Crispy Puffs and Coffee -- a working lunch at Swissotel The Stamford

Budget meeting time again! For the very first time, I had left Manila without a single page of my presentation done.

Too much work in the office, too many meetings. I knew it would be one huge cramming session the minute I got to Singapore.

What made cramming not unattractive is how comfortable and relaxed I am at Swissotel The Stamford, my home away from home whenever I am in Singapore.

I knew that my room would be an oasis of calm, where I could really work without distraction.

Well, not totally without distractions -- the view outside my window is always so terrific.

The city of Singapore, namely the marina area and the business district unfold right outside the glass sliding doors.

A pot of white orchids thoughtfully placed on top of the work table is an elegant touch.

The Swissotel's rooms are large, well laid out, tastefully decorated. The work table is neat until I start to strew all my papers about.

I'm quite thrilled to see that the room comes with my own personal Nespresso coffee maker!

It will be a nice change from regular brewed coffee.

I can even choose from 3 coffee varieties -- strong and bold Vivalto, bright and refreshing Finezzo and Decaffeinato -- for late in the evening and I'm ready to wind down and relax.

Nespresso's in the house!

My cup of coffee on the table, my work papers arranged and organized -- I'm ready to buckle down and start on my budget presentation!

But wait -- it's mid afternoon and I have yet to have lunch!

The hotel basement is full of food stalls, kiosks, eateries, bakeshops and even a small supermarket.

I head out to buy a new and really shiok food find -- 1A Crispy Puffs!

So delightfully tasty, these fat little puffs come in chicken curry, sardine, chili crab and other savory varieties.

Unlike the other more well known curry puff brand, 1A Puff's crust is delicate and crisp, not at all oily.

My favorites are the sardine puff which is quite spicy and the chili crab -- which tastes exactly like what a deconstructed chili crab dish would taste like.

1A Crispy Puffs, a cup of hot coffee and I'm ready to start working on that budget presentation!

Pork in the road celebrates a(nother) birthday!

I turned another year older a few weeks ago and as I do every year, it's a good excuse to over feed everyone in the office.

Some things never change -- gorgeous flower arrangements from clients and friends brighten up my room -- and my mood!

This little pig gave up its life so that the people in the office could over indulge in cholesterol, not that they need another drop. But lechon is standard fare for celebrations so even if I have stopped eating meat -- for ethical, humane and health reasons, it's not an acceptable reason (at least to my officemates) not to have a whole roast pig for lunch.

We get our lechon from Ping Ping's in La Loma -- quite possibly one of the best lechon places in the city.

Boo hoo hoo -- how can you look at that face and still eat pork? Does that crisp, crackly skin merit this kind of treatment? Hmm, maybe the jury is still out on that one!

A good friend from Malabon (where I grew up) sent this bilao of my favorite -- the best pancit malabon in the entire planet -- only from Rosy's!

More cholesterol and oily, fatty goodness! CPA or chicken pork adobo is another crowd favorite. Our caterer of many years, Mang Julio and his wife Aling Lumen, make a really mean adobo -- so tender, it literally disintegrates into shreds when you pick up a piece.

What's a birthday lunch without something for the birthday girl to eat? Fish kebabs are juicy chunks of blue marlin skewered with bell peppers, onions and tomatoes. These are so well seasoned and grilled, there's no need for any kind of sauce at all!

It's almost the end of lunch and the poor pig has been decimated to his bare bones.

The head has been carefully removed, the remainders will be chopped and someone will bring the carcass and left over sauce home to turn it into paksiw na lechon or lechon stew.

Nothing goes to waste! Perhaps you can say that this pig did not die in vain.

For dessert, I ordered a large cake from Estrel's -- they make the best caramel cakes in town!

The icing and the flowers are all made with delicate butter cream -- smooth and with just the right hint of sweetness.

This light and refined cake is the perfect ending to such a heavy meal.

Until next year's birthday lunch ... everyone has 365 days to recover from the porcine excess!

Early Morning Singapore Walk

I'm back in Singapore for the year end budget meeting. While I was lobbying to have it in Tokyo, my plans were thwarted, alas. But, Singapore is also good to come back to and I made sure to squeeze in some personal time in between meetings.

The day of the budget meeting was coincidentally, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, a holy day of obligation. My first waking thought was to get to a church and hear mass. Thankfully Swissotel is a hop and skip away from the Church of the Good Shepherd along Victoria Road. It was still dark when I set out at 6:40 to make it in time for 7 am services.

After mass, I decided to take a walk and see where my footsteps would lead me to breakfast. Early morning along Victoria Road makes for a comfortable walk, a respite before the heat sets in.

I pass by St. Joseph's, another Catholic church just a couple of blocks away. The early morning mass has ended and church goers have all gone on to work.

I was hoping to have a bite at Bugis Hawker center but it was still closed. And Burger King was definitely not on my short list of breakfast places!

