Ratatouille

We were mulling over what movie to watch last Friday night. The choices were Harry Potter, The Simpsons and Ratatouille. The hubby wanted the movie from Disney-Pixar since he is a fan of any Pixar creations and computer generated animations. My daughter and I wanted Harry Potter. I don't know how we were convinced to watch the Chef Rat instead. But we are so glad that we picked Remy over Harry and Homer.

Ratatouille is about a rat named Remy who knows how to cook and Linguini, the garbage boy who became the accidental cook. As in most movies, especially Disney movies, suspend your disbelief and eagerly wait what lies ahead. A fish-out-of-water story. And if it's Disney, trust that they will make even the most hideous creature to something sweet and lovable if they have to. Think Monsters Inc. So imagine a rat who maintains a kitchen of a famous restaurant and manages to speak to a dead master chef (Gusteau) and mentors a human (Linguini) to produce the best tasting dishes. You will never look at rats the same way again. Haha! Maybe not but at least for two hours your heart will go for these rodents especially for Remy. The rat who held on with his ambitions against all odds. "I want to add something to this world".

Conflicts arise among rats, among humans and between humans and rodents. There's a universal message of understanding, determination, love and loyalty which the adults will appreciate. There are simple lessons on stealing and eating dirty food which the children will easily get. I'm saying this Pixar offering might not really be appreciated by most kids (especially 6 years old and younger) but it still engages the children with its perfect animation, action sequences and comic timing.

As for me, I love the scene where it shows Paris by night never mind that it is computer generated. I love the scenes in the kitchen. They make me want to learn more about cooking and concocting new dishes. I'm not good in the kitchen, at least not yet, but as the catch line in the movie says, "anyone can cook". I better believe that.

I searched for a ratatouille recipe and landed on this site. Looks yummy! I learned that a famous chef, Thomas Keller, concocted the particular ratatouille recipe for the movie and it's called confit byaldi. Nice trivia.

As in all Pixar movies, expect an appetizer. This time it's called "Lifted". You will surely laugh your heart out.

Enjoy Ratatouille! :) And this is worth keeping in mind, "If you are what you eat, then I only want to eat the good stuff".

Creative

My daughter and I have visited Cocorama a few months back. It's a cute dining cafe located at Shangri-La Plaza Mall in Mandaluyong City. I find the theme and the decors really creative. The walls are very bright. It has the 70s feel but with 80s color combination. I love the "flower power" mural. Part of the wall decorations are vinyl records I posted in one of my photo hunt entries. There's also a disco ball hanging from the ceiling.


They also have creative names for their menu list. There's Travolta, LSD, Scream and Jackson Five which I took a shot of below. I'm just wondering why there's one pancake which is not supposed to be there. Or is that supposed to be Michael Jackson? No offense to MJ fans out there. :)


A big red VW Kombi serves as a wall separating the kitchen and the dining area. It also serves as the counter. The angus beef cooked and served Filipino style (well-done, with vinegar on the side and garlic rice) is good.

Tiny

I fancy this one so I thought I'd share it also with the rest of the Photo Hunters. Below is a picture of tiny paper soaps in different shapes and colors. I don't use them nor anyone in the family but they are nice "decorations" for the bathroom dresser and can be a substitute for a freshener for small cabinets or storage areas in bedrooms. At least for me, those are the main purposes of these cute paper soaps. :)


Another sharing is this tiny replica of a high cut rubber shoes sans the shoe lace. My daughter loves this one because it looks so much like her pink Converse shoes. She loves collecting key chains but this one is her favorite.



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To TNChick, get well soon. My prayers are with you.

You're Nine!

I consider July 18 a family holiday. This is a very special date for us because this is our daughter's birthday. She turns nine today. As of this posting she is spending her typical day at school with her teachers and classmates. There will be a small celebration in the house later. Just us, family. We'll be hosting a small get together for her classmates on Friday at school. She's a big girl now, no more kiddie parties. Haha, but she's looking forward going to Fun Ranch either with her friends or her cousin (whose birthday was yesterday) this weekend.

How time flies. Nine years ago my husband and I seemed at a lost on what to do with our our baby in front of us. She looked so fragile that a bone or two might break if we carry her the wrong way. First time parents. During the first few weeks we seem so unsure if we were doing the right thing even if we were guided. But as months passed, we gained confidence and it was like second nature for us to take care of our little Princess. Doting parents' instincts.

Sometimes I feel we are overly protective of our daughter. But realization sets in. She is not anymore the small child that needs overseeing at every move. At nine, she can do some things on her own. She is responsible enough to finish her homework alone. She knows what she wants to wear. She knows the books she will read the next time after finishing one. She pays at the counter whenever we have our trip to the bookstore. I let her do some household chores especially if she is the one who initiated it - like washing her plate. I encourage independence and decision making on her own "little" way.

Having said all these, deep in my heart, our Princess will always be our baby. I will let her fly but I'll be watching at a distance, letting her know no matter how old she gets, mommy will continue guiding her and loving her.

Shadow

I'd like to share with you some pictures I took of the monastery I have visited in Malaybalay, Bukidnon - Monastery of the Transfiguration. Bukidnon is known for the Del Monte Farm and its golf course. It's a great site no doubt but this monastery is the best place I've been when I was there.

