A conversation with my Best Friend, Saima

By Leila Amerling

Saima and I, THEN and NOW...

(our Junior year of highschool (1998) and Saima as my maid of honor (2016). I actually couldn't find one normal picture of us in any of my wedding photos.)

Saima Kazi is a half-Bangladeshi, half-Indian Muslim living a foodie life in Boston. Saima has a story to tell and it starts (where most of our stories begin) where she grew up: the Philippines. Saima was born in Bangkok, Thailand, moved to the Philippines later in elementary school, and lived the rest of her formidable years there. She then moved to Boston for college and has been here ever since.

Saima and I have been friends, best friends, since the 6th grade (although she will claim it was the 4th). Like any close friend, she has been a part of many of my life transitions, she was even my maid of honor. She is the reason why I actually live in Boston. Well technically, she was the person who convinced me to move to Boston from the Philippines for college. The reason why I’m still here, well, I ask myself that every winter. It could have something to do with Saima’s cooking. If you ever have her cooking, you’d probably stay in Boston too.

Saima is one of the first members to join BOSFilipinos, and was a sous chef for our Filipino Food Pop-Up last September. When we host our monthly Filipino food potlucks, Saima's contributions are the first to be cleaned out. Anyone who has tasted her food will agree that she's an incredible cook. And anyone who meets her will also agree that she completely lives and understands the Filipino way of life.

Leila: This might be a loaded question but, where are you from originally?
Saima: I inherited the ethnicity of being from Bangladesh, but moved to the Philippines from Thailand where I was born. I grew up in the Philippines which is where my most coherent years were spent (i.e. teens), and it’s where I feel the most connected, like the culture and the food. Mainly because I was surrounded by Filipinos.

Leila: What do you do?
Saima: I help manage a boutique in the fashion retail industry.

Leila: What’s the best part of your job?
Saima: Meeting different people, being able to style them, and being able to teach people how to style them, leaving everyone happy once I’ve interacted with them! Well, at least most of the time...

Leila: What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?
Saima: Cook new things, spend time with my Besties, dance with my handsome Haitian boyfriend, and catch-up on Netflix. I’ve been watching Downton Abbey lately.

Leila: What is your favorite thing to cook?
Saima: Oh boy! Another loaded question. Adobo, Pinakbet, Arroz Caldo, Munggo, Thai Meatball Curry, Haitian Chicken Stew, Biryani, anything with a fried egg on it. I could keep going but those are in rotation in my kitchen.

Leila: Is that influenced by your background?
Saima: Oh yes! Thai I picked up from spending my early years there. At home, we cooked Indian, and most of my latter years was spent in Filipino restaurants and homes. But it’s not just the food, it’s the people that I’ve come across that have influenced my cooking (you and your mom are a BIG part of it). I was born into a conservative Indian family forced to follow rules but the Philippines brought me sunshine, tanduay rum, dried mangoes and introduced me to the other aspects of non-conservative ways of life, like binge eating, drinking, dancing and singing karaoke. I mean who doesn’t want a piece of the Philippines?!

Leila: How did you learn to cook?
Saima: Well, I never had to cook until I moved to the the States. I am a foodie so when I left the Philippines I craved it a lot. I thought about the flavors that I missed and enjoyed the most, so I took my favorite flavors, and learned to cook by trial and error.

Leila: When do you plan on going back to the Philippines?
Saima: When they eradicate all lizards. Hate them. Or when there’s a wedding to attend. That’s when all of the best Pinoy foods come out to play (except lechon, I’ll never know the true deliciousness thanks to my religion).

So there you have it folks. A little peek into the life of my friend, Saima. I’ll bet you may think that you have a boring life, but really, like Saima, you have a story to tell too!

We want to hear your story too! Or if you know of anyone that has a story to tell, or that you want to interview please let us know! Send us an email at info@bosfilipinos.com or hit us up on social media and we'll get back to you ASAP.

