Avocado Ice Cream

With the abundance of avocados that we have at home, the kids and I quickly busied ourselves in the kitchen.  First we made the popsicles which were finished in a wink.

With the remaining half, we made ice cream.   This is our first attempt at ice cream making and we decided to use Alton Brown's Avocado Ice Cream recipe.

Here is a loose interpretation of his recipe:

Ingredients:

• 3 medium sized avocados
• 1-1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup heavy cream

If you feel like you want to stay with the original recipe then put the 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice right back in.  You might as well also take out the 1/4 cup of sugar I added.

Directions:

First, we sliced the avocados in half, pit them and scoop out the flesh.

Put the avocado meat in a blender with the milk and sugar to puree.

Transfer the pureed mixture to a medium sized bowl and whisk in the heavy cream until fully mixed.  Place the mixture into the refrigerator and chill.

 

Process the mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions.  I used a DeLonghi ice cream maker.  The time it takes to process varies depending on the ice cream maker and how cold the mixture is.  (Mine took around 35 minutes, it could even be faster had I chilled the mixture for a longer time before churning it.  But, see, we are all excited first-time ice cream makers!) 

For soft ice cream, you may serve immediately. If so desired, you can also place in freezer for 3 to 4 hours for a firmer texture

Here are some things I made a mental note of:

1. Ice cream depends on a high fat content for its creamy texture and flavor.  Having said that, avoid using skim milk when making ice cream because its low fat content will produce a light watery flavor that lacks any richness to it. 
2. You can make your home-made ice cream stay softer by choosing a shallow container, rather than a deep tub.  It also helps to cover the surface of the ice cream with cling wrap to keep ice crystals from forming.
3. To further avoid ice crystals from forming, add 1 envelope of unflavored gelatin per 6 cups of ice cream mixture. Let the gelatin soften in 1/4 cup cold milk, put in gentle heat to dissolve the gelatin granules the mixture, add to the remaining mixture and proceed churning.   
4. Make sure that the pureed or custard mixture is chilled just right before starting the churning process to yield the smoothest ice cream.  Starting with a room temperature mixture might mean taking forever for the ice cream to freeze 

If you want the expert's advice on how to find the perfect ice cream maker, read this article by David Lebovitz.   He also dispenses advice on how to make ice cream right here.

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Sun-Kissed Fruits In Parade

One of the veritable delights of a Philippine-summer is the endless abundance of the sweetest tropical fruits.   There are over a hundred varieties you can find in the country’s orchards that can satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth.   Take advantage of these sun-kissed fruits as not only do they do a good job of hydrating our bodies, they also pack a lot of essential vitamins and minerals.  There are so many ways to enjoy them – you can sink your teeth into the raw and succulent flesh, mix it with some ice cubes for a thirst-quenching smoothie, or use it to bake a fruit dessert. 

My kitchen has been very busy this summer; a witness to the colorful parade of the country’s sweetest and colorful tropical fruits.  The heat this summer is unbearable as it is, and I hate to heat up the temperature in the kitchen even more by turning on the oven, but I love to take advantage of the fresh fruit in season.  So the kids and I have been busy making no-bake fruit pies, churning out ice cream and blending refreshing smoothies.

Taking inspiration from DulceLin’s much-loved Mango Torte, I tried to recreate my own version but the kids couldn’t resist sinking their teeth into these golden yellow mangoes as they scooped them into balls, resulting to a less-than-plump pie filling.

Philippine bananas come in a variety of sizes depending on the province where they are grown.  The pocket-sized senorita from Cavite to the big Cavendish bananas from the Dole and Del Monte planatation in Bukidnon and Cagayan, respectively.  To make banana bread, the best bananas to use are the over-ripe Cavendish,  the ones with the skin almost black all-over, as they pack the most flavor.

We had an excessive surplus of bananas, that aside from the banana bread we also made Banana Cream Pie.

Nothing could probably make summer more evident than having the juice of the watermelon running down my kids’ chin as they take a bite off the watermelon wedges.   

A watermelon smoothie has the perfect cooling effect for the summer heat. We flavored our smoothie with syrup (made with equal parts water and sugar) and a sprig of freshly-picked mint.  

If there’s a summer fruit that makes my family wish that summer is here to stay, it would be the avocado!  

We enjoy this in many ways - scooped out in a tall glass and sprinkled with sugar and powdered milk in a layer;  blended and frozen into a popsicle, made into a velvety ice cream, topped with chopped pistachio nuts.

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Tiny Hands Breakfast

Yesterday was Mother's Day, and like the mom in the vintage illustration above, I snuggled my pillow tight in my sleep when I was awakened by a li'l one who crept up my bed... and shouted, "It is eight o'clock already!  Happy Mother's Day, Mom!" as she handed me a hand made card that kept her busy the last few days.

"We made breakfast for you,"  she proudly declares.  So that's why I thought I heard some kids shouting and pans dropping in the kitchen, as I drifted in and out of sleep, but I was so sleepy to really mind the noise. Then she ran out of my room and dashed right back in with yesterday's newspaper which she kept hidden since, so she can give it to me today, knowing that we don't get our newspaper till later in the day.

