Sorry for the Mess

I've been trying to update my blog template since I had the last one for over a year. I used to know how to use html, but I haven't done it in a while, so I'm a bit rusty. If it looks like garbage on here for the next couple of days, I apologize, I'll try to get it perfect ASAP! Thanks!

xoxo,
Jo

ACF Adobo Throwdown - Handa Ka Na Bang Makipag Throwdown?!

Event: Asian Culinary Forum’s Symposium - Filipino Flavors - Adobo Throwdown
Venue: The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California-San Francisco
Date: May 15, 2010
Dining Partner: Bub, Filipeanut, YummySF, and About 200 Other Hungry Adobo Lovers

Throwdown? Oh yeah, baby. I love a little competition every now and then, and it’s even better that the theme for this one would be adobo. As many of you know, I am Filipina and I love food from my country. The Philippines has influences from around the globe: Spanish from the hundreds of years of colonization, Chinese from centuries of bartering and trading, and even American from the times of occupation during WWII.


My favorite Filipino dish of all is adobo. There is something about adobo that makes me feel at home. Whenever my Inang prepared it, the smell of the aromatic garlic, vinegar, and ginger would permeate the house. I couldn’t wait to sit at the table and watch her scoop a nice portion of steaming rice in a bowl and pouring the brown “sabaw” and chicken over it. I loved when she used chicken wings because the collagen from the chicken joints would melt into the sauce and create a pleasant and sticky “lip-smacking” mouthfeel. What I would do for another bowl of it right now!


When I saw that there were still tickets for the Adobo Throwdown, I signed Bub and I up right away. I couldn’t wait to taste the different kinds. Ask ten different families and I gaurantee you that you will get ten different recipes; however, the concept is the same: cooking the meat, chicken, vegetable, whatever, in a base of soy sauce and vinegar, and the ratios are different as well as the complementary ingredients. Some add ginger, some add onions, some add bay leaf. Most of us grew up with the main ingredient simmered, boiled, or braised in a soy-vinegar “sabaw,” but there are different variations and cooking techniques these days. Even traditional recipes are getting modern twists now.


The International Culinary School near the Civic Center was a perfect place for the contestants to prepare their dishes and wow the crowd with their creations. Each team had their own stove and prep table. So what are we waiting for? Your competitors, ladies and gentlemen:


Team #1 - Fred Briones
Not Your Mom’s Adobo
This is a modern take on our beloved adobo. The wings were cooked twice and covered in a nice adobo glaze. I gave major kudos for their use of the corn bread mini muffin instead of everyday white rice. These were very reminiscent of the adobo wings I had at Poleng a while back. Very tasty. Nice touch to use the banana leaf as well. Their presentation was my favorite - modern, sleek, yet inviting.

Check out Mr. Briones’ food blog: www.ilovesisig.blogspot.com which just launched this month and I can’t wait to see what he posts about his love for Filipino food.


Team #2 - Aimee Chrisostomo & Her Dad
Kuya Boy’s Tsismis Adobo
I adored the flavors of this one. I was told that there was a bit of bagoong aka shrimp paste in the sauce. I could taste it right away. I love bagoong and it goes so well with pork. “Tsimis” means gossip in Tagalog, and yes, it was “on everyone’s lips.” Very good, I could have eaten five more portions of this one. Isn’t it heartwarming when daughters cook with their fathers? Loved it.

Follow Aimee and her dad on Twitter: @WanderingKusina. They have a food cart which serves adobo to the masses.


Team #3 - Clemente P. Escopete
Uncle Clem’s Adobo Bicolano
The folks from this well-decorated station were the sweetest! The recipe is tried and true: Uncle Clem’s indicated in his contestant bio that he has been making this adobo since 1973! It must be THAT good if it has stuck around for almost 40 years! They used fried minced garlic in their presentation which brought the flavors to a whole other level. The adobo itself was very flavorful and it’s no wonder why he’s been making it for so many years.


Vote #4 - Lizelle Festejo
Tuna Squidobo
Lizelle’s story behind her entry plucked at my heart strings because she told me that it was her grandmother who passed the recipe to Lizelle’s mother who passed the recipe to Lizelle. One bite and I was transported to my childhood. Inang used to make this for dinner a lot and it just conjured up so many memories. Loved the staging with the egg and greens on top.


