WELCOME BREAKFAST FOR THREE SWEET MAGNOLIAS

​Today we welcomed Carol, Cheska and Dolly from their summer travel; Dolly and Carol went to the US and Cheska to Europe 

Carol and Cheska

Here’s Dolly below 

I prepared a different breakfast today; not the American/continental breakfast of bacon, ham, sausages, omelettes and pancakes; nor the Filipino breakfast fare of corned beef, longanisa, tocino and over easy eggs or salted egg with tomatoes. 

I am one who always try different dishes. Whenever I go to a restaurant, I always order something different; this way, my palate will experience different taste and flavors

When I was in Singapore in April, my son brought us to Tuga a Portuguese restaurant in Dempsey Hill where I tasted chicken livers cooked the Portuguese way. I replicated the recipe back home, added half chicken thighs to the livers. From memory, I recalled the taste and put in the right spices. And voila!  I got it!  Adding that dish to my cooking repertoire, for sure. 

Portuguese chicken livers. 

Today I served papaya and orange wedges. 

And sandwiches: 

Chicken sandwich with tomato and romaine

Cream cheese-yogurt and dill with cucumber

And cheese pimiento which I forgot to photograph. 

Tomato-onion-mushroom- spinach omelet. 

I like to depart from the usual breakfast; at home don’t we often run out of menu ideas so we turn to processed meats in our pantry like corned beef, spam or our stock of ham and  sausages? Don’t we also resort to longanisa, tocino and red eggs?  See, that’s why I want to try new things. 

While some may not choose pasta for breakfast, I thought, why not? So I made putanesca. 

I served the mango loaf baked by my sister, Annie  and mini cheese cakes from her too. 

Mel, a dessert aficionado brought a peach dessert topped with jello on cream

Cheska brought a taste of Paris where she visited recently; different croissants and kouign-Mann: pronounced “kween uh, man”; like a Britton butter cake made of 30% butter, 30% sugar and the rest is flour.  Oh so yummy yet so sinful. It must be really good coz when I opened the box this is all that was left. 

Carol brought chicken macaroni salad 

And Juliet gave me lots of suman which is my fave. I was brought up eating cakes baked by my mama and all kinds of rice cakes too. There was a lot so I shared some and left these for us. 

The highlight this morning was the unexpected Bidibidi bag for Carol. 

Tess gave us all similar bags for our birthdays except Carol so she left this before she went home to Rotterdam.

Tess is in London now with her family. Here she just got off the plane.  Look, she is also using her Bidibidi travel bag. She says that she misses  us, everyday she always has a word or two in our group chat. 

Tomorrow is the birthday of Cheska. This morning we already greeted her and I handed my gift to her, a solo personalized cheese board. 

We missed Claire, our youngest bubbly buddy who is feeling under the weather so I sent her food Here she is when she is well. 

MEET AND GREET TERESITA, MY BROTHER’S WIFE

​The reunion yesterday was a fun-filled and tummy-filled day!  My sister, Annie gathered the relatives in her home to meet and greet our brother’s wife, Teresita. Married in the US; she  has not been home for 13 years that’s why we are meeting her for the first time. 

Here we were at Annie’s 

Teresita, Ching as she is fondly called and my brother Joe met 20 years ago at work. And the rest is history. Here’s Teresita below. 

Here is my brother, Joe

And their daughter, Mayeann

Though we were a bit disappointed that Joe did not join her on this trip, still it was great to meet Ching. 

Ching arrived earlier this month but had several commitments. However Jim and I were able to snag her for breakfast at Concordia’s earlier in the week. 

We had an enjoyable get-together, everybody were talking at the same time that this little girl, a grand niece, Zia couldn’t stand the noise, she covered her ears. 

I was surprised that everyone brought food 

I am missing the photos of the the buko pandan salad, the veggie salad, the grilled liempo from Steakation and the pinapaitan. 

It was fun seeing everyone.  Until next reunion. 

BREAKFAST SENDOFF FOR TESS

​Today, we celebrated a breakfast sendoff for Tess who will go home to Holland to be with her family. Hosted by Claire and Dr. Kim, this is the last sendoff for the summer. 

Come mid-May, we will be welcoming Dolly,  Carol and Cheska from their US and European tours respectively. 

Over breakfast, we were exchanging stories about the comments of our individual friends who are amazed how we can keep up with our daily walk.  Furthermore, they find us always happy in the photos we post. 

Moreover, we already know so much about each other that we often finish each other’s sentences, our funny stories, our idiosyncrasies, likes and dislikes, our health condition, etc.   We also know each other’s schedule; when one can’t or won’t walk on the succeeding days. 

Here we are this morning, we don’t miss the walk;  breakfast or no breakfast. 

Thanks a lot for the breakfast and your wonderful setup, Claire and Dr. Kim. As always when you host, we always have a great time. 

Tess, we wish you safe travels and happy landings! Hugs to your family in Holland.