December and January Recap

Happy New Year everyone!! It's sooooo good to be back to blogging!

December 2010 was one big blur of activities for me. I can't remember being this busy during the past Christmases, not that I'm complaining. Except that I was so busy I wasn't able to join the challenges for the Daring Bakers, the Daring Cooks and Kulinarya for the whole month. And I have not posted anything after my pop tarts. So I'm going to show you dear friends how it was. not as an excuse for neglecting my blog (okay, it is sort of an excuse) but also to share how wonderfully busy it had been...

First of all, I decided to join a weekend market. Mercato Centrale was the newest weekend food market here in Manila and when I learned they were open for vendors, I wasted no time in applying and lo and behold--I got in! It was definitely a learning experience for me, all the sleepless nights, headaches, backaches, getting stuck in traffic, lining up at the supermarket, etc were all worth it! I met my Filipino culinary idol Mr. Claude Tayag of Bale Dutung, I even got to meet Smarla from Everyday Sweet Notes! But I guess it was a case of biting off more than I can chew...sadly I had to withdraw from the market because of my day job. It had gotten too busy that I was almost a zombie at work. But overall, it was so much fun, that I wouldn't mind doing it again!

And then of course there were the baskets, dozens of them! Every Christmas, my friends and I offer Christmas goodies and sell them. This year was no different, we made a LOT and it was too much sometimes, we had to turn down orders because all of us had day jobs and whatnots aside from these baskets. We love the fact that our clients are always clamoring for more and they order every year, no fail. This year I added jams and cakes in tins to our baskets, next year--maybe something even yummier.

I work hard but I also play hard, but this time I wanted to rest, to take a break from all the hustle and bustle. Where to? Hmmm...the most logical answer to that was in Singapore. It's like my second home having worked and lived there. I have friends there and the food is great, and I'm really craving for char kway teow, chicken rice, and one dollar coffee from the hawker center. So off I went, I escaped the noise and smog of the firecrackers here in Manila and had a firecracker-free but definitely fun New Year's eve in the Lion City. It was great walking the familiar streets, smelling all the food and eating of course!!


And finally...dear friends, to start off the year--I was invited to be a guest judge in a morning show for GMA 7's Unang Hirit last monday January 10. Yay! I couldn't have imagined where this blog has brought me so far! I was with Lori of Dessert Comes First which was one of the first Filipino food blogs I've found and enjoyed reading until now, my friend Smarla of Everyday Sweet Notes and my culinary schoolmate Rosebud of Quickfire. It was a new and fun experience. And both the competing teams did well turning out delicious and good looking food. Congratulations to Chef Nino of Pino Kitchen Studio!

And so, that's a recap of the month that was. I am excited for 2011, new challenges, new recipes, new restaurants and new friends!

How about you? How was your December?