Do you know what happens when you leave a hopia in your storage bin for 6 months?
It expands, eventually explodes, and all the sesame seeds start stinking like hell.
Guess how I know 
Monthly Archive for July, 2005
It looks like I’ll be in Manila for a bit longer. I was gunning to leave for SF in August as its been almost 6 months since J and I were married and we’ve only spent a week together.
But mom’s being sick has changed things and J and I discussed and agreed that I should be in Manila during her treatment. I know this is difficult for J as he’s been alone in SF for almost 3 years and his saying I should stay is just one more reason for me to L him 
J will try to come back to Manila in September to get his work visa stamped so I am really excited to see him. Must start working out though, as my 3 month break because of my gallbladder operation is ending, and I have no more excuses to sit on my ass.
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Mom has started her radiation sessions. She’s getting 20 treatments broken down into 5 a week. As I understand this is generally painless, but there is the risk of some memory loss so she needs to practice the old brain by doing some multiplication tables and crossword puzzles. There’s also the “sunburnt” scalp and hairloss (which I think mom dreads the most, she’s quite fussy about her looks). We bought a wig this week, and I have to say its a really nice one that looks exactly like how her hair usually is.
The Lost Supreme
I visit Mom a lot and call her to make sure she’s eating the proper food (we’re going on a macrobiotic diet), and I spent some time today going to the grocery for her and making her a couple days worth of food — miso soup, salad, hummus, japanese noodles with gingered broccoli. Woot. It’s actually quite fun to prepare food, and I get to chat with mom while I’m chopping and cooking.
I had always thought that Canonigo was just a glorified deconstructed Brazo de Mercedes. It’s not. It’s a fluffy cloud of baked meringue that melts in your mouth partnered with some caramelized sugar syrup and some eggyolk cream sauce.
Heaven.
I’ve tried it at Albas, Casa Armas, and Sugarhouse, and can’t wait to have it at La Cocina de Tita Moning.
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Here’s a recipe from Dorothy Ferreria
Fruited Canonigo
Caramel: 1 1/3 c white sugar 1 c water
2 tbsp butter to grease molders Meringue: 1 c egg whites 1/2 c white sugar 1 tsp baking powder
1 c finely chopped canned or fresh fruits (such as strawberries, kiwi, canned seedless grapes, mango and canned peaches)
Sauce: 1/2 c white sugar 4 egg yolks 1 c pure full cream evaporated milk 1 c water 3 tbsp cornstarch 2 tbsp orange liqueur (Cointreau or Grand Marnier)
Topping: fresh/canned fruits, cut up almond flakes
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a large frying pan, combine sugar and water. Place over medium fire and allow to caramelize until light golden brown. Immediately pour caramel into prepared baking pans. Using kitchen towels or mitts, tilt pans to encourage the caramel to completely cover the bottom of the pan. Grease uncoated portions with butter. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites at medium speed until fine bubbles form in the surface. Add baking powder and continue to beat for 30 seconds.
Gradually add white sugar to beaten egg whites while beating at high speed. After adding all of the sugar, continue to beat egg whites until stiff peak stage. Quickly but thoroughly fold in chopped fruits.
Bake in a baine Marie (water bath) for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The surface of the meringue will be golden brown. Do not forget to add a teaspoon of cream of tartar to the water so as not to stain the larger pan. Keep chilled.
To prepare the sauce, combine the first 5 ingredients in a thick saucepan. Mix well with a wire whip. Cook over low heat until slightly creamy. Stir in the liqueur.
To assemble, pour several spoonfuls of the sauce into a dessert platter. Place a thick slice of the meringue in the center of the sauce. Top with just a spoonful of sauce and garnish with fresh fruits and almond flakes. Add some bottled chocolate syrup or a dusting of cocoa powder if desired.
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More recipes:
Nestle
BabyRambutan check out the photos on this one
Lutong Bahay
FindPinoy
HomeTalkCafe
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Oh, and is it caNOnigo or canoNIgo? This indio wants to know.
I had almost started to believe that it was possible to have a project completed without glitches. Excellent contractor. Decent budget. Workable timeframe. Decisive and reasonable client.
I spoke too soon. The carpet subcon did not deliver the carpet to site the night before it was supposed to be installed. When I followed up I was told that the shipment had arrived at the pier last week, but as the boxes were shipped as “loose cargo” the entire lot had gone missing. There was supposedly no point in presenting the bills of lading as they were all in Chinese characters.
Yeah right. Smelled fishy to me. And I said so.