Team #5 - Steffany Farros
Howard Family’s Awesome Adobo
I feel rather ashamed that I don’t have a picture of their adobo…since I came back like three times for more! I have to say that Team 5’s adobo tasted most like the ones my mom and Inang would make. Perfect balance of soy and vinegar. Anders (Steffany’s partner) is a quarter Filipino and they got the recipe from his grandmother. Yup, the best recipes come from family. Classic, clean, and simply delicious.

Please check out Steffany’s food blog: www.DinnerLove.com for her own recap and photos from this event. There is a gorgeous pic of the adobo there!


Team #6 - Jennifer Kirk and Friends Kelly and Lucy
Captain Kirk‘s Adobo
Jennifer Kirk (center) is an honorary Filipino. She was “adopted” into a Filipino family who taught her Filipino cooking. Let me tell you that this adobo was awesome. The meat was tender and packed with flavor - the ingredients used are special brands directly from the Philippines! The girls are going to Boracay this year -- call me super jealous! Have a wonderful time, ladies!


Team #7 - John Malana
J’s Tomadobo Chix and Ribs Recipe
Team 7’s approach was traditional: tender, off the bone meat in a delightful “sabaw” poured over rice. The flavors were magnificent, but what completely blew me away was the use of tomatoes and mango. Genius for bringing this to the competition. There is an acidity in adobo and the freshness of the tomatoes and sweetness of the mango complemented it so well! Love.


Team #8 - Pauline Rivera
“Jalapino” Pork Adobo
Bub fell head over heels for this zesty variation of pork adobo. Head. Over. Heels. He was too shy go back for fourths and fifths that he sent me to get more for him. I don’t blame him. I am the type who steals the jalapeno pepper from the pot of sinigang and eats it with my rice. There was so stealing here. The flavor of the jalapenos ran throughout the adobo - spicy and a bit tart from the pickling liquid. I love fiery food, so this was one of my favorites, most definitely.


Magnolia Ice Cream
Ube - Purple and Pandan - Green
After Team 8’s tasting, I was ready for some ice cream. Magnolia ice cream is a very well-known Filipino ice cream brand all over the world and they hit the spot. Fluorescent-colored ice creams are delicious, I promise!


VuQo Premium Coconut Vodka
I can drink vodka like water, but this one is worth savoring. “Lambanog” or coconut vodka is a drink that predates Spanish rule as tribal leaders would share this with their men. Today, people of all ages drink it at fiestas, the clubs…adobo throwdowns! For the non-alky drinkers, mango juice was available.


Pasa!
with Albert of Filipeanut and Rich Cabael President of VuQo
I only had one shot, and I could easily get in trouble with this vodka! It’s smooth with a nice hint of coconut at the very end. Delicious!


with Fanny of YummySF.com and her nephew
Kinda buzzed there, Jo?! I love running into my SF foodie friends! Saw Fanny during tasting and ran into Albert in the lobby. =) Hope you guys had a good time! Are you ready for the winners? There were two votes: one from the Judges Panel and the other from the people. Let’s check out the results!






I want to send a big congratulations to the winners and participants of this throwdown. Everyone brought something incredible. Some more traditional, some more avant-garde, but all-around fantastic! Thank you all for sharing your stories and sharing your culinary talents. That is the wonderful thing about food: it summons memories and brings people together. Food is synonymous with family in my book, and for one night all 200 of us were part of a family - sharing stories, creating new memories for us to look back on, and enjoying each other’s company and dishes. I hope something like this can happen again in the near future! Such a wonderful event!

What Is the Most Bagoong You've Ever Eaten?

I have my preference on how much I put on my plate, and I am sure that you have your own bagoong tolerance. How about THIS guy? Is he crazy or is he someone we should admire?

Bagoong Alamang - aka shrimp paste - is very pungent is smell, salty in taste, and pink in color. Great with kare kare and unripened mangoes.

BUT would you ever eat it BY ITSELF?

Setting: Jenn and Sherri's Graduation Dinner at Ongpin, SSF
When: Thursday eveving, May 27, 2010
Contender: Aaron
Challenge: Chew bagoong for at least 10 seconds before swallowing
Prize: $5


P.S. measurement FAIL - it was closer to a TABLESPOON than the teaspoon indicated in the video.

P.P.S. Does anyone out there know the CONSEQUENCES of eating large amounts of bagoong at one time? We don't know that...yet.

