Eat Baye-baye at Least Once in Your Lifetime

For an Ilonggo like me, All Soul's Day or Tigkalalag or Kalag-kalag will always be associated with a unique delicacy from the island of Negros -- the baye-baye. 

Every November 1 in Negros, baye-baye is always present in the menu of every Ilonggo household.  Days before, some hardy souls will prepare baye-baye on their own, ready to take on the back-breaking task involved in baye-baye making.  My family used to go this route in preparing baye-baye, just so we can enjoy the taste of it during the Tigkalalag.  Some go the easy way, opting to purchase the delicacy from sellers who have made it days before.

Baye-baye is a rice dish,  It is sweet, with the pleasant smell of roasted rice, very delicious and incredibly filling.  I absolutely recommend it to those with sweet tooth.  It will also please the vegetarians.  The word baye-baye probably originated from the Ilonggo word bayoha (to pound).  For that is exactly what is done to rice to produce baye-baye:  the rice grain pounded to bits.

As far as I can remember, to make baye-baye, pilit  or glutinous rice is obtained from the nearest rice seller or miller, preferably freshly-milled rice.  The reason why baye-baye is usually made during Tigkalalag is because it coincides with the harvest and milling season, when rice is fresh. The best-tasting baye-baye relies on freshly-harvested and freshly-milled rice for its main ingredient.

The rice grains are roasted, then pounded in a lusong (or mortar) repeatedly until the grains break apart and turn soft and elastic-like to touch.  It is back-breaking work, with the men of the family taking turns in the pounding, or taking a bit of rest (it is that tiring!) but at this point, the smell emanating from the lusong is very aromatic, hinting of good things to come.

Brown sugar, that is also very common in the sugarcane-rich province of Negros, is added to the rice mix, together with grated or stripped young coconut.  The baye-baye will finally take on its final consistency which is sticky and malleable, ready to be formed into rolls and wrapped in either clear thin paper wrappers or banana leaves.

Baye-baye
(Photo credit: bucaio.blogspot.com)

The wrapped baye-baye are then eaten by the family, or given to relatives and neighbors during Tigkalalag.  The delicacy will last for several days outside the refrigerator, but it is really best eaten fresh.  However, any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator to be eaten at a later date.  When refrigerated, baye-baye will stiffen a little, but it will still be as delicious as ever.

Growing up in Negros, I also remembered an old man named Antipas who sold baye-baye and other native delicacies for a living.  He carried two baskets in his hands filled with these goodies, and he made the rounds at the town yelling "baye-baye!" or "lumpia!", wherein  people would eagerly come out of their houses and buy from him.  My personal favorite of course was baye-baye.


There are many variations to the making of baye-baye.  My old folks probably remember it better than I do, and can identify all the ingredients accurately.  I will update this blog post when I have consulted  them about this.  This thought made me reflect that the art of baye-baye making is probably a vanishing one, and we should really make an effort to transition the knowledge to every generation.

Ever since I have relocated to the island of Luzon, I no longer have the pleasure of eating this dish.  The closest food to baye-baye that they have here in Luzon is the espasol.  It is very similar, and yet very different.  The espasol is good, but the baye-baye has my heart.  There is really  no contest.



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Flowers You Can Eat

When my grandfather was still alive, he used to tell stories about World War II, particularly the Japanese occupation of the Philippines in the 1940s.  He told stories of how our family, composed of my grandmother, my mother, aunts and uncles (who were little children then), had to eat anything edible that they could find because food was scarce during the war and they were always walking on jungles for days on end.  They ate bugs, roots, fruits, leaves, flowers, and whatever seemed non-dangerous.  They ate for nourishment, even if the taste left something to be desired.

These days, when my children tend to be picky with the food on the table, I tell my grandfather's story to them.  And I add the lesson of the story which is in situations like a war or something similar, they have to be prepared to eat whatever they can find, with no complaints, in order to survive.

Take the case of flowers.  We see them everyday everywhere.  But few of us may be aware that some of these flowers are edible or fit for human consumption.  We only know that flowers are beautiful and some even smell great.  But flowers as food?

 

Actually, flowers have been used as food since thousands of years ago.  The ancient Roman, Greek and Chinese civilizations have been known to use edible flowers in their food preparations.  At present, edible flowers are also included in traditional menus in many parts of the world.

