My kind of pizza

By Chef Ed Dychauco, RN

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

FOR the past months and even years, I have noticed the increase in the number of pizza shops around the city and even nearby areas. And I should say it is a welcome respite to have such new establishments.

I am a big fan of pizzas and it doesn’t matter whether it is thick crust, thin crust or in between. I just love anything tomatoes, be it fresh, canned, pureed or cooked. I guess a lot of people do like tomato sauce and catsup, too! Be it spaghetti or lasagna, it would surely make our meal more exciting.

Tomato was said to come from Mexico and it wasn’t until the 16th century that it arrived in Europe and became popular with pastas.

Naples, Italy is known for its tomato-based pizzas since the 18th century, but not in the form that we knew today. Through the years, it finally reached the United States because of the Italian Immigrants. And as the saying goes, the rest is history.

As far as I can remember, pizza was quite unheard of before when I was a kid. It was only in the late ‘70s (hope I got it right) that it started to get into our community. It plateaued for a while and finally in the ‘90s, it exploded with a bang!

Being a nurse in New York back in the ‘80s, I would always have pizza as my “brunch” at least once a month. This I owe to Ms. Mae Gallardo-Ynocellas and her parents whom I fondly called Papa and Mama. They would pick me up in the Nurses Residence along Pelham Parkway in the Bronx (within Bronx Municipal Hospital Center) in the morning for our Sunday Mass. After which we would have our Super Supreme Thick Crust Pizza with everything on it, doubled up in one of the major pizzeria in our vicinity! We would definitely top it with more Parmesan Cheese. Imagine the calories! Well, that was back then when we never cared about heart diseases!

I lived in an Italian community and that makes our pizza more authentic! They would bake their pizza in a brick oven. There are times when I would crave for the regular cheese-topped pizza and then there were times when I’d go for a rich calzone (kind of like a wrapped pizza formed into a pocket. A bigger version of our empanada. Baked, not fried and filled with what is topped in a pizza.) And just for $1, that big slice of pizza was already my meal for the day!

While I was stationed in Phoenix, Arizona, I would go to one particular pizzeria which is famous for its pizza using a particular “wood” (which I can’t remember anymore) that gives the finished product a better aroma and flavor. The shop is always jam-packed and sometimes it’ll take an hour just to wait for a vacant table. But it was worth the wait.

Italian Pizza is normally tossed and thrown into the air as they stretch the dough. It is really a sight to behold. It is just amazing to see how they would make a 5” flattened dough stretched to an 18” or even bigger size by tossing and turning them up in the air without tearing. There is even a dough-stretching competition in the United States where the winner gets to win huge prizes!

Now, many big and small shops here in the city sell pizza. National food chains eat up a large chunk of the market. But slowly, smaller and bolder entrepreneurs are giving them a run for their money.

One can find pizza shops (I don’t call them pizzeria anyway) almost anywhere. Some sell their products by slice or whole. It doesn’t quite taste like the real pizza but what the heck. Price is cheaper, too, compared to those found in the malls or shops.

Pizza can be topped with anything -- from olive oil to tomato sauces, vegetables to meat to even fruits -- making it more of a dessert than a savory meal. A complete meal by itself.

Here is a simple recipe for a pizza dough crust which anyone can try at home. Top it with anything you like. One important note: don’t scrimp on the toppings, especially the sauce (one can even use spaghetti sauce instead of the regular tomato sauce), and the cheese! If one can have mozzarella cheese, the better! But melting cheese will also do the trick.

Happy baking and eating!

Pizza Dough

250 gms flour
Pinch of salt
7 gms yeast
1 Tbsp Olive oil
water

Mix flour, salt and yeast. Add the oil and enough water to make a soft dough. Knead on a floured surface until soft but not sticky. Flatten and top with favorite toppings. Baking time depends on the thickness of the dough.

(Website: www.potsnpans1976.weebly.com; email: potsnpans1976@yahoo.com)

Published in the Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro newspaper on January 27, 2011.