I crossed the road to cut across the still empty and shuttered Bugis Shopping Mall, all decked out for a Gaga Christmas!

Now on Beach Road and on the way back to the hotel, I saw the familiar local eating places along Beach Road. Nasi lemak would be the perfect meal to start this busy day!

What a feast! Nasi lemak with ikan bilis and sambal chili on the side, with a perfectly fried, slightly runny egg, otah and fish balls! This otah was better than usual, quite a thick and generous portion from the usual thin sliver. Shiok, lah! And I had a hot glass of kopi C to wash everything down.

I took a table on the sidewalk, the better to people watch. Right across Tong Seng Coffee shop was the Yu Kee Food House. Hmm, worth a try on my next visit to Singapore!

After that truly filling breakfast, the walk back to the hotel probably burned 10 calories! The huge Christmas tree at the corner of Stamford and Beach Road adds a Christmas feel to this December day in Singapore.

Swish Swish -- Healthy Shabu Shabu

It had been unseasonably rainy this November and to ward off the damp chill, what could be better than a hot pot lunch?

Shabu shabu is Japanese onomatopeia at work -- apparently shabu shabu mimics the sound of the swish swish of beef as it is dipped and cooked in the hot broth.

We enjoy going to Healthy Shabu Shabu which has quite a number of branches all around the city. The lunchtime lines are usually snakingly long so it's best to go early to get a table.

Prepping for shabu shabu includes broth poured into your hot pot which is recessed into the table. You can control the temperature of your hot pot by increasing it to a roiling boil or reducing it to a mild simmer.

Each diner gets a small bowl of a mild soy based sauce and a small dish of chili paste which looks deceptively innocent but packs a really hot kick. Chopped garlic, scallions and more chili plus a raw egg are there for you to personalize and create your own sauce concoction.

An order of shabu shabu always comes with a base plate of assorted fish and squid balls, noodles, slices of yam, corn, carrots and other vegetables.

You can choose from various sets such as the expensive wagyu or US Angus beef, regular local beef, pork, chicken, fish.

Since I don't eat meat, I opt for the regular mixed sea food set which includes fresh prawns, fish, squid, oysters and sea cucumber.

By now my hot pot is boiling merrily away and it's time to start cooking everything -- the carrots, mushrooms, yam and corn go in first since they take longer to cook. Leafy greens don't have to stay too long, if you want some crunch.

The sea food cooks quickly, specially the squid which takes just seconds to be at the right stage of soft doneness.

Here's my starting bowl -- fresh fat noodles, a slice of fish dumpling, a large prawn, mushrooms and veggies! Everything tastes so good and really warms me up on a cold and rainy November day.

Tous les Jours -- a french bakery in the City

I was at SM City North Edsa for the week-end and came upon a new bakery called Tous Les Jours or "everyday" in French. I was told that it's Korea's number one bakery and that this was their first branch in the country.

The name is certainly attractive enough and very prominent. Since it was new and it called itself an authentic french bakery -- I thought I'd try and test its authenticity.

The interiors are clean, spare and in a cool shade of green. The various breads, cookies and pastries are laid out in wooden trays.

I was excited to see my favorites like the financier -- a dense, buttery teacake and the madeleine, a lighter, small sponge cake with a scallop design.

With due respect to Proust -- these little cakes were tasty remembrances of things past and in Paris.

A Silay Treasure -- Emma Lacson's Pili Squares

I discovered a Silaynon treasure that I think will keep me going back to this wonderful city time and again. For the simple reason that this treasure can be found only in one place, in one house in Silay.

I speak of those tidbits of ambrosial goodness -- Emma Lacson's Pili Squares.

This small, elegantly designed maroon box hides a confectionary triumph.

The pili squares are mildly nutty, moist, chewy, buttery yet not cloying or oily. A box contains pre-cut 2 inch long bars that have a flaky, thin crust on the bottom.

Surprisingly, the bars are also not too sweet -- something that I cannot say for most of Negros' candies and pastries -- which definitely adds to their delectable taste.

I have had pili mazapan and pili pastries in Bicol -- where it is acclaimed as the regional delicacy but nothing I have tasted in Bicol compares to this Silaynon treat.

You can buy these delicacies from the old Lacson heritage house in Silay City, right along the main road, across a BPI bank branch. Just knock on the green gate and someone will let you in.

We were led up right to the kitchen on the second floor. I saw the tin pans and the ovens that are used in making the pili squares. This huge steel topped table is where the bars are cooled and sliced before they are wrapped in foil and boxed.

This old heavy duty mixer is still in use and has probably churned out millions of pili squares since this delicacy has been around since 1925.

Emma Lacson passed away last year but her daughter continues to make the pili squares from her mother's secret recipe.

The Lacson kitchen is comforting in its homespun simplicity. While we wait for orders, something good is cooking and the smells waft across the room.

