Category Archives: General

2011 has been indeed hectic… I am off to travel a bit to discover new things and to “reboot” a little bit.

I will be back end of the month and that week too will mark my 7th year on blogging.

Happy New Year and I wish you all a fantastic year ahead. More writings and photos to share when I come back.

If I could give these heart cookies that I have baked, who would I give ethereal pieces to?

Well surely to my crew and few close people who have been instrumental to my career switch, from being a chief stewardess to a chef.

Did I say chef?

Chef.. did I actually say that?
Who would have thought a Political Science/ International Relations graduate would end up cooking?
Did I not have my ideals to change the world?

But I ended having a job that changed my life. A passion that led me to enjoy and love what I am doing right now.

As I looked at my resume spanning from my private teaching and short stint at a newspaper to being a junior crew, then a chief stewardess to a chef, I felt my life made a jump.

I always wanted to do baking or be a pastry chef. But coming from a family of doctors, engineers, lawyer and teachers, in our Filipino culture. in not so long ago, doing something with your hands , having practical skills was not acceptable.
I was expected to follow my father’s footsteps in law but I know it was not for me.

It was a chance that I was in Antigua in early 1998 where I saw all the gleaming boats that gave me my start in becoming a crew.

On most boats I have been , I always offered to help chefs clean the galley or do some prep work for them. I enjoy helping as I learn while I help. This led to ex captains entrusting me with the galley when the boats had no chefs.

It did not take long for me to start cooking for my ex bosses too. One particular ex boss asked my captain if I could go to their house to help cook for the Thanksgiving or other occasions.

It was in April 2010 when I was in Florida and our boat was heading for New York when came a call from another ex captain.
I had worked with him on two boats first as his junior stew then as his chief stewardess.

A chef?
Kidding me?
He replied: Would I offer you the job if I knew that you could not do it?

That was it. For two hectic seasons I cooked, provisioned the boat, fed the crew, cleaned the galley and had my chance to let my creativity go on unbounded infinity.

I am actually cooking professionally in the high seas from Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey and France… and discovered enthralling markets and immersed myself to different culture through my stomach.

As I write this, my cookbooks are already in a box shipped home and soon I will leave this job. A job that has given me a chance to switch career and has given me a brighter future.

While baking some Vanillekipferln cookies last week with Holly, I felt a sadness knowing I will be going home soon and leave this lovely boat I have called home for almost two years.

As for home… a quote from a 12th century monk, Hugo of St Victor, perfectly describes my life right now.

“The person who finds his homeland sweet is still a tender beginner,
The person to whom every soil is a native one is already strong;
But he is perfect to whom every soil is a foreign land.”

(Capri , Italy on our last leg of the trip)

This cookie is of Austrian origin but at “home” we baked this as part of our Christmas tradition, a part of me is blended with Swiss culture. Traditionally these are shaped into crescents but I left Holly play around with the cookie cutters. She shaped them into hearts, crowns, fish, lobsters and even a letter H.

I truly want to thank the crew for the wonderful time and being such a part of my life.

As a dear friend of mine, another chef, Victoria, who has been such a support , says : “To the future.”

My recipe of this cookie is at home so I searched online the closest I could find and it’s from from Simply Recipes

Almond Crescent Cookies Recipe
INGREDIENTS
1 cup of butter, room temperature
2/3 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of almond extract
2 1/2 cups of flour
1 cup of almond flour (can substitute ground almonds*)
1/4 cup of powdered sugar for sprinkling

*You can use slivered, blanched almonds and grind them up, but you will have a very crumbly, hard to work with dough. It’ll still taste good though.

METHOD
1 Cream the butter and the sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the extracts and mix.
2 Add the flour and almond flour. Mix thoroughly.
3 Take generous tablespoons of the dough (it will be slightly crumbly) and roll it into a small ball, about an inch in diameter, and then shape into a crescent shape. Place onto parchment paper and bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until a light golden brown.
4 Dust with powdered sugar.

