A Dose of Frosting..

Coffee Cupcakes, Whipped Cream and Mini Glazed Doughnuts

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Sun, 23 Mar 2014 20:34:00 +0000

This coffee cake is not for the faint hearted. And I quote Ree Drummond, “It’s not cake you eat with your morning coffee. It’s how you get your morning coffee. And it’s delicious!”. Serve it with a big dollop of whipped cream and donuts! Chocolate glazed donuts!

Coffee Cake – Literally

The Pioneer Woman Cooks (Ree Drummond)

2 c A/P Flour

2 c Sugar

1/4 t Salt

2 sticks butter, room temperature

3 T Instant Coffee Crystals, dissolved in 1 cup boiling water

1/2 c Buttermilk

2 L Eggs

1 t Baking Soda

2 t Vanilla

Collard Greens Roll-ups with Peach Compote

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 16:00:00 +0000

It’s peach season in the Peach State; the season runs from mid-May to August, approximately 16 weeks. Like most locavores, I eat, cook and preserve as much as I can until they run out.

H.T. Chen and Dian Dong from Chen Dance Center in New York were here a couple of weeks ago for a residency at Alternate ROOTS to explore the possibility of working with artists in the South and the Chinese-American community to create new work about Chinese-American immigrants. I brought Dian to the market after picking them up from airport, and she was all glee and happiness when she found some Georgia peaches. Ahhh, but who wouldn’t be, right? Georgia peaches are the sweetest, juiciest and most plump in the world. Fun fact: Peaches were first grown in China, then they spread to the western world via India and Persia, and was brought by Christopher Columbus to the new world. It finally found its way to middle Georgia and planted on acres of land which later became Peach County. I bet H.T. would enjoy that bit of information as much as he enjoyed the peaches.

Brined Pork Chops with Apple Chutney

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 03:29:00 +0000

Brined pork chops with apple chutney
(mashed potatoes & sauteed zucchini squash)

Pork Chops have been on my mind since Mad Men’s Dark Shadow episode aired where Betty (Draper/Francis) savored that one bite of a pork chop Henry Francis shared for a midnight snack. I hate Betty Francis, and I hate her even more when she was Betty Draper, but by God, no one ever made me want pork chops as much as she did!

Pork in Tamarind Soup (Sinigang na Baboy )

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 22:55:00 +0000

Pork in tamarind soup (Sinigang na Baboy) and boiled rice

This is my favorite Filipino dish-- melt in your mouth pork fat, tender vegetables and piping hot sour soup. Slathered on top a beautifully steamed or boiled rice, it’s Filipino comfort food at it’s finest. This dish is versatile enough that you can substitute pork with fish, shrimps, a combination of fish and shrimps, chicken, beef or tofu.

Olives in Andalusian Marinade

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 19:01:00 +0000

Olives in Andalusian Marinade

In one of my market adventures last fall, I found some fresh olives. I was super excited and my mind started racing. I was of course ambitious, telling myself that I will press them into olive oil. In these times of mislabeled and adulterated imported olive oil, it’s even more important that I should make my olive oil from scratch (I was thinking this with my chest all puffed-up). And this will do until Georgia Olive Farms is ready to harvest their olives and make it available in the market. Only then can I say that my olive oil is local-- east of the Mississippi local.

Sticky, messy goodness: Bacon Marmalade

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Thu, 17 May 2012 19:43:00 +0000

Bacon Marmalade on a bison burger with pepper jack cheese,
avocado, tomatoes and black garlic

Ten years ago to date, when I was fresh off the boat, I did not know that Atlanta, Georgia existed. Three months after, I came to visit and hated it. Two years after, while visiting Atlanta for the dozenth time, I asked God for a sign if here is where he wants me to be. A single, perfectly formed snow-flake fell in my hand. I took that as a sign. Fast forward eight years, I am still here -- Atlanta grew on me and it's my home. Then one day, I professed my love for pimiento cheese; the friend I was with told me that I was a goner and had lived in the South long enough to take roots.

Cinnamon Buns with Caramel Glaze (Sticky Buns)

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Wed, 16 May 2012 20:48:00 +0000

Cinnamon buns are reminiscent of my younger years when I lived in Austin, when the only choice I have to make in the morning is whether to have the cinnamon buns with white fondant glaze or the sticky gooey caramel with nuts and raisins, straight from the vending machine. Cinnamon buns seem to be a mainstay in bakeries in Texas. One can even get a 3-pounder at Lulu’s in San Antonio. Not in Atlanta apparently.

On our way to the ROOTS office a couple of months ago, Carlton told me that he was craving Cinnamon Buns, “the yeast kind”. We stopped at a couple of bakeries in the Highlands to no avail. After dropping me off at the office, he drove to K-rogers to check if they have it. I never asked if he ever did satisfy his craving that day, but mine wasn’t.

