Delores is here again and I wanted to really see her! She just finished her food styling seminar in Sofitel which was a big success. Everytime she’s in the country, dad always sets up a dinner (Delores always remembers us as the 2 generations who took her classes in CIA, which is a first for her) for her. This time, dad set up an all-Filipino dinner with our favorite dishes and things that are solely done here in the Philippines. Tita Omay (Norma Chickiamco) and Delores came from Bangkok, where they took classes on Thai cuisine (these two are pretty tight really).
Delores is currently working on her Food Styling book which will be coming out next year. I am thinking that this will be the ultimate manual for those who really want to pursue the career. She will also be putting all sorts of short stories and her past students’ works from her food styling classes. Also a writer, she is also planning to come out with a book about preserving old family recipes. She asked us if any of us were blogging and I told her about my blog.
Before dinner, I told Delores about my 1st video project which happened a few days ago (yes, I will talk about this once it’s out). I was still pretty tired that time because I also just came from a shoot that morning. I think she was pretty much astounded as to how long the shoot was. She asked me for the storyboard, and she told me usually the storyboard is just a guide, and whatever is drawn there isn’t the exact same thing that’s going to come out in the shoot so I had to be ready. Gah…I wish I knew that sooner, but anyway, I am still all smiles whenever I remember the shooting…It was a totally different experience!
Back to dinner, our first course was a bunch of ensaladas (salads), there was mango with crab fat, pickled mango, mango tomatoes and onions and 2 homemade bagoongs. I’ve always loved the mango with crab fat (ensaladang kasag) and Delores seems to like that the most too. Ensaladang kasag used to be one of the things I would always order when dad used to have his “Lasap”, which is a place I really miss. The food was really good there although we had to close it down to make way for the school.
Next were the main courseS. With a huge S because there was quite a lot (it’s pretty normal when it’s dad who prepares the menu). We first had sinantol..which is santol boiled in coconut milk and chillies. Then there was the laing, which is taro leaves in coconut cream and chillies…it was served to us in a cocont shell.
Next was something I haven’t eaten in a while, it is paksiw na tuna…this has a twist, the tuna was crunchy and after it was gently simmered in vinegar, ginger and mustard leaves. Then we had rice in banana leaf, which is called puso in cebu. Then we had crab in crab fat, which was slightly tangy because of the calamansi that was used to cut the crab fat’s fishy taste. Then we had kare kare.
Despite having no room for dessert, I totally loved the carabao milk leche flan dad made. Which wasn’t too sweet so I got to have seconds (I don’t have a sweet tooth). We had that with atis ice cream.
After dinner, we were all so stuffed. Delores said, “I am amazed about the layers of food…you just have so much food!” But of course that’s because she’s our guest…but come to think of it…what we ate just felt like a typical sunday dinner (which I haven’t been blogging about for the past couple of months).
It’s always nice to talk to someone who completely understands what you do (and believe me, I’ve only talked to a few who really do understand)…and could give you so much input with just a few sentences. Delores, is one of the world’s pioneers in food styling and seeing her again at this point in my life was inspirational.
This was a certainly a great ending to my most hectic freelance week yet.
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