The second of the two articles I wrote on wines.
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TASTE WITH CONFIDENCE: WINE TASTING FOR BEGINNERS
Conquer your fear of tasting wine with easy-to-follow tips from Filipina winemaker Tondi Bolkan of the Francis Ford Coppola Winery.
“There is no right or wrong when tasting wine. Just be open and trust your own opinion. The person’s palate is the final answer.” A neophyte wine taster cannot ask for more comforting words. This is how Tondi Bolkan, a Filipina associate winemaker of the Francis Ford Coppola Winery (FFCW) in California, welcomed her guests in a wine tasting event held last January to showcase her own wine concoctions.
Admittedly, wine tasting is still a relatively new concept for Filipinos. Most people choose not to attend a tasting out of fear or not knowing what to do. But what is a better way to start exploring wine than with blends specifically created for the Filipino palate.
Six different wines vintaged in Napa Valley and Sonoma, California from Allejos Cellars and FFCW were uncorked for tasting, including the former’s Pinay Muscato (white), Tondi Bolkan Merlot (red) and Pinay Pastel (port-style wine).
Cast your fear aside and apply these easy-to-follow tips from Tondi:
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Uncorking the Pinay
For the next two pieces, Hanna assigned me to cover a wine-tasting event at Pacific Place, Ortigas featuring Filipina winemaker, Tondi Navarrete-Bolkan. This is my first wine tasting ever! Who am I to talk about wines, or even write how I think of them and how to enjoy them? I had to do a lot of research for my questions to be on-point. Thanks to Tondi and her family for being so hospitable.
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Uncorking the Pinay
Meet Tondi Navarrete-Bolkan, a Filipina winemaker from the Francis Ford Coppola Winery whose mission is to uncork the Filipino’s love for wine.
Lechon, pansit, cheese, crackers and cold cuts; a serenade of love songs; friends and family abound—a classic picture of a Filipino get-together. In this feast, the centerpiece are six fine wines vintaged in Napa Valley and Sonoma, California by Tondi Navarrete-Bolkan, a Filipina associate winemaker of the Francis Ford Coppola Winery and part-owner of Alejos Cellars.The gathering is a wine tasting for Tondi’s wine creations which includes the Pinay Muscato (white), Tondi Bolkan Merlot (red) and Pinay Pastel (port-style wine), flagship wines of the Alejos Cellars; and Francis Ford Coppola Winery concoctions including Coppola’s Diamond Series Claret (red), Su Yuen (Riesling) and Sofia (a sparkling wine named after Sofia Coppola).
“My mom is my inspiration for the Pinay. I was mortified to see her drinking the Rubicon, a 145-dollar bottle of wine, and topping it with Maraschino cherries to adjust its sweetness. I promised her I’d make her a sweet wine.”
With a degree on Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior from UC Davis California, Tondi initially planned to take up medicine to follow her father and sister’s path. “During my senior year in college, I had my internship at the University Medical Center. Once I saw blood, I immediately passed out.” Luckily UC Davis is also known for viniculture and grape growing. She turned to her true passion and studied winemaking, and since 2001 has been working at the Francis Ford Coppola Winery in Napa Valley known as the Rubicon Estate.
“My family was surprised because they wanted me to be a doctor. They did not speak to me from September to November—my first harvest season. After the holidays, I sent them a case of my first wine, and they knew they have a winemaker in the family.”
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Chef Melissa Sison: Setting the Standard for Our Future Chefs
Second article for www.cookeatnow.com.
For this one, Hanna assigned me to write about Chef Melissa Sison. I had to do a phone interview with her, something I haven't done for a long time. I was initially nervous, but Chef Melissa is very pleasant and our interview went very smoothly. Trivia: Chef Melissa and I were "batchmates" in Batanes, but we were never introduced. At least it's nice to know the face behind the voice. :-)
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Chef Melissa Sison: Setting the Standard for Our Future Chefs
Fourteen years since its foundation, the Center for Culinary Arts-Manila (CCA-Manila) still holds the distinction of producing the most promising chefs of the country. Over the past year, they have instituted curriculum and operational changes to forge a well-defined CCA standard that will stand out further than the rest.