I woke up last Saturday with cinnamon buns in mind, and I know I have to make it myself if I have to satisfy this nagging craving. We have not had bread or any wheat product at home for the past 6 weeks as part of our live healthier regimen for spring, so that pose a problem. But then, I remember it's mother's day weekend, and I deserve a treat, so I did, and so did everyone else who came to celebrate with me that day.

Tilapia stewed in Coconut Cream with Sprouted Bhutanese Red Rice

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 21:34:00 +0000

Banana leaf wrapped Tilapia in Coconut Cream with
Sprouted Bhutanese Red Rice and Sauteed Turnip Greens

I prefer simple food over ones with highfalutin' names. Don't get me wrong, I love all food, but it's always the simple ones that give me the most satisfaction. I prefer my meals simple, balanced, nutritious and ready in 30 minutes.

I didn't invent 30 minute meals, but that's the average time I spend on a weekday dinner. My secret: planning and prep work.

Kombucha: It’s spring and it’s growing, let’s toast to that!

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 18:05:00 +0000

Strawberry Kombucha with White Chia Seeds

Kombucha is a fizzy, fermented tea beverage made from a base of bacteria and yeast called SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast). It is said to have originated in Asia (Russia and China) and Kombucha enthusiasts claim it’s a tonic for digestion and a boost for the immune system.

Grape Kombucha
with White Chia Seeds

I was introduced to Kombucha when I was in the San Francisco Bay Area (no surprise there) this winter. We walked to a Natural Organic Grocery and ordered it on tap, hah! I’m not one for health fads, but I instantly fell in love with the extremely tangy taste. I thought to myself that it’s a good and acceptable way to get my fix when I crave vinegar or pickle juice, he-he. So imagine my excitement when Sandra of Melody Lane Coop offered to teach Kombucha making. Since I am a fan for all things DIY (do-it-yourself), I trekked to Roswell that fateful Thursday amidst rush hour. Plus I hate to pay $4 a pop for a bottle or $10 for a 64 oz. growler at Whole Foods.

If you are in the Atlanta area and want to start making your own Kombucha, give me a holler and I’ll give you a “mother”.

Orange-Anise Marmalade, Strawberry-Lavender and Blueberry-Cinnamon Preserve

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Banana Nut Bread and Currant-Orange Scones (recipes below) served with
Orange-Anise Marmalade, Strawberry-Lavender and Blueberry-Cinnamon Preserve

When canning, there is no sound more beautiful than the “pop!” of the lid as it seals into place. For a couple of days after canning preserves, I leave them lined up in the counter; jar after jar of fruity-sugary-yummy-sticky goop. I pretend that they are my personal army assembled for battle, the battle cry, “For the love of toast!”.

There are times when I ask myself why I go through all the trouble-- spend half of my weekend in the kitchen, when I can go to the store and buy the preserves for a fraction of the price, not even counting the lost opportunity cost. Then I spread it in my toast and “Ahhh.. it is so freaking worth it!”.

Flourless Chocolate and Almond Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:36:00 +0000

Reine de Saba (Queen of Sheba)

I had been in a cooking rut for more than a month now; nothing is inspiring me to cook. I have been reading my favorite books and stories hoping to ignite my passion for food and cooking -- "Like Water for Chocolate", "The School of Essential Ingredients", "HeartBurn", "Crazy Salad Plus Nine" and legendary cook and writer Elizabeth David’s "French Provincial Cooking" and "A Taste of the Sun". Although the books transported me to the kitchens and lives of these wonderful women, I remained unmoved.

It finally came last Friday when I was at the market and found some beautiful strawberries from Matthews Farms in Baxley, GA. As I inhaled the fragrant sweetness of these perfectly deep red of juiciness, I knew that it was time to put down the books and play with my zester.

Of Food Waste, Earth-friendly Dating and Bean Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Vocabulary lesson today-- food waste.

Food waste is food loss occurring during the retail and final consumption stages due to the behavior of retailers and consumers – that is, the throwing away of food.

Consumers, meaning you and me. I learned from my readings and watching many documentaries that we waste tonsa tonsa amount of food daily, making it the third largest waste stream after paper and yard waste. And get this, 27% of that waste is available for consumption; yet, 14.5% (or 1 in every 7) of every household is food insecure. This freaking blows my mind! I won't ramble on the subject; instead, I urge you to visit and read Jonathan Bloom's blog, since he has a wealth of information on this issue (after you finish mine of course). His book, American Wasteland, is a great read.