My Conversation with God...Kinda

Event: New York Times TimesTalks: The Way We Eat Now
Venue: Kabuki Theater in Japantown, SF
Date: May 18, 2010
Partners: @istelleinad, @LickMySpoon, @StreaminGourmet, and about 200 other food-loving folk

At the book signing:

Jo: *waiting in line to get her copy of The French Laundry cookbook signed*

-finally it's Jo's turn-

Jo: [thinking] omg, omg, omg, omg...*walks to the table where Chef Thomas Keller** awaits*
TK: *takes book and proceeds to sign* Hi, how are you?
Jo: I'm good! Hey, I have a question. So, there is this tripod of chefs here in the Bay - Loretta Keller, Hubert Keller, and Thomas Keller, but when I say 'Thomas Keller' people go oohhhhh, that's GOD right there...
TK: *chuckles*
Jo: No really, how do you feel about that?
TK: Well, really, I don't think about it.
Jo: Are you flattered at least? haha!
TK: There are higher expectations...but I really don't think about it. (He said more, but I was so thrilled and enchanted that he was looking straight at me that I got lost in his eyes and just nodded to whatever he said. I most likely understood what he was telling me as he was speaking to me, but I can't find the words right now. *blush*)
Jo: It was so nice to meet you.
TK: *winks* Great to meet you also. *shakes my hand*
@StreaminGourmet: *with camera in hand* Did you want me to take a picture of you?
Jo: No! Of all of us! *beckoning her, @Lickmyspoon, and @istelleinad*
TK: *still holding my hand, he leads me around the table*
Jo: Oh, ok, ok, ok, ok... [thinking] omg, omg, omg, omg

AND BLAM!

Such an educating and fun evening. Glad I had my Foodinista Ladies with me. I will post more about the actual panel discussion in the next couple of days. =)

You can say we were touched by more than an angel.

=D

**Thomas Keller is chef and owner of The French Laundry, Bouchon, Per Se, and Ad Hoc

SF Food Wars - Amuse My Bouche!

Event: SF Food Wars - Amuse Brunch
Venue: Thirsty Bear Brewing Company
Date: May 16, 2010
Partners: Bub, 20 teams, and 200 hungry eaters


SF Food Wars has become one of the most exciting and most sought-out events here in San Francisco. 20 teams - professional and amateur - compete in a delicious, thrilling, and just plain fun contest. The events get better each time and this one in particular sold out in 3 minutes. Beat that, Taylor Swift! Bub and I were lucky enough to be in attendance and we knew by the end of it, we were going to be full! Thirsty Brew Brewery was the perfect venue as it had plenty of room and a great bar.


The Prizes

Team #1 - Purveyors of Awesome - Amanda and Perry
Tea & Toast - Tea-infused bread pudding bites
with honey-orange marmalade or strawberry jam
These little bread pudding bites had that lovely tender mouthfeel that I adore. Bub was partial to the marmalade, but I loved the strawberry. I came back for these at least three times, and to our delight, the husband and wife team welcomed our returns.


Team #2 - Chicas con Huevos - Krista and Shea
El Ranchero - Think Huevos Rancheros tamales.
The masa on this mini tamal is filled with a spicy
chile sauce, gooey egg, and queso fresco, topped
with a dollop of avocado-cilantro/jalapeno crema
These mini tamales were just adorable and delicious with the flavorful accoutrements. Reminded me of the incredible Mexican-influenced breakfasts in Arizona and New Mexico. Imagine the time to make them individually for 200 people! The ladies are from the Mission. Watch out, now! They got skill!


Team #3 - Hawaii Five-Oh So Good - Karen and Jane
A Bit(e) of Paradise / Quintessential Hawaiian breakfast of champions consisting of a tasty tower of crispy rice, fried Spam topped with cheese, kimchee, finished with an egg

Shaba! Anything with SPAM is a good thing for me. The little quail eggs, that the sisters cooked up, were such a cute topping! I was glad that these made an appearance because I grew up eating SPAM, Vienna sausages, and corned beef for brunch. Reminded me of my childhood.


Team #4 - Wild Yeast - Susan and Leslie
Amuse Brioche / Bacon brioche bites
with maple-pecan-pear filling
These treats traveled from down South in Sunnyvale. The tasty and tender brioche was topped with a warm, silky pear filling, and the bits of pecan added a nice crunch and texture. It wasn’t too sweet and with the bacon, there was a nice saltiness as well. Great balance.


