Serving Kitayama Wagyu at Home

If you are a fan of Wagyu steaks and burgers then you are one affluent foodie.  "Joke lang!" 

I too have the same sentiment.  I'm not rich, though I wouln't mind to spend quite a bit specially on good quality meat.  I'm not a meat-lover but at certain times, I would indulge on fat enriched pampered wagyu beef, but what if I tell you this not so rare type of Wagyu doesn't come from tge US or UK, not even from Japan,  But don't be surprised.  Bukidnon boast of a farm that raises wagyu.

Wagyu, for those who have been living under a rock, is a Japanese breed cattle beef, 'Wa' means Japanese and 'gyu' means cattle.  It's unique taste and tenderness with its highly "marbled" beef makes an unrivalled gastronome adventure.

Talking about locally raised wagyu cattle, in the hilly side of North Mindanao, specifically in Bukidnon, Umalag Farms owned by the Ramcar Group of Companies have been raising them for years. Its meatshop along Pasong Tamo, across Makati Cinema Square is now selling various cuts of the choiced meat.  Beef marbling grades have have consistently been ranging from 5 to 8, that is for serious foodies' information.

With that...

It has now found its way through gourmet restaurants and world acclaimed chef and restaurateurs' kitchen.  I used to order dishes from the defunked Bistro Filipino of the Laudico couples, such as Wagyu Salpicao and Kaldereta.  I think, if I'm not mistaken, Chef's Rolando and Jackie, also use Kitayama Wagyu in their beef dishes at Pugon Roasters and Guevarra's.

I first had an experience with the local Wagyu, Kitayama, early last year of 2013, when we dined at  Ristorante Bigoli.  All their beef, which they use in their menu comes from Umalag farms of Ramcar Group of Companies, in which Bigoli is also a part of.

Soon, Chef Him Uy de Baron of Nomama followed suit and other restaurants as well like Malcolm's Deli, The Black Pig and more.

I have been eyeing this store since its inception.  We know that spot in Makati hosts a couple of authentic Japanese restaurants and stores.  My interest piqued even more when I saw the building being built, which I thought would just be another restaurant of the kind.  I just got blessed to have walked along that side of Pasong Tamo and I didn't let the opportunity pass so I entered and here are the photos I captured with my phone. 

Aside from Wagyu beef they have also welcomed other purveyors to sell their artisan products.  Products you don't typically find in the grocers like Bayani Brew, Fog City Creamery and Carmen's Best Ice Creams and a lot more.

Of course, I didn't come home empty handed.

So, I bought half a pack of Wagyu Beef Tapa and a package of Wagyu Maple Bacon.

Here is how it looked like after being cooked.  To perfectly cook a beef tapa, you need to slightly cook it in its marinate until it dries up and the oils from the fats break down slowly and cooking the meat in its own fat, just a drop of vegetable oil to prevent from sticking to the pan of if needed.

We loved how it came it out, the meat was tender and juicy, not salty nor sour, but with a well-balance of simple spices and probably a soy sauce based marinate.

The bacon were amazingly good as well, it has a buttery taste, followed by a kick of salt and, finally, a meaty finish.

Here is one the ways of fixing a sandwich with wagyu bacon.  on a sliced and mayo-slathered baguette, layer with kale (or other greens of your choice) thinly sliced apples, wagyu bacon and fried eggs.

Will come back for their porter house and sirloins next, and more of the tapas and bacon, for they are well loved by my pack...

Green Living at Paseo Verde

I'm sure parents would agree here that education is the most important inheritance a parent can give to their children, with proper guidance and right up bringing,  a child can never go wrong with his or her decisions. This holds true in   the case of these two students.  At a very young age they persuaded their parents to buy them a condominium unit at Paseo Verde in Las Piñas City.

A mid rise condominium located South of Metro Manila interest the two students, Doreen Joy Rosell and Maria Jessica Bello both students from FEU,  because of its unique features that Paseo Verde offers to its unit owners. The bike facilities and electronic bike charging is just one feature that the condominium offers, it also has park and play ground of its own located in its premises. Plus the certified accreditation by the Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence (BERDE) and a member of the Philippine Green Building Council for its steps toward promoting a sustainable community.

Presently, the  awareness in promoting and living in an eco-friendly place is the current fad among young people today. They want to give their contribution in protecting the environment and helping it in their own way.

One of the student said that “It is nice to live in a place where you can see trees and green grasses outside your window and gives you the feeling that you’re away from the city.”

