HOW TO COOK THE BEST FISH SOUP EVER

Hi there… my beautiful pupils and expectators… Lately a lot of things are going around in my little world…dramas… dramas… dramas… and more dramas… I mean small little personal problems from people surrounding me, sometimes from my friends, sometimes from the office and sometimes with people on the street… Its really kinda lonely when you are a very good listener, people tend to come to you and pour out their stuffs and problems. Its not that am complaining about that I love to listen but sometimes its just too overwhelming that people don’t notice that I’m busy having a nervous breakdown.

Well… anyway but one good thing that makes me happy today is that I had “Ew” (pronounced Eeeewwww). She used to be the Khmer house-help of a filipino gay where I stayed here in Cambodia almost three years ago. I don’t know what happened to them but nevertheless “Ew” is happy to work with me again in my beautiful apartment. She’ll be helping me every Saturdays and I’m so glad because she’s very good with her ironing. I remember my mother once told me that you will know a person by the way he or she treated their maids be it mentally, emotionally or physically… maybe that’s one reason why she opted to work for me again…

So last Saturday when I came back home from my weekly market at Mother Helen which I bought 2 small salmon, a kilo of pork, half a kilo of beef, a kilo of chicken and some leaves and bulbs… I ask Ew if she can help me prepare the fish for the fish soup… I just felt like having a fish soup… that’s usually a comfort food for me whenever I’m stressed-out…

A lot of people don’t like fish because of its strong smell but remember fish is very healthy and very easy to cook. Some fish are good for grilling, some for frying and fillet, some are good for soups… I usually use saltwater fish especially the belly and head part which is more tasty for soups… but not the small ones. The red grouper ( Lapu-lapu ) is very good with these kind of recipe but because its quite expensive and so difficult to find and avail, I’m using a medium sized salmon instead. The soup am going to teach you today is called Fish Tinola. Its very common in the Visayas in the Philippines where in a lot of fishes are very fresh. The soup is very simple and easy to do. In Luzon they have a chicken version of the soup which they called Tinolang Manok. Anyways so here we go.

How to cook the best fish soup ever…

Clean the fish ( grouper, salmon ) and cut it into two inches thick and skew them with toothpick, this is to prevent the fish from breaking apart as fish meat is easy to crumble. Then sprinkle with salt, cover and set aside.

Boil three regular sized bowl of water in a pot with four tablespoon of rocksalt, when the water boils put in four crushed ripe tomatoes, chopped Chinese leek, along with knotted and pounded lemongrass. Cover again until the skin of the tomatoes are detached from the flesh.

Then put in the fish along with green bell pepper and red bell pepper.

Cover the pot and let it boil for 15 minutes.

Put in the leaves like Sajina ( malunggay ) or you can use baby cabbage if Sajina is not available.

There it is my pupils serve it when its still hot… hmmmmmm…

okay to recapped the ingredients you need…

A fish ( of course ) I recommend “grouper” and salmon
4 fresh ripe tomatoes --- crushed
2 stalks of Chinese leek --- cut in two inches wide
1 stalk of lemongrass including the green part --- white flesh pounded and knotted
1 green bell pepper --- cut into squares
1 red bell pepper --- cut into squares
1 bouquet of sajina or 1 small baby cabbage cut into squares.

Okay have a fishy valentines day!!! mwahhh…

no grammar checking please... I'm trying to be best in english...

HOW TO DECLARE YOUR LOVE OVER A PLATE OF ADOBONG PUSIT

Now there you are my beautiful expectators, Oh another month is over… God knows how time flies when you’re having fun. Anyway my weekend is very beautiful, I had a very long time with my computer pushing keyboards with my not so new game “Morrowind --- The Elders Scrolls”… I love playing this game.

I am also very happy that my new found love singer won the Grammy for the best new artist, of course “Adele” no doubt about it with her album “19”. I had her album since last December last year, a good friends of mine gave it to me and take note its not pirated they bought it for me from Bangkok airport. I am also happy to the fact that the former Mrs. Cruz wrote me a nose-bleeding, ear splitting but somewhat beautiful letter, telling me how things are with her life. She’s good I guess… she’s been through a lot since that very sad affair with his former gay friend and his former boyfriend. Well I have to tackle that talk in the future.

Anyway… since valentine’s day is fast approaching and love is in the air my great expectators. I know you expect me to write about love… yes L-O-V-E… love… well what can I say about love… I just tell you something funny and sweet that happened to me a long time ago… every valentines day it still makes me smile just thinking about it.

I used to have a great admiration and love for this guy who lived with us in our beautiful apartment in Teachers Village QC a long time ago. He is very sweet and matured and cute and manly and confident and sexy and intelligent and funny sometimes and serious most of the time and he’s well traveled and in love with a prince in Malaysia and I don’t know… why I love him… I love him for the man he wants to be and I love him for the man he almost is… but that was before… now I still remember him but I don’t remember the feeling anymore.

