Plate No.3

The new issue of DPlate is out and it’s right here and here!  Yay!

I’m reading this issue’s cover article, which featured Azalea Restaurant at One Tagaytay Place.  It got me wishing that I had more article space to expound on the interview with Chef Ron.  I think you’d love it because we didn’t just talk about the dishes on hand but also his insights on food creation, fusion and Philippine cuisine.

One thing that got my attention in the interview was that some of the dishes Chef Ron comes up with, he dreams about first!   I asked him, for example with his Kesong Puti and Tawilis Pizza, if he dreamt of visually cooking the dish.  But he shared that it was more like how the tastes from various ingredients come together and how it results into the final piece de resistance.  I find that rad.

Then we chatted about Philippine cuisine.  He mentioned that one of the things we love to do is to combine different varieties of dishes and condiments and see what works–kung ano ang terno sa panlasa.  He gave the example of monay and sorbetes.  Monay is a popular bread bun that’s sold not only by bakeries but also by hawkers plying around suburban communities every morning; while sorbetes is locally-made ice cream.  We pinoys call it dirty ice cream, but it’s not really “dirty”.

Interestingly enough, he even incorporated that outlook in the Azalea menu.  You’ll see a symbol beside some of the dishes that say that the food pairing is “terno.”

Finally, we talked about fusion food and the importance of getting feedback.

“Fusion without roots results in confusion.  You should consider that when you mix, bagay ba?”  He said.  ”Then test with the guests.”

I took that to heart, and gave him my thoughts that lunch.  No, the Zhang Zhiyi commercial didn’t happen–he was pretty open with regards what I said.  :)

He even added more anecdotes about the dishes.  I discovered for example, that the Shrimp Bisque Soup–which was so good I swear I’m coming back for seconds!–came about because there was too much shrimp in the fridge!

So in that sense, too much of a good thing CAN be a good thing!

 

Eating and Clicking

Eating and taking pictures of what you’re eating: is there anything happier?  Maybe there is, but this belongs right up there in the hierarchy of feel-good moments.

So it’s a joy to be in the merry company of photo and food enthusiasts at Click, Eat and Gimick to the Max’s! A basic food photography and styling workshop.  For P1000, it’s where you learn to style and shoot your own food under a studio setting AND eat a buffet meal as well.

Rembrandt Vocalan, professional photographer, musician and owner of the Balaw-Balaw Restaurant and Art Gallery in Rizal whetted the appetite of his avid audience in more than just one level.

At first, he set up his lighting equipment to simulate the basic atmosphere in a studio.  Then he placed the now beatific Max’s fried chicken in its mouthwatering, hunger-inducing spotlight.

It was like waving a red flag.  The participants were only too happy to whip up their cameras and “eat” the chicken with their eyes.  Rhem taught them hands-on about shooting and angling techniques.  It was such fun that I couldn’t help but join in the fray.

My turn came next, which involved delving into the basics of food styling.  Food styling allows anyone armed with a camera to highlight the best angles of their food subject.  It’s the same as framing shots for people and finding the best angles for faces.  :)

Usually, people see the result of a good food photograph and not what happens behind the scenes.  So it was also fun regaling them with tales of what really happened while showing the yummy shots I’ve been privileged to have been part of.

At that point Max’s signature dishes were warmly welcomed into our function room.  Aside from even more helpings of fried chicken, there were Sinigang na Hipon (Shrimp and Vegetables cooked in Tamarind Soup Base), Kare-Kare at Bagoong (Oxtail and Vegetables stewed in Peanut Sauce and sided with salty Shrimp Paste), Daing na Bangus (Smoked Milk Fish sided with Cane Vinegar) as well as Buko Pandan (Coconut strips, Pandan-flavored gelatin and white tapioca mixed in sweet cream) for dessert.

But before we could eat all That, the challenge was to first arrange the food nicely on plates and shoot.  I really loved how everyone put their energies into it, despite the rumbling stomachs and twitching noses.  Ahem.

Then, and only then, did we have a FEAST.

To see the participants’ pictures on Facebook, click here.