The other lass said “South is the place that are being heavily developed, soon it will or might become the new business hub, since most of the place in Metro Manila is already full. The opportunity could be right here.  And this is not a loss it could also be a gain for me, because I see this as my first investment.”

In the end, they are positively sure that after they graduated and find the right job, they know that it’s their turn to pay the rest of the monthly payment.

Corn and Coconut Granita

Here's part two of the recipes migration.  I'm starting to post the recipes that are easy to do and with ingredients readily available.

I'm betting, you will love me for this!

As for my theme on the blog joyshumblekitchen.blogspot.com - "Simplifying yumminess is what I do best!" I taught of a cool dessert or snack to serve on self-hosted dinner at home.  I took a champagne  glass, layered with grated or scraped off coconut meat, Coconut Granita *, and Corn.

Walaaah!  A dessert! A snack!  A healthy option! 

Granita (in Italian also granita siciliana) is a semi-frozen dessert made from sugar, water and various flavorings. Originally from Sicily, although available all over Italy (but granita in Sicily is somewhat different from the rest of Italy), it is related to sorbet and Italian ice. However, in most of Sicily, it has a coarser, more crystalline texture. Food writer Jeffrey Steingarten says that "the desired texture seems to vary from city to city" on the island; on the west coast and in Palermo, it is at its chunkiest, and in the east it is nearly as smooth as sorbet. [1] This is largely the result of different freezing techniques: the smoother types are produced in a gelato machine, while the coarser varieties are frozen with only occasional agitation, then scraped or shaved to produce separated crystals. 

( copied from Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granita)

How to make Coconut Granita:

1.  In a pitcher, mix coconut juice from 2 coconuts and half cup of condensed milk.   

2.  Once mixed pour on a 5" to 7" plastic tray, cover and refrigerate for an hour.  

3.  After 1 hour you will notice the top hardens a bit, scrape it off and mix.  

4.  Refrigerate for two more hours, scrape again until you achieve a slushy consistency in the ice. 

 It will be ready to serve by then.

Fruity Yogurt Parfait (Lifted from my Recipe blog)

Confession day it is.  I'm one of those bloggers who manage not just two blogs but a lot!  I used to be a tad finicky about sorting my journals.  And these are only personal posts and no amount of income generated, whatsoever.  If my husband finds out about the madness, I have no idea how he'd react.  Anyways, I have decided to shut down some of them and transport every posts here, well those that are food and travel related.

I just hope that sharing the activities I did with my family is worth posting.

Let me know share you a post I wrote at what was RECIPES FRO MY HUMBLE KITCHEN BLOG (http://joyshumblekitchen.blogspot.com/).

JANUARY 19, 2011 POST

Famous Facts about Yogurt
- It is an immunity booster, good in fighting in body infections.
-Very good for those who are hypertensive or has high blood pressure, for it lowers cholesterol level.

Studies show that live cultures in yogurt absorbs cholesterol.
-Best milk substitute, for lactose-intolerants or have protein allergy, since it has less lactose.
-Lowers the risk of colon cancer.  Yogurt has lacto-bacteria, which prevents the production of carcinogens in the intestines.
-Like milk, it is also rich in calcium, not only does it provides the body with enough protein, it also prevents excess growth of the cells lining the colon and as well as the stomach lining.
-The soy food stabilizes sugar, diabetics can have this.
-A good food for those on diet.

Fruity Yogurt Parfait

Ingredients:
For 1 to 2 servings
  1 pack of yogurt, plain or flavored,
         here I used Yummy Strawberry
         of Nestle
  sliced ripe mangoes
  sliced lacatan banana
  Milo cereal
  Fruit loops breakfast cereal

Easy steps in making:
1.  Put a few Milo and fruit loop cereals,  add the magoes and bananas, top with yogurt, then another layer with the same ingredients.
2.  Top it with more yogurt and bits of milo and fruit loops.
3.   ENJOY the goodness of a healthy and fruity snack.

This can also be enjoyed for breakfast and dessert.  Variations may include ice cream or heavy whipped cream instead of yogurt.  Nuts and other fruits can be added.

Very easy to make, here my youngest daughter was the one who whipped this up, I just told her what to put on the glass.   But I did the slicing though.  FYI, this was her breakfast!

Health and Wellness: Isis Wellness and Spa

Photo credit

Do you find yourself unable to function at the level you used to or at the level you wish to? Stress may be interfering with your life.  Do you find yourself worrying, feeling physical (muscle) tension, have rapid heart rate or do a lot of  “what-if-ing” or postponing work because you feel overwhelmed?  If you say "yes" to both, then you need to manage your stress and inject a suitable wellness system, else, see a doctor.

