OINK! OINK!

Pigs like to scratch and be scratched. They like to rub against anything they chance upon. Pigs like to play... running in circles, chase each other as they grunt delight away! Pigs have short interest and attention span...they get bored and tired of same things quickly.

I am not talking about men here contrary to my female species' famous line "men are pigs".  I'm talking about the animal, their behavior and the fact that they are not dirty at all! Rolling in the mud doesn't make pigs dirty especially when the heat is on! Rolling in the mud cools them off as they are very sensitive to heat, prone to sunburns and heat strokes. It's just the way they are to survive and depending on how owners take care of their livestock, pigs are generally clean.... at least, that's how I perceive of pigs thus; I am reminded of my ultimate gastronomical desire!

Been craving again lately for Lechón... that pork dish us Filipinos inherited from our Spanish ancestors which is a nationwide favorite of the Filipino people during festivals, holidays and special occasions. With this very special dish especially in Negros Occidental where I was born and raised, the entire pig after its' entrails removed, stuffed with tamarind leaves and/or lemon grass, skewered in bamboo or thick wood, is entirely  cooked as a whole over charcoal... constantly being turned in rotisserie action. Mmmmm... tender, juicy, tasty! So loving it's crispy skin! I so love pigs... the four-legged ones! When I talk about pigs, I definitely do not refer to the men in my past! LOL!!! Oink!!!

EARLY MORNING CRAVING.... ADOBO FLAKES

For every Filipino, rice is a staple food which is absolutely nothing if it weren't for one Filipino dish... the adobo. Adobo, on the other hand, does need rice to stay pimp. It's just the way to go when one eats adobo... we really do need to eat rice... lots of it!

Adobo is the bomb of all Filipino dishes and the baby is adobo flakes! For the benefit of my foreign readers, Adobo is chicken and/or pork braised well in garlic, vinegar, oil and soy sauce... all cooked until dry. In the case of adobo flakes, the meat is shredded and fried to its' crispiest state. For every Filipino restaurant and bars, Adobo flakes is the best seller.

Most Filipino housewives cook adobo. I learned how to cook really good adobo as a teenager when I realized that my mom's adobo is the best. I've tried my friends' mom's adobo... they're also good but nothing compares with my mom's own adobo recipe... and I'm not just patronizing my mom! She taught me how to braise the meat well. The food preparation is easy but there are techniques that she taught me that I'd rather keep to myself till I have a baby girl to raise and pass on to the family secret. In the case of adobo flakes from restaurants however, I rarely appreciate eating it unless it's exceptional... enough to make me crave for it.

In the area where i live in the Philippines, the best adobo flakes is at Capone's Bistro located on the 2nd floor of A-venue, Makati Avenue, Makati City. It's absolutely heaven every single time i fulfill my gastronomical desires on one bowl of adobo flakes with matching vinegar and Knorr seasoning for my taste buds to play with. For most of the time, I really don't need the vinegar and/or Knorr seasoning because the Adobo Flakes alone tastes way too good!

Adobo flakes is the shredded crispy adobo on top of a bowl of rice... sometimes topped with a sunny-side up egg. In my case, I cast away the egg... I can enjoy eggs with other Pinoy dishes but with adobo flakes, I just need it with rice!