It’s been a kind of a trip I would say unexpected. We left Rhodes with an instruction from the boss that we should just move up north to Thessalonica slowly and enjoy the cruise. In most cases we just played with the weather. It’s again the meltemi season here in East Aegean, for those who are not familiar to this word, it’s the wind blowing from the north and it can churn the waters.

Yes the name sounds so romantic, but for us cruising, the feeling I can best describe it would be like inside the washing machine at its peak cycle.
The old name of the Meltemia was the Etesian winds. Mythologically, they are under the control of Boreas, the god of the North Winds.

So we are sheltering at the south west part of Lesvos. We were given a chance to go ashore, as I needed provision and for the crew to explore the place.

Just as when we approached the little port, women sitting at their verandas waved at us. Quite a welcome. And what a feeling to get off the tender and no one harassed us where to sit down for coffee or to eat or to buy what so ever. The whole place was eerily calm. Then I just realised that the locals were still slowly waking up from their siestas. We are in Greece after all, where such a pleasure is a must.

I stopped at the taverna to ask where the fishmonger is; It was obvious from the harbour scene that it’s a fishing village. Few men stood up and explained that as soon the fishermen arrive fish are sold then later taken to the fishmonger to Polichinitos.

So where is town? 5 kilometres at the top of the hill, a good 30 minute walk.

And how far is the main town of Mytilini?
More or less 36klms away.

So if there are fishing boats what is the best time to catch them before they haul away the catch?

After 8am is the best.

OK where is the greengrocer?

None, but there is a mini market.

Yes I was speaking with the locals in Greek.

Well at the mini market, we managed to get some potatoes, bananas, pear, peaches, grapes, milk and locally grown tomatoes. Not so bad for such a tiny port village. Then I told the crew to find a place to sit down for some drinks while I wandered around. At one of the back streets (well there were only two parallel to the port) there local men were playing cards and the women were all seated fanning themselves and talking.

The younger generation are either in Athens or Thessalonica, not really so surprising as these places are so far flung. With the meltimia blowing they can sometimes get cut off.

We sat down at the taverna and ordered ouzo and the others had frappe. Oh the crew love the Greek frappe. You can’t be in Lesvos and not drink ouzo. Lesvos is known for this drink. I asked for a mild one so I settled for Mini which my crew mate Laura, agreed was great. Ouzo by the way is anise-flavoured aperitif similar to the taste of liquorice.

Laura ordered grilled octopus while I asked for grilled calamari, which we shared with the rest. It was just perfect to sit and enjoy watching the locals as we have been anchored for few days and the change of scenery is just what we needed.

I managed to have a talk with the owner of the tavern, Kiria Toula, her husband was with the men playing cards, and her sons did the service. I asked her if there are foreign tourists.

Mostly Athenians and the one who have left elsewhere and coming back for summer holidays. I saw two buildings with sign “domatia” meaning rooms.
I do not expect something grand in this kind of place but I would not mind staying here. There are olive groves, hills and the sea.

The atmosphere of the village life is so vibrant and the locals are so friendly.
It’s something I have seen in Greece when we first arrived long way back 1984 and I felt it here again at Skala Polichinitos.

I walked towards the fishing boats and talked with the fishermen while they were mending their nets. One lovely old man challenged me to guess his age. Their faces are wrinkled from the harsh winds but such a happy crowd.

Anyway he said come tomorrow around 8 and you can have your fish. Just before bidding him goodbye, he dug some green figs from his basket and handed them to me.

I was so touched with such kindness and felt I have re acquainted to the Greece I have always known. I sound like having a Greek heart than a Filipina I guess.

Just as we were leaving the old ladies reminded me that we must come back on Sunday, as the village will have a “panirgiri”, a festival. It’s the feast of their patron saint, Agio Yanni, (St John’s) . How much I wished I could but with this wind blowing we might move to the next bay and how right I was.

