Cooking Lesson

Here is another cooking lesson with Vanessa! Unfortunately, Vanessa left for another job on September 15th. It's been quite different without my neighbor and friend. She's greatly missed! However, there is a search for a new Vanessa, even though she can't be replaced. Hopefully, another twenty-something will be moving in within the next couple of weeks and I'll have a new neighbor and friend.

In this lesson, Vanessa taught me how to make Pork Adobo, a simple but delicious dish. You can also do Chicken Adobo but she advised pork is better. And you can add potatoes to the dish, if you so desire.

As with any good cook, there are not specific ingredient amounts. You just go with what you feel and what you think will taste the best. Although, I hope the video gives a little more direction.

In full discretion, I attempted to make this the other night. I did exactly as Vanessa did in the video, however I ended up burning half the dish. I'm not sure exactly what went wrong; the type of pan, the temperature of the hot plate, not having the Filipino touch. But as some of my coworkers said, "you'll just have to try again." And that I will!

Thanks for reading!

Processing Center

As I mentioned in a previous post, last week I worked with the Development Office of the Episcopal Diocese of Santiago. One of their most recent projects is the Processing Center.

They found that farmers weren’t able to sell all their vegetables because it may have one, small bad spot or there’s too much supply for not enough demand or another reason. The Development Office thought of a way for them to utilize their extra product and still gain a profit. It’s exactly what the name, Processing Center, implies. The center processes the extra veggies into other products like chips or peanut butter to be sold at markets or at the center’s store.

Me working at the Processing Center

Last Wednesday, I spent the day with Cindy and Penny making veggie chips. While the chips are made with carrots, when it is all said and done, I wouldn’t say there is much nutritional value left. But they are delicious!

Cooking with Vanessa

Vanessa is my 23 year old neighbor who works as the manager of the Guest House of the diocese and cooks lunch for us everyday. She’s one of those people who just knows how to cook. All the recipes are in her head. She learns how to cook it once and makes it perfectly the next time. I aspire to be half the cook she is. So I’m having her teach me! Unfortunately, she is moving on to a new job and her last day is September 15th. But I’m going to learn as much as I can in the time she’s here.

Sunday Night’s Menu:

Fried Tilapia with a soy sauce mixture

Sinigang Talapia Soup

First, let me describe where I got the tilapia. On the way home from Magat Dam on Sunday, we pulled into a gas station. To one side of the station was a building with an alcove that had a small pool and market. When I walked up to the pool, there were a ton of fish, well tilapia, in it. Grace asked, “Do you want tilapia for dinner?” I was confused but responded, “ok.” Next thing I know the woman at the market takes a big net and quickly swipes up a fish or two into this plastic basket. Once it’s full of three fish, the puts another plastic basket on top and weighs it. She says, “110.”