Team #5 - Slumdosa Millionaires - Chris and Apurva
Dosa Rox My Lox / Traditional Indian breakfast crepe
(mini-dosa) filled with smoked salmon and hash browns topped with a maple-tomato chutney
This got my vote for best fusion. East meets west all in one bite. The dosa held everything together, but it was the maple-tomato chutney that made me go wow. The smoked salmon and hash browns were rich, and the chutney was sort of a palette cleanser.


Team #6 - Good Foods Catering a.k.a. Fat Belly
Jasmine and Dontaye
The Bite of Smokey Porky Love / A griddled micro
wheat bun with a smokey tomato jam, sliced cherry
tomato, pork crackling aioli, good foods house made
bacon, and micro intensity greens
I have tried Good Foods Catering before and they know how to treat a pig. This is the epitome of “brunch in a bite.” You get that whole BLT experience with just popping one in your mouth. Full of flavor and porky - just how I like it. Don’t you love it when brothers and sisters work together to make something great? That’s love.


Team #7 - Pearl’s Kitchen - Jon
Corned Beef Hash Knishes / Bite-sized knish filled
with a hash of farmer’s market potatos and onions,
with Anchor Steam Porter-braised corned beef and our
house-cured bacon, served with mustard slurry
I never had Jewish food before, so I was excited to try these. I love corned beef and I love potatoes. Putting them together for brunch is only ideal. The knish itself was great, but dipping it in the robust mustard made it even better.


Team #8 - Gastronaut - Mirit and Nate
Hare of the Benny / Brown butter hollandaise shot, sous
vide quail egg, preserved lemon, english muffin rim, rabbit
bacon with “mimosa”: champagne gelee, orange caviar
This was one of the more interesting entries in the competition - the brown butter hollandaise was a little sweet and quite rich. The “mimosa” was strong - I could have gotten drunk if I ate any more of those. The rabbit bacon was my favorite part. People call this molecular gastronomy. Chef Thomas Keller calls it “nouveau cuisine.” Whatever you call it, it’s fun and intriguing!


Team #9 - Porkuporkia - Alice and Nicole
Pork in the Hole / Slow braised pork belly
tucked in a maple glazed donut hole
This was the one that I wanted to try the moment I read its description on the website. These did not disappoint. Think of a pulled pork sandwich, but instead of using little buns, donut holes were used. Genius? Uh, yeah. I stole an extra. Baboy status.


Team #10 - Captain Cook - Kevin and Paul
Eggs Kona / Soft boiled egg, topped with seared
Tombo poke with a very light wasabi mayo, and crispy
prosciutto, sprinkled with Alea red sea salt
I was incredibly surprised with this one. Tuna on a “6-minute” egg? My eyes rolled to the back of my head. Perfect texture from the smooth egg yolk, saltiness from the prosciutto, and umami from the poke. Loved it.


Team #11 - Me malicious - Meredith
Salmon Dill-ites / Crispy hashbrown rounds topped
with smoked salmon and dill creme fraiche
These little babies had what an idyllic brunch should have. Protein - smoked salmon. Starch - potatoes. Dairy - crème fraiche. In the end that’s all you really need. These were so simple, but it packed a flavor that screamed “brunch” when you ate it.


Team #12 - Objects of Desire - Jessica
Mary’s Gazpacho Rx / A blended dose of chunky
gazpacho soup and a spicy bloody mary cocktail,
garnished with an olive and a pickled shrimp
I shall be honest and say I am not a bloody Mary drinker - I like my bubbles - but as a gazpacho, this was perfect. The little dice of fresh vegetable bathing in the zesty tomato base was delightful.


Team #13 - Les Chef Jolis - Natalie and Diego
Quiche Printemps / Meyer lemon ricotta and asparagus
mini-quiches with hazelnut and microgreen topping
I love quiche of any flavor and while everyone was hooked on bacon bacon bacon, these were vegetable vegetable vegetable. The little crusts were filled with an egg base that had that bright Meyer lemon essence. After a couple chews, I got that verdant asparagus flavor. Very good. Catch more creations from this lady @bikebasketpies on Twitter.