Completely banishing stress from your life is inevitable.  I also speak for my self.  As I consistently try my hardest and seek new endeavors, I naturally feel challenged and most often  even stressed. Though I know this is all part of personal growth, but sometimes stress threatens to overwhelm me.  

Fortunately, there are steps we can take to minimize its negative toll, and to prevent it from getting a grip on us in the first place. One best suggestion I could give is to have a regular relaxation schedule, such as enjoying an herbal infusion drink, freshly squeezed juices and massages and facials.

What if I tell you that there is a retreat hidden in the concrete jungle, also known as Ayala, Makati?

One can find recoil from the daily grind and be feted by a number of options of unique spa treatments - from massages, spa facials and body scrubs.

Isis Wellness and Spa is a new place slowly getting the words out there from their fresh batch of discerning spa enthusiasts.  Great care has been taken to provide a profound experience -- where the senses are drawn inward through the right blend of oils, freshly prepared natural ingredients, the unmistakable healing touch and service with a soul.

These are the fine details that allow each moment to gently unfold and deliver one to wellness.

How do I know? Well, not only is this place owned by a couple friend of mine who exemplify passion. They are professionally known to provide utmost service in the field they have worked on for years. 

Isis Wellness and Spa is inside Prince Plaza 1 Condominium, which is just across Greenbelt 5 along Legazpi St., Makati.   

The mood of Isis is one of tranquility, remoteness and essentially all-natural, earth-tones.  The green walls, dark wood fixtures and some memoirs of their Asian trips all weave in to exude an environment that is soothing.

The spa embraces a holistic approach to physical and spiritual well-being with an extensive treatment menu that was developed from years of experience working from the lowliest massage services to the highest 5-star hotel clienteles, which includes sheikhs and Hollywood celebs.

The spa uses only non-comedogenic products made up of all-natural botanicals with no perfumes, dyes, alcohol or any other elements.  For facial spa treatments, they use the all-natural Pevonia products which contain no chemicals, ensuring the purity of the product. 

I've known Merna Brazil-Derouet, one of the spa owner, since we had our second child (now we had four, and that kid is now in college).  I totally swear by her healing touch, not the way an "albularyo" or folk healer does it, but by how she have managed to effectuate a craft that not too many would persevere.  Every time I would have strained muscles, back pains, sprains and of course, the dreaded "lamig,"  she would be the only person I can count on.  Not that I haven't tried going to other spas and therapists, I actually have tried quite a few, but most of them come short of the therapy I needed.

I'm so happy for Merna and Didier Derouet, now that they have finally opened up a new concept wellness venue where they try to cater to all the senses for a total wellness experience.

Isis' door barely opened last Saturday, with a simple dedication and prayer, and a sampling of what the couple offers.

Merna certainly have her hands full with the admin work and the whole facilitation, including training the therapists.  Didier, on the other end is busy with dishing up tea infusion and refreshing concoctions paired to every pampering need.  He just happened to be one of the best pastry chef I know, with years of expertise and Fairmonts and Raffles hotel have been on his background's list.

After the short Biblical impartation of the business, the guests were served with cocktails.

Upon every guests' arrival, welcome refreshments will be served.  We had a sampling of that on the opening.  What we all thought as Sprite or champagne was a glass of lemongrass infused sparkling water.  At the end of the therapy, you can choose to have hot tea or a cold shot of their freshly juiced.

Shrimp Salad

Roast Pork in some kinda sweet and tangy dressing

Juice of the day:  Watermelon, cucumber with a hint of lime

That was me and their pastor friend at the back, both of us had one hour of rejuvenating Foot Reflexology. The room, btw, was dimly lit but they still had to put soothing lavander-scented eye pillows.  Time for me to get a shut-eye, which I don't normally do in the afternoon.  The aroma, the background music and the strokes from the hands of my therapist, blended so well to induce sleep. 

After my treatment, I was offered tea and I never say no to hot teas, and together with that to shortly end our snack, we were served with fresh fruit salad.

I'm officially making Isis my retreat hub.  I also had tried one of their Facial spa and will yet to write about them and how Pevonia products might replace my daily facial cleaning regimen.  For now, I'll be relying with Isis' regular facial pampering that's not evasive and no more tears, just cleansed, supple and young-looking skin.

It's now your turn, they are open everyday from 10 am to 8 pm.  It is best to call them at 0921 572 8408 to reserve your preferred time but they do welcome walk ins.  For more inquiries like their Facebook page- ISIS WELLNESS AND SPA.

