Wok in the Kitchen

Do you realize that a wok is one of the most versatile cooking tools you can have? Associated mainly with Chinese cuisine, we got ‘wok-ed’ by our second daughter who uses this for practically all her cooking–frying, sautéing, braising and even steaming. There are two types of woks, the traditional that you put on top of a stove or the plug-in unit. Today they are nearly all non-stick.

Some tips when using the wok–heat the wok before pouring the oil (use very little) when frying; if sautéing, have all ingredients ready and since this allows quick cooking, cut your meat and vegetables thinly, cook in batches and be sure it stays steady on the stove, specially when using oil.

While we have been cooking with the wok for sometime (we even do our pancit in this), we re-discovered its convenience and flavor-sealing feature when a good friend gifted us with the "Wok" cookbook published in Canada which carries colorful, spicy, quick stir and deep fried and braised dishes. Steam your fish in a wok. You need a bamboo steamer (place a towel on its base before putting the fish) , fill the wok with water, then put the bamboo steamer..

We just had the most expensive brewed coffee in the country (courtesy of a generous and gracious host) at P355 per cup! That was at UCC Café Vienna on the street level of The Podium in Ortigas center. It is called Blue Mountain No.1 and this led us to do some research on this particular blend. Blue Mountain has its origin in Jamaica and is reputed to be the best in the world. Coffee industry began in the Caribbean island in 1725 when the seedlings were brought from Martinique. They are planted on terraces on the mountain slopes, 1500 to 5000 above sea level, often shaded by avocado and banana trees. Harvest time is only in August and September. The higher grades are shipped in wooden barrels rather than burlap bags, most of it going to Japan. Which brings us to UCC, basically a Japanese store, considering the food and the beverage they serve. Blue Mountain No. 1 is a perfect blend of sweetness, sour notes and acidity. It is made via the siphon method. Should you want the luxury of this blend in your home, you can get a barrel of 450 gms for more than P7,000.

Up on the second level of The Poduim, you can get equally perfect Blue Mountain coffee at Figaro for P85 for the Americano, an additional P25 for a more gourmet drink like cappuccino. A bag (200 gms) costs P1,000, either Kona beans or the rare Jamaican Blue Mountain.The choice is yours. Us? We could be very happy with either Batangas and/or Cavite coffee.

Also on the ground floor of The Podium is Goodies and Sweets, which has a staff of gracious young men and women. It offers a selection of dips, sauces and dressings–Caesar, Creamy Pesto, Balsamic Vinaigrette, Oriental and Honey Mustard from P100 to P140 a bottle. There is a trio of flavored Foccaccia bread–Italian herb, garlic and sun-dried tomato. We got the latter and it was perfect–chewy and soft with a subtle taste, perfect with a salad.

We have a recipe in our cookbook which calls for bouquet garni and we have had quite a few inquiries as to what that is. Well, it is a French name for a pouch of fresh herbs and spices used to enhance the natural flavor of meat and vegetables. In simple parlance, this is a combination of equal parts of bay leaves, cloves and thyme which you wrap in a muslin cloth bag and boil with the food you are cooking. Our own bouquet garni consists of chopped celery and leeks, fresh thyme, chopped parsley, coriander, rosemary, marjoram and sage. When what you are cooking is dry, simply add our bouquet garni in the course of sautéing. Allow your taste to decide which combination you want to use.

We were looking for a particular store at Robinson’s Place Manila and ended up frustrated and irritated. The place is a badly illuminated maze, with no customer/information booths, an out-dated directory at one end, and security guards/staff who are of no help. Finally, we gave up and recompensed ourselves by buying a bottle (from the supermarket) of the new Adabi brand Hicap Mani premium sweet soy sauce, so our trip would not have been a waste!

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Lydia D. Castillo’s e-mail address: [email protected]