Food and the Law of Signatures

Have you guys heard of the Law of Signatures? It's somethign which I think most of us have received through email. The law states that the shape of the fruits and vegetables can somehow guide us into determining what we should be eating? How so? Read on to find out:

• Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.
• Egg Plant, Avocadoes and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats 1 avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight and prevents cervicle cancers. And how profound is this? .... it takes exactly 9 months to grow an Avocado from blossom to ripened fruit.
• A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebelums. Even the wrinkles or folds are on the nut just like the neo-cortex. We now know that walnuts help develop over 3 dozen neuro-transmitters for brain function.
• Some observers have said that the figs look like the male genitals when two of them are hung together (apologies, don't mean to be crude!). Figs are full of seeds and the nutrients in them are said to increase the number of sperms to overcome male sterility. In many cultures throughout the world, figs are associated with fertility. They seem to act like nature's Cialis however unlike Cialis figs don't protect against Prostate Cancer
• A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye...and YES science now shows that carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.

I have received several variations of emails like these and while they sound so promising and wonderful but I have heard arguments against them as well. For example, it is apparently a misconception that carrots are good for the eyesight. One website claims that this was news spread by the British army to cover up a certain technology they had at that time that allows them to track things, so they just told people that they fed their army carrots that's why their eyesight are all excellent.

Figs on the other hand, don't appear on the list of things good for one's sexual organs. Soy, tofu, soymilk still top the list of food that promote prostate and sexual health in men. It has been said that these kinds of food lessen the need for cialis and viagra...figs have never been cited in medical journals.

I am now confused as to the veracity of the Law of Signatures. Do you guys think this is true?

Chicharon - Heaven in a Cholesterol Laden Bite

With every bite I feel my heart beat faster. I am not sure if it's the excitement or it's the cholesterol taking it's toll on my poor heart -- it's probably a combination of the two. Cardiac delights is the term my father-in-law coined for these babies. Wonderfully delicious morsels which could bring you to heaven figuratively...and literally.

Everything about chicharon (or pork cracklings) screams STAY AWAY FROM ME. It's made out of skin and fat, deep fried, and peppered with salt and MSG. It's just wrong in every possible way yet those things which make it wrong are the same things which make them oh so good.

These babies are Ruy's pasalubong from Bulacan. I am a fan of chicharon from Bulacan because they're like tiny lechon kawali. They have enough meat in them to make them hearty.

We usually dip these in vinegar. We either use ordinary vinegar with pepper and finely chopped garlic or we use Sukang Waykurat. We then eat them with rice and a side of chopped tomatoes, onions mixed with bagoong.

Oishi Ridges - Wasabi Flavored

In my previous post I talked about our penchant for watching tv shows. Yes, Ruy and I have been spending a whole lot of time cooped up in our room watching reality tv, tv series, and movies. With this hobby of course comes incessant eating. Yes somehow Ruy and I can't stop ourselves from munching our hearts away as we watch our favorite shows.

We didn't want to be such unhealthy pigs you know? Over a year ago we vowed that we would stop eating chips altogether and try to be healthier. Yet, all these wonderful plans disappeared when we saw this...



We were so curious. We loved wasabi peas but they were quite pricey. These Oishi Ridges - Wasabi flavored chips come cheap at around 23 pesos for one big bag. Normal people can actually share this bag and be satisfied...meanwhile I find myself giving Ruy the evil eye whenever he tries to touch my bag.

The chips themselves look very nondescript and very ordinary...almost boring. I remember the first time we opened a bag. I was confused when I saw the chips. Where was the wasabi? Was there a mistake? How could this plain chip be wasabi flavored?

One bite and I was convinced. The chips give off the unmistakable flavor of wasabi in a way that wasn't overpowering. The combination of the flavors is sublime the saltiness of the chips goes perfectly with the slightly sweet and quite potent wasabi flavor.

Things You Don't Know About Us

1. Liv didn't like Chinese food until Ruy forced her to eat some.
2. Ruy's frustration is that Liv won't eat in carenderias and turo-turo
3. Liv's frustration is that Ruy can't seem to cook for two. His dishes always last them 5 days.
4. Ruy generally doesn't like sour things. Liv loves them. Andrea shares Ruy's dislike for sour things.
5. Liv is Ruy's biggest critic when it comes to his cooking. Liv is her own biggest critic. She is never ever satisfied with anything she has ever cooked or bake.
6. They both love In-Yo (now called Ninyo) and think it's so much more sulit than any of the hotel buffets.
7. Liv sincerely believes that she has 2 stomaches, one for main dishes and one for desserts.
8. Ruy's into ice cream and Liv's into cakes. They both like frozen yoghurts
9. Ruy can't stand natural yoghurt.
10. Andrea is beginning to be as takaw as Ruy and myself. She likes pesto, pizza with camembert and blue cheese, etc.

What's Been Keeping Us Busy

So, needless to say, Ruy and I have been terrible bloggers. Ruy does not even consider himself a blogger anymore as we've been in absentia for far too long. So for some of the people who still check out the blog I guess we owe you some sort of an explanation for our absence.

What's been keeping us busy? Andrea, cooking, watching cooking shows and eating. Yup. That pretty much sums up our life these past few months.

