Bitcho-bitcho, also spelled bicho-bicho, is fried elongated bread dipped in sugar. It might have been introduced by the first Chinese settlers in the country. Here’s the Chinese version at a Chinese fast food restaurant in Manila.

Similar fried bread sticks are called Long Johns in the city of Baguio, where American influence is apparent.

Another local bitso, but they’re balls (also called cascaron or buñuelos, depending on location in Ilocos), is made with sticky rice and dipped in molasses. I’ll blog about the chewy cascaron soon.

This particular bitcho stand caught my attention while gassing up the other day.

The hot bread is perfect with coffee or a bottle of coke.

Photographed by BlauEarth © Blauearth™ All Rights Reserved 2009-2015

Packaged so neatly that you’d think it’s another foreign all-purpose spread hitting the country, but then you realize it looks like your favorite cheese spread, the kind of filling in your old school canteen sandwich — Cheese Pimiento by Nicole Ortega is notches creamier, cheesier even than mine, honestly.

Got it as a present from a friend. Try to google the name and it will lead you to more bottled morsels from her kitchen.

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Do you like snacking on nuts? Nuts are known to provide vitamins and minerals essential in organ function. They are also a good source of protein and fiber.

Found nuts from Bicol at Marsha’s Delicacies, the famous pasalubong center of Marsha Navarro-Chua along the national highway in the Vigan area. They are made by her sister Vicky’s growing food processing company in their home province of Bicol. Vicky’s Pili and Food Products, currently under the helm of daughter Zandra, make traditional honeyed crispy pili and mazapan, but I got more interested in trying the lightly salted pili and savory adobo cashew nuts. Whatever special quality Himalayan salt imparts, I find salted pili can be as irresistible as other salted nuts. I was stuck on thinking pili can only be good when combined with something sugary. On the other hand, adobo flavor gives an interesting twist to the more common plainly roasted cashew nuts. The nuts were fresh tasting and good quality, an important thing to remmeber when eating nuts as rancid nuts can be dangerous to health.

Find Vicky’s Pili and Food Products next to Ilocano chichacorn and Marsha’s famous native cakes at Marsha’s Delicacies in Ilocos Sur.

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A melting pot of flavors, Baguio has another winner in the best places to eat that’s not overpriced. Ahmad Brothers Café specializes in authentic Indian and Pakistani Halal food.

The menu: Ahmad’s meat (including lamb and mutton) and fish specialties cooked in Hindustani spices and herbs, appetizing Mediterranean hummus, falafel and shawarma, rice topped with traditional tandoori, masala, curry, fruit and yogurt shakes, sweet and salty lassi, masala tea, and (surprise!) Fiipino fast food favorites like pancit and mami (thanks to the owner’s Filipino wife).

What to order: Everything we ordered was stimulating, but topping my list is well flavored and grilled chicken tikka. What was really surprising was Ahmad’s French fries pakora that came with the shawarma, but can be ordered separately, imo, better than your favorite fries, seamlessly seasoned, very thinly battered, crisp on the outside and between soft and firm on the inside, and not too oily. They also have onion rings pakora. Three pieces of samosa costs only 50 pesos, including the lively, delish herbed yogurt dip. Not-too-spicy chicken masala was so good with rice.  The shawarma meals are huge. Lassi may run out of stock if you go late in the evening. Lamb is also not always available.

The FoodPrints team went back for another around.

The space: Simple and a little tight, but offers a good view of a gentrified Baguio skyline.

Mutton dishes are priced higher and lamb within 200-250 pesos. Other than that, everything is relatively cheap. Oh, with the exception of bulalo.

Ahmad Brothers Café
Legarda Road cor. G. del Pilar St., Baguio City, Philippines
CP #: 0908 740 7284

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Chef Sandy Daza continues his FoodPrints adventure in San Pablo, Laguna, roughly 88 km south of Manila. A city with an even-tempered personality, San Pablo is also known as “The City of Seven Lakes”.