Exciting things to do and eat on a rainy day

By Chef Ed Dychauco, RN

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

I LIKE rain. I love it when it rains. The weather is cool and wet. Life seems to be in a standstill. The environment is quiet and people appear to be in a calm mood. Nobody is in a hurry.

Especially if one is at home and has nothing to do except to just bundle up and take time slowly. This, I think, is the best time to indulge in our comfort zone, cleaning up, reading a book, enjoying the company of our loved ones -- be it watching a movie, having some coffee or tea with some sandwiches or cooking our favorite meals that everyone would enjoy.

For a typical home, there are always things to do. To clean up or to rearrange. It's a never ending thing. Especially if you have kids around. But look at it this way, you're getting your exercise in some way. Not bad, huh?

You can also ask your children to help you in some household chores, a better way of training them for the future. Simple tasks like sweeping the floor, folding linens or chopping vegetables. A hands-on experience, indeed. What about listening to your favorite music while doing all these? Wouldn't that be wonderful?

What about taking out "history"? I am sure we all have old photographs in our cabinets. Take them out. Show them to your family. It would be a nice way of tracing roots and getting to know your ancestors. Besides, having a laugh or two would surely perk up your time with everyone!

For little kids, why not teach them how to read or write? Or draw? Or do some art works? It is always exciting to come up with unique, one-of-a-kind artistic work that parents and kids do together. Play a game (but not the one in the computer) and have fun!

Growing up, we have our favorite dishes that bring back so many childhood memories. It could be a very simple dish or an elaborate cuisine prepared at home or store-bought. Whatever it is, it would always linger in our minds and in so many ways, we also get to teach the next generation. Then, what is good for the rainy days?

For starters, soups! That chunky and hearty chicken-macaroni soup would do wonder for us. What about that hot Sotanghon soup? Lomi? Misua? The list can go on. And for sure, arroz caldo, lugaw and mami would be some of our favorites that can warm us during those chilly days and nights.

Have you noticed that even on a hot weather we still take in hot meals? So, what's wrong with ice cream, halo halo, or even maiz con hielo, on these typical days? I would love to dig on my favorite ice cream topped with chocolates and nuts!

The other day I was craving for binignit and I was so happy that I took the time to prepare it. Hot or cold, I love it either way! But I like my binignit very thick and with lots of banana, langka and sago. What about you?

Hot or cold sandwiches go well with soups. Particularly roast beef or pork sandwiches. Try it with minestrone, or even just plain lugaw. I can imagine myself doing it right now in the comfort of my dining table. Having friends around would always do the trick, too!

Just a few ideas here. But enjoying the company of your loved ones, be it family members or friends, on those rainy days or nights would surely be a good bonding time -- one that would be cherished forever. And how often do we do these, by the way? We are always on the run. But again, why not stop and smell the roses?

Enjoy life! (Website: www.potsnpans1976.weebly.com; email: potsnpans1976@yahoo.com)

Published in the Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro newspaper on January 20, 2011.

The crispy, crunchy, all-time favorite fried chicken

By Chef Ed Dychauco, RN

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

I AM pretty sure everyone grew up with at least one favorite dish that would be remembered for the rest of their lives. And I am not just talking about any ordinary dish, but one that will evoke childhood memories, be it alone or with family and friends dining together.

Growing up in the city of Manila gave me the lasting memories of having dined at the "old, but still existing" famous restaurants (like Savory Restaurant) that serve, what else? My favorite, as well as your favorite, fried chicken!

But even before those restaurants came to our lives, we have been partaking of this easy to prepare, easy to marinate, easy to cook, easy to fry recipe which would always lighten and bring a smile on everyone's faces.

My mom used to prepare this well-loved specialty during special occasions or on Sundays when we are all gathered together in the dining table. As far as I can remember, it was nothing fancy. She would just use soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, sugar and calamansi in the marinade.

