YUMMMY RECIPES - VONGOLE

To this day I crave this dish Vongole, dear friend, MELISSA LOPEZ , who cooked and brougth it to Rene Orosa's home for a get-together dinner with husband Joel, sister Bettina, brother in law, Serge Osmena and Susan Reyes, that night , that evening was forever engraved into my taste bud memory sealed by the aroma and flavors of Melissa's pasta dish. YUUMMMMM...., THE PASTA WAS COOKED PERFECTLY, CLAMS AND JUICE TASTED SO FRESH  IT WAS ALMOST SWEET, just absolutely unforgettable ..MELISSA IS BEAUTIFUL AS SHE IS PASSIONATE WITH HER FOOD AND I THINK WE WILL BE HAVING MORE RECIPES FROM HER AS SHE IS VERY GENEROUS WITH HER RECIPES AS WELL.




I ASK MELING , AS I SO DEARLY CALL  HER, TO SHARE THIS RECIPE AND HERE IT IS, YOU JUST SIMPLY HAVE TO TRY THIS...
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VONGOLE

2 kilos manila clams boil half and remove from shells
4 garlic cloves if you want more ok.
1 block of butter
1 cup water
1 pack de checco spaghettini
flat Italian parleys
1 tbsp Italian chili flakes.
boil noodles only half way.
in a large pan 1 tbsp olive oil and half of the butter saute your garlic be sure not to burn it.then add the half closed clams and add a little water and let it open then throw in the deshelled clams and toss make sure you get a nice thick consistency and add chili flakes,salt and pepper and lastly toss in the other half of the butter cut into cubes into the spaghettini then sprinkle with Italian parsley before you serve.
You may add white wine instead of water but I don't because I do not like wine in my food ,question of taste???

Melissa adds:

"BE SURE TO MAKE YOUR PASTA AL DENTE SO  3 MINUTES BOILING THEN ANOTHER 3 COOKING WITH THE CLAMS AND TASTE THE NOODLE TO GET IT RIGHT"

ENJOY

"FOOD, FOLKS AND FUN" FORT MASON "OFF THE GRID EXPERIENCE..

AS QUOTED BY MY BRIEF TETE-A-TETE WITH  ROBYN ,WHO CAME ALL THE WAY FROM OAKLAND.  TO EXPERIENCE THIS FORT MASON "OFF THE GRID" EVENT", AGAIN TO EXPLAIN "OFF THE GRID" ORGANIZES FOOD EVENTS WHERE QUALITY/GOURMET MOBILE FOOD TRUCKS ARE GATHERED IN ONE LOCATION AND FOODIES,  RAVENOUS GOOD  FOOD FANATICS ALIKE CAN CHOOSE AND SAVOR VARIETY OF CUISINES FROM PARTICIPATING FOOD TRUCKS/TENTS.

IMAGINE YOURSELF IN A FOOD COURT USUALLY IN THE BASEMENT OF A DEPARTMENT STORE/MALL.... ADD GOURMET,  ORGANIC (A FEW) BRING IT OUT INTO AN OPEN SPACE, ADD MUSIC, FUN , FOODIES/FOOD ENTHUSIASTS ALIKE , YUMMIEST FOOD SELECTIONS AND.YOU'VE GOT THE "OFF THE GRID EXPERIENCE".. A VERY UNIQUE SET UP WHERE DELECTABLES FROM DIFFERENT CULTURES OR FUSION OF  TWO OR THREE ARE  LITERALLY A FEW STEPS AWAY FROM ONE ANOTHER.. HOW CON----VEEE--NIENT IS THAT?


           HERE ARE JUST A FEW OF LAST FRIDAY'S JUNE 17, PARTICIPANTS.

IZ IT FRESH GRILL

ANN THE GO "THE FAMOUS GARLIC NOODLES OF THAN LONG"

CHAIRMAN BAO

OKAY GUYS  THIS IS A MUST TRY, IF U LIKE PORK THIS IS IT....PORK BELLY BUN S/W

THIS PHOTO SAYS IT ALL.....HAPA SF YOU ROCK!!

ROWS OF TRUCK WITH  DIFFERENT CULTURE/ETHNIC INSPIRED CUISINES...

THE CROWD!!

                                          IF YOU LIKE CURRY , THEY'VE GOT IT...

HAPA SF- MY FAVE...

COCKTAILS BY "MAGNOLIA"

HAPA SF SISIG TACO 'THE BEST EVER'!!!!

SO MUCH FUN WITH JINGGAY, MINJU AND MALU

YESTERDAY WAS MY FIRST "FORT MASON" EVENT, ALTHOUGH I HAVE DONE CIVIC CENTER THREE TIMES AND UN PLAZA ONCE. THIS WEEK, I CALL IT THE GRAND SLAM OF MOBILE FOOD TRUCK EVENT. THERE WERE 10 TRUCKS AND A NUMBER OF TENTS TO CHOOSE FROM.. KOREAN- LATIN , INDIAN, FILIPINO , VIETNAMESE, HAWAIIANESE (YES HAWAIIANESE) JUST TO MENTION A FEW .  A VARIETY  OF CULINARY FUSION , CREATIVE CULINARY INTERPRETATIONS OF DIFFERENT  CULTURE  AT ITS BEST ARE AT WORK HERE..

OF COURSE MY FAVE IS HAPA SF, BEEN TRYING TO CATCH THIS TRUCK THIS WEEK AND FINALLY CAUGHT UP WITH THEM HERE....I'M A FAN....