Where there are lakes, there are bountiful forests. And where there are bountiful forests, culinary creativity is sparked.

Airing on Sunday, June 28, at 8pm on the Lifestyle Network, FoodPrints Laguna will take you to placid locales. Soft morning sunshine kicks in energy as Chef Sandy learns the ways of Lake Pandin. What better way to revel in nature than with locals! He moves on to the core of the city and gets a blend of arts, culture and heritage, uncovers new interesting food, gains an acquaintance with indigenous produce, plus the myriad of ways to use their revered coconut. Welcoming him into their kitchens are former magazine editor An Mercado Alcantara, fashion designer Patis Tesoro, who has found home in San Pablo, and the creative couple behind a little gem of a farm, among others. Appetite editor-in-chief Nina-Daza Puyat is once again taking the time out to join her brother Sandy.

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Little did I know that as early as childhood I was already absorbing influences for a blogging/writing career. Balicucha candies were among the things my second mom, my yaya Cion, would buy for me from the Laoag public market. I knew they were made from sugarcane juice much like palinang and tagapulot (molasses), but I always imagined they were part of the froth or something because of their rather whitish color.

I met these balicucha candies once again at pasalubong stores and coffee shops in Vigan, Ilocos Sur. It has the texture of honeycomb toffee when it’s fresh. A grown-up way to enjoy balicucha is to drop one (in place of sugar) into coffee, and you get a beautiful toasty caramel flavored coffee like no other in an instant. Balicucha also happens to be one of the popular flavors of a well-loved local ice cream made by the Bungro community in San Ildefonso.

Fortunately, I stumbled upon the balicucha makers of Santa Maria at Ilocos Sur’s Kannawidan Festival food and trade fair while doing my research for FoodPrints. Most of the balicucha we get to enjoy today are made by the sugarcane farming communities in Sta. Maria.

Santa Maria is home to another UNESCO World Heritage Site in Ilocos, the Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion Church. The fertile lands of the town bring forth sugarcane among its principal crops. Balicucha might be as old as the dadapilan (sugarcane presser). Other than balicucha, products coming from the several pagdapilan in Santa Maria are muscovado, basi (Ilocano wine) and vinegar. A steel sugarcane crusher has taken the place of the antiquated, original dadapilan from wood. We were actually asked if we wanted the traditional carabao-drawn or the modernized tractor-aided dadapilan.

The photos of balicucha making were shot while Chef Sandy Daza was being filmed in Maynganay Norte for FoodPrints Ilocos Sur.

Trying to form balicucha, in fact the entire process of creating these sugarcane candies, is something I never imagined learning.

Balicucha making starts here. Sugarcane stalks are fed into the mill while a carabao pulls the log (attached to the presser), moving in circular direction, while juice is being extracted.

Pure sugarcane juice is cooked until it caramelizes.

Once ready, the hot caramel-colored molasses hardens fast. Quite difficult to do if you are a first timer, the mass is stretched and looped repeatedly until it manifests an even creamy white shade. From there, small portions for balicucha pieces are pinched out.

They are allowed to bake under the sun before they are packed and sent to consignees and stalls lining the national highway in Sta. Maria.

With special thanks to the warm hospitality of the Kababaihan at Kabataan ng Maynganay Norte Program Inc., the Muscovado Farmers Association of Maynganay, the Sta. Maria Tourism Office and the Province of Ilocos Sur Tourism Office. And to FoodPrints on the Lifestyle Network for the trust.

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Yesterday was crazy! Tropical cyclone Egay hit parts of the country. In Ilocos, it rained the whole day. We felt at least two earthquakes at past nine o’clock in the evening, and then crazy winds left me worried. I hope everyone’s well.

While being holed up, the family made polvoron. Polvoron (sometimes spelled pulburon or polboron) is a favorite Filipino snack or dessert made of toasted flour, powdered milk, sugar and butter or margarine. The delicious crumbly sweets, likened to shortbread, can be traced to the Spanish colonization in the country.