Authentic Oriental Flavors at Ginzadon

Last Tuesday had been quite remarkable.  Not only that I got to bond with my friend and her grade school friend who visited (she's based in Los Angeles), I also found out about an association called KBF or Kaisahang Buhay Foundation.  What was distinctive was learning about the pregnant women who are being cared by this organization.  One of KBF's advocacy is providing a temporary shelter to abused pregnant women and another is foster care service to unwanted babies.  The three of us paid a visit to this particular house and gave hope to these girls and women.  I'll definitely be writing about that experience and we will come back there armed with spanking ways to help them more.

In other news, I was expecting to have a lovely dinner with my hubs at one of Resorts World Manila's first-rate restaurants.  We have been meaning to get a load of Asian dishes to modify our erratic comfort food eat outs.  Little did he know, we will be having admirable oriental classics at nonetheless than Ginzadon, poised at the second level of Maxim's Hotel.

Resort's World Manila have perfected luxurious entertainment and they're at the helm of designing more concepts to cater to different clients, whether local metro dwellers or foreigners. They have proven to top the saying that there is more to life than just working hard, most of the time, it really pays to reward yourself with memorable pleasures, and RWM have it all roofed in one convenient location.   Where else can you enjoy five-star hotel stay-cations, watch breath-taking theater shows, maybe dine after an array of cuisines and watch a new movie without spending on gas, and oh try your luck on the casino.

If you think they have exhausted everything at their only Manila branch, (yet) you are wrong. According to the marketing team of RWM, they are still on the verge of adding a 5,000-seat convention center with function rooms in 2014, new hotels Hilton and Sheraton in 2016 and more restaurants and facilities to be added plus not to mention their biggest project the Resorts World Bayshore along Manila Bay. 

I guess if being the best in fusing different cultures and different kinds of  having fun, we can simply expect one thing from RWM, if they have aimed to bring two worlds in one dining- the best!

There I said it, Ginzadon, does not only serve authentic Japanese cuisine but also favorite Korean dishes.  Though sounding like Japanese, the restaurant's name actually was derived from, well, both countries.  The Japanese word "Ginza"  means  an upscale district in Tokyo, while "don" simply means money in Korean. 

It was my first time here and I was very delighted so I will share more photos of what to look forward to.  Compared to Passion, a neighboring fine-dining resto which is expansive and have been a great venues for family and corporate events, Ginzadon is rather intimate with a dining capacity of 65 to 70 only, making it ideal for small family gatherings and company meetings.

Just like other Japanese restaurants, minimalism is their key design, wooden, earthy tones with splashes of reds.  I particularly fancy the glassed wall with cherry blossom etchings.

On the foreground, from where we came in, are three separate bars- the sushi, the sake and yakitori.

Before I could even approach the sake bar, I was lured to the bar on my right, with the commanding aroma of the meats being grilled.  I got even hungrier.

 On the other side which is the sushi and teriyaki bar, are these freshly sliced fish meat.  You will be amazed that Ginzadon's kitchen have captured the essence of Japanese cuisine by taking the best of what the island nation has to offer in terms of flavor and bringing it all together here.  You will definitely feel that, once the menu is flipped open.

I was just as blessed to have met Chef Tony, or Chef Antonio Ablay in serious terms, who shyly approached  me with a greeting and mentioning that he will have me try his favorite creations.

Garbed in his sauce-splattered chef clothes, he was anxious to pose in front of my camera but was very accommodating and cheery when asked.

According to him, "In Japan, there's a difference in flavor if you go to Tokyo, which is in the north, or if you go to Osaka, which is in the south.  In the north, they tend to be heavy on salt, while in the south they prefer less.  Here at Ginzadon, I let the flavors of the north and south meet in the middle."

Here begins hub's and I's gustatory indulgence with twice the oriental flair. 

I was busy taking photos and talking to the chefs behind the three bars, while these sets of banchan came ahead of me.  These are unlimited, complimentary side dishes or appetizers which you can nibble on while waiting for your order.  Honestly, it took us a while to decide what we want, they all looked heavenly on the menu.  The set we had included kimchi, Myulchi Bokkeum or stir-fried anchovies (which I almost finished just because...), pickled this and that, and more.

Soy sauce and what not already prepped on the table, serves both as an adornment.

The Ebi Tempura was first to reach our table.  What set's this tempura apart from the others, is that it’s extremely light and not oily at all, also the size is larger than the others.  There is that delicate balance that really comes across in their dishes. The seafood tempura I tried was crispy on the outside but soft inside. And the vegetable tempura dishes brought out the flavor so well I was amazed that familiar everyday vegetables could taste so good.