Filipino Chicken Adobo Recipe

By Bianca Garcia

© Bianca Garcia

During one of our early BOSFilipinos meetings, Leila, Trish, and I talked about our family’s version of adobo. I said my family’s is very vinegary, Trish said her family’s is a little sweet, and Leila said her family’s is pretty balanced, with equal amounts of soy sauce and vinegar. We all said our family’s version is the best.

If you don’t know yet, adobo is any meat or any combination of meats that is are braised and simmered in vinegar, soy sauce, lots of garlic, black peppercorn, and bay leaves. Saveur wrote a good Beginner’s Guide to Adobo. It’s the unofficial national dish of the Philippines, so ingrained in our culture, that just the thought of the fragrant stew can make any Filipino think fondly of home.

One of the wonderful things about adobo is you can alter it in many different ways to make it your own. You can change the ratio of vinegar and soy sauce, you can use different meats (my family’s go to is pork and liver) or vegetables (my favorite is sitaw, or string beans), you can add coconut milk, a little sugar, onions, ginger, hard-boiled eggs, chilies. However way you make it, I’m sure it will be delicious. And pretty soon, you’ll be claiming your version is the best.

CHICKEN ADOBO Recipe by Bianca Garcia

INGREDIENTS

6 chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)

1 ½ cups vinegar

½ cup soy sauce

10 garlic cloves (around 1 whole head of garlic), smashed

1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns

1 teaspoon coarse salt

8-10 dried bay leaves

1 cup water

1 tablespoon olive oil

fresh chives for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the chicken, vinegar, soy sauce, bay leaves, salt, peppercorns, and seven of the smashed garlic cloves in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add one cup water, plus more if necessary, to barely cover the meat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.

2. Remove the cover and simmer, uncovered, for another 30 minutes.

3. Use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken and set aside. Increase heat to high and allow the broth to continue simmering.

4. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the remaining garlic cloves. Add chicken and sear each piece on both sides until golden brown and skin is crispy.

5. Return chicken to the pot, and continue reducing the sauce by simmering for at least 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens to your liking. Serve with white rice, and garnish with chives, green onion, and/or chilies.

If you’d like to read more of my story, check out my post on Filipino Chicken Adobo on Confessions of a Chocoholic.

And If you’d like to explore other variations, check out the following recipes:

Chicken Adobo is the Greatest Recipe of All time by Bon Appetit

What I Cook When I’m Alone: Top Chef Winner Paul Qui’s Pork Adobo Recipee

Enjoy!
 

Filipinos in Boston: An Interview with Food Photographer Tina Picz

By Trish Fontanilla

Picture provided by Tina Picz / Tina with her husband and daughter

Where are you from?
I grew up in Massachusetts and have lived in California, Florida, and Brooklyn, NY. My mom is from Leyte, Philippines and my dad is from Rhode Island. 

And what do you do?
I've been a food photographer for over 3 years and a freelance writer as well.

What inspired you to be a photographer?
I became a food photographer after having a cooking blog in NY for a bit, by way of trying many creative outlets over the years like singing in bands, designing clothing, planning fashion shows and selling vintage clothing. I'm always in search of new artistic paths, and have loved trying my hand at many different mediums of self-expression. I've always enjoyed capturing moments of beauty, in whatever form I could, and sharing them with others.

On Boston...

How long have you been in Boston?
I have been back in Boston for 3 years now after moving around the country for 6 years.

What are your favorite Boston spots? Could be restaurants / parks / anything!
Some of my favorite spots are Boston Public Garden, biking along Charles River, and for food I love Mei Mei, Pho House, Dosa N Curry, The Indo, Whole Heart Provisions, and My Thai Vegan Cafe.

© Tina Picz / Jacqueline Dole pop-up at Mei Mei

What's been your favorite, or one of your favorite photoshoots?

One of my favorite photoshoots in Boston was probably a pop-up dinner event at Mei Mei a few years ago, at which Jacqueline Dole, founder of Parlor Ice Cream Co., was pastry chef and made delicious Baked Alaska. I loved the local, seasonal, one-night menu, and the usage of handmade pottery by Adria Katz. It was fun to get behind the scenes and capture the chefs cooking, the young, lively staff having a good time, and of course eating the great food they offered!