Ruy has basically been cooking up a storm as he's been inspired by all the cooking shows we've been watching. He's currently obsessed with Iron Chef Japan but we've also seen Top Chef, Hell's Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, and Iron Chef America. Ruy is going gaga over these shoes. Every night before we sleep he'll have to watch at least one episode. Obsessed much?

I can just imagine how excited he'll be when he found out that I came across a site about Vacation Homes which has an awesome contest related to Hell's Kitchen! The contest is called the Chef Bonnie Weekend Getaway. What will I win in this contest? First I get a free airfare from wherever I am to the vacation home I rented. Second, the rental fee will be waived. Next, and the best part I believe, I get a gourmet meal cooked for me by Chef Bonnie.

I really shouldn't be talking about this here cause the more people who know about this the more competition I have...but this is just too good to keep for myself.

How We Choose Restos

Ruy and I have been going out for almost a decade and choosing a place to eat is still as difficult as ever. Whenever we go out there are different things we consider, these are:

1. Craving - I'm usually the one with the cravings and so Ruy has to choose between letting me have what I'm craving for or hearing me whine for two weeks (true story!). My cravings are so insane that I once made Ruy eat in Jatujak 3 days in a row. (Side story: my cravings disappeared when I got pregnant, weird huh?!)
2. Price Point - are we in a kuripot mode or not? The interesting thing here is that when we eat in inexpensive places we usually end up spending just as much as we would in pricier joints. I think we get carried away with the ordering when we see the cheap price.
3. Family Place or Not - We don't bring Andrea to bars or drinking places like Gerry's or Dencio's, etc. If we're taking Andrea we need a place with space for her to walk around and run around. If we're not taking her then this is not part of the options at all.
4. Atmosphere - lighting is essential together with the restaurant furniture. When I'm stressed I look for restaurants with nice booths where I can snuggle up with Ruy or Andrea. Other times, nice restaurant chairs would suffice. (Incidentally I saw a site called Fashion Seating with really great furniture for your restaurants. The price is just unbelievable and their selection is HUGE. Why am I looking at this? Well let's just say that it's a dream of Ruy to open up his own resto in the future and it looks like the only thing we can afford at this point are the bar stools, chairs and tables for http//www.fashionseating.com)
5. Location - we have no problem going to Tagaytay, Pampangga, or Subic just to eat but you'll have a difficult time inviting us to Makati. Ruy and I have an irrational fear of Makati...don't ask my why. =)

This is how we choose...how do you guys choose?

Love is in the Air

And when there's love...there should be food. =)

Early Christmas Greeting

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

What Sandwich Am I?

You Are a Grilled Cheese Sandwich

You are a traditional person with very simple tastes. In your opinion, the best things in life are free, easy, and fun. You totally go with the flow. And you enjoy every minute of it! Your best friend: The Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Your mortal enemy: The Ham Sandwich

What Kind of Sandwich Are You?

Oh no, it can't be! I need my meat!

Mario's Part 1

Ah, finally! This post has taken a while I know, but nevertheless, I will not be delayed any further. A great experience is always worth sharing and relishing and this experience definitely falls under that category.

Our first blogger event ever and it couldn't have been any better. Thank you Spanx for the invitation.



Liv and I, I must confess are one of the few non-experts at Mario’s that evening. Having eaten in Mario’s only occasionally growing up and once as a couple, I guess we had quite a blurry grasp of what our favorites were except for the oysters which we had for our appetizer. With our wisdom falling short, we thought it best to make sure we experienced what Mario’s was all about through Fil Benitez’s sagely judgement.

Salpicado:




This dish left me in awe…. It was magnificent not in that it was so complex but because it seemed so simple … Liv and I could have argued over who ate what but being the meat eater between the two of us, this dish was MINE.

Served modestly on a bed of white rice with a drizzling of light sauce and topped with the requisite garlic flakes, my Mario’s salpicado experience began the moment I slipped my knife effortlessly to part the earth toned beef’s flesh with seductive ease. Taking a few seconds revered with a deep breath, I proceeded to bare the beautiful pink, tasty, perfectly cooked beef underneath. Expertly pan-seared, Mario’s Salpicado is an homage to the beauty of 1st class Philippine beef as it relies primarily on the natural flavor of fresh, top notch beef rather than the flavor of any sauce. The zen of salpicados, this Mario’s favorite left me satisfied and reminded me that keeping it simple is really the best way to go.

Seabass



Served with rolls of maki. This dish started out as a bit on the bland side, it was lightly seasoned with a drizzling of sweetish sauce that adds a shade of sweetness. I initially thought that there must have been an oversight in its seasoning or perhaps too little sauce (the kitchen was incessantly churning out freshly cooked food for quite a number of hungry bloggers after all) as the dish for some reason didn’t seem to come together for me at first. It was only until I had it with the maki that I realized that I was quite mistaken. A piece of fish, some sauce and a bite of maki revealed the reason behind the combination. The lightly seasoned Chilean seabass and the sweetish sauce was complimented by the soft rice, delectable mango and the bursting flavor of the nori. I find it quite a marvel how the intriguing maki played a vital role in integrating the different elements of the dish. What seemed like an odd mishmash coalesced and everything seemed to fall into place.

Overall, the fish was fresh as expected and like the salpicado, the Chilean seabass’ natural flavor served as the focal point of the entire dish.

(Thanks to my very generous wife for allowing me free reign at her food);p