For this one, Hanna assigned me to write about Chef Melissa Sison. I had to do a phone interview with her, something I haven't done for a long time. I was initially nervous, but Chef Melissa is very pleasant and our interview went very smoothly. Trivia: Chef Melissa and I were "batchmates" in Batanes, but we were never introduced. At least it's nice to know the face behind the voice. :-)
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Chef Melissa Sison: Setting the Standard for Our Future Chefs
Fourteen years since its foundation, the Center for Culinary Arts-Manila (CCA-Manila) still holds the distinction of producing the most promising chefs of the country. Over the past year, they have instituted curriculum and operational changes to forge a well-defined CCA standard that will stand out further than the rest.
Academics Program Manager, Chef Melissa Sison, spearheads these changes. “At CCA, we aim to produce not just skilled chefs but future culinary leaders and entrepreneurs. They carry the CCA name, and much is expected of them.”A graduate of SHA Ecole Des Roches in Switzerland, Chef Melissa considers herself an entrepreneur at heart. With her experience in owning her own restaurant, My Little Kitchen, and as Executive Chef for research and development for Oyster Boy, she applied her experience and ability to lead the Center to a whole new level.
“Before, I have observed that the graduates’ loyalty was to their chef-instructors. I suppose it’s only natural. When you train under a chef, you really pick up their best habits. But what we want is loyalty to CCA, expressed in a standard that each graduate will bring wherever he/she goes.”
Thursday, January 27, 2011
A Passion for Creative Baking: Artisan Breads
My first article for www.cookeatnow.com is already out!
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A Passion for Creative Baking: Artisan Breads
“It is fulfilling to come up with specialty breads exclusive to client needs. It is in itself a creative process.”
Photos from www.artisanbreads.multiply.com
They say a true Filipino meal is never complete without rice. Not for Leslie Rabat, proprietor of Artisan Breads by Pan Italiano. For her, bread is more than a convenient substitute to rice. It is a universal food, which can be a satisfying and a healthy option for any meal.
Truth be told, Filipinos love bread more than they admit. Each time the price of flour or sugar rises; consumers are worried that the taste or size of their trusty bread products will be affected. The wide range of bread products in any Filipino bakery—pan de sal, monay, putok, Spanish bread, kabayan—are all testaments to the Pinoy’s love for bread.
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A Passion for Creative Baking: Artisan Breads
“It is fulfilling to come up with specialty breads exclusive to client needs. It is in itself a creative process.”
Photos from www.artisanbreads.multiply.com
They say a true Filipino meal is never complete without rice. Not for Leslie Rabat, proprietor of Artisan Breads by Pan Italiano. For her, bread is more than a convenient substitute to rice. It is a universal food, which can be a satisfying and a healthy option for any meal.
Truth be told, Filipinos love bread more than they admit. Each time the price of flour or sugar rises; consumers are worried that the taste or size of their trusty bread products will be affected. The wide range of bread products in any Filipino bakery—pan de sal, monay, putok, Spanish bread, kabayan—are all testaments to the Pinoy’s love for bread.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Adjusting to Chores
Each week, I devote one day to cleaning our small studio apartment in Cubao.
Major tasks include scrubbing the bathroom, washing the delicates (sometimes including Momon's sweaty gym clothes), cleaning the stove and dining table, fixing the laundry, ironing Momon's office clothes, and mopping the floor. Of course tasks like cooking, sweeping the floor and washing the dishes are done daily.
Just to clarify, I am not complaining, I'm just enumerating all my new chores--chores I've acquired since becoming a married woman.
See, I lived in a house where there was always a helper. When I wake up in the morning, rice is always ready. If you need something cooked, it will be ready in a moment. When you're done eating, you just put your plate on the sink. My only participation in this whole process is the actual eating.
Now, just having lunch takes a bit of effort.
On days I don't go to the office, I am alone in the house. When I cook rice in the morning, some of it is bound to be left over. Problem is, I hate cold rice (bahaw). So I have to get a pan to reheat it and clean the pan along with the other things I used for my meal.
For the first time I was able to identify with a commercial so precisely directed towards housewives/married ladies. It's a commercial for Joy liquid dishwashing soap promising less damage to your hands, giving you a chance to call yourself "Kamay-Dalaga". After seeing that commercial, I asked Momon to buy me a pair of gloves.
Please don't get me wrong, I have been trained by my parents to do all these tasks. I know how to go to the market, cook, clean, iron, etc. I actually really do, I just don't do them often. So, I guess I'm still adjusting.
