MANILA, Philippines - Everybody has one — a favorite recipe, that is. It could be a recipe for something as alien as Poulet a la Grecque (Greek-style chicken) with sugar and spice and everything nice that you probably shared with your amore on a romantic cruise on some Greek island and whose delicious memory lingers on in your taste buds. Or it could be something as endearingly familiar as grandma’s hotcake smothered with milk and syrup, which you learned to make on your grandma’s lap when you were only 10.
So, what’s your favorite recipe? Food lovers, take note: Cooking starting tomorrow, August 17 on Q Channel 11 is a 10-minute program, My Favorite Recipes, that promises to delight the eyes, tickle the palate, and warm the heart. To be served three times daily, the show is hosted by Aileen Anastacio who aims to create (or recreate) life’s delicious moments for everyone, foodie or not. To date, it’s the fifth cooking show to air on QTV, following the sweet successes of True Confections, Quick Fire, Secrets of the Masters and Daddylicious.
But first, a few words about the host, Aileen Anastacio. Aileen learned the ABCs of baking in grade school (she went to St. Paul’s Pasig for elementary and high school). She must have inherited her cooking genes from her two grandmothers whom she swears are “the best in the kitchen.” She followed her culinary dreams and went to the California Culinary Academy in the US. There, she learned the science and art of baking from chef Bo Friberg, a certified master pastry chef with over 40 years of experience under his toque. Oui, Aileen also worked with French chef Jean Yves Duperet who owned a patisserie called La Nouvelle in San Francisco. At La Nouvelle, Aileen was pastry assistant who specialized in fruit tarts, mousse cakes, pies, muffins, napoleons, croissants, jams, etc. Fact is, her name has become synonymous with all things sweet and decadently sinful. Another one of Aileen’s sweet claims to fame is her string of stores called Goodies N’ Sweets, where you’ll simply go bananas over the banoffee pie and erupt in sheer delight over the chocolate lava cake that’s proof positive of her eternal lava affair with chocolate. She’s currently putting together a cookbook for international release, featuring coffee and dessert recipes. She’s author of The Flavored Cup where she shares her coffee recipes because life is too short to waste on a bad cup of coffee. But other than java and lava, Aileen’s pasta is not to be passed up — her daughter just loves it, even if it’s just cooked in butter and cheese.
What’s Aileen’s favorite recipe? This kitchen queen loves Chicken a la King, one of the first recipes she learned at home with her sister and which she will be cooking for the pilot episode of My Favorite Recipes as she retraces her childhood days growing up amid the aroma of good food cooking in the Anastacio kitchen. Other delectable dishes lined up for the show’s first week and which bring back many yummy memories are Mushroom Crespelle, spaghetti and meatballs, and Breakfast Burrito.
What else is cooking on My Favorite Recipes? Aileen whips up favorite recipes that range from main dishes to soups to salads down to desserts. All these recipes are made even more delicious and memorable with dollops of Carnation Evap and Condensada.
“I just love cooking with Carnation because it’s a very versatile ingredient — you can use it from the main dish to the dessert,” gushes Aileen.
Like Carnation, which is co-sponsoring the show, My Favorite Recipes promises to be warm, inviting, and something every member of the family can enjoy. Through the years, Carnation Milk has been a trusted name in many a Pinoy household.
Aileen opens the show by teasing our appetites with her inspiration for the recipe of the day — it may be anything from a cherished old recipe from a friend or an unforgettable trip or from daily interactions or reunions with family and friends where the favorite topic of conversation is what else but food! With her expertise and burning passion for cooking, Aileen transforms these inspirations into mouthwatering creations for her viewers to vicariously enjoy. Here, have some!
But don’t just sit there — cook something and create your own delicious memories.
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Starting tomorrow, August 17, “My Favorite Recipes” airs weekdays at 10:40–10:50 a.m., 11:40–11:50 a.m., 6:10-6:20 p.m.; Saturdays at 10:45–10:55 a.m., 2–2:10 p.m., 8:10–8:20 p.m.; Sundays at 12–12:10 p.m., 2–2:10 p.m., 9:10–9:20 p.m. on Q Channel 11.