Leaving it overnight in the refrigerator, the aroma of the dish during frying the following day would make us all sit at the dining table, waiting to be served. Coating it to make it extra crispy was a taboo then. And as we grew up, it was always and will be tomato catsup as accompaniment to this brownish, crispy but juicy chicken served with plain steamed rice. No coleslaw, no French fries. Just fried chicken!

Somewhere along the way, there were major transformations in this delicious dish. I don't know who, what or where, it originated but I know it made the chicken taste a lot better. Super rich, smooth and "dip me more" gravy also made waves that made the dish more mouth-watering and excitingly good.

Then came these "spicy," super "crunchy" and all those major adjectives naming and turning this ordinary Fried chicken into a "gourmet" dish! Done and prepared in numerous and countless ways, and in different parts of the world, fried chicken would still be one of the best dishes and ultra best selling cooked item anywhere in the universe! And, this is one that would never fail to take part in the menu of any ordinary restaurant or to any high-end one.

So, what makes your fried chicken different from mine, if I may ask? Okay, let's try to dissect the marinade first. Of course, this would give that chicken meat the taste from the inside. Anything from soy sauce and vinegar would already give color and taste, but adding a little sugar, garlic, onions, black pepper and other spices like rosemary, cayenne pepper, tarragon and other spices also gives that distinct taste. Some would use honey, instead of sugar. Lemon instead of calamansi. Salt and pepper would do, minus the others.

What about those commercially prepared marinade and sauces? There are many variants in the market today. These would actually lessen all the preparation and yet, the flavor of it would still be very special.

What about the Coating? Breading? Using plain bread crumbs will do. But others would opt for all purpose flour, cornstarch, commercially prepared "bread" crumbs, or a mixture of these. Adding a little salt and pepper would also highlight the "crispy" outer covering. There are also several mixes available that would lessen your workload, of course! And for these coating to adhere to the chicken, I would normally dip the pieces in milk, beaten eggs or a mixture of milk and eggs. Plain water will also do the job but make sure you don't dip the chicken pieces too long!

Gravy! Oozing with that rich, buttery, salty and sometime, spicy thick sauce that goes very well with that chicken, crispy or not. Who can resist that? In fact it goes even very well alone with rice. Just top it over rice and voila! A meal by itself minus the meat parts! Now, again, we have ready made sauces/gravies that are equally good as well. But if making them from scratch is what you want, then why not?

I know I enjoyed chicken tremendously when I was in the United States. They really have large portions and having just one piece is already enough. But because they don't serve rice, we have to contend ourselves with English muffins or corn muffins to go with our meal. And this is one of the fastest and easiest meal we could have if we are really in a "feasting" mood. I remember my friends there, Lani and Diody, who used to "clean-up" my chicken bones until none was left on it! Those were the days ...

Nowadays, fried chicken can be found anywhere -- be it in an exclusive gourmet dining restaurant or to those sidewalk vendors. And prices can range from a few pesos to hundreds, depending on the way it is done and the venue where the chicken is enjoyed. And I bet, this trend is not going to change for a long, long time!

(Website: www.potsnpans1976.weebly.com; email: potsnpans197@yahoo.com)

Published in the Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro newspaper on January 13, 2011.

New Year's pledge: 8 'must do's'

By Chef Ed Dychauco, RN

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

I KNOW each one of us has some sort of a new year's resolution. As far as I can remember, I tried to make a list but most often, it fell through. Because I probably didn't put much attention to it or either I just kept on postponing it, knowing there will be another year.

But as we grow older (and hopefully wiser!), we tend to do things better because we start putting things in a better perspective. Also, because I guess we just need to do it now.

For me, I have but a few things which I intend to do and hopefully, I will be successful this time. I also believe that most of you can relate to this and who knows, I might be able to convince you to do the same.

