Of course, we all know Jamie as the composer of the hit song Hey, It’s Me. She wrote this song in collaboration with Jimmy Antiporda of the Neocolors. This was soon followed by her next hit, I’ve Fallen for You, which was written by Jay Montelibano. Little does the public know that she actually lobbied for this song’s inclusion in her album, because the bigwigs at her record company didn’t think it would be a hit. Soon enough, Jamie’s songs became certified radio hits, and she became a popular pop singer.
After graduating from college with an economics degree, she decided she wanted to sing for a living. She joined the Metropolitan Theater, won as the Musicmate Girl in 1985, met Ed Manlague, Dulce Lukban, the mother of concert queen Pops Fernandez, and Aster Amoyo, the former public relations manager for Octoarts. These three people were instrumental in her beginnings in the local music industry. She is now 16 years old in the business, and it seems like there’s no stopping people from buying her albums.
Some of the best years of her career were spent in London, reprising the role of Kim in Miss Saigon. She was alternate to two other terrific Filipina performers then, Monique Wilson and Jenine Desiderio. Miss Saigon made Filipinos proud, and to have been part of the Filipino cast who performed at the Theater Royal Drury Lane was a great honor for her. She credits Miss Saigon for ingraining in her the essential work habits. She did get her share of admirers while doing the musical, even getting bouquets of flowers from a Middle Eastern prince.
She won the Awit Award for best inspirational religious recording for 2001 and 2003. The Catholic Mass Media Awards made "Heal Our Land" the best album of the year. Her "Jubilaeum 2000" album, made especially for the Jubilee year, has been certified five times platinum, despite wide music piracy. (A platinum award means the album sold 40,000 copies.) Another album, "Tanging Yaman," namesake of the award-winning Manila Film Festival movie, has reached double platinum. Suffice to say, Jamie is a very highly accomplished singer, and today we will also find out that she is an accomplished cook as well.
Not a lot of people know that Jamie’s maiden name is Hizon, and that she is related to the owners of the popular Hizon’s Bakeshop, that wonderful bakeshop in Ermita that bakes fabulous birthday mocha cakes and ensaymadas. However, she is quick to point out that she cannot bake.
"I can cook, but I cannot make cakes rise," she tells me. "We are not superb cooks, but ever since elementary, I can already cook. I know basic dishes, like sinampalukang manok."
Her sister can bake and her parents can cook. Her dad had just sent her crabs halabos the day before our visit.
These days, she tries to eat healthier. She has developed such a huge liking for Inagiku Restaurant at the Makati Shangri-La, famous for its teppanyaki, that she had a high-tech teppan table constructed at home.
Today, she shares with Philippine STAR readers her recipes for Japanese fried rice and teriyaki sauce that may be used for grilled items, such as chicken and beef. They are truly oishi des!
2 tsps. oil
salt and pepper, to season
Kikkoman soy sauce, to season
dash of hondashi
small portion of sliced leeks, chopped onions and diced carrots
some ground pork and shrimps
Melt butter on teppan table, and add a little oil. Add pork and shrimp and cook for five minutes. Add vegetables and sauté over high heat. Season with salt, pepper and Kikkoman. Add egg and cooked rice and season with hondashi. Add a little more butter. Toss until done. Serve.
2 Tbsps. cornstarch
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tsps. minced fresh ginger
1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
2 cups beef broth (or 2-1/4 cups, if not using wine)
In a small saucepan, stir together cornstarch, soy sauce, sugar, garlic and ginger. Stir in wine, if desired, and broth. Cook over medium heat, stirring until thickened. Makes about 2-1/2 cups of sauce.
To use the sauce:
Pour a little oil into a pan. Sauté garlic. Cook the rib eye steak until brown. Slice. Put a little butter on the steak slices, if desired. Season with salt, pepper and teriyaki sauce. Repeat the same procedure for the chicken. If desired, fry shrimps, bean sprouts and onions in a small amount of oil.
Serve with green tea for an authentic Japanese dining experience.