At 10pm that night the supplier called and said he had found that the carpet was actually not shipped, but had been shipped that day with ETA at the port on 20 July. Shit. With the 3 days needed to clear Customs that would translate to a 10 day delay.
I must be getting a bit used to these sort of fuckups because all I really did was present scenarios (1) carpet arrives 20 July, (2) carpet arrives later than 20 July (3) carpet never arrives because supplier is a fucking liar who lied once before about having shipped the carpet — and present options (1) delay the furniture installation until carpet arrives (2) install temporary carpet, install furniture on sliding supports, soft wire electrical and IT, start office operations, replace carpet in batches when it arrives, or (3) select alternate carpet tile from available stock.
The client chose to delay the installation and wait for the carpet. Good. That’s easiest for everyone involved.
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Next comes the blinds.
The blinds supplier was recommended by the Building Property Management as he had installed in the building previously. The client awarded the contract to him because he presented the lowest cost (there isn’t much design input here because the building requires a standard type and color of blinds) and was accredited by the building.
Well Mr. Smart Blinds Guy apparently assumed we would be building a low wall to cover the glass curtain wall, so he makes the blinds 2 feet shorter than they should be.
Duh.
What irked me was that he started blaming us (the “designer”) because he had supposedly asked Aeroin (who was in charge of the design) about this and Aeroin had said yes we would build a wall to cover the glass.
** To us in Corporate Interiors, such an idea is a major no-no. Buildings never allow the glass and mullions tampered with, or even touched.
It also turns out the guy did not do an actual measurement of the floor below (as reference for installed blinds sizes), despite being instructed to do so, and signing that he had done so.
After much too-ing and fro-ing I sort of lost my patience and told him that he had quoted for all items required to complete the blinds, had signed that he read and understood the building guidelines (this was part of the conforme) and that sorry, no, he could not bill the client (who wasn’t willing to pay anyway). So tough titty, kagatin mo pare.
The guy then started to whine about how it was his own money he invested and that the 15,000 cost differential would hurt him, and that we should pity him because his was a small business. Paano naman daw sya. Boo hoo hoo. Whine whine whine.
I said “You fucking loser, you are whining about 15,000 bucks and walking around with a droopy lip and here I am trying to fix this stupid problem because of course your fucking installation will be delayed and I can’t think too straight because I am worrying about my cancer-stricken mother, the fucking state of our economy, my spouse visa, my goddam stomach has a fucking scar because the doctor took my gallbladder out, and the scar is itching like crazy, and I just really really want to get out of here now and have a fucking cup of coffee and some lunch because its 4pm and I am still listening to your skinny ass boohoohoo ing!”
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Not the Blinds guy
Ha ha ha. Just kidding
I actually told him (1) that it was really unprofessional of him to start whining and begging, and (2) I didn’t care about the fact that he was making money off the contract, so why should I care that he was losing some money out of his own omissions. Charge it to experience bud. I’ve lost 20 times more money than that and I didn’t utter a peep in front of the client.
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I’m still a bit appalled at his whinyness and fingerpointing. I’ve always been of the idea that you need to discuss all work related business professionally.
Maybe if he explained better and was less accusatory I would have been less unbending. Then again, work’s work — so maybe not.
That’s one supplier I will never work with again.
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The excitement of project management. You gotta love it.
to everyone who left a note and said prayers for mom. She will be having a biopsy to determine what kind of lung cancer she has and we are all working so she gets as strong as possible in preparation for her treatment.
You have helped me deal with things and I think of you when I feel lost
I apologize if my blog has taken on such a depressing tone of late. This just seems to be a bit of a dark period for me, and I am not the sort who will sugarcoat things.
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I am a part of the PAWS and CARAPhil e-groups and have been very distressed to learn that the City Government of Manila is using electrocution to put down unclaimed dogs from the pound.
The following is a description of the events at the City Pound on 09 July 2005. A PAWS member volunteered to take photos and document the executions. Honestly, I don’t know how he did it I would have been weeping the entire time. Photos were taken but I don’t think I can bear to see them
If you do read the articles below and want to write to the persons responsible for approving or allowing this, please refer to contact information at the end of my post.
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DETAILS OF DOG ELECTROCUTION
Date: 07 July 2005
Time: 09:00 a.m.
Venue: Manila City Pound
RE: CITY OF MANILA — ELECTROCUTION OF DOGS EXPERIMENT
MANILA CITY POUND
(As witnessed by Emil Rebano)
Witnesses:
Dr. Rey Napoles, DVM — Pres. VPAP
Emil Rebaño — PAWS rep
vet student
Manila City:
6 orderlies
2 vets
Description of scene:
(Beyond the gas chamber)
2nd gate from entrance to pound.