Number one on my list would be to clean up. After all these years, I have finally decided to clear up and clean up a lot of "unused" stuffs that are just gathering dusts in the house. I was often told that if an item has not been used for a year (okay, maybe less), it has to be thrown away or given to others. Actually, I have started doing that many years ago after I moved from a big house to a smaller one, to another much smaller place. The last few days were spent clearing and cleaning the area and I should say I was quite successful. I have so much space now especially in the living/dining rooms. All I needed was to throw away things that I don't really need (gosh, those boxes, envelopes, papers, magazines, etc) and give away those things I/we don't need or have not used in years, (clothes, shoes, toys, books and a lot more). Remember, it is perfectly alright to give away useful items to charities anytime of the year.

Second would be to eat and stay healthy. Although I am not totally into it, I guess it is about time that we start eating something that is and can be good for our bodily functions before it is too late. We all know what is good and what is bad for us, yet we continue to devour "bad" food. But on the positive side, I always believe that anything and everything in moderation is okay. Meaning, we can have a share of our favorite toxic, greasy, gooey, sugary, hi-caloric foods once in a while and again, the word there is "moderation." With so much temptation around, I think we have to succumb to those little "evils" once in a while to make us "feel" better. Remember the word "reward"? Junk food were considered rewards because we only have them once in a while.

Eat more vegetables and fruits. Vegetables can be prepared in delicious and nutritious ways. Say, spaghetti. Instead of pure meat, why not add or totally change them to carrots, eggplants, onions, garlic, cucumber, beans, tofu and the like? It would still taste great, I promise! What about more carrots on carrot cakes and banana in banana muffins? Vegetables and fruits are packed with so much antioxidants and high in roughage that is excellent for our system.

Exercise can be tedious but if one gets to walk around the mall or a garden or a park leisurely, I would always say that counts already towards earning a few points for our health. Just make sure you are not tempted to shop every time or get something to munch or drink, though! Going up and down the stairs, gardening, cleaning, walking a few blocks rather than taking the tricycle or jeep would be helpful. Besides, one gets to save some money, especially now that the gasoline and fare has increased again. Engage in active sports that you like. Sweat it out once a week or more if possible. If financially capable, why not hit a gym?

Save on energy. Be conscious of your environment. Plant a tree. Save the earth. Try to use biodegradable products. Turn off lights when not in use. Don't waste water. Walk.

Read. Be more informed of what is going on around you. Besides, it also helps your mind to be active. Reading opens a lot of horizons. Adding a few words on your existing vocabulary is fantastic. Why not add a word or two every day? And before you know it, you'd be a walking dictionary!

Relax and indulge. Enjoy life. Go for that massage once a week or once a month. Watch a movie. Go to the beach or to a mountain and watch as the sun rises or as the sun sets over a cup of your favorite drink. Listen to your favorite music that soothes and calm your nerves. What about videoke and sing alongs? Try new cuisines you've never tried before. Engage in an artistic activity you've long wanted to try.

Travel. Remember that place you wanted to visit for a long time? Now is the time to pack and go for it. Go visit your friends and relatives and have a grand time. Weekend getaways would surely make you want to check out new places and more fresh ideas.

Thank God for all the blessings. Visit Churches and Chapels and pray. One can also be active in religious and socio-civic activities during their spare time. Give a part of yourself to the needy. Be a man for others. The fulfillment and happiness one gets from it would be far from anything money can buy.

A happy, prosperous and fulfilling New Year to all! (Website: www.potsnpans1976.weebly.com; email: potsnpans1976@yahoo.com)

Published in the Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro newspaper on January 05, 2011.

Good Bye 2010…Hello 2011!

By Chef Ed Dychauco, RN

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

2010 is almost over and as I look back, it was a great year indeed for me, both as a culinary artist and a nurse.

Looking back on the highlights of this past year, I should say I was blessed with so much opportunity to spread my wings and in a way, made a lot of people happy. I did a lot of traveling to Luzon, Vizayas and various parts of Mindanao doing what I should say I do best, teaching and conducting culinary demonstrations to different groups of people.