The next day I scrambled out of bed early and asked the mate to launch the tender. I could see one fishing boat after another entering the bay…

I asked Laura to come as she loves checking local produce too and like me she has this wandering soul I can relate to.

The port was crowded and one boat was just loading crates of fish mostly mackerel, anchovies, red mullet and a few shrimps.

We bagged few mackerel, 2 kilos of anchovies and 2 kilos of baby shrimps. And I smelled bread and pastries. Oh a mobile bakery, the bread here is has anise seed too and we bought two loaves and some spinach pie.

There was another van with watermelon and melons. Perfect! After having Greek coffee we went back to the boat and I immediately called Rene, our engineer.

Showed him the anchovies and asked him if he can do “kinilaw” ( the Filipino word for ceviche).

I had to help him fillet and de bone them if I we want to have it for lunch. Rene added chopped onions, chillies, ginger and white vinegar.. that was it.

So fresh…

Hazelnut Chewies

…yes we met online thru our love for food. She stumbled upon my website and after going through my archives, she realized that I am in the yacht industry. She was in Barcelona, I was in Ft Lauderdale.

We exchanged emails, almost two summers ago. Then in 2009, I was back in France, she was in Cannes and I was in Antibes.

So we met…. we clicked, same passion and as it turned out we even have a few friends in common.

She is a yacht chef. So her boat left France, back to Florida, I had no idea what I would do next.
But our paths met again in Ft Lauderdale.

Who would have thought her boat was next to mine… Thus the beginning of our food exchange not just recipes;
She gave our crew her Italian hazelnut cookies and I gave her rice sticky pudding.

When a job offer came for me to work as a chef, it was her, I sought advice from. She said I should be able to do it and has been my life support since then.

Victoria has authored two books, Sea Fare: A Chef’s Journey Across the Ocean. For a wanderlust like me and much more a yacht crew, this book is her story when she first started boating and her exotic life traveling and cooking around the world.

Few weeks back I received her second book titled, SEAsoned, A Chef’s Journey with her Captain… this book I can relate to very well; demanding guests, crazy and fun crew, last minute changes of menus and shopping at different markets especially here in the Mediterranean. The book comes with interesting recipes as well like pan-seared grouper with Thai curry sauce.

Every now and then she shares with me interesting recipes and one email came with a message, “what ever you are doing, drop it now and bake …”

And yes the cookies turned out to be so chewy and I love the way it crack up a bit… I had fun taking photos of the cookies since I was alone here at the boat and had no work that day… let’s bake:

3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
4 tablespoons butter
1 ¼ cups Nutella
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons espresso
¼ cup milk
2 cups hazelnuts
1 cup icing sugar

Toast, skin and chop the hazelnuts to fine.
In a standing mixer, beat the Nutella, butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, vanilla, espresso and milk. Add flour, baking powder and ¾ cups chopped hazelnuts.
Divide dough in half , wrap in plastic and refrigerate. For 2 hours.
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
Roll dough into 1” balls and roll in remaining chopped hazelnuts then icing sugar. Space on a lined cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes, rotating half way through.

Makes 5 dozen

Oh by the way, I emptied the nutella, was worried I about dealing with violent reactions from the crew… but Victoria right, it was all worth it.

Thank you for all the recipes and support Victoria!

The day we arrived in Lipari, one of the seven of the Aeolian islands in north west Sicily, the chef went shopping with out me. Oh sob, but I asked him he better come back with a pastry with some nutty fillings with a scent of cinnamon.
You could hear the chef’s sigh, “pastry again…”

He did come back with a pastry filled with some chocolates but there was I was trying to explain to him again how it did look like.

I really have no idea how it is called. In July 2006 when we did our first trip with this boat months after she was launched we were in Lipari.
It was a trip non of us will ever forget because Italy won the World Cup against France that day.
And because we had a nanny on that trip I had more free time to go out with the chef.

