Three books, three techniques

We walked into the Libris Bookstore at Market!Market! looking for one particular book and left the place with four, three of which are, as expected, cookbooks. How many can one have and how different can one recipe be from another? A friend has more than 2,000 in her collection, we also have a sizeable library, but each cookbook has its own unique feature, maybe a new recipe treatment, a different technique, creative styling, etc.

The store owner referred us to The Minimalist Cooks at Home (P420.00) by Mark Bittman, popular award-winning columnist and author. Never-mind the rather small print but he gives shortcuts for even the most complicated recipes like Paella. The Farmers’ Market Guide and Cookbook by Sally Ann Berk refers to markets in the US and their fresh produce, but we can adopt the recipes with items we can get locally. What made us buy this is the first portion that gives very important pointers about buying fruits and vegetables, like shelf life, major vitamin and mineral contents, what to look for (and feel), when to refrigerate and freeze.

Our third purchase was The No-Salt Cookbook (P390) by David C. and Thomas D. Anderson. This one is for the health-conscious. We know cooking without salt is a challenge for people who savor food with patis and toyo. The authors give advice on how to enhance the flavors of a dish by using herbs and spices, vinegar, lemon juice and wine. In our kitchen, we add leftover wine (white and red) to steaks and seafood. The resulting dish/es are delicious with a new taste. We don’t know if salt-free cheese is available locally, but this cookbook offers substitutes like salt-free mozzarella and Swiss. Another altenative is Quark, the yogurt cheese, available from Rizal Dairy. This is better than using cream cheese.

Two Miguel chefs offer an unforgettable, sophisticated fine-dining experience in the comfort of one’s home, through a business venture they call est. Fine Dining and est. Fine Foods. Several months ago we met and were awed by the younger one, Carlo, who teamed up with elder brother Anton, who arrived in Manila recently from Australia. The brothers bring with them credentials that include some of the best restaurants in San Francisco, London and Sydney. Theirs is no ordinary buffet; imagine having professional chefs in the kitchen, sitting down at a formal table, being served exquisite food on delicate China, sipping complementary wines, with the gracious company of friends, relatives and guests.

Their suggested menus have some unusual blending of ingredients (sourced locally) but taste great. Some of their creations: Prawn Boudin with Mango salsa, coriander and vanilla dressing, Ilog Maria virgin honey- cured duck breast with chestnut tartlet and creamed leeks, Japanese eel with seared foie gras and pickled radish plus Lemon and Vodka Sorbet.You can also find them at the Alabang Village Saturday Market where they sell brioche bread, duck and chicken liver parfait (lighter than a paté), muffins and butter rhum cake. Their number is 842-4873.

Dizon Farms has gone beyond the traditional fruit collection of mangoes, Formoso pineapples from Bicol, yellow and red watermelons, etc. Sometime ago they introduced sauces (including one called Secret Dressing). At their Market!Market! outlet, they have Golden Bihon at P35 a half kilo pack, fresh pinipig at P86 a kilo, dried shitake at P750, kasubha (Filipino saffron), salad and regular tomatoes, lettuce and kangkong. They have a "kayod and piga" (grate and squeeze) machine for fresh coconut cream. Hungry? You can get salads in cups (chicken macaroni, buko pandan and fruit) at P25 per and fresh juice from the trio of dispensers.

A reader told us they were served stale bread (with molds on top) and an omelet with a strand of hair at Breakfast in Antonio’s in Tagaytay. What happened to quality control?

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