Garage type. Bloody floor from previous day or early that day. Fly infested. Fishy odor from blood.
Cage constructed for electrocution in this area.
Separate wide cage for 10 dogs awaiting electrocution also in this area.
3rd gate from entrance to pound.
Holding area of captured dogs awaiting death sentence.
Dogs are grouped per cage depending on schedule for electrocution
Dogs in this area are here for days or weeks with no water nor food
Dogs mostly with skin disease
PROCEDURE:
Orderly pulls out a dog from the waiting cage with a long steel pole with a rope at the end.
Dog is dragged, suffocating, to the electrocution chamber crying.
Orderly even mocks the dog! Seems to enjoy his power over the helpless dog.
Dog is pushed inside the chamber (cage) to be electrocuted.
Cage description for electrocution:
average size, with bars. Steel roof that goes down to the dog.
The dog is literally sandwiched then vet releases electricity which goes to the roof then passed to the dog.
Note: dog/s will be in varying positions.
The roof sometimes tips. Only some parts of the dog are electrocuted.
Volts: 300volys for 3 seconds
Effect: dog is still alive in pain crying.
Vet repeats the procedure.
Most of the dogs die on the 2nd try.
The dead dogs are put in a big weighing scale one on top of the other. Then in batches of ten, their stomachs are slit.
(This explains the bloody floor.)
Vet puts/injects enzymes per dog.
Dogs are brought to a decomposing vat where they are kept for a week.
The bodies turn into powder like form then probably dumped in the back of the pound.
Back of the pound is the Manila North Cemetery.
COMMENTS:
City of Manila got permit from Bureau of Animal Industries-Animal Welfare Division Head, Angel Mateo, DVM.
Mayor Lito Atienza of Manila told the Philippine Star (national newspaper) that he was not aware of the experiment.
According to Mayor Atienza, they euthanize dogs using lethal injection.
Note: According to the vet in the city pound, they use gas chamber for dogs that is why they want to try electrocution so that the dogs may die faster.
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The Inquirer and the Star have articles on this as well.
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DR. ANGEL B. MATEO
Officer-in-Charge
Animal Welfare Division
Bureau of Animal Industry
Visayas Ave, Diliman, QC 1104
Telefax: 926-1522
Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (BAI Bureau of Animal Industy falls under DAR)
DOMINGO F. PANGANIBAN
Secretary
Department of Agriculture
Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
Tel (632) 920-4323; 920-43-58; 929-8183, 926-6426 (fax) loc. 2207, 2208
Electrocution is not humane. Make BAI-AWD do its job in seeking methods of animal control in line with animal welfare. Launch campaigns to address problem at its roots: promote spay-neuter, pet registration and responsible pet ownership.
DR. JOSE DIAZ
City Veterinarian - Manila
c/o Manila City Hall
Tel: 524-25-31 / 34
email: info@cityofmanila.com.ph (ATTN DR. JOSE DIAZ)
HON. MAYOR LITO ATIENZA
City of Manila
Tel: 527-49-91/527-49-83/527-09-07
email: mayoratienza@cityofmanila.com.ph
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UPDATE:
PAWS and CARAPhil had a dialogue with representatives of the Bureau of Animal Industry-Committee on Animal Welfare (BAI-CAW) and CAW revoked the permit it earlier granted to Manila City Hall’s Veterinary Inspection Board (VIB) for the electrocution of unclaimed dogs.
Article from the Star.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world.. indeed it is the only thing that ever has!”-Mead
In the short period I was away from here I feel that my world has been turned upside down. Mom’s test results were not good. The MRI showed that she has cancer that metastasized to her brain. She had another MRI today because they are trying to find the primary cancer.
I must say things have changed for us as a family. Mom is still strong physically, and she puts up a very brave front. I can only guess what she is thinking while she is lying awake at night, and I wish there was a way I could take some of her fears away. She is also very grateful that she was given a chance to know about this, and prepare for things ahead.
We found out Saturday afternoon. Last Sunday we all had lunch together. Something we have not done in years. Mom and Papi are actually having conversations again, after a long long time of silence and bickering.
I try not to cry in front of mom, and spend my time weeping in the bathroom. I know the sickness is advanced, but intend to support mom through everything and be strong for her. I know what the statistics say, but place hope in the fact that the odds have been beaten before, and can be beaten again.
Please keep my mother in your thoughts and prayers.
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