IT WAS REALLY FUN AND THERE IS NO BETTER WAY TO SUM IT ALL UP LIKE  ROBYN.DOES

FORT MASON DIRECTIONS

FRIDAY OFF THE GRID EVENT STARTS AT 5:00

I ADVISE TO BE THERE AT 4:15-4:30 TO GET GOOD PARKING BECAUSE ALTHOUGH THERE IS AMPLE PARKING IT CAN BE A CHALLENGE AS THE EVENT PROGRESSES..

CHECK THE WEATHER AND BE ATTIRED ACCORDINGLY FOR A MORE ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE..

SEE YOU THERE!!!

A FUN AND NEW MOBILE FOOD EXPERIENCE......

A REVOLUTION IS TAKING PLACE IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY. QUIETLY BUT SURELY IT HAS BECOME THE LATEST TREND IN GETTING QUALITY FOOD  TO THE HANDS AND TUMMIES OF THEIR AVID CLIENTELE IN DIFFERENT PLACES IN THE BAY AREA. FOOD TRUCKS HAS COME A LONG WAY INDEED, A FAR CRY FROM WHEN THESE VEHICLES WERE REFERRED TO AS  "ROACH COACHES" INSINUATING INEDIBLE FOOD AND UNSANITARY CONDITIONS... .THEY ARE NO LONGER LIMITED TO JUST  HOT DOG SANDWICHES, COLD SARAN WRAPPED SANDWICHES, BURRITOS, TACOS, CHIPS , COOKIES AND SODAS.

"OFF THE GRID " ,A MOBILE FOOD COMPANY,  IS ONE OF THE FEW THAT ORGANIZES EVENTS WHERE SELECTED FOOD TRUCKS ARE GATHERED  AND PARKED IN A CHOSEN LOCATION  AND PEOPLE CAN COME TO CHOOSE FROM A SELECTION OF DIFFERENT CUISINE THAT ARE  BEING OFFERED AND SERVED BY EACH TRUCK. YOU CAN CHECK  THEIR WEBSITE FOR TRUCKS AND LOCATIONS HERE

ONE OF THE FOOD TRUCK THAT IS GAINING POPULARITY FOR IT'S SIMPLE AND MODERN TAKE ON FILIPINO FOOD IS "HAPA SF" FROM MY CONVERSATION WITH KEVIN SCOTT,  OF "OFF THE GRID, WILLIAM PILZ THE OWNER CHEF USE TO WORK  FOR "CITIZEN CAKE" THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THE QUALITY OF FOOD THAT SOME OF THESE TRUCKS ARE OFFERING.

HAPA SF BEST OFFERINGS (for me at least) ARE:

SISIG PLATE
SISIG TACOS
ADOBO PLATE

I SHALL CONTINUE TO ADD TO THIS LIST AS I SAVOR EACH AND EVERY DISH OFFERED. BUT YOU CAN TRY THEM YOURSELF , IT IS QUITE AND EXPERIENCE.

SISIG PLATE  A BIG YUMMM

ADOBO PLATE  A CLEAN VERY TASTY VERSION - I LOVE IT --YUMM

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OFF THE GRID INTERVIEW PART TWO

OFF THE GRID INTERVIEW PART THREE

OFF THE GIRD INTERVIEW PART 4

"OFF THE GRID" WEEKLY MARKET SCHEDULE

YUMMY RECIPE'S, YOU MUST TRY ONE- "QUINOA-TABOULI SALAD"

My sister Norma, has always been the aspiring chef in the family. I bet you if there was a food channel those times, that would have inspired her to pursue cooking as a career, if not own a small cafe or something. Her passion is cooking and as far as I can remember she was always in the kitchen trying out recipe's while my glamour girl sister, Carmen was out  on rehearsals for "Dance time with Chito" with the "Coeds" -Carl Onrubia-Cruz, Ces Onrubia- Jacinto and Maribelle Payumo. Who at one time or another have tried one of her latest concoction

Last Thursday, I hosted a Bday party for Gina Tusaon and Malu Paris, I asked my sister to make me her delicious and Healthy "Quinoa-Tabouli- Salad". almost everyone had asked for the recipe so I have decided to add Recipes on to my blog. so here goes:

QUINOA-TABOULI SALAD

2 CUPS QUINOA -UNCOOKED
1/4 CUP  EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
JUICE OF HALF A LEMON
3-4 CLOVES OF MINCED GARLIC- DEPENDS HOW YOU LIKE GARLIC..
I/2 BUNCH  PARSLEY CHOPPED
1/2 BUNCH OF CHOPPED CILANTRO
1/2  - 1 CUP CRANBERRIES (DRIED)
1/2 -3/4 CUP SLICED ALMONDS
1 CUCUMBER CUT INTO STRIPS
SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE


1. COOK QUINOA LIKE YOU WOULD RICE. DO NOT OVERCOOK. AL DENTE IS GOOD. LET COOL.
2 IN A BOWL , ADD INTO COOKED QUINOA (COOLED), CRANBERRIES, SLICED ALMONDS, SLICED CUCUMBER, PARSLEY, CILANTRO
3. PREPARE DRESSING BY MIXING.
IN A FOOD PROCESSOR, BLEND OLIVE OIL, LEMON JUICE AND GARLIC. ADD SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE.
4. POUR DRESSING UNTO QUINOA AND MIX GENTLY.

ENJOY....