Next is the assorted Sashimi Moriawase set or the Special Sashimi Platter, which came with a selection of fresh and imported fresh sashimi and a sampling of uni beautifully placed in the middle. The mixed set has a variety of seafood that I’m not that familiar with, as well as elegantly cut salmon, tuna, and mackerel.  Their sashimi platter indeed has the finest cuts of delicious raw fish (at least those fish that are in my food-cabulary).  I successfully tried one of each from this platter, though I hope my love for these wasn't that obvious, hehe. 

Sushi Platters' price starts from P 675 to P 1000 and P 95 to P 400 for the specific sushi orders.

You can have a divine platter with assortment of Sashimi with a price of  P 1,100 to P 1,700 while an order of one variety starts with a price of P 115.

I was not yet done with my wows, when this long, long glass rectangular plate came.  Chef Tony's signature dish - The Yulonagi Maki, Ginzadon's take on the Dragon Sushi Roll.  It's a California Roll made more appealing by topping it with "unagi" or eel prepared "Kabayaki style."

Kabayaki is a culinary skill where the eel and also other fish, is opened up like a butterfly, is filleted, and grilled with sweet soy based sauce.

It was love at first bite! 

And I think I was the one who had the most maki amongst the four of us.  Another challenge being brought up was to eat a slice in one mouthful.  A bit petrified, I decided to slice it in half with a fork, with a thought on the back of my mind that I was destroying an art,  and ate half but was prompted by my instinct to eat the other as quickly while not even finishing up chewing the first bite.   Tsk, tsk, tsk...

So now, I'm wondering how to satisfy my strong craving for the juicy and smoky eel dish + maki.  Thus, I have more excuses to come back here at Ginzadon. 

Then came a meager large oblongated bowl filled with savory, short-ribby goodness, drenched in a sweet, soy broth with hearty vegetables, topped with sliced fried eggs for a quirky manner.  This is Gal Bi Jim.  It's one of the best-seller among their Korean dish list.

Slightly resembling Korea Garden's Beef Stew, Gal Bi Jim is definitely comforting, with its super tender and moist meat, perfect for those moments when life totally needs a pause button.  This is best paired with Yamameshi or Gohan.

Our meal were hosted by two gorgeous ladies and they had a bowl each of Kim Chi Jji Gae (Kim chi stew), while we just had Miso Soup.

See how huge the servings are.  An order of each dish may serve up to 4 people.

Ain't that lavish, else how would you describe this feast?

How then can you end this?  Of course, with a sublime sweet course.  

You can  choose from coffee jelly, to mixed fruit platter, but my best suggestions are their frozen treats. 

We were served with two of their house-made ice-creams, Black Sesame Ice Cream for hubs, while Green Tea, known to their regular diners as Nuk Cha, for me.

All of these started and ended with a complimentary bottomless hot Japanese Green Tea.  Now these all can spell healthy, right?  

They too have soju, sake and a wide variety of beers and other beverages to compliment your hearty Asian meals.

Everything we had that evening was nothing short of great.  We went home with happy tummies, enough not to get a midnight snack.  With that Ginzadon have won new customers in us.  This will be a great news for my kids as well, we won't have to travel far to visit their favorite Japanese resto in Nuvali.

Ginzadon

Resorts World Manila
2/F Maxims Tower Hotel, Newport Blvd
Domestic Airport, Pasay
(02) 908-8887

To Eat in the Garden of Concha

“A garden should make you feel you've entered privileged space -- a place not just set apart

 but reverberant -- and it seems to me that, to achieve this, 

the gardener must put some kind of twist on the existing landscape, 

turn its prose into something nearer poetry.” 

― Michael Pollan, Second Nature: A Gardener's Education

Gardening is another of my hidden hobby.  I have been managing a pocket garden at our rooftop for decades already. I would have roses, lilies, huge bougainvilleas and others.  I spent a lot buying and collecting different kinds of euphorbias as well.

But when I started taking care of herbs and vegetable vines, I wanted to turn that small place to be of more use, say for healing and vegetation, after all, I have been converted from a typical Mama to one driven, self-proclaimed health-freak Mommy.

There’s something about growing flowering plants at home that intrigues and fascinates me. But the joy of using your plants in your own kitchen and for the family's consumption is matchless.  But like any garden saying, "Without hard work, nothing grows but weeds."  This may be metonymic but I'm literally using it.

So nothing would please me more than having a meal or snack in the middle of a cozy, country garden.