I’m going to show you how to make basic traditional polvoron that I learned when I was little. Hahah, I think you will have to adjust the recipe ‘coz we made about 180 pieces, which is enough to start a home-based polvoron business. I used quality ingredients and premium butter, so the result should be much better than store-bought polvoron.

You will need the following:

• 1 k flour
• 7 cups powdered milk
• 6 cups white sugar
• 3 packages of 225 g butter
• 4 pcs cellophane wrapper (or Japanese paper) cut into smaller pieces, the size should be enough to cover one polvoron.

First, toast the flour in a large pan over medium heat. Break lumps and keep stirring until light brown. Set aside. Melt butter in another pan. In a large bowl, mix together cooled down flour, milk and sugar and pour melted butter starting on the center and mix thoroughly.

The next step will be shaping the polvoron. If you don’t have a polvoron molder, you can purchase one from craft and baking supplies stores. They are usually available in specialty stores in public markets here. Online, you can check stores like Amazon.

Transfer a portion of polvoron mixture into a medium sized bowl. Use the polvoron molder to scoop out mixture, press with pressure on the side or the center of the bowl. If you are the one pressing, you will be able to feel it if it’s dense or tight enough. Release and drop the polvoron carefully over the center of the wrapper. Gather the sides of the wrapper and fold, then fold the sides of each end upward and twist. Imagine wrapping a fragile gift.

Pistachios are my favorite nuts, so I thought of making a batch of polvoron with ground pistachios. Besides nuts, you can actually infuse dried fruits, cookie bits, Rice Krispies or even chocolate to make gourmetish  polvoron.

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My food photos are on the pages of the Condé Nast Traveller Middle East The Asia Issue – July 2015. Condé Nast is synonymous to a portfolio of the most iconic titles in media which I’ve grown up reading, why shouldn’t I be thrilled?

It’s out in newsstands all over the Middle East.

Because I live in the northernmost tip of the Philippines, I purchased my own digital copy online (thanks, Martine!).

With gratitude to Condé Nast Traveller Middle East. It was so much of a wonderful experience.

© Blauearth™ All Rights Reserved 2009-2015

Have a great new week ahead!

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The gentrification of Silver Lake is good for my neighborhood. Burgeoning left and right, hip establishments are getting closer, and more diverse like there’s an organic coffee bar that supports livelihoods and biodiversity just two blocks near my home, and Milk is walkable if you love walking like me.

Milk is known for their macaron ice cream sandwiches, but there’s quite an ample selection of desserts which includes cakes, cookies (molasses cookies, yum!), puddings, ice cream cones, sundaes and floats.

The ambiance is relaxed with subtle lighting. You can squat on the sitting area inside or blend in with the crowd outside.

Just coconut cake for me. Ericke loved her Thai tea ice cream. It’s on the pricey side, but I’m not earning yet.

MILK 1639 Silver Lake Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026 Phone: (323) 913-9911 Open 10AM-10PM

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Among The Food Network’s Top Ten Sweets in the US, The Donut Man strawberry donuts look awfully delicious with glazed super fresh strawberries, wow! Elvis was a fan of the donut stand on Route 66.

Says owner Japanese American Jim Nakano, on a video on YouTube, the wife told him, “You are always making money for somebody else, we should do it for ourselves, I will help you.” It was what started their donut business.

Odette, my childhood friend, bought a box of strawberry donuts on our way to Pinky’s home. Everything looked vicious. Fruit-filled donuts are seasonal. Peach is another bestseller. Apple Crumb and Cream Cheese sound good.

Yet fried and then glazed, one whole donut seemed not unfat. I ate my second one at home:) Thanks, Odette.

You can have your Donut Man donuts 24/7.

