My first food event that I attended for 2012 and I'm glad it's all about Filipino food. There was a lot of Lechon, Calamansi, Longganisa and Pork BBQ. There's definitely a lot of food and my $20 food coupons were all worth it. Actually I would've been satisfied with fewer coupons since there's a lot of food. UFC was giving out free tastes of Lechon, Filipino spaghetti, Paksiw and Lumpias. There was also a sampling of Pili nuts which I'm excited about. Based from the people behind it, it would be sold at Whole foods and Trader Joes this year!
Secret ingredient: Pili nut
What I like about this event is that it showcases the different Filipino culinary enthusiasts whether they are amateurs or professionals. There was a cook off between the newbies and the pros. It's a multi-course cooking competition that kinda reminded me of Iron Chef where the secret ingredient is Filipino Food. Winners were: Arlene Nunez for the amateurs and Albert Rivera for the Pros.
There was also tastings from different Filipino restaurants, food trucks, food vendors, etc. The only thing I didn't like is the limited space. It was really packed inside and it's hard to move around, get your food and eat. I'm glad though that there's such events like these that highlights the Filipino cuisine and let the Bay Area people taste and enjoy it.
Food vendors
Cutting up the calamansi bars (Filipino version of the lemon bars)
The 2nd Annual Kulinarya event was held at the Carnelian by the Bay which is conveniently located at the Ferry Building in San Francisco. There was a Pili nut presentation at the beginning of the event. Restaurants like Intramuros, Tastebuds, Dampa and Patio Filipino were there to sample their dishes. Food coupons were sold for $5 each or $20 for 5. I have to say, the most flavorful dish I had was Naked chorizo's longganisa tacos. It's "Bacolod" style longganisa without the casing topped with tomato salsa fresca, queso fresco, cilantro dressing and jalapenos. It was really good! Tastebud's lechon wraps were okay too but I wish they put something to cut through the fat because it was just minced lechon on a tortilla with a garlic hoisin sauce. I feel like it's missing something.
Here are the photos of some of the food from the event!
I fully support events like these and I wish that there would be more events that showcase the Filipino food around the bay area. I think filipino food has a lot to offer and it shouldn't be just about the lechon or fried pork bellies or the lumpias and adobo. It's a diverse fusion cuisine that needs more exploration. Looking forward to more exciting Filipino food this year.
Leche Flan is a popular Filipino dessert which you'll probably catch on every Filipino gathering together with the normal Lumpias and Pancit. I've made Leche Flan before using vanilla extract but this time I'm using almond extract just for a different flavor combination. This recipe is from the book "The Filipino-American Kitchen" which I got this year, thanks to the wifey! I guess she's saying that I'll cook more so she can eat and taste it! :) My future recipe posts will probably be inspired by this book. That's the direction I'm going to anyways. I wanna cook more Filipino food using local and seasonal ingredients as much as possible but still have that Filipino flavor that I'm used to.
Flan is a perfect party dessert since it's best made in advance. The flavor develops more once you refrigerate it for about a day. If you are making this for a party, it's best to make it the night before. I used a combination of a mini loaf bread pans and ramekins. It depends on how you want to serve it but if you want a personal flan then use a ramekin.
Makes 6 servings (4 oz. ramekins)
For the caramel:
Melt 1 cup of granulated sugar on a saucepan over medium heat. It takes about 10 minutes to melt. Make sure stir and break any sugar that builds up. Place on ramekins and make sure the bottom is evenly coated. Cool completely.
For the Flan:
1 12 oz. can of evaporated milk
1/2 cup of sweet condensed milk
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 teaspoon of almond extract (If you want a stronger almond flavor use 1 tsp.)
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Combine eggs, evaporated and condensed milk, half and half and almond extract on a large mixing bowl. Whisk until incorporated.
3. Strain mixture to individual ramekins with the cooled caramel.
4. Place ramekins inside a large baking dish and pour hot water inside until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
5. Loosely cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 1 hr.
6. Take out the baking dish and check if the surface is set and it jiggles slightly when you tap the ramekins. If not, bake for another 15 minutes. (Mine took about 1 hour and 15 minutes total).
7. Let it cool for 15 minutes then wrap it with foil and put in the fridge overnight.
8. To serve: run a knife around the ramekin to separate the flan from the mold. Place ramekins in individual plates and invert it to the plate. Tap a few times to make sure that bottom releases the flan. Pour any excess caramel into the flan and the plate.
It's my first time to cook this kind of bird. I heard good things about Geese and its glorious fat content. A lot of skin means a lot of FAT! :) For Christmas, I cooked my 10 pound goose based on Gordon Ramsay's recipe. His recipe is really simple. All you need is some Chinese five spice, some lemons and an orange. The citrus helps cut through the fat and the Chinese five spice creates this holiday aroma that will make your house smell like Christmas.