My memory of it was the scent of the cinnamon and the intricate design of the pastry.
I was in town with the chef to help him with the shopping, rather to escape work, when we passed the bakery that literally engulfed with aroma of cinnamon.
That I went in and asked the lady which one is that the smells so great.
My memory of it was the shape and the taste that feels so Christmassy.

So the chef went out the next day again this time round he found the pastry, the wrapper says<
NOCATOLE ….prodotti tipici eoliani
Searching more information this is what I found out.
The “Nacatole” are traditional sweets of ancient origin, of various forms, which are prepared in families and local bakeries during the Christmas period. They are also sold throughout the year. This typically is consumed fresh and combines beautifully with the classic dessert wines such as Malvasia.
The little cellophane bag he brought cost €7.50 , well am not too surprised since it must be artisanal and from the flavour I know it has not been made months ago but rather very fresh.

I did search further information about how this pastry made and on the Lipari Biz site there is this interview.
how the pasty is done, there is no need for translation the video speaks for itself.

It is made of :
farina 00 (flour), strutto (lard) ,uova (eggs),zucchero (sugar),canella (cinnamon),mandorle (almonds), mandarini (mandarin),vanilla and vino bianco (white wine).

Few days later we were in Panarea the chef surprised me with another bag, this time though the the pastry have more fanciful design like flowers etc and there were round , oval shapes but before I could take photos of them, the crew already ate them all.

Other than terrific pastry the island full of capers and the fishmonger sells fresh tuna and swordfish.
Photos around the Aeolian… click the links below.

Lipari
Eolian .. Stromboli, Panarea, Lipari,
Panarea

I first discovered this place in 1998 when I was based in Golfe Juan, thats just a train stop before Cannes, where all the glamour and glitter is.

Few boats down from ours was with Greek crew. One night they have asked me to join them for dinner at their boat and one of the crew arrived with bags full of kebabs. As they said the closest to home, thus the nearest to gyro or souvlaki we have in Greece.

And there were boxes of baklavas, I was in trance literally. Then I realised the boxes of baklavas we had on our boat came from the same shop.

Thus the beginning of my closest to home gyro in South of France.
Al Charq is situated just behind the posh Martinez Hotel in Cannes. I would meet up a Greek friend here for a quick bite and he would buy me some pieces of baklavas. Think the prices for the sweets are far to exorbitant, so having a piece or two is lovely treat.

Last Friday, we were anchored off in Cannes for the annual firework festival. In synchronised mind the crew whispered the same word. Kebabs.

Al charq?

In chorus … oui sil’ vous plait

AL CHARQ
20, rue Rouaze
06400 Cannes

Growing up in the Philippines, I could never understand my mother’s excitement when she was given aubergines and I would find her grilling them to burn the skin , then see her either beating eggs to make a torta or chopping tomatoes and onions for augbergine salad.

I never really had any affinity to these lovely vegetables until I found myself experimenting on food and cooking itself. Perhaps through blogging I have discovered so much about Filipino cooking.

What I love best on this torta (aubergine omelette) is the smokey taste of the grilled aubergine.
I don’t have charcoals to grill them over so I use the oven.

It’s really easy.
Simply prick the skin with a fork
Broil them until soft

Cool the aubergines. Then peel, I normally put the peeled aubergine on a paper to drain the excess liquid.

Beat one egg and coat the aubergine thinly.

Heat up oil on a non stick pan, once hot gently brown the aubergine and flip slowly try to keep the stem intact.

You can eat this cold as well but I prefer this hot which I paired with the salad.

Et voila, easy comfort food.

And so I am blogging here in France … We were in St Tropez the other day and we are given weekend off.

To everybody….

I have left Florida and now in London to spend time with my sister and her family… I have few days left to get our Christmas organized with my sister and by the time I will be responding to most messages I am probably back at the warmer weather of Florida.

I wish you all Merry Christmas and to quote Charles Dickens…

“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.”