the kikoman, the wasabi, the seaweed wrapper strips and the other random garnishes restaurants put that make such a harmonious and balanced taste.
I want uni right now.

Libreng Sabaw Resident Blogger's Comfort Food

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This is as close I can go to "connecting with the earth". For now, I guess. I really want to go mountaineering soon or something similar like camping or going to the beach (not the typical beach plan most of you would think of) and just allow myself to connect with the earth. Also, you just can't see in the photo (because it is black and white), but I'm also absorbing sunlight (again, makes a lot of sense because the sun is the giver of energy and life). I remember this concept of sungazing and its alleged benefits. On a good day, fair weather and all, maybe in the afternoon or early morning (this would be better), it would be very advisable to eat outdoors.

I've always assumed that L-Tryosine is found mostly in meats but eHow.com says that crabs and shrimps are also very high in this amino acid. This is good for increasing dopamine in your brain. This is why, I always use the example of the lion in Madagascar who wanted to eat his zebra friend. We get happy when we are satisfied with what we eat.

So what better way than to go for Japanese cuisine, something I consider to be one of the most pleasurable and artistic kind of comfort food. I will need 5-HTP, of course (for the serotonin). I will as soon as AdSense pays me (30th it is, yeah?). There are supplements being sold in those "Healthy Options" type of stores.

Then there's dim sum, like hakaw specifically one of my ultimate favorites, another culinary concept I consider to be comforting (and romantic and sensual much like the experience of eating sushi or raw salmon or sea urchin). Plus, the chili oil that comes with it supposedly releases endorphins (yes, spicy food does that, some say). The wrapping and the perfect texture of the steamed shrimp is just indescribable.

Then freshly squeezed orange juice (no photo though). Vitamin C is just so helpful. Pirates got scurvy before because they didn't have citrus fruits or something like that. I don't even know what scurvy is and I'm lazy to Google.

Maybe the other aspects of it can be tackled in my other blogs. What matters is that I write and people read. A quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. Are you interested in what I think about food? Is that why you are here?

#NowPlaying: Lojik - Get Up

I Got Interviewed About Alcohol and here are My Answers

1. Do you drink? How often?

Yes, very often.

2. What do you drink (beer, hard drinks, cocktails, liquor, wine, rum, gin, etc.)?

Beer is my favorite but i'd usually drink anything (except those that taste like mouthwash).

3. What do you look for in a drink? What should it have/do?

Depends on the drink:

With wine I like it red, the dry and earthy type. And yung parang may heat sa aroma (I can't really explain well because I'm not really so knowledgable with wines but I do have personal preferences)

Nowadays I like Belgian beers (Stella Artois/Hoegaarden). There's just something so different with the way they brew their beers but of course I still absolutely love our own local Pale Pilsen (it's really much of an acquired taste that's hard to explain).

With cocktails/mixes, I'm usually partial to those that are creamy or with coconut flavor. I'm not so fond of the ones with a lot of sugar/syrup as from what I've heard it may add to your hangover (I used to love rum coke but not anymore cos of this)

With whisky, I prefer Bourbon over Scotch, again very qualitative type of acquired taste that's hard to explain (parang mas "mapakla" ang scotch). And scotch tends to make me do things I'll regret the next day more than the bourbon.

But at the end of it all, as long as I'm with good company and chillout place, I'd drink anything. :)

4. What would make you go for this certain drink instead of the other?

Price/budget, quality, type of inuman i'm going to or people I'm going to be with.

5.What makes a drink sexy/cool/fun?

Have you seen the "From Where You'd Rather Be" Ad of Corona?! Damn! That's what makes a drink sexy/cool/fun! It's so chill. I'm not even a big fan of Corona before but this Ad changed my mind. So I guess brand identity would be a big factor. here's the vid:

6. Have you tried lambanog? What's your take on that?

I went on a Laguna road trip before and bought some lambanog when we passed Pagsanjan. It even had santol on the bottom, very intriguing, very strong. Tried it shots lang and no other way. I hate the brand "Orgy". I just don't like the flavors they have. There's a thrill about getting the real thing from like the locals and just knowing it's real and authentic local lambanog. It adds a travel aspect to it. I guess it's similar to the Corona Ad I was talking about in the previous question.

This is form a real interview from a student who needed people to answer for an advertising class :)

When in Chic Boy

It's very late at night and you unconsciously sway with every step. There is no voluntary reason for coming here. It is already your body compelling you. It is carnal desire.

When in Chic Boy, this is my modus operandi. It is pleasurable and deadly. It is the taste of freedom, of danger. Like most of the really good things in life, it's something you'd regret, the type you'll get guilty about when you wake up in the morning. It's something you swear you'd never do again but also can't resist to come back for more.

If this is a vice then I wish no virtue.

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#NowPlaying: iBenji - Boneless

Bulalo Recipe of the Philippines

The bulalo is probably one of the best recipes that Philippine cuisine has to offer. It's basically the beef leg bone part (I don't really know what it's called) softened and cooked to perfection in a very simple broth. No fancy ingredients or techniques needed.

Eating the bone marrow part is probably one of the most pleasurable things you can do here on earth while you are alive. And with that pleasure, of course, comes risk. It is very unhealthy and dangerous but I guess that is part of the thrill of eating bulalo. It is like the extreme sports of food. There's a big risk that it can kill you but it's fun and it reminds you that it's good to be alive.

Last night when I got home, it was the best surprise to see a steaming hot bowl of bulalo on the kitchen table. And being that I live in a hypertensive household and that I am an 'only child', I can have the bone marrow all to myself. It was gluttonous and sinful. It's so good that it should be illegal (this is a metaphor because I do not support prohibition or lifestyle regulation by the state).

And it's not just the bone marrow. It's also the soft, melts-in-your-mouth meat, the fats and litid around the bone and within the meat itself. When asked to describe it, it's really a lot closer to pleasurable than just plain delicious. And then top it off with some soy sauce, calamansi, and chili.

And now all I can do is recall the memories of last night as I write here in front of my laptop hungry and bored.