But I don't feel sad or abused, instead I feel challenged. Each time I feel tired, I'd just go back to how good it feels when the house is clean, to how everything makes Momon comfortable. My goal is for Momon to come home to a restful and relaxing place, without need to worry what's for dinner or if his clothes for the next day are ready--the same way I felt when I was in my old house.
So, anyway... this is getting lengthy. I almost forgot that today is actually my cleaning day. Off to mop the floor and iron the clothes!
In return, he brings me ice cream. Hahaha!
Major tasks include scrubbing the bathroom, washing the delicates (sometimes including Momon's sweaty gym clothes), cleaning the stove and dining table, fixing the laundry, ironing Momon's office clothes, and mopping the floor. Of course tasks like cooking, sweeping the floor and washing the dishes are done daily.
Just to clarify, I am not complaining, I'm just enumerating all my new chores--chores I've acquired since becoming a married woman.
See, I lived in a house where there was always a helper. When I wake up in the morning, rice is always ready. If you need something cooked, it will be ready in a moment. When you're done eating, you just put your plate on the sink. My only participation in this whole process is the actual eating.
Now, just having lunch takes a bit of effort.
On days I don't go to the office, I am alone in the house. When I cook rice in the morning, some of it is bound to be left over. Problem is, I hate cold rice (bahaw). So I have to get a pan to reheat it and clean the pan along with the other things I used for my meal.
For the first time I was able to identify with a commercial so precisely directed towards housewives/married ladies. It's a commercial for Joy liquid dishwashing soap promising less damage to your hands, giving you a chance to call yourself "Kamay-Dalaga". After seeing that commercial, I asked Momon to buy me a pair of gloves.
Please don't get me wrong, I have been trained by my parents to do all these tasks. I know how to go to the market, cook, clean, iron, etc. I actually really do, I just don't do them often. So, I guess I'm still adjusting.
But I don't feel sad or abused, instead I feel challenged. Each time I feel tired, I'd just go back to how good it feels when the house is clean, to how everything makes Momon comfortable. My goal is for Momon to come home to a restful and relaxing place, without need to worry what's for dinner or if his clothes for the next day are ready--the same way I felt when I was in my old house.
So, anyway... this is getting lengthy. I almost forgot that today is actually my cleaning day. Off to mop the floor and iron the clothes!
In return, he brings me ice cream. Hahaha!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Joe San Antonio, Review
Having your wedding gown designed by Joe San Antonio, is like having it done by a long-time friend. Aside from her beautiful designs, what really stood out is her genuine care and concern for you and all the rest of your entourage.
I came to Joe six months before my wedding. I was confused and uninterested with this part of wedding preps. See, fashion is really my Waterloo. For some people, this may be the first thing on their list, but for a t-shirt and pants girl like me, it isn't. But with Joe, I never felt that she's taking advantage of my lack of knowledge or interest. Instead, she comforted me and patiently explained what would look good, what would not. I learned to trust and give her the upper hand in our quest to glam me up on the big day.
1st ASEAN Children's Forum
Below are the four videos produced, featuring my voice as the narrator. Hehehe.
Thursday, January 06, 2011
Wedding Videos
To kick me out of the non-posting rut, let me present the two videos from our wedding. Medyo magyayabang lang ako sa mga videos na ito.
PHOTO MONTAGE
Here is the photo montage of childhood and BF-GF photos. Hanna and I spent a few hours writing the script for this and debating which photos to include among the hundreds I have gathered. Ang motto: "Hindi porke maganda lahat, kailangan ilagay lahat."
I'm also pleased how we were able to show the parallels, and make a sort of story out of the photos. Inis na inis ako sa mg photo montage na puro mga mukha lang ng couple ang nakikita. Shucks. What about activities, what about backgrounds? Mas inis ako sa mga taong nagka-caption ng "Lakeshore 2009, Palawan 2008, etc" tapos mga mukha lang naman nila makikita mo sa photo. So, kahit saan pala ko magpa-picture pwede, i-caption ko na lang. Ay sorry, I'm getting carried away. Back to the video.