Here are five edible flowers and how they are prepared:


1.  Roses

Roses are edible flowers that can be used for a variety of delicacies.  The rose petals have that sweet, scented, floral flavor that can be blended with many types of desserts.  Baking recipes, such as cookies, cupcakes, muffins and cakes can include rose petal syrup for that unique floral taste.  Rose petals ground together with sugar make store-able rose sugar that can be used for pastries and desserts.   Unprocessed rose petals can be eaten directly, or sprinkled on top of desserts, or added into fruit jams.'


2.  Lavender

Sweet Lavender are edible flowers that can be quite versatile in food preparation.  The sweet, slight spicy and pleasantly-scented flowers are dried and used for savory recipes such as cookies, marmalade, jellies and even ice cream!


3.  Nasturtium

Nasturtium blossoms may be vibrant and beautiful to look at, but they are more than decorative ground cover.  These edible flowers are often used as attractive ingredients in salads.   With a bit of creativity, Nasturtiums can also be mixed with other food ingredients to make for interesting and flavorful recipes.  


4.  Moringa Flowers

Moringa flowers can be mixed with other foods to make a delicious salad.  In some places the edible flowers are fried in hot oil and served as calcium- and potassium-rich snacks.  When steeped in hot water for several minutes, Moringa flowers turn into flavorful hot tea that also serves a medicinal purpose.



5.  Squash Blossoms

The sunny colors of the squash blossoms are edible.  They are popular in Italy as fried delicacies.  The blossoms are also stuffed with herbs and cheeses to make for a filling menu.  The blossoms can also be made into a tasty soup.


There is actually a very long list of edible flowers that can be enjoyed because of their culinary potential.  The important thing in preparing edible flowers for consumption is that these flowers should be guaranteed safe to eat.  Preferably, the flowers should be grown organically and you are sure they are not treated with harmful pesticides and toxic chemicals.


(Photo credit: Google images)


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Pesto Love

My love affair with pesto almost didn't happen.  I was born and raised on "red" spaghetti -- the kind dripping with tomato sauce and overflowing with meatballs and cheese.  Every special occasion in my life, in my friends' lives and everyone else I know has red spaghetti as a staple attraction.

A spaghetti pesto meal from Joey Pepperoni Pizzeria

When I first saw this green monstrosity -- heaps and heaps of oily green gobs, with tiny bits of green leaves looking very much like those shredded tobacco bits in commercial cigarettes, smeared over every strand of otherwise pearly-white, clean and pristine spaghetti pasta -- I was shocked.  Where's the meat?  Where's the brilliant red sauce tempting me to taste it?  It looked like something the cat threw up, to be honest.  And the taste?  It didn't agree with my taste buds.   It was a dark day for pesto.

Things changed when I worked in a company that had only 30 minutes allowed lunch break and 15 minutes for afternoon snacks.  I had to gobble everything very quickly.  Weeks into the job and my stomach is rebelling from all that speed-eating.  Until one day they served pesto at the cafeteria.  It was delicious, and the olive oil helped the pasta go down smoothly with a minimum of chewing.  That pesto spaghetti was a hit in that speed-eating environment.  And since then, and until now when I am no longer in that organization,  I have loved pesto and my love only grows as the days and the weeks and the years pass.

Okay, let's get down to the nitty-gritty of it.  Why do I like pesto?  Here's a few things why:

1.  Pesto is delicious

If you break free from the bonds of traditional tomato sauce, the combination of basil, nuts, parmesan cheese and olive oil provides a tasty fusion of flavors that is appealing to the palate.

The cheese is the first thing that your tongue will probably appreciate, since cheese of any kind is in all of our comfort zones.  The olive oil isn't too bad either, it is very similar in appearance to the common oil we use for cooking.  But for health-buffs trying out pesto for the first time, all that oil may make them wary.  However, unlike traditional cooking oil, olive oil is actually healthier.  The nuts are palate-friendly, too.  It's actually the basil that screams at you, and, depending on your taste, can make or break pesto in your mind.  For one, basil is a herb -- it smells and tastes strong.  Some dislike basil for this, and the fact that it seems to leave a strange, pungent, medicine-like aftertaste. 

