Spring cleaning

Have you done a regular inspection of what your cupboards, cabinets and storage boxes contain? You should do this at regular intervals, more so if you are one of those who buy and keep lots of things, specially food stuff, "in reserve". Pay special attention to expiry dates and ‘best by’ stamps. It is likely that you have sauces, seasonings, biscuits, canned goods you could have bought on impulse or because they were new in the market. As their quantity accumulates, you certainly will not be able use them all. There may be old pots and pans you no longer want and which take much needed space. Clear your kitchen and give them away to those who can use them. Share–that’s the idea.

From the Internet we got the following useful tips from a friend who lives abroad. Crayon marks on your walls can be removed with a damp rag dipped in baking soda. To remove old wax from a glass candle holder, put it in the freezer for a few hours, take the candle out and turn it upside down; the wax will fall off. When boiling corn on the cob , add a pinch of sugar to bring out the corn’s natural sweetness. Unblock the clog in the sink by dropping three Alka Seltzer tablets down the drain, followed by vinegar. Thanks, Henree, for this.

Detergents have come a long way since they were made into powder and later paste, from the old bars that they were. Today they are available in liquid form. But be careful, specially if house help is not that conscious about saving money. They could pour so generously that a bottle would not last as long as the other types. A recent visit to Cherry Foodarama in Mandaluyong revealed quite an extensive line of liquid detergents, including the brands Joy, White Wash, Kitchen Mate and Kerry. Price range is from P26 a bottle of 8.32 ounces.

The supermarket’s fresh section is a bit smelly, and merchandisers are all over the aisles, chatting. Hambel is the brand they carry for embutido, longganiza (P66.70 and P68.05 for skinless) and other prepared food. They have daing na kandule in packs of 3 at P300 a kilo, which means you’re better off buying the fresh ones and preparing them yourself. The best marinade would be vinegar with lots of garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Let stand in the refrigerator for about two days and you have delicious daing. Mrs. Wais is their meat brand–sirloin at P280 a kilo, ground pork at P140 and shank at P185. Majestic ham is a landmark store in this supermarket. Just as well, because this ham (P850 a kilo) is about the best of its kind in the city. Now the company has prepared beef tapa at P99 a pack of 250 gms.

A leisurely morning brought us to our favorite town, Biñan. We, however, skipped the public market and instead went to re-discover the Pavilion Mall on the highway, where the latest addition is the Pure Gold supermarket. This is adjacent to the second building, at the back where most dining places, like Pizza Hut, are located. A word of caution: Eating is strictly prohibited, even if the thing you are munching on is a donut you got from the stall right the entrance. They’ve got people they call ‘joggers’ who police the store in civilian clothes. The place is well lighted and considerably clean. We were told this outlet is better maintained and better laid out than other members of the chain in Metro Manila.

Anyway, their prices are not much cheaper than in the city. Chicken (Bounty) goes for P92 a kilo, beef kalitiran at P145, cubes at P145, porkloin at P156, T-bone at P256, camto at P176 and brisket at P178. Like everywhere else, there is a row of food stalls. While it was already past 10 a.m., the seller of empanada was not in position yet. Thus he/she missed some sales that day.

A clarification: the Liwayway Magazine does not belong to the Liwayway Marketing Corporation which makes the gawgaw and cooking oil. Their latest product is the powdered Oishi Sundays mango juice, which comes in packets of 45 gms, which will make a liter of the drink.

By chance we met up with a niece who convinced us to spend a few minutes at the Unimart supermarket for some new offers. And we are glad we did. We discovered the boneless pata, ready to be roasted or cooked as Pata Tim, and the Cream Dory fillets, a great fish with soft white tasty flesh. We’ll give you her recipe for this next week.

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