The Donut Man 915 E Route 66, Glendora, CA 91740 Phone: (626) 335-9111

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The day I gave Ericke my flight details, I asked that we go eat out after the long flight. She suggested ramen, but we had freezing green tea ice cream and shaved ice with sweetened red beans and a cocktail of fruits at Boba Time instead. Los Angeles is really hot and humid right now. But then when you are raring to try ramen in LA, there’s always another day.

It’s cool for me and the blog to be hanging out with foodies. My sister Nikko and Ed went to Modan Artisanal Ramen near Bristol Farms in South Pasadena. We had to go early because the place is always full according to Nikko. We got a table a right away, but it was soon starting to fill up.

Modan is slang for modern Japanese. So as the name suggests, Modan puts an artisanal twist to traditional ramen. They have three kinds of ramen — modan, shoyu and spicy. We all got modan ramen with black garlic truffle oil, chasu (braised pork that’s extra-tender) and marinated soft boiled egg. Rich and milky without the “umay” feel towards the middle to end, the modan ramen reminded me of the clean flavors of Ramen Yushoken’s shio ramen back home. Though nice and al dente, the noodles were different. I asked if they make their own noodles. The answer was no.

The other food we savored were seasoned brussels sprouts, and stuffed jalapeños, which was new on the menu. The jalapeños were appetizing, still very Japanese, especially with mayo anchoring the flavors. And there goes the twist. Incorporating local produce is contemporary.

I definitely would get my ramen fix at MAR again.

Modan Artisanal Ramen  Suite G, 700 Fair Oaks Ave, Pasadena, CA Phone: (626) 799-2878

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How can Porto’s Bakery and Cafe be a riddle wrapped in an enigma? For me, at least. I heard it first in Laoag. I’ve been coming to LA since 1987, and no one in the family has ever mentioned even just the word Porto’s, to think that the Glendale Porto’s is easily accessible from our house. After having gone to Porto’s three times since I arrived, and was only able to be seated at third try, I figured — IT’S THE LONG LINES.

Mom says she’s first heard of Porto’s, the Cuban bakery, when she was new in America because of the guava roll. Besides pastries and cakes, savory items such as empanadas and tamales fly off the shelves quickly. Because we were eating brunch, I had a Cubano sandwich with slow roasted pork, ham and Swiss cheese on Cuban bread. Not counting the sweet roll, Nikko’s Medianoche Preparada with ham croquette is the same.  The Medianoche Preparada is tastier in case you will have to choose between the two sandwiches. But there’s more, like omelettes, I heard, are good. Nikko got me a potato ball, which was exquisitely seasoned.

Fried plantain comes with a sandwich.

My sister ordered one cheese roll and guava cheese strudel to go. Both are  lip-smacking, the flaky and buttery texture of the pastry is sensational, so much like arguellanas. The cheese roll had me.

Portos has three locations, namely Burbank, Glendale and Downey.

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In distinction to the simplicity of bread and elemental communal tables, it is the warmth of a sense of community that brings patrons together at Le Pain Quotidien, a boulangerie with a few locations in Los Angeles County. Brunch at Larchmont with Nikko (and Herbie and Pearl) was rustic, in a way. Fresh European-style bread made with organic whole wheat flour, natural yeast and sea salt is a staple, hence the name. Breakfast to drunch healthy salads, omelettes, open-faced sandwiches, soft-boiled organic eggs, tabbouleh, cheese specialties, vegan dishes and pastries are in the menu.

Basic avocado shrimp salad for Nikko and lox with dill and soft-boiled egg for me. I haven’t had smoked fish with cheese in a long time. I like my food with salt; it makes everything more flavorful.

Servings are big. The place was busy, we stayed at the back patio, yet  service was efficient.

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Odette picked me up in LA to go to Glendora, home to Pinky’s office. We ate lunch at a local diner famous for fun reminders of the 50s. Befitting of its name, Legends Classic Diner is located on the Main Street of America more known as Route 66. Everything’s retro in this spot. The menu consists of burgers, hotdogs, fries, tacos, shakes and actually a lot more. Kids will be entertained with all the necessary ingredients of the rock and roll era. It has a drive-thru and ample parking space.

