Monthly Archives: July 2012

Living it Up with a Personal Shopper

One of our local expatriate magazines had picked Beauty as a theme for our May edition, and I was asked to interview a personal shopper at one of Manila’s most popular department stores. At first I was appalled, for I … Continue reading

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The Chef Diairies: Butchery, the Crowning Glory

Fast forward through dissecting and trussing poultry, filleting a fish, and preparing squid and shrimp to our final cooking lesson. As we assembled at our stations, our instructor this week, Chef Kyla Rosales, introduced each of  us to a large … Continue reading

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The Chef Diaries: Knife Skills 101

Before we begin, I have to admit that I am not the most accurate or precise of cooks. If the recipe calls for an ingredient that doesn’t come immediately to hand, I find an alternative in the bottom of the … Continue reading

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A Culinary Mosaic

‘Italy, the country with a hundred cities and a thousand bell towers, is also the country with a hundred cuisines and a thousand recipes. Its great variety of culinary practices reflects a history long dominated by regionalism and political division, … Continue reading

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Toledo: UNESCO World Heritage Site

In my antiquated guide book, the city of Toledo, in central Spain, is designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, five stars and a ‘must-see’. We obey willingly. We reached Toledo in a mere half an hour on an extremely comfortable … Continue reading

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Grazing on Tapas

Growing up in a meat-and-three-veg kind of family, I have always enjoyed the novel concept of grazing, and to this end, tapas is the perfect way to travel: a light snack to share with friends, easy finger food, or pica … Continue reading

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El Baile Flamenco

Café de Chinitas is located in a back street near the Royal Palace in Madrid. Chinitas apparently means little Chinese girls, which is somewhat at odds with the fact we were hoping to watch some Spanish dancing. As we settled … Continue reading

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