Here's the video:
Here's the recipe from Gordon Ramsay. I added some thyme to boost the flavor. Also, don't forget to take out those pinion feathers. Use tweezers to take them out.
Ingredients:
10lb goose
2 tbsp. chinese five spice
1 tbsp. salt
zest of two large lemons and 1 orange
1 tbsp. of chopped thyme and a few sprigs to stuff the bird
1. Zest the lemons and orange. Using the mortar and pestle, mix in the zest, Chinese five spice, salt and thyme.
2. Check the inside of the bird and remove any giblets or pads of fat. Using the tip of a sharp knife, lightly score the breast and leg skin in a criss-cross pattern. This helps the fat to render down more quickly during roasting.
3. Rub the spice mixture all over the bird. Cut the the lemons and oranges in half and put them inside the cavity. Add a few sprigs of thyme inside. Let it marinate overnight.
Preheat oven to 475 degrees F
4. Put the bird in a shallow roasting pan. Roast for 15 minutes to brown the skin.
5. Lower the temperature to 350 degrees F.
6. Roast for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. (Estimated time for roasting is 10 minutes per pound). Since this bird is about 10 pounds, Total roasting time after browning is 1 hour and 45 minutes. Check the internal temperature of the goose and it should register at 140 degrees at this point.
7. Drizzle about 1 cup of honey all over the bird. Roast for another 30 minutes. Internal temperature of the bird should read about 160-165 degrees.
8. Take the goose out of the oven and let it rest for 30 minutes covered in foil before carving.
9. Strain all the goose fat collected and store it on an airtight container. You can use it to cook your potatoes, veggies, etc.
Now I can say that I've cooked and eaten my first goose this Christmas. I'm happy with the way it turned out. It's like duck but better and more fatty. The skin is the best part. I'm looking forward to the next goose roast!
I'm back!! Due to technical difficulties aka my computer sucks, I haven't been blogging, posting pics, etc. but it didn't stop me from eating and exploring SF. I went to some memorable food events for the past month and I'll make sure to get back to business for the following days! :)
Setting up
This event actually happened last October 9 but I have to admit I can still taste all the amazing food I ate. FallFest is a food event brought to you by San Francisco Magazine to benefit Meals on Wheels. It's a grand tasting event that features SF's tastiest restaurants, talented mixologists and serious winemakers. There were chef demos, a cocktail competition (think like Top chef's quick fire challenge), live music and silent auctions. It's definitely one of the best food events I've been to this year not only because of the food but also because of the whole event's execution. No long lines waiting for food which means a stress free food tasting unlike some events were some restaurants actually run out of food to serve. There were also a lot of activities, including a chef demo from Martin Yan of M.Y. China opening at the Westfield mall early spring of 2012.
cooking demo tent
with Chef Martin Yan
For this event, I worked with meals on wheels. I was helping out with the cocktail competition which means access to booze. It was definitely the best seat in the house. Don Julio sponsored the competition and with that I get to taste the 1942 tequila which was really smooth. That was probably the best tequila I've tasted.
cocktail competition tent
Don Julio
bartender kit
ladies of Don Julio
back view of the action
Alicia Walton and Allison Webber
the bartenders celebrating!
Here are the pics to recap the amazing food at the event:
From Sens restaurant
Fig, house cured duck, blue cheese and smoked honey from Tiburon Grill
Compressed watermelon and tofu from Nombe Izakaya
Beet chips from Spruce
Serrano ham with tuna conserva from A16
Fig tart from Plant cafe
Apple butter cinnamon cream from Masa's
Pork and shrimp wontons from Slanted Door
Pork rillette and delicata squash panna cotta from Trace
Perbacco's dish
Lafitte's dish
From Murray circle
Frozen popcorn Blini from Eve
From Lakehouse at Calistoga Ranch
Sardines from Coco500
Muffaletta from The Boxing Room
Armenian cucumber gazpacho from Fifth floor
lamb sausage with beans from salt house
From the international culinary center - brioche with truffle cream
bay scallop and charred corn salad from The Moss room
Tuna cones from the Italian Colors Ristorante
spiced cured pork belly with stonefruit from Pizza Antica - I LOVE this.. I think I ate 5 of these.
From Tacolicious
Pumpkin marshmallows from the Ritz Carlton
Pumpkin tart - Ritz Carlton
Apple confit - Ritz Carlton
From E&O trading
Roasted apples, burnt caramel ice cream from the Wente Vineyards
Duck Rillettes from Cafe Des Amis
Going to these events really inspire me. I don't just go, take pics and show off what I eat. I go because I want to eat good food, well not just good but outrageously great food. I want to taste something different. I'm looking for that bite that I will remember for years. I'm looking for fresh ideas, perfect combinations and creative dishes. I believe this event did that.