Fish taco for me.

Met Odette’s beautiful and talented girls, Valerie, Nina and Nicole. They all sing well.

© Blauearth™ All Rights Reserved 2009-2015

Tijuana, roughly two and a half hours from LA, and the next-door neighbor of San Diego, is not as exotic as I thought it would be.

“En globalization de Tijuana.”

My sister thought I saw it somewhere. We had Spanish subjects in college, gracias.

Tijuana is the cultural and commercial center of Baja California. Before exploring downtown Tijuana, we went to Puerto Nuevo for lobsters. Driving can be super stressful. It can be worse than in Manila. People will suddenly appear on the freeway. Men will also try to stop your car at the area where the lobster restaurants are teeming But food was exceptional. Lobsters at Villa Ortega (my sister learned about the place from insiders) are from Maine, the Caribbean or the playas. Bread, tortilla soup or salad, and tortillas with rice and beans are served with every order of seafood.

Avenida Revolucion is the main street of  the zona centro of Tijuana. In the photo is the Tijuana Arch.

Mom and I had awesome coffee at this place. Mine was flavored with amaretto, but I know the distinct flavor has something to do with the beans.

Shopping in T.J. (Tijuana’s nickname) was so much fun. Didn’t find my size in the blue huaraches I liked. Mom bought us embroidered peasant dresses and tops. I found a white top in abel-like fabric with dainty blue patterns on the neckline. Also got a tote with Mexican artist Frida Kahlo on it.

Capping our Baja California sojourn is merienda at the busy Taqueria Franc. Tripe or lengua tacos. anyone? My soft taco with adobado (marinated pork) made any taco I’ve had before so inaccurate.

Tacos de tripas and tacos de adobada with guacamole below.

I enjoyed this trip with mom and my sister Nikko. Thanks to both.

The super busy San Ysidro Port of Entry.

Photographed by V. Lo and Tina Tan
© Blauearth™ All Rights Reserved 2009-2015

A non-archetypal immigrant neighborhood in LA, Koreatown is a reinvented district in LA. Hyper ’til midnight, the mid-Wilshire area known for Art Deco buildings has turned into a fashionable destination to hang out at any time of the day, what with Korean cosmetics shopping, cool cafes, karaoke bars, boutique hotels, Asian fusion restaurants and traditional Korean cuisine.

Headed to Bulgogi Hut (formerly named Castle 2) one evening for cook it yourself, all you can eat Korean barbecue. One can choose from three options, priced between $13.99-21.99. We got red wine pork belly, bulgogi and brisket on the first round. Marinated squid and bulgogi on the second, and more bulgogi on the third, and fourth, with rice. Banchan surprisingly included mac salad.

The lola foodie.

The best part was Bulgogi with chili from the kimchi.

Popular to the younger crowd, Bulgogi Hut is an all day hearth.

Bulgogi Hut 3600 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles 213 388-1988 Open 11AM-12AM

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The global ramen trend hasn’t waned just yet. At SilverLake Ramen, a ramen spot at a lifestyle arcade on Sunset Blvd., the groups of people outside hint at the kind of ramen they offer.

They have tonkotsu, and shoyo with either pork belly or chicken, a vegetable ramen with miso and tofu, tsukemen dipping noodle (what I ordered), and fusion dishes like the buttered oyster mushroom, pork bun and tempura roll (tempura sushi) Ericke ordered for the 2 of us.

The place is rather small, but the curious foodie understands the long wait.

Tsukemen, which was popularized in Tokyo by Tha Ramen God, Kazuo Yamagishi, founder of the ramen shop Higashi-Ikebukuro Taishoken, is presented like a deconstructed ramen. Thick pork and fish broth with intense, undiluted flavor is the dipping sauce for the accompanying plate of noodles, nicely seared pork belly (chose it over chicken), spinach, bean sprouts, nori and egg. The delicious soup is basically sweet with sourish undertones. I love the kind of noodles they use which were thicker than average, al dente and flavorful.