With the help of their dad, they made sunny side eggs and fried some tawilis, a freshwater sardine that can be found only in the waters of Taal Lake . I have a very simple preference for breakfast, and nothing can be simpler than a Filipino breakfast of eggs and fried salty fish.

They prepared cups of Tim Horton's hot cocoa.  But since we are still in the middle of summer, they quickly added ice cubes to theirs to turn it into frappes. :)

They just made me wake up to one of my best days ever.  They gave me such a priceless gift!  The gift of themselves as they put in the effort to wake up early and their thoughtfulness to prepare breakfast... complete with yesterday's newspaper. :)  No designer bag can beat that!

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From Nature With Love {Curative Effect of the Sea and the Sting of the Jellyfish}

My mom and dad both grew up in the province, and they have managed to retain their provincial upbringing  upto this day, especially when it comes to utilizing homeopathic medicine and natural healing methods.  Growing up, it was not unusual to be treated for our childhood cuts, bruises and bumps with a mixture of dried herbs mixed with a pungent dark liquid.  Our sprains and body aches were likewise remedied with a healing massage by the "manghihilot," a trained chiropractor well-versed in the ancient Filipino art of healing called hilot.  Rashes and other skin irritations were alleviated by going to the beach and soaking in sea water.  This is because sea salt acts like a magnet, pulling toxins from the body.

For the therapeutic reasons, whenever C and I stay the night at a beach resort, we always have this routine to saunter to the shore first thing in the morning.   We enjoy our walk in silence, inhaling the crisp sea air, almost tasting its saltiness.  They say that the see breeze has lots of negative ions floating around, and much research has been done to document that the negative ions present in the sea breeze contributes to that relaxed state of mind that most of us feel after a beach vacation.


My three kids suffer from eczema, although the attacks have become few and far between now that they are older, they still experience some minor recurrence from time to time.  Whenever we visit the beach, we include sea bathing in the itinerary, we ask the kids to soak themselves in the salty healing sea water..  The recent visit to Anvaya Cove was no different.  


This is how much they liked it:

 

Those who did not have violent reactions had to be escorted on both sides...

or carried with no part of their body touching the water.  Just look at my nephew's tightly curled up legs.

They do not have issues with the sand...

It is the multitudes of jellyfish present in the Bataan water that gets to them.   The lifeguard was quick to mention that the jellyfish thriving on their shore are what you call the sand jellyfish, and not as lethal as the box jellyfish which was in the news recently.  He also made mention that the developers have made measures to curb the growing jellyfish population from reaching the swimmers by putting up nets along the buoy lines. Still despite the precautionary measures, the Anvaya beach is still a jellyfish minefield.

The warm water that summer brings always attracts a huge population of these gelatinous invaders closer to shore.  Although the chances of being stung by a jellyfish is minimal, the risk is still evident.  I made sure my kids are protected by letting them wear long-sleeved rash guards and long board shorts, or a long sleeved wet suit.  Only very minimal skin is exposed.  Not only does this protect them from the harmful UV rays, but it also defends against the painful sting of the jellyfish.

We figured that the worst thing that could happen from a jellyfish sting was a bearable pain akin to an ant bite.  The lifeguard assured us that dousing with household vinegar will immediately ease the pain. we recklessly abandoned caution (and common sense, too, perhaps?)  and swam with several stingers;  the normal arm movement during swimming pushed them away from our space and kept us safe. 

As soon as we got back home, I immediately went to check my inbox, and what would welcome me but an article about a jellyfish attack on a nine year old girl.  After reading the article, I looked back to our close encounter with the jellies, and wonder if we were recklessly putting ourselves in harm's way.  Now that I have all the facts, I am not that brave anymore. :)

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B and the Bible

You never know what to expect with kids these days.  B for instance has left me laughing and worrying at the same time.  

Last Sunday, after church, as we were in the car driving towards the restaurant to have lunch with my in-laws, B suddenly announces that she has learned a new memory verse about obedience.  Prodded on to say what it is, she suddenly changes gears and says she cannot remember.  

“All I remember is that it starts with a letter C”, she declares.  

Her dad asks her, “Is it Collosians?  Or  Corinthians, maybe?” 

“It’s Selonians!” she proclaims.

We both correct her, “There’s no book in the Bible called selonians.  Perhaps you misheard your teacher.  It is Thessalonians.”

She shakes her head, “No, it really is Selonians!”  she insists adamantly.

“There’s no such book.”  C goes on to enumerate the books in the Bible, “Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, Corinthians…”

Her eyes light up and her voice is suddenly giddy with unrestrained excitement , “Dad! Romance? That's so cool!  The bible has Romance 101?  I want to read that!”

Ayayay!

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Anvaya Cove

There are new things coming up for this blog. And in preparation for the exciting times ahead, the blog will be moving to a new home!  While I will still be writing about our phenomenal life, it will now have a new name. 