Laden with boxes of pili squares (which somehow are never quite enough once you get home and start eating them), we make the long trek down the steep stairs outside the house.

The stairs are quite high and we have to make sure not to trip or slip -- not so much for our safety we joke, but for the safekeeping of the precious bundles of Emma Lacson's Pili Squares.

Going back in time -- Hacienda Rosalia in Manapla

One of the very special experiences I enjoyed this past trip to Bacolod was to have visited the old Gaston mansion, centerpiece of Hacienda Rosalia in Manapla, an hour's drive away from Bacolod City.

The Gaston Mansion, a cultural heritage house in Negros, sometimes opens its doors to private groups. It can be arranged that lunch will be served by the household staff as part of the tour.

We were fortunate that our tour guide, the aforementioned Bambi Borromeo, was a good friend of the current resident and owner of the Gaston Mansion -- no less than the esteemed retired prelate, Monsignor Guillermo Gaston.

Perhaps Bambi said, he might be home and we would meet him during lunch.

The Gaston Mansion may look familiar to you, if you have seen Peque Gallaga's 1982 masterpiece, Oro Plata Mata.

This stately and elegant house hidden within the heart of Hacienda Rosalia is set amidst lush, verdant grounds.

The gorgeous garden is a study in disheveled orderliness. Flowers, shrubs, trees, potted palms, herbs -- a riot of color and greenery!

We were amazed upon entering the second floor dining room.

The long, 24 seater antique wooden table was formally set for five.

Crystal stemware, antique silverware, fine china and linen napkins brought back visions of a bygone age when people still saw mealtimes as formal occasions.

It was going to be a very special lunch.

And special it was indeed! Monsignor Gaston was at home and very kindly stayed with us over lunch, regaling us with stories of the Hacienda, the mansion, his studies, travels and experiences.

The conversation was stimulating and scintillating -- I closed my eyes and imagined that I was taking part in a tertulia, the setting was just so right!

Monsignor Gaston has found culinary acclaim among his friends for his French Onion soup. His many years in France during his younger days helped him master this classic french recipe.

The table just outside the dining room, on the breezy azotea overlooking the garden, was laid out with a buffet of the house specialties. While it was Monsignor who cooked our soup, his staff have been trained to prepare the traditional recipes handed down from generations of Gastons.

Each dish was identified by a handwritten place card.

The rice was elegantly presented, molded into a perfect round and sprinkled with finely chopped herbs, taken from the garden.

We were served tender pork chops, cooked in olive oil and with tomatoes and a lively, piquant mustard sauce.

Another traditional Gaston heirloom dish was the Adobo Milyonario.

The everyday chicken and pork adobo had been simmered and stewed till falling off the bone tender. Lightly sauced with drippings, garlic, soy sauce and olive oil -- it was transformed into a dish fit for the most discerning palate!

While I no longer eat meat, I enjoyed this vicariously through my friends who, unmindful of the genteel and small appetites that characterized ladies of a bygone era, went back for seconds and thirds of this dish!

Thankfully, Monsignor Gaston also served Garlicky Prawns -- there they were, fat and fresh, redolent with garlic and butter. The sauce was heavy with shrimp aligue. I could not resist.

Yes, I spooned the sauce over my rice.

Que barbaridad!

We started the meal with a classic French soup, we ended it with a classic French dessert.

Crepes aux creme de marrons. Thin, melt in your mouth crepes with a sweet chestnut filling and with whole candied marrons on top.

After lunch, we left Monsignor Gaston who had to leave to say mass in another town.

We walked through the back of the house, taking a shortcut to the hacienda's very own private chapel.

Called the Chapel of the Cart Wheels, it was designed and built by Monsignor Gaston to serve as the center for worship for the family and all the people who lived in the hacienda.

The chapel stands across the fields behind the house. Shaped like a tall, outsized and stylized native salakot, the structure is made of items that are indigenous to Hacienda Rosalia and its daily endeavours.

Serving as base of the wooden, cone shaped roof are dozens of old, used cart wheels, taken from the carts that used to haul sugar cane from the hacienda's fields to the sugar mill.

When he designed this chapel, the monsignor wanted a place that would celebrate the people of Hacienda Rosalia. A place that would give glory to God through the work of their hands.

Ora et labora. Prayer and work.

The old cart wheels form the walls of the chapel, giving it a cool and airy atmosphere.

The portion behind the altar is made of native stone which adds to the coolness of the interiors. The rest of the round structure is fully made up of the cart wheels, they function as windows and walls, even as a stylized frame for the Christ above the stone altar.

This chapel is consecrated and Monsignor says mass here every Sunday and during holy days of obligation. Weddings and baptisms are regularly held here.

It is the hacienda's parish church.

For me, The Chapel of the Cart Wheels is a unique and extremely personal expression of faith.

The faith of Monsignor Gaston and of his flock in Hacienda Rosalia.