A day on a farm

Free range chicken, freshly harvested lettuce and arugula (rocket), baby tilapia, puso ng saging, sweet calamansi juice–a lovely combo, different from the usual adobo and menudo as picnic fare. A bonus is that we did not have to prepare and bring them all the way to a beautiful suburban farm called An Maogmang Lugar (A Happy Place) in Antipolo. The lady of the farm, with a genius of a caretaker, raises it all–chickens, vegetables and fruits, bringing her the great satisfaction of serving her occasional guests what they harvest. Given the chance and a piece of land in some cool place, maybe we should all try to be farmers in order to eat fresh and healthy food.

Lettuce, before it became a salad staple, was (and still is) used to line a lumpia wrapper, with the traditional filling made of vegetables, bean curd, shrimps and sometimes a bit of ground pork or beef. Our quartet at the farm innovated and made lumpia of the ginisang puso ng saging (sautéed with ground beef), putting spoonfuls onto the lettuce, and even the arugula. Great! The tiny tilapia, fried crispy, made for a very good starter in the same way as Batangas tawilis and dilis.

Back in the city, we wandered into a Marks & Spencer store which was holding a sale. We were more attracted to the food section that carries a variety of pasta, bottled sauces, candies and biscuits. We left the place with two boxes–Pesto Bites (P95 for 75 gms.), delicious bite-size flavored crackers (a little salty for our taste, but good with coffee or tea), and Cream Cheese and Spring Onion Crepes (P195 for 125 gms), super melt-in-the mouth tiny bites, perfect with a glass of fresh fruit juice.

Our latest discoveries include Apple Tarts made by an outlet called Ala Diane, based in Barangay Siena in Quezon City. This was served at a recent book launching and guests took seconds, a testimony to its real goodness. But one has to call (731-1964) to place an order, because they don’t bake in advance. Each tart costs P15 and you get value for money.

This item is somewhat frustrating. We chanced upon a stand selling Chinese meat, shrimp and mushroom balls at the August Moon Food Fair at the lobby of the Shangri-La Plaza Mall. The man puts a piece of each on a barbecue stick then dips it in a boiling sauce. When we asked him where we could find him after the fair was done, he said he did not have any store, nor did he have a card to let us know where we can buy or order his products. He suggested that we look for him in fairs such as this one.

At the recently held American Food Fair also at the Shangri-La Mall, we picked up a duo of new products. A box of Homestyle bakes from Banquet–the Country Chicken with Mashed Potatoes and Biscuits. This boasts of being made with Butterball (usually associated with turkey) chicken in creamy gravy. You assemble this by spreading the potato (to which water is added) in the bottom of a baking tray, add a layer of the chicken with gravy and top with the biscuit. On days when one wants a simple meal, this would be fine. This product should now be available in supermarket chains.

We also got a 2-pound canister of Mexican Spiced Cocoa from Caffe de Amore, Gourmet Beverages, USA, made from a blend of cacao beans, cinnamon, spice, vanilla with a hint of almond. While the Mexican way of preparing hot cocoa is tedious (shaving chocolate disks), this one is easy: simply add water, hot or cold. And good news–this is cholesterol free. This maybe a bit sweet for some, but rich as cocoas should be.

Great Taste coffee is now selling multi-flavored variants. We also noticed the new Nescafe Butterscotch sachets. At Conti’s in BF Parañaque, we found their new line of spreads, like Spinach and Artichokes and Chicken Liver Pate at P140 each. Here’s a tip to those who buy pastries, deli items, etc. at The Peninsula Cake Shop. You can park at the basement for free, for a reasonable time. The lady behind the counter is gracious. Danish pastries cost P40 each. Of course, they have the legendary Pen chocolates, but be careful now.