Cook and Brew.

This June marks the 3rd year since I resigned from my last corporate job and chose to be a full time mom to my then newborn.  What I miss most about working in the said company apart from the benefits that my employer generously gave (including a key man insurance)  are the numerous pig out sessions my colleagues and I engaged to during lunch outs.  Our office is located in the central business district so the food choices and yummiest restaurants were plenty that’s why I gained so much weight when I was still working.  In fact, most of my colleagues are on the heavy side…a very good indication that our department loves eating.

A formal dinner setup of silverware and dinnerware are arranged this way.  Here are the things to remember when seated in a formal dinner table.

1.  Use the farthest silverware from your plate first. 

2.  Work your way in using one utensil for each course.

3.  When eating, knife in right hand, fork in left hand to hold the food.  After cutting to bite size, the fork may be switched to the right then the knife is placed on the edge of the plate.

4.  To signal that you are done with the course, fork is rested, tines up and knife blade in.  The handles are resting at five o’clock and tips pointing to ten o’clock on the plate.

February is the month of Junior-Senior Promenades.  I remember that we had ours in a five star hotel so before that, we had to review the formal dinner etiquette rules to make ourselves at ease and to eat comfortably in our prom dresses and tuxedos.

These are a few of the simple do’s and don’ts when engaging in a formal dining:

1.  Do NOT talk with food in your mouth.

2.  Eat in small bites and slowly.

3.  Keep elbows off the table.

4.  Do not slurp or burp.  It’s very impolite to do so.

5.  Eat to your left, drink to your right.

The husband took me and the little one the weekend before Valentines to Yakimix in Tomas Morato for a pre-celebration of the day of hearts.  Valentine’s was a Monday and since he’s not sure if he could go home early from work on that day he decided that we celebrate it early. Besides, Green Machine’s coding sched is on a Monday too.  So even if he goes home early, we wouldn’t be able to drive it out because it’s still within the coding time frame.  

Anyway, it was yet again another pig out Saturday as I chowed on my buffet staples: tempura, lechon kawali, california maki, salad, yang chow fried rice, cakes, barbecue.  I was so full that night that I felt my tummy would explode.  Thank you for a very filling pre-valentine’s dinner, Dad!

Wrinkles come with old age.  Aging is inevitable but with the usage of the best anti wrinkle cream plus eating wrinkle-fighting foods and living a healthy lifestyle, a youthful look can be easily achieved and maintained.

Foods rich in antioxidants help fight elasticity and firmness in aging skin.

Here are examples of food that are rich in antioxidants:

1. Tomatoes

2. Red Peppers

3. Beets

4. Carrots

5. Kale

6. Blueberries

7. Salmon