From now on, I will be doing all of my posting at The Phenomenal Mama

I hope you could all bookmark the new site and follow me there!

I will still be keeping this blog open so you can read all of my old posts.  But you won't miss a thing with the new blog as it will have all of the old posts, as well. 

* * * * *

When I hear the word Bataan, what instantly comes to mind is the second World War and the brutal death march where Filipino and American soldiers were forcibly asked to march more than a hundred kilometers to their own death.  A lot of the soldiers were beheaded or bayoneted along the way by the Japanese army.  Those that survived later died of dehydration and starvation.  (Shudder!) Nowadays, the province has started to step out of that dark shadow and is becoming more known to local travelers as the location for Ayala Land’s high-end seaside residential-resort community, Anvaya Cove. 

Last week, my side of the family, all eight adults and 5 kids, drove a convoy up north to visit this exclusive resort located in the pastoral and laid-back town of Morong, at the farthest end of the Bataan Peninsula, northwest of Manila.  As we exit the south gate of the Subic Bay Freeport, we passed by a well-cemented road carved out of the side of Bataan’s thickly-jungled mountainside, showcasing some of the best bamboo forests in the country.  After about 3 hours on the road, including two stopovers and a missed turn later, we reach our destination.

My family of five was billeted in the garden casita which comes with 2 single beds (which they compressed to a king-sized bed, upon my request) and a daybed with a trundle.  The casita is well-appointed and very spacious; a long way from luxurious, but very comfortable nonetheless.  The room was equipped with a flat screen TV, a DVD player, and free WiFi.  It was the only room available on our preferred date, and proved to be the best value for the money as the bigger villas still only allowed for a maximum of 2 adults and 2 kids, regardless of the steep increase in room rates.  Extra persons regardless of age will be charged an additional P700.00 to cover the overnight accommodation and complimentary breakfast.

The casitas and villas are located far away from the main pavilion, but there are golf carts available to ferry guests to and fro.  The route is only a few hundred meters long and, if it were not that hot, we would have preferred to run the distance. 

The Asian-Tropical inspired pavilion walkway is one of the most photogenic spots in the resort.  The main pavilion is the gateway/crux of all the activity at the resort.

Walk past the reception area and have a meal at the dining hall.   The food-cost is comparable to the economy meals offered at family style restaurants, which should have been a good thing, only the quality of the fare was not so great.  However, the service is exceptional, and the all waiters showed a genuine eagerness to be of assistance.  Case in point, the staff graciously carried out J's request for a Mickey-shaped pancake, but the pancake had a very strong flour-y taste to it.

 

Our day was flooded with sunshine and we have our pick among the four pools that lay side by side.  A lap pool on the right most, followed by an infinity pool that appear to blend seamlessly with the waters of Subic Bay, then a Jacuzzi and, tucked in a corner, a kiddie pool with a slide.  

 

The country experienced its hottest day ever the day that we were there.  The maximum temperature that day sizzled at 37.3 degrees Celsius.  Not that I needed the weather statistics, I felt the insufferable, scorching heat.   Not even the pool's water can take the edge off the mid-day heat.

The wide beach front which looks across a beautiful shaped island cove is perfect for families like mine, with little kids, as the beach floor has a gentle downward slope.  The beige-colored sand has a texture that comes very close to the powdery sand at Boracay’s Station One.  I noticed that the sand take on varied hues, depending on where you are, it gets darker as you get nearer the water. I wonder if they had the beach filled with a finer sand than what was originally in place as I remember, very clearly, the sand being much, much darker and slightly coarser when I first visited three years ago.

There are numerous water and beach activities to do.  The kids spent a good part of the afternoon under the shade of the leaves of the numerous coconut trees, happily building sand creations. 

Some of us ventured to the water...

And the rest of us enjoyed playing beach frisbee and volleyball...

While the young ones amongst us took a slow and leisurely walk along the shoreline..

When we found the midday sun too strong for our liking, we retreat to the game room where there is a wide selection of board games to enjoy.

Come night time, after dinner, everyone hied off to the library where there is a refined collection of books with genres ranging from astronomy, culinary, travel guides, biographies coffee table books about Philippine homes, current issues of leading magazines. DVD and CD titles are also available for viewing in the media player provided for in each room.  Free WiFi is available throughout the resort, and should you leave your laptop behind, there is a minimal fee to rent the numerous computers stationed at the library and the game room.

Yet, C felt that the singular Ayala trademark of brand excellence is, to some extent, running a little bit lower in this development.  Not to complain but he noticed the inadequate attention given to small details that are so evident in their other developments.  For instance, the need for night lights in the path to the guest residences was not provided, leaving the trail very dark.  The reason could most probably be because the development is still a work in progress.  

Notwithstanding its state of incompleteness, our experience there was that of fleeting exclusivity. The place exceeded our expectations.  The scenery of the beach during sunset is superlative and the location of the residences tucked in the middle of the forest provides for a peaceful retreat.  The nature activities are praiseworthy and the staff is one of the most friendliest that I have encountered.  

My family found what we came here for.

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