What's your community superpower?
Helping food pantries and food businesses tell their stories through photographs. I especially love working with local female entrepreneurs and small businesses, and seeing all the ingenious and creative ways that they've incorporated food into the community to benefit those less fortunate. I like offering my photography skills as a volunteer service where it can help spread the word to more people regarding ways to get involved locally.

On Filipino Food...

© Tina Picz / Tina's mom's birthday party

What's your all-time favorite Filipino dish?
My all time favorite Filipino dishes are: Sinigang (my mom's fish soup), Fish Adobo, Champorado (chocolate rice), Biko (sweet rice cake), Puto (rice cake), and Suman (coconut sticky rice in banana leaves).

What's your favorite Filipino recipe / dish to make?
My favorite to make is Champorado because it's easy and sweet!

How can people stay in touch with you?  
To stay in touch, follow me on Instagram @bostonfoodphoto and @deerdrifter or http://deerdrifter.tumblr.com

©Shannon Aubourg / Tina with her mother and her daughter

Thank You For a Wonderful 2017

Hi BFfers -

Well, it’s been one heck of a year! From Bianca and Leila meeting in person for the first time (!!!) at the start of the year to officially starting BOSFilipinos this summer and then doing our first eatup with the Milagros Project early this Fall. We just wanted to take a moment to say thank you for coming along this journey with us. Whether it was coming to an event, forwarding a newsletter, retweeting a tweet, or liking an Instagram post, every little bit of support has meant so much to us. It really takes a village when building up a community! In 2018 we’re looking forward to doing more events, sharing your stories, and connecting more people and groups in this wonderful city we call home.

But for now, we’re enjoying time with family this holiday season…

Clockwise - Bianca and her husband Matt on their wedding day in July; Leila and her family during Christmas brunch this year; Trish and her family during their Noche Buena celebration. 

… and we wanted to say, Kapayapaan, Kasaganahan, at Kasiyahan sa Bagong Taon (Peace, Prosperity, and Happiness in the New Year!). 

Easy Mini Ensaymada Recipe

By Bianca Garcia

I’ve made these mini ensaymadas several times already and they’re always a hit! I’m sharing my recipe for you to try out and maybe bring to your next holiday party or salo-salo (social gathering).

What’s ensaymada?

Ensaymada is Filipino pastry. It’s a soft, buttery, brioche-like bun topped with butter, sugar, and cheese. Some versions (like mine) use buttercream, some use margarine, and some even omit the cheese altogether. But if you know me, I never omit cheese from any recipe.

For most Filipinos, ensaymada is a big part of the holiday season, ubiquitous at parties and potlucks. But it’s not only available during the holidays; it’s enjoyed year-round. Ensaymada is also a staple for breakfast, merienda (mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack), or dessert. And it is often served with coffee or tsokolate (hot chocolate).

Filipino Tsokolate  © Bianca Garcia 

The cheese that’s typically used to top ensaymada is queso de bola, a special kind of edam cheese that’s manufactured only for the Philippines, and available during the holidays. I used a micro-plane to shred the queso de bola, resulting in extra fine shavings that I then used to generously blanket the top of each pastry. Queso de bola is hard and crumbly, similar to Parmesan, so if you don’t happen to have a ball of Filipino cheese within easy access, you can always substitute parmesan. You can also use sharp cheddar cheese.

I used a shortcut in this recipe by using pre-made dough in the form of crescent rolls. This saves a lot of time, and it makes the recipe more accessible and less intimidating for me. If you’d like to make the dough from scratch, I like this recipe by Jun-Blog.