Everything else was memorable — modern creations with traditional elements. The mushroom, most especially, was both crisp and luscious.

The cuapao-looking pork bun in photo below reminds me of home.

I see myself visiting this place regularly, especially because the prices are reasonable, the service is friendly and efficient and it is walkable from my house, hahah, kind of, ‘coz it’s probably not to Ericke.

SiverLake Ramen 927 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles (323) 660-8100 Open 11:30am-11:00pm

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Döner kebab is to Turkey as shawarma is to the Arab world and gyro is to Greece. In multicultural Los Angeles, Spitz is the home of this hearty rolled sandwich filled with roast meat together with complementing flavors, traditionally a combination of different vegetables like like tomatoes, cucumber and lettuce, and zesty tratziki yogurt sauce. Choose your type of döner, and meat (beef, chicken, lamb or mixed meat), and with either falafel or veggies. Varieties include Street Cart, with garlic aioli, and lavash (flatbread) chips; Mediterranean with hummus, kalamata olives and feta; a French-inspired  döner with fries and lavash chips along with veggies; a spicy version with pepperoncinis and chili; and a Berlin version with a spicy sauce and tarty sumac. Speaking of Berlin, where Turkish immigrants introduced döners after WWII, döner has become a huge fast food hit, that “Berlin is said to be the döner capital of the world,” says here.

Vertical meat rotisserie — makes döner kebab different to shish kebabs.

In addition to Spitz’s signature wraps, their street cart fries covered in garlic aioli, feta and chopped onions and chili is enough reason to make Spitz a habitual stop. It is so good I could eat the whole thing.

Also in the menu are pita strips with hummus, salads, döquitos (Mediterranean taquitos), sweet potato fries, Berliner fries with red sauce, crispy garbanzos with olives, falafel balls, Bakluvit baklava, and craft beer.

I like the artful vibe in the air,

Spitz - Eagle Rock
 2506 Colorado Blvd., Los Angeles
 (323) 257-5600
Spitz - Los Feliz
 1725 Hillhurst Ave, Los Angeles
 (323) 522-3309
Spitz - Little Tokyo
 371 E 2nd St., Los Angeles
 (213) 613-0101

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I’ve been craving exceptional ice cream since I arrived. Bennett’s Cabernet Sauvignon sorbet doesn’t count. Well, I had a pleasurable trip to a gourmet ice cream shop in Pasadena after a visit to an Indian beauty salon. Yes, you heard it right, my Korean cut meets its Indian match. Well, Maggie, the hairstylist is technically Armenian.

A few blocks away is Coolhaus, listed in an LA ice cream and gelato map by the LA Times (here). If you’ve noticed the image above, the handmade ice cream shop carries original creations such as Fried Chicken and Maple Waffle complete with real chicken skin, cayenne pepper and herbs; Balsamic Fig and Mascarpone that tastes genuinely tarty; Black Sesame (hahaha, it actually reminds me of atang back home, you know those black bucaio); Maple Sweet Potato Marshie; Southern Belle with Maker’s Mark bourbon; Salty S’mores; Pancakes and Syrup; and a lot more unimaginable savory flavors that were not available. Is foie gras too elegant for your taste? What about olive oil or pastrami ice cream?

For the not so timid, ice cream sandwich combos make the experience more memorable.

Ericke’s was a cup of Pancakes and Syrup. Decidedly delicious. I loved the Fried Chicken and Southern Belle, but I opted to buy a big scoop of Vietnamese Iced Coffee, which was not right at first, but got better and better with every spoonful of coffee delectation.

Coolhaus is now on my go-to list.

COOLHAUS
59 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, California
(626) 486-2700
Open 12-10 pm

The building that houses Coolhaus is shared with Pie Hole and a flower shop where Ericke picked up succulents for her new apartment.

Isn’t that adorable?

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