German Chocolate Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 03:48:00 +0000

I was so flattered when my friend Kathie D. asked me to make her birthday cake. I admire Kathie D. for a lot of reason, but I love her because she have a good heart and she's so much fun. When she asked me to make her a German Chocolate Cake, I knew that I will be using David Lebovitz recipe that I earmarked from 3 years ago. It's a bummer that I did not get the chance to taste the cake, but I got rave reviews from friends who were able to sample it and Kathie left me the sweetest message a day after telling me that she was the envy of her friends because of the cakes. I made her a carrot cake as well, per Alice Teeters request, a great poet and Kathie’s First Lady. Oh yeah, Kathie D. is the mayor of beautiful Pine Lake, GA.

Mutton (Goat) Sindhi Biryani

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 01:44:00 +0000

All my life, I have been eating rice, different varieties, in different ways and forms. For me to say that I love rice is an understatement since it is intrinsic to my being.

Different types and varieties of rice in my pantry

I was weaned from milk foods to am, the traditional first food for Filipino babies, prepared by adding an extra cup of water to the amount called to cook rice, then skimming about ½ cup of the thickened fluid just before you simmer the rice for the final cooking stage.

As a child, one of the folk songs (the equivalent of nursery rhyme in the states) I learned is about planting rice called "Magtanim ay ‘Di Biro". Although rice was never mentioned in the song, the farmer talks about the physical hardship that comes with rice planting in the rice paddies and the peace of mind when he rise to the new dawn knowing that there will be food for his family. Unconsciously at that early age, the song helped me appreciate and respect the farmers that tended and grew my food. I found an English translation of the song on YouTube, and well, rice was actually in the translated lyrics.

Cardamom-scented Carrot Cupcake with Citrus Cream Cheese Frosting

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:20:00 +0000

This is a cardamom scented carrot cake with citrus cream cheese frosting and candied carrots. It’s the result of my love for cardamom, candied ginger and Dorie Greenspan’s Bill’s Big Carrot Cake. Dorie’s recipe is perfect as it is; it embodies everything I love about carrot cake – dense and moist with a light crumb, sweet, fragrant with cinnamon and chock-full of raisins, nuts, coconuts and carrots in every bite. But there are multiple truths, and the classic pairing of carrots, cardamom and ginger in this cake brought the party in my mouth up a notch. The citrus cream cheese frosting complements the cake beautifully. And the candied carrots, they are just so darn cute!

Pears Poached in Red Wine with Creme Anglaise

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:32:00 +0000

At the Food Justice Conference in Oakland last November, a participant from Las Cruces, NM argued that it is more local for her to obtain her produce from Juarez, Mexico than from Albuquerque, NM. Pondering over that while showering that evening, I realized that we are faced with a long list of predicaments when it comes to eating these days. (And yes, TMI, but I do most of my thinking in the shower; and most of my epiphanies come to me while in the shower. I've solved world hunger at least 7 times already. Problem is, I forget by the time I dry off.)

Anyway, when I pick up a box of 1% milk at the grocery store, I immediately go through a checklist in my mind— Is it USDA organic? And if it is USDA organic, is it “100% organic”, “organic” or “made with organic ingredients”. How local is the product? Am I supporting a family owned farm/cooperative? Is the farm sustainable? CAFO what? Was it fed with grains that came from an heirloom and not a Monsanto genetically engineered seed? Is there a similar product that has a higher ANDI score? The list goes on.

I remember this episode of Portlandia called “Is it Local?" A pair of local food champions go to a restaurant and ask all kinds of questions about the chicken in the menu. Despite the wait staff’s more-than-satisfactory answer, they postpone having lunch to visit the farm of origin. It is hilarious and ridiculous, but contains a bit of truth.

The Perfect Birthday Cake for Matt

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 18:12:00 +0000

Dorie Greenspan's Perfect Birthday Cake

I met Matt almost two years ago and I’ve loved him since. We bonded over wine and stories of loss. The pain is gone, healed by time, beautiful friendship and love; nonetheless, we still consume shameless amount of wine, LOL.

Matt is a beautiful person, inside and out. He is tall and lean. He have beautiful, piercing hazel eyes, hair that’s always in place and he smells oh-so-nice-- he smells like sunshine. He has a sweet tone to his voice, a hint of that Southern drawl that’s both sexy and friendly. Born and raised in Atlanta to third generation Atlantan parents, he is a true southern boy, a disappearing breed. He is very relaxed and very centered around his family. He is shy, but friendly and chatty after he warms up to a person; he teases in a good-nature way. He looks at you in the eyes when you talk and listen to what you have to say. He is genuine with his compliments and thank you’s. He is a gentleman, chivalrous to a fault-- he opens doors and pulls chairs. He remember all special occasions, and he makes them even more special with flowers, gifts, cards and nice dinners.

Did I mention that his car and house is impeccably clean?