RECIPE (originally posted on Confessions of a Chocoholic):

MINI ENSAYMADA

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tube (8 oz) crescent rolls
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 stick butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• 1/4 cup shredded queso de bola (I used a microplane for extra fine shavings)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Unroll dough. Separate into 2 rectangles. Most crescent roll dough includes 8 triangles, so for this recipe, each rectangle will be made up of 4 triangles. Pinch the perforations together. Flip over and pinch the perforations on the back together, too. Use a rolling pin to smooth out the seams and flatten the dough a little bit.
3. Brush the rectangles with melted butter, and roll each rectangle into a log. Cut each into 8 pieces, so you'll end up with 16 pieces total.
4. Using a pastry brush, grease mini muffin tins with the remaining melted butter. Insert buns and bake for 11-12 minutes.
5. While buns are baking, make the buttercream. In a medium bowl, combine the room temperature butter and confectioners sugar. Cream together until smooth.
6. Once buns are lightly golden, remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes.
7. Spread buttercream on top of each mini bun and generously top with cheese. Serve immediately or keep in an airtight container.

 

That's So Filipino! - Final Edition

By Leila Amerling

In this final part of the “That’s So Filipino” series, we’ll be talking about the stereotypes that my fellow Filipinos might have heard before and may actually agree with, especially when told by comedians like Happy Slip, Jo Koy, Rex Navarette, and Mikey Bustos.

Although considered stereotypical, we can’t help but agree with some of these comedy bits that identify a true Pinoy:

1. You know you’re Filipino when you point using your lips

2. “Mano po!” - take your elder’s hand to your forehead to “bless” him or her

3. You sniff kiss your kid or grandchild instead of kiss his / her cheek

4. You have an uncle nicknamed Bong, Boy, Ding Dong, Jun Jun, etc

5. You have an aunt nicknamed Girly, Baby, WengWeng, Lotlot, Pinky, Len Len, etc

6. You even have nicknames for household items like a “ref” is a refrigerator, the “aircon” is an air conditioner, or the “CR” is the restroom (aka Comfort Room)

7. You double the word in names and actions like Halo-Halo (“Mix Mix” - picture below), tabo-tabo (a small bucket to use in the shower), gabi-gabi (“nightly”), oo (“yes), or ukay-ukay (a type of Philippine second hand store)

8. You “open” or “close” the TV

9. You tend to mix up your F’s and your P’s - “I love Pilipino Poods!”

10. Mom’s solution to curing you of anything is by using Bicks Bapor Rab (aka Vicks Vapor Rub)

To summarize, here’s a musical rendition for your viewing pleasure. You may call these Filipino stereotypes but I call this reality.

Do you have any Filipino / Filipino-American experiences of your own that you want to write about? We want to hear from you. Contact us at info@bosfilipinos.com to join the BF gang and be a guest writer on our blog!

Did you miss out on Part 1 and 2 of the "That's So Filipino" Series? Check them out now!

Noche Buena - A Filipino Christmas Eve

By Leila Amerling

Happy almost December my fellow BOSFilipinos!

Ah Thanksgiving… a time to sit around a glorious table full of food, with family and dear friends to celebrate life and be thankful for it. Did you have a good Thanksgiving feast? Did anyone out there try to make an Adobo-style Turkey instead? Any Pinoy sides added?

Growing up in the Philippines, even as an American, Thanksgiving wasn’t actually a thing we celebrated as a family. For us, the next holiday to look forward to after Halloween was Christmas (although even Halloween isn’t celebrated as much over there either). In the Philippines, starting in September, Christmas carols start to play on the radio, decorations are put up everywhere (at home, the malls, hotels) and everyone gets into the holiday spirit. Yup! September. My family was not that extreme, but we definitely had the tree up by the first couple of weeks of November.

For most Filipinos, Noche Buena (aka Nochebuena), translated as Christmas Eve, was one of the key components to celebrating Christmas. It is one of the best nights of the year. Sometimes even better than New Year’s Eve!

My fondest memories of Noche Buena are like Thanksgiving for most. It was a way to get relatives together for a feast, and even the hired help and their families were invited to join in on the fun! We were all together and we all savored the delicacies that our cook lovingly created and spent all day making. And the best part, this started right before midnight and kept going long after.