I also edited the music to cut it down from 5:40 to 3:50. Para hindi boring. Kahit kaya ng materyal na umabot sa 5:40, magiging boring na. Medyo dineliberate din yung music. Tama na sa mga mushy mushy love songs, dapat fun fun fun!
John (Cinemaworks) did a great job moving the photos around and bringing them to life. He was also very patient with me sa mga pinapa-revise ko here and there.
In short, I love our photo montage cause it shows the things Momon and experienced for the past 9 years together and the other 18 years when we were younger. We were also able include our dearest friends in the mix. So, here it is:
PHOTO MONTAGE
Here is the photo montage of childhood and BF-GF photos. Hanna and I spent a few hours writing the script for this and debating which photos to include among the hundreds I have gathered. Ang motto: "Hindi porke maganda lahat, kailangan ilagay lahat."
I'm also pleased how we were able to show the parallels, and make a sort of story out of the photos. Inis na inis ako sa mg photo montage na puro mga mukha lang ng couple ang nakikita. Shucks. What about activities, what about backgrounds? Mas inis ako sa mga taong nagka-caption ng "Lakeshore 2009, Palawan 2008, etc" tapos mga mukha lang naman nila makikita mo sa photo. So, kahit saan pala ko magpa-picture pwede, i-caption ko na lang. Ay sorry, I'm getting carried away. Back to the video.
I also edited the music to cut it down from 5:40 to 3:50. Para hindi boring. Kahit kaya ng materyal na umabot sa 5:40, magiging boring na. Medyo dineliberate din yung music. Tama na sa mga mushy mushy love songs, dapat fun fun fun!
John (Cinemaworks) did a great job moving the photos around and bringing them to life. He was also very patient with me sa mga pinapa-revise ko here and there.
In short, I love our photo montage cause it shows the things Momon and experienced for the past 9 years together and the other 18 years when we were younger. We were also able include our dearest friends in the mix. So, here it is:
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WEDDING ONSITE VIDEO
My favorite song. My favorite man. A most precious event.
Lagi akong tinatanong, pano n'yo ginawa yun? Sagot: Pinag-isipan namin.
Hanna and I (again) conceptualized on the different scenes. I edited the music so it can have more parts without lyrics, and to extend the length of the song. Thanks to Joseph too for thinking of the other scenes, and thanks to everyone else who were very cooperative.
Super thanks to John for doing a great job of piecing it together with his superb shot selection and editing. Though meron pa rin akong mga papabago, minor lang.
The response to the video is overwhelming. Merong nagsabi, "it's the perfect blend of sweetness and fun". Ang iba naman, "Uy, alam mo dinowload namin yun tapos lagi namin pinapanood sa iPhone." At eto pa, "Ngayon ko lang nalaman na pwede mo pala gawin yun, pwede mo pala babuyin ang kasal, pero sobra-sobrang ganda pa rin." And many more...
My favorite song. My favorite man. A most precious event.
Lagi akong tinatanong, pano n'yo ginawa yun? Sagot: Pinag-isipan namin.
Hanna and I (again) conceptualized on the different scenes. I edited the music so it can have more parts without lyrics, and to extend the length of the song. Thanks to Joseph too for thinking of the other scenes, and thanks to everyone else who were very cooperative.
Super thanks to John for doing a great job of piecing it together with his superb shot selection and editing. Though meron pa rin akong mga papabago, minor lang.
The response to the video is overwhelming. Merong nagsabi, "it's the perfect blend of sweetness and fun". Ang iba naman, "Uy, alam mo dinowload namin yun tapos lagi namin pinapanood sa iPhone." At eto pa, "Ngayon ko lang nalaman na pwede mo pala gawin yun, pwede mo pala babuyin ang kasal, pero sobra-sobrang ganda pa rin." And many more...
Monday, August 02, 2010
Wedding Banns
The three weeks for posting our wedding banns are done.
Mabuti naman at walang tumutol. Hahaha! Subukan lang nila.
Sa church nila Momon, maganda ang banns, sa church namin, hindi man lang pinost.
Mabuti naman at walang tumutol. Hahaha! Subukan lang nila.
Sa church nila Momon, maganda ang banns, sa church namin, hindi man lang pinost.
Our Wedding Invitation
Momon and I love our invitations!
We can't wait to give it to our guests. Sana magustuhan din nila. :-)
We can't wait to give it to our guests. Sana magustuhan din nila. :-)
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