Benedictine monks take care of the place and run their own store near the chapel. They have Monk's Blend coffee which I bought but haven't tried yet, Monk's Peanut Butter, peanut brittle or the Piniato. Also, religious relics, mostly St. Benedict medals. They say St. Benedict medals is worn to drive away evil spirits and prevent exorcism. The medals bear the phrases begone satan and may His presence protect us in the hour of our death, both in Latin.

I am not a Catholic but I appreciate the beauty of the place. It's very serene. Perfect for retreats or just some quiet walk. It has a very scenic view. This place soothes one's senses.

Here's a picture in one angle where huge church posts cast their shadows inside.

One of the bells of the church

A part of the interior. Note the altar made of solid rock.

The church's entrance.

The scenic view from the monastery.

My Simpson

This is cute. I couldn't resist posting this at this ungodly hour. It's way past my bedtime, *big grin*.

Here's my Simpson Avatar.


Haha, I'm way bigger than what is projected by this avatar. But not as big as the last choice in the 'built section'. It's just a movie anyway, so let me. :) I normally wear my hair down but lately, I keep it in a scroonchie. That means I am needing a haircut. (And I really have to explain my hairstyle, 'no?)

When you go around Springfield Town in the Simpson's website, you might just find yourself one of the characters, even "wanted" at that. Look at me. I'm there. :)



Have some fun and visit the site, The Simpsons Movie.

Fake

My family and I had our dinner last night at the newly opened Lamesa Grill at, where else, the second mall nearest us, Trinoma. As it had always been, I surveyed the interior and these caught my attention, the rain showers in the middle of the dining area and the bamboos which separate one table from another.

But of course, the rain showers are just coming from a shower hidden around the wooden band.


But the bamboo looks for real. Checking it further, the inside is not hollow but solid. It must be made of rattan.


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Last night was our second try at Lamesa Grill, owned by the Philippines' mega actress, Miss Sharon Cuneta and senator-husband, Francis Pangilinan. We had lunch at their branch at Mall of Asia a few months back. I would say the interior there is a lot better than what they have here at Trinoma. Here, it's very cramped. They tried to make the place cozy by putting in the falls, hanging veneer lamps, the rain showers, the bamboos but the place is not as comfortable as their first branch. Some tables have an awkward size that three seats make it all boxed in but leaving two seats make it really spacious.

The food is good though. We ordered the Lamesa Combo consisting of lengua, chicken barbecue, pork barbecue, baked scallops and tahong, grilled tanigue and prawns. Just take out those 'deadly black carcinogens' when you have your grilled food. One of our favorite dish is the tortang talong (eggplant omelette) - boiled eggplant with ground pork wrapped in scrambled egg topped with garlic and parsley. Very tasty.

The service is great. The food servers are very attentive and quick to respond to every query. Considering it was peak, it didn't take long for them to get our orders, deliver them to our table and bring in our bill. Normally, in most fast-casual restaurants, these three activities take around ten to fifteen minutes each.

What's good also was the 20% discount they offered for every meal. Just show the Lamesa Grill flyer and that will entitle you to a discount. Good enough. :)

***I'll be out, I will be visiting other photo hunters later tonight. :)

Kitchen Day

This day is "kitchen day" for me. I have been meaning to be a good cook, a good baker for months now. I have always been fond of cooking but got into it sporadically. I will not promise myself anything but I would be very happy if I can pursue this at least every weekend.

I tried this dish at my classmate's restaurant, Cook Book Kitchen, and it had been a favorite of mine since then. I shared it with my husband and daughter and they both loved it instantly. It's called Parmesan Crusted White Fish. Much as I would want to get the recipe from my classmate, I practiced restraint. This dish is their best seller. I would not want to put her on the spot. Por delicadeza, I did not ask since most recipes in restaurant menus normally have something 'secret' to differentiate the taste. According to her though, they use Blue Tang (dory fish).

I was ready to browse on the web for a recipe of the said dish but it's a good thing the same dish is on Yummy Magazine. Blessing! :) The magazine used salmon. Good thing I have stock of the ingredients at home except for the Parmesan cheese and salmon. So yesterday, I headed to the grocery and added these to my list.

Before and after. Not much difference but I am happy to note I was able to finish this Salmon Casserole little short of thirty minutes. Smells really good.


The presentation is not good. I'm just a newbie in the kitchen. Maybe later on I will be able to master food presentation in my own little way.

As if I cannot get enough, while overseeing and waiting for my daughter to finish her school assignments before I check on them, I multitasked by baking Betty Crocker's Double Chocolate Chunk. A little mix of vegetable oil, egg and water...I have a cookie mix. The preparation is at the back of the packaging. It was done in twenty five minutes. No sweat. :)

My daughter and I decided not to mold then into little cookies. We just poured the whole mix in the pan and make it like a big cookie. The result as you can see is much like a brownie. But it tastes good. :)

That was how I spent my Sunday. After church in the morning, I spent most of the day in the kitchen. I intend to do this at least every weekend. It was really fun! :)

**I wanted to create a link to Yummy Magazine to give credit where credit is due and to link the recipe for Salmon Casserole. But I don't know, Summit Media gives me an error message.