You see, in the Philippines, Christmas Eve was almost as important, if not more, than Christmas Day. Almost all of the celebrating happened on the 24th. For me, it typically started with our version of lighting the candles on the menorah (my dad is Jewish, so we were lucky to celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas!). We would then go to mass (Simbang Gabi), and then wait until around 10 or 11PM to start eating. During all of this, fireworks and firecrackers were going off from neighbors’ homes. And finally no later than 12:01 AM, my little brother and I would rush to the artificial Christmas tree and start going through all of the presents. Of course, we would never rip our presents open like a bunch of maniacs! We had to carefully open them so not to ruin the paper for next Christmas! And after all of that exhausting unwrapping, we ended up sneaking another red hot dog on a stick with marshmallows from the Pineapple. Picture below if you have no idea what I'm talking about.

Oh yeaaah...you thought I was kidding?!

Have you ever watched the movie Hook? Remember the part when Peter finally starts to learn how to play with the Lost Boys and imagined a long table full of super colorful food, and then they had the most epic food fight? Well, that was pretty much Noche Buena (Christmas Eve) for us (not including the food fight). Noche Buena to me didn’t start until we were all at that long table, full of heaping piles of every food group, of every shape and color that you can imagine. The table was not meant to be sat around either. It was a grand buffet. We grabbed our plates and loaded it up until we couldn’t fit anything on it anymore. We sat wherever we could find a seat, usually the living room, and enjoyed our meal with whoever sat next to us. Of course with full intention to go back for more.

By the time Christmas Day came around, we were worn out from the night before, some families would go to morning mass again, I didn't have to. To be honest, Noche Buena was such a big deal in our family that I really don't remember much of what we did on Christmas Day. As far as I remember, we spent the day enjoying our new gifts at home, a few more relatives came to visit and enjoyed a plate of leftovers.

Clearly, my fondest memories of Christmas consisted of family, food, and more food. Similar to what many of us just experienced last week, I hope. And I look forward to more to come!

What are your plans for Noche Buena? We’d love to hear it!

Interview with Ray Hallare of Dowel Furniture

By Trish Fontanilla

Image provided by Ray Hallare

Last month I had a chance to catch up with an old friend of mine, Ray Hallare. Ray and I met about 6 years ago through MassChallenge, a global startup accelerator that’s headquartered here in Boston. We bonded over our love of startups, and at one point, I even suggested we start a Filipino food cart here in town. While that never came to fruition, we both did end up starting ventures with ties back to the Philippines. Check out the interview below to learn more about the business that sprung out of his family’s factory in the Philippines, his favorite things around Boston, and of course Filipino food.

Where are you from originally?
Pasig City, Manila, Philippines

And what do you do?
I am one of the co-founders of Dowel Furniture. We sell custom designer-created furniture online.

Image provided by Ray Hallare / Dowel Furniture

What inspired you to start Dowel Furniture?
My family has been in the furniture manufacturing business my entire life and it's something that my sister, who's my business partner, and I grew up with. We felt that people have become more savvy about finding quality furniture online over the last couple of years and felt that this was a great opportunity. It was the right timing for us to build on top of our family's manufacturing expertise, and start a vertically integrated digital furniture brand.

Image provided by Ray Hallare / Dowel Furniture

What's been your favorite, or one of your fave pieces of furniture that you've made?
One of my favorite pieces we've done so far from our designer created collections is probably the Parisienne Chair. I think it's a great take on a classic chair profile and can easily fit in a lot of rooms either as a dining chair or as a standalone accent piece.

Image provided by Ray Hallare / Dowel Furniture

On Boston...
 

How long did you live in Boston?
I’ve been in NY for the last year, but I was in Boston for 10 years before I moved to NY. I also go back and forth to Manila every 3-4 months or so to check on production.