I was able to handle a couple of lectures in the field of Nursing, being my first love. It was an affair to remember both for me and the graduating students of Mindanao State University (MSU) and Xavier University College of Nursing because I always find it exciting and enriching to talk about my experiences as a nurse in the United States of America. While for most of them, it would always be an eye-opener since most of these future nurses would leave the country sooner or later and I firmly believe it would help them in so many ways in adjusting and coping better with a new, stressful (!) but stimulating lives abroad.

Looking back during my college days, we never had these talks that would prepare us for the “real” nursing life outside school. We would just depend on what was taught and what we experienced in the local hospitals. There were limited resources that we can do to research on the topics explained. But still, I am proud to say we ended as the crème de la crème in our school, starting from almost 200 in the freshmen years, only 35 of us survived the rigid but fun-filled course. Most of my classmates are now successful in their own right, working as nurses here and abroad.

Being a foodie, I also get to travel all over the Philippines. I attended, served as judge and did live culinary demonstrations during World Food Expositions (WOFEX 2010) held in Cebu City (Cebu International Convention Center), in Davao City (Bangko Sentral) and in Manila (World Trade Center). It was really fun teaching enthusiastic participants in the field of cooking, baking and cake decorating and at the same time, introducing new and innovative products to the public.

Serving as a judge in Flairtending and Barista Competitions (both regional and national) made me more attentive and sensitive to the intricacies in the making of a great drink/coffee and the showmanship that goes with it.

I was also made to judge during the 10th Mindanao Culinary Festival held in Davao City which fortunately was made into two parts, one in June and the second in September. And of course, I enjoyed tremendously the travel to Davao City.

Davao became a place I visited four months in a row -- June for the Wofex
Mindanao and MCF (Part 1), July for a Bread Baking seminar, August for Ginoong Kadayawan Body Building Competition, and September for the second part of MCF.

And not to forget, the fresh produce (fruits and vegetables) at very, very low prices that I get to buy and bring home.

Judging several other talent search competitions, salad-making competition and other food competitions were also held all over the city. Again, it was an enriching experience, visually and artistically!

Cooking demonstrations for Aji-Ginisa Mix were also conducted here in Cagayan de Oro, Ozamiz City and Butuan City during the last quarter of the year. It was again a fun-filled activity with as much as 250 participants in one of those areas. Got my share of the beautiful umbrella (it was raining those times!) and the electric fan as presents! Not bad, huh?

McCormick’s Buffalo Wings seasoning and gravy premixes were also introduced in Butuan and Cagayan de Oro and I got the honor of doing it for them. Once more, it was a different experience for me doing yet another delicious event which made my mouth water as I am writing this!

Altus Communications (Nokia) brought me to the exotic and friendly city of Zamboanga for the first time in my life. It was such an unforgettable experience not only because it was my very first, but because I also get to taste their delicious and exotic cuisine and most of all experience first hand, their warm hospitality!

Pagadian City was another place I get to visit upon the invitation of St. Columban College HRM Department. There, I was bombarded with so much “bulad” in their market. First time in my life have I seen so much dried fish in all sizes and shapes and other dried seafoods. It was literally a haven for these salty delicacies!

I had the chance of showcasing my skills in fondant-decorating in the newest TV show in town, ISYU over Kapuso’s GMA 7 and an interview during the Iponan’s Suman Festival was also aired that same day at Kapamilya’s early morning show Pamahaw Espesyal and TV Patrol later in the evening. Call me a Kapusong Kapamilya or Kapamilyang Kapuso!

Facebooking boomed this year and I am so glad to find old friends and acquaintances through this social networking area. Classmates from elementary, high school and college, students, teachers and friends from various parts of the world were found and there was instant connection! It was so exciting to be in touch once again. Some are old, some stayed “young” but most of them have grown up (well, physically and physiologically!).

With all these blessings this past year, I should truly say…God is good. And it was an unforgettable year!

My wish for the New Year? Global peace and more good food on our tables.

A prosperous and healthy 2011 New Year to everyone! (Website: www.potsnpans1976.weebly.com; email: potsnpans1976@yahoo.com)

Published in the Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro newspaper on December 29, 2010.