For first-timers, once you get over the pungent and general strangeness of basil, however, you will learn to like it.  Like Japanese sushi, it's an acquired taste.

2.  Pesto has many culinary uses

The pesto sauce that comes from pounding together basil leaves, pine nuts, and garlic, adding parmesan cheese, olive oil and salt to taste, is a versatile concoction.   As a pasta sauce, served with baked potatoes or green beans on the side, it is a healthy and filling meal.  It can also be used as a sandwich spread, a pizza spread,  or as additional ingredient in seafood menus and meat-based products like meatballs and burger patties (yes! even that!)  Food Network actually offers 50 things to make with pesto!

3.  Pesto is healthy

Pesto contains vitamins, minerals, good oils and phytochemicals that are good for the body.  Garlic and basil are little rays of sunshine -- packed with vitamins A and C.  Also present are potassium and phosphorus, omega-3 acids and a battalion of antioxidants.

4.  Pesto is fulfilling

It's one of the soul foods.  For people on the go, a plateful of pesto is a practical, no-fuss and guilt-free few-minutes of indulgence.  It is a filling meal that can alleviate hunger immediately.  It even has little to no complications with the digestive system.

5.  Pesto is easy to prepare

The original way to prepare pesto is by pounding together basil, garlic and pine nuts in a mortar with a pestle.  These days, a food processor or a blender can do quick work with crushing the said ingredients.  The addition of olive oil will combine the dry ingredients into a smooth paste, and adding salt and pepper to taste completes the mix.

The quantities of the ingredients can vary with your own taste.  Normally 2-3 cups of  basil is the only baseline to follow.  The quantity of garlic is up to you.  The amount of pine nuts can be 1/4 cup at a minimum, or more if that's how you like it.  Pine nuts are also optional for those people shying away from eating nuts.  The olive oil is also up to you.  Same with the cheese.  Basically you can wing it with pesto and never go wrong with the taste.

Pesto sauce can be stored in air-tight containers or bottles, and you can freeze them up to three months.

6.  Off-the-shelf pesto products are easily accessible in the market

As an alternative, there are also off-the-shelf instant pesto sauce products sold in grocery stores.  They come in vacuum-sealed sachets or bottles that you can just heat and serve conveniently.  Here are a few of those products selling at Amazon Online Store:

Classico Traditional Basil Pesto Sauce & Spread

McCormick Pasta Sauce Blend, Pesto, .5-Ounce Unit (Pack of 12)

 Knorr Pasta Sauces, Creamy Pesto Sauce Mix, 1.2-Ounce Packages (Pack of 24)

Personally, my favorite easy-to-prepare pesto spaghetti meal is one topped with tuna flakes and liberally sprinkled with parmesan cheese.  I substitute grated cheese of any kind when the parmesan runs out.  At times, I replace tuna with shrimps or chicken strips, or any leftover in the fridge.   

Nowadays, whenever I eat out with family and friends, a good pesto meal is also one of my staple go-to no-brainer choice.  When I hate to peruse the menu and get torn over so many choices, I just immediately order pesto.  The pesto spaghetti meals served at Joey Pepperoni Pizzeria and The Old Spaghetti House are a couple of my favorites.

Having said that, I hereby rest my case about pesto. 

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Hydroponic Systems: Grow a Garden Without Soil

We all know that most plants need soil to grow.  But did you know that what plants actually need are the nutrients in the soil, not the soil itself, for them to grow?  This has been found out by researchers way back in the 18th century. It's the nutrients carried by water that are absorbed by the plants, and soil is just a rich reservoir of these nutrients.

A Light Bulb Moment

This discovery led researchers into thinking that there are more ways to grow plants other than in the soil.  The idea gave birth to the concept of hydroponics.  Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil.  Almost any plant that grows in soil can grow in hydroponic systems.

The introduction of hydroponics flung wide open the doors for more opportunities in food production.

Benefits of Hydroponics Systems

With global food scarcity always part of every doomsday scenario, hydroponic systems provide better odds in favor of food production, for the following reasons:

• No soil is needed.  Therefore no need for acres of real estate to grow food.
• Less water is needed.  The water in the hydroponic system is reusable.
• Can be grown in small spaces.  Imagine a condo unit with thriving lettuces!
• Healthier plants, higher yields.  Since the environment is controlled, plants are less prone to pests and diseases.
• Less pollution! 