Crinkle and Amaretti Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:16:00 +0000

Crinkle cookies are my childhood favorite cookies. I remember going to the 3rd closest “sari-sari store” (convenience store) from our house in Manila to buy them for 2 pesos (7 cents). There are two cookies packaged in a clear plastic with a white cardboard bottom, presenting these snowy-dark-chocolate-cookies ever so beautifully. I remember running home, straight to the room I share with the women of the house (my sister, an aunt and my grandmother), locking the door and enjoying every bit and morsel of it – crusty on the outside and chewy-chocolatey inside. My over eagerness to eat them always bring me to a coughing fit as I inhale a mouthful of powdered sugar, which I did not want since it calls for attention, which means I might get some spanking -- sweets are not allowed in the house since they are “junk food and bad for you”. Worst, I might have to share my cookies. Eventually, I came up with a solution— I lick off the powdered sugar before devouring the cookies, haha!

Repost: Thanksgiving 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 03:36:00 +0000

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It's festive yet not as hectic as Christmas; it's predictable, since it always on a Thursday, thus I know I can actually rest after two days of cooking and baking; and it comes during my favorite time of year, autumn.

Every year, I have 6 people over for Thanksgiving, to complete a group of 8, including me and Bill. These are friends who, like myself, have no family in Atlanta and we have each other for family.

Thanksgiving preparation starts on Sunday before. I shop for the ingredients and order in my meat and turkey for pickup Wednesday. Wednesday night is when I make the pies, soak the cornmeal for the cornbread and brine the turkey & crown roast. Some of the Thanksgiving guests spends the night to help make the pies. I usually prepare a light dinner, but this year, Nikita took care of dinner and she prepared an authentic "Chinese Hot Pot" for us, yummy!!

Pan-seared Duck with Orange Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 06:55:00 +0000

Pan-seared duck breasts with orange sauce, roasted butternut squash puree and steamed haricot verts

"Seared duck breast isn't the first thing that jumps to mind when we think of fast food. For us, duck is often thought of as a fancy restaurant dish; for the French, it is something that can be seared, sauced and served in under 30 minutes on a weeknight, which explains why there are so many simple duck dishes in every home cook's recipe box." - around my french table, Dorie Greenspan

Chocolate Truffles

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 17:05:00 +0000

I got a marble slab a couple of months ago with the intent of teaching myself to temper chocolate. It did look easy on youtube and in the books, but boy, it turned out to be more difficult, much more difficult than what I expected so I ended up rolling most of the truffles in different flavorings. Regardless, they turned out really yummy!

Panfried Spanish Mackarel, Scented Rice and Sauteed Baby Bokchoy

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 17:28:00 +0000

Food excites me. My senses heighten with anything food-related… the sounds of hustle and bustle in the market... The look of pleasure in people’s faces when they savor their food... the smell of seaweed in the ocean after a storm... a cherimoya’s perfect balance of sweetness and acidity or the slight give on the flesh of a fresh tuna. So when Carlton asked me to share recipes in our newsletter, I didn’t know where to start. But after pondering on it, I decided to share a meal that sustained me at least once a day when I was growing up-- a plate of boiled rice scented with lemongrass, pan-fried fish and sautéed greens.

Bill in the Kitchen: PIZZA

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 16:46:00 +0000

Bill loves pizza. Not only does he chase the best pizzas in Georgia (and where ever he travels), he makes a mean pizza as well. I think that was his minor at Georgia Tech, he-he.

I suck at making pizza, I think it's because I don't really care for them. Yup, there I said it! If the food gods ask me if they can banish pizza forever, I would say, "Yes, please!" in a heart beat. Weird, huh? One thing I know about pizza; this pizza dough recipe by Peter Reinhart is the bomb!

Today's Bill's birthday, so we are having pizza :) Happy birthday Bill! I love you much!!

Texas Red-Braised Beef Short Ribs

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 01:04:00 +0000

Confession: I have been sleeping with the Lee Brothers these past two weeks-- I mean The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook. Their adventures and stories of growing up in the South is very entertaining. I have prepared since, their different versions of grits, the bird’s head biscuit, and have a couple of jars of the Pickled Peaches in my pantry. By the way, the bird's head biscuit-- the best biscuit I ever had! And that’s saying a lot since I live in the South and have had my ample share of biscuits

Today, I am making their Texas Red-Braised Beef Short Ribs, which is mole-based. I am in the process of developing my personal mole recipe, after sampling the tastiest Guatamalan Tamale Negro from a hole in the wall Mexican Tienda in Buford Highway. I love this tamale so much; I had been driving 16 miles per way every Saturday to get my fix.

Porchetta

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 02:51:00 +0000

P-o-r-c-h-e-t-t-a – everything about it is wonderful – moist, tender, flavorful meat, melt in your mouth fatty goodness and crispy skin, hog heaven! This months' Bon Appetit magazine named Porchetta as the dish of the year. From New York, to Austin, to San Francisco and Seattle, everybody is reveling about it. It’s reminiscent of the lechon in the Philippines that Anthony Bourdain ranked #1 in the Hierarchy of Pork or the Sagra della Porchetta in Austin.