What are your favorite Boston spots? Could be restaurants / parks / anything!
Hmm... favorite spots are tough, haha. I'll break it down I guess:

• Restaurant would be O Ya, which is probably a once in 5 year restaurant though because it's so expensive haha

• Boston Common because I like walking through it, despite it being cliche

• TD Garden mainly because I love watching Celtics games

Image provided by Ray Hallare / Dowel Furniture

On Filipino food…
 

What's your all-time favorite Filipino dish?
It's probably a tie between kare kare with bagoong [a type of meat stew with shrimp paste] or lechon paksiw [a dish made with leftover roast pig]. I've always liked the day-after lechon made into paksiw better than day-of lechon.  

What's your favorite Filipino recipe / dish to make?
It’s probably adobo [the unofficial national dish of the Philippines] because of value for time. It takes awhile to make but not because it's hard to make. It's super simple and tastes great.  

How can people stay in touch with you?  
Through our website: www.dowel.furniture
Via email: ray@dowel.furniture
Or @hallarer on everything

---

You can also check out their showroom in NYC or at the Eliza B Design Studio in Concord.

Thanks for taking the time to chat, Ray!

Of Cockfights and Adobo

by Bianca Garcia

© Bianca Garcia

This is an excerpt of an article I wrote for Offline Magazine (now shuttered down). I wanted to write about a controversial local tradition, and weave in stories about my family and food (of course). The entire piece is published on my blog.

--

I stared at the gates outside the arena, gray and rusty, paint peeling off. The scorching sun was beating down on us, bright and relentless, and on the ground there were clouds of dirt being kicked around by the flip flops that everyone wears. There were sounds of children playing nearby. It was a typical provincial scene, grand and quaint at the same time. We shuffled to the entrance, and then we entered a different world.

We were at the cockfighting arena in San Fernando, Pampanga, a province in the Philippines. Dark, humid, loud and thumping, I could feel a frantic energy pulsing in the air. It was my first time going to see a cockfight, or “sabong” as it is called in Filipino. Cockfighting is a blood sport so violent that it’s outlawed in many other countries, but it has been part of Filipino culture for centuries.

In the Philippines, cockfighting is a great equalizer, where the rich and poor come together without any class distinctions. It is a community activity that brings neighbors together and ignites the bonding of the townsfolk’s men. A common joke among the wives is that the roosters are luckier than they are, because their husbands caress and lovingly massage the roosters first thing in the morning. Up until the 60s, when most parts of the country started becoming more urbanized, almost every backyard had chicken and rooster coops, with every family being invested in the sport of cockfighting.

To read the rest of the article, please head over to Confessions of a Chocoholic.

That's So Filipino - PART Dalawa (Two)

Welcome to our second segment of “That’s So Filipino”! Also, happy last full week of Filipino American History Month!

Today we’re going to talk about some important people that put the Philippines and Filipino talent in the spotlight.

Did you know these 10 Hollywood superstars and artists are either full or half Filipino?

Allan Pineda aka APL member of the Grammy-winning Black Eyed Peas.

Bruno Mars - Received five Grammy Awards, three Brit Awards, one Guinness World Record, and was named one of Time's 100 most influential people in the world in 2011.

Dave Bautista - MMA fighter, aka Drax from the movie Guardians of the Galaxy.

Enrique Iglesias - Grammy winner for Best Latin Pop Performance.

Hailee Steinfeld - Academy nominee and best known as Mattie Ross in the movie True Grit (2010).

Nicole Scherzinger - lead singer of the Grammy nominee girl group, the Pussycat Dolls.

Rachel Bilson - best known as Summer Roberts from the hit prime-time drama series, The O.C.

Shay Mitchell - best known as Emily Fields in the hit TV series Pretty Little Liars. She is a distant cousin of Lea Salonga, a Tony Award-winning theater actress best known for originating the lead role of Kim in the musical Miss Saigon.

Vanessa Hudgens - best known as Gabriella Montez in the High School Musical film series.

Vanessa Minnillo - Lachey - Miss Teen USA in 1998 and TV correspondent for Entertainment Tonight.

Yes, I am as surprised as you are with some of these. And just as thrilled!

Although these celebs may not necessarily be considered a part of Filipino American History, yet, one thing is for sure, they are certainly making history with their talents and incredible work!