Start Your Own Hydroponic System Now

Here are some ways you can start a hydroponic system in your home.

1. Vertical Hydroponics  

Vertical hydroponic systems solve the problem of space.  Using frame towers or hanging baskets, more plants can be grown per square area.  The plants in the vertical hydroponic system look like pillars of green and provide a decorative appeal to any home.  One limitation of this system is that the towers can tip over when the plants become overgrown.

Below are some examples of vertical hydroponic systems.  Click on the links for more details about each.

Hydrofarm GCTB Tomato Barrel with 4-Foot Tower

Stackable Vertical Hydroponic Pots Tower

2.   Passive Hydroponics 

An inexpensive type of hydroponic system is the passive system.  Nutrients are fed to the plants through a cloth wick that draws water and endlessly flows to the root.   A medium of sand and vermiculite anchors the plant.  A limitation of this system is that the roots may starve due to lack of oxygen, or become over-exposed to water.

3.  Ebb and Flow Hydroponics

Regular flooding and draining of water to and from plants is called ebb and flow hydroponics.  Kind of like the Nile River inundating Egypt's flood plains to make for fertile grounds perfect for planting.  The plants grow in a medium of either rock, wool or gravel.  There is a time interval for flooding the plants, allowing the roots to dry in between the flooding.

Below is an example of an ebb and flow hydroponic system.

Hydrofarm Grow Flow 7-Gallon Controller & 12-Bucket Hydroponic Kit

4.   Aeroponics 

Aeroponic systems allow for nutrient water to drain completely from the roots at certain intervals.  There is no medium that anchors the roots.  An open aeroponic setup exposes the roots to air and light after draining the water, while an enclosed system provides a container that shields the roots from light, keeping them humid and protected.

Here is an example of an aeroponic system.

AeroGarden with Gourmet Herb Seed Kit

5.   NFT Hydroponics 

The Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) hydroponic method suspends the plants over a container of nutrient water, while a small pump controls water circulation to keep the plants fed.  The roots get much-needed oxygen from the space between the suspended container and the water.

With this type of system, there is minimal work to be done after the initial setup, and the energy cost is small and owed only to the energy needed by the pump to work.

So there you have it.  You can grow your own food easily and with little expense through the help of hydroponic systems.  You can either purchase from stores or build your own hydroponic system.  Either way, you are assured of an environment-friendly and space-saving way to create your own garden.

Happy gardening!


(Photo credit:  Google and Amazon images)


 

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A yummy database!

As busy as you are, why not try to squeeze in time for cooking? It's another stress-buster, believe it or not. All that dicing, slicing and stirring wrench your mind away from deadlines, the bills, the future, getting old... and all the heavy stuff.

There's nothing like being near a fire to beat off the chill in the heart and mind. It's nice too that you can channel pent-up anger and emotion when slicing those meats and vegetables to bits and pieces. And the most glorious feeling of all is when out comes well-cooked food delightedly eaten by your loved ones. Small goals are involved in cooking, but the successes are immensely gratifying.

If you have recipe books bought from stores or passed down from your mothers, you can use that to cook up a storm. But you can also frequent online food sites just to see what's cooking nowadays everywhere around the world. A favorite haunt is FoodNetwork.com. They have recipes from all categories from top chefs in the industry. What's particularly nice is that readers can post comments on how the recipe turned out when they cooked it, so you can glean from their comments if the recipe is any good or not.

I accumulated so many recipes from online sites that I have created this simple recipe database to store them in. Previously the recipes are saved in Notepad or Word, some in MS-Excel, that I get frustrated when searching for any particular recipe in this disorganized mess.

This is an MS-Access database, and I flexed a bit of my rusty Visual Basic and Access programming muscles to create this database. The end product is one you can decently use. It allows you to add your recipe -- title, ingredients, instructions, etc. There's even a button to print the recipe in a neat one-page format, so you can place your notebook on the kitchen table and view the recipe conveniently as you cook.

Oh, and here is the link to the database.  It's a zip file.

Have fun cooking! Do share any recipes you may have.

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