Team #14 - Bakers By Nite - Stephanie and Megan
Benedict’s Red Coat Mini Muffins / A mini-twist on
Eggs Benedict on sourdough chive English muffins
(from a San Francisco sourdough starter) topped with
bacon and a slice of heirloom tomato, hollandaise
drizzle, caper and sour cream garnish
This is what I would call “decadence in a bite.” Brown sugar candied bacon. Rich hollandaise. All on a petite English muffin. Bub got thirds…and probably a forth as well. They were beautiful on the plate, but even better in my mouth.


Team #15 - The Farmers Daughters - Audrey and Rani
Artichoke Pate / Coastside artichokes cooked with love and
lots of labor to create a vegetarian pate to die for. Served
on a cooked artichoke leaf with a spot of mayonnaise
Here is another entry that didn’t rely on too rich ingredients. The perfectly cooked artichoke leaves were topped with a “pate” made with parmesan cheese, artichoke meat, and bread crumbs. They were refreshing! Light and tasty was what I needed. Forget brunch - you can enjoy these at any meal.


Team #16 - Team Time Cube - Jess and Colin
One Shot Waffle / Pure essence of waffles distilled into a liquid, topped off with a maple syrup foam and strawberry
How can you not love this? From the outfits, to the table set-up, to the technique of making one of the waffle shots. This was the most fun to eat/drink, by far. Being inspired by a recent trip to Chicago’s Alinea, the husband and wife team concocted a playful, memorable edible.


Team #17 - Valhalla - Ashleigh and Aaron
Southern Torque / Creamy sawmill gravy with fresh
peas, glazed smoked ham bits, hard boiled eggs and
herbs over a wee buttermilk biscuit
This was another lush bite - think biscuits and gravy AND MORE. It was nice and warm, so having a shot of cold-brewed coffee to chase it with was delicious. They got points for having that little drink. It was like having a full meal.


Team #18 - INNA pickle INNA jam - Dafna and Raheli
Brunch INNA Jam / miniature fresh-baked buttermilk
biscuit topped with cream cheese, plenty spicy jalapeno
jam, and tortilla española
Yes! Finally some spice! Like REAL spice from jalapeno peppers! It was love at first bite. I loved the combination of the cream cheese and the jalapeno jam. The “tortilla” which is like a frittata, but cooked in a cast iron skillet was perfect as well. Mos def, one of my top 3. Great job, sisters!


Team #19 - MaliNumNum Treats - Tara
Farmtastic Quiche / Artichoke and leek mini-quiche,
topped with pork-bellied, caramelized onion & pear,
baked in a goat cheese & (more) swine crust
You get a double dose of porky goodness in this quiche. I absolutely adored the medley of the sweet caramelized onion and pear with the savory pork belly. One of the better quiches I have had in a while.


Team #20 - Delicious Devils - Carey
Dangerously Delicious Blue Deviled Eggs /
Halved egg whites filled with creamy tart blue
cheese mashed yolks, home made buffalo wing
sauce, a touch of cool ranch and a secret blend
of spices, wrapped with salty prosciutto and
dusted with smoked paprika
Devilish, indeed! Everything about these deviled eggs was robust - from the blue cheese to the buffalo wing seasonings. Carey said she loves buffalo wings and wanted to make them into a brunch item. She succeeded well.


Such a great turn-out!
Sold out in 3 minutes!

Great job to the guys behind the bar!

And the winners are…

The host with the most
Jeannie Choe!

The SF Food Wars Team!

Judges’ 3rd Place AND Photog’s Choice:
Team #16 : Team TimeCube : “One Shot Waffle”

Judges’ 2nd Place:
Team #11 : Memmalicious : “Salmon Dill-ites”

People’s Choice Honorable Mention
AND
Judges’ 1st Place:
Team #6 : Good Foods Caters :
“The Bite of Smokey Porky Love”

People’s Choice:
Team #9 : Porkuporkia : “Pork in the Hole”
What can I say? This event was so much fun and we were right. We were FULL! After 20 bites, you would be too. Bub and I just felt extremely fortunate to even be in the same room as everyone we met.

I just wanted to send a shot to all the competitors. Every single one of your entries was something to be proud of. Congratulations to the winners! Congratulations to the SF Food Wars team! Another successful event under your belts! I look forward to the next one in July which, I believe, is “Pi or Die(ameter)” *cymbal crash* That oughta be fun! One last shout to everyone who came and were a part of the excitement and exhilaration.

Til next time food soldiers!