For all the time that he stayed in that sweet apartment he never knew that I’m in love with him secretly… like I do stuff a gay in love with a man, like cooking good food for him, like watching him and sniffed his perfume in the doorway when he goes for work, like smile secretly when he comes back home after a long work, like feeling sad and count the days when he travels for month, like knowing and loving thing he likes, like trying to be the best and good with myself in hope that he might notice me, Like things you do when you’re in love… its achingly painful but sweet… After years of putting that feeling in the remotest corner of my heart… I mean I cannot tell what I felt to my friends because we are in the same circle of friends… so I just waited and come what may until that day when I heard that he’s going to Malaysia to work…

I was so sad and afraid that I might not say what’s inside of me… so one day I decided to tell him in the most awkward way ( of course it’s always awkward to be vulnerable )… One evening a week before he’s going abroad I cook a special dinner for him luckily we were alone at that time… I served him my famous adobong pusit ( squid adobo )… which he like so much too… In the middle of our dinner… I just stop him eating when I told him… I LOVE YOU… and that’s it… my face become red and I waited for what he gonna say back to me… it took him a couple of minutes which felt like forever before he replied to me. I didn’t notice that tears are flowing out of my eyes when he said that he’s going faraway and that he cannot say anything at the moment. But nevertheless I still took it as a NO… or it might be I scared him… I don’t know…

But it’s clear to me that telling people with what you felt for them honestly makes a lot of difference in your life… I was so sad during that time but the moment I open everything out… I felt so exhausted but happy… and happy to the fact that at least I can do something about it now… yeah… that feeling of stepping on land after a long boat trip… that’s exactly how I felt… And with that I will tell you...

how to declare your love over a plate of adobong pusit.

Prepare… prepare yourself emotionally I know its not very easy to say something that’s very important in your life but just think of what might be the outcome of everything.

Be Brave… Be brave with your decision… If it’s a matter of the heart and not the ego there’s no reason why not stand for your decision… yeah decision in telling him or her.

Be Creative… Be creative in term of presenting your heart to him or her. It’s not just a heart but its your heart and that’s what matters most. Me of course I go for the classic situation of dinner ( with my adobong pusit ) … a homemade dinner makes me comfortable and I know he loves dining. Think of situation where you both can be comfortable.

Be pretty… you should be pleasantly pretty when you declare your love, A good comfortable attire will make your sparkle. Its ugly to see you cry with an ugly shirt. And besides looking good makes you feel comfortable.

Open up now… say the word directly without any flowery or curly cues in the end. Just say the magic word… “I LOVE YOU” and don’t put any explanation to that, leave everything to the air.

Accept… whatever his or her response you must respect that. And don’t push, just accept it…Cry your heart out if it’s no good but not in front of him or her. Nevertheless the important thing there is that you put everything at rest.

Yup that’s it kids when you felt like telling someone about your feeling to someone you love, do it now before its too late. The world is getting older and we are not superman so I think is the time for you to declare your love for him or for her…

Mwahh…. There you go little dummies…

Excuse me don’t correct my grammar again…

HAPPY V-DAY!!!

HOW TO COUNTER-ATTACK SECRETLY

Well… well… well… there you are my vicious, gossipy and envious expectators of mine… Miss Bubbles Cojuangco is in the limelight again in terms of gay gossip these side of Indochina; But nothing really serious… I’ve handled it very well… I’ve learn my lessons very well… as what I’ve said before I’ve had had my share of bad times but mostly good times, or I’m just lucky I guess… and I don’t care.

I don’t need to tell you about this latest buzz of mud slinging and shit throwing, all I know is that am still standing and have a good life, I just paid half of the 2,800 sq. meter seaside hill view state in Southern Leyte. I don’t have time anymore with small little shits, hang-ups, sympathies and overreactions. All I want now is to live in the present as it is precious to me now.

I love myself no matter how many lashes I get from sad, insecure and lonely people who have nothing better to do in life but sit in front of their computers pouring out their pathetic and insignificant rants about their lives in their blogs - within the confines of their rented rat holes… hoping to get sympathy from unguarded people…Such a sad state to be in. The polluted air outside is much more fresh than that stinky hole where cowardness and selfishness resides… have you notice why happy bloggers and informative blogs are much more hit than those who blog about their misfortunes and insecurities… my students don’t like that… don’t we?.... hehehehehe… positive outlook always attract positive inlook.

Mostly I write for fun and nothing else just good fun. I don’t write about other people and demonize them. I write because I feel good with myself, I write because I want to make people happy, I write even if my grammar and spellings are wrong because I love sharing happy thoughts and joy to everyone… and nothing else… I write if I feel like it… Again am not here to pretend that am a writer… unlike someone we know.

Anyway this year ( ox ) is a very good year for creatures born under the sign of rabbits, and am a rabbit… I’m so happy knowing about my future this year, I don’t need to tell you about it as my luck might ran away. I just teach you today on how to counter-attack the people who did bad things to you secretly… I’ve learn this from a very stupid thing that happened to my life a long time ago… I will teach you how to make this people guilty of what they did to you.

Counter-attacking is a defensive gesture when something is literally, emotionally and physically thrown to you. This very good for plastic bitches. And with my tips and advice I’m hoping this will help you in the future… In a sense “lintek lang ang walang ganti”. Remember, Karma is a good thing. Be sure everyone gets his or hers...in this lifetime. You're helping to bring the scales of justice back into balance and restore order to the universe. BWHAHAHAHAHAHA… okay here it goes…

How to counter-attack secretly…

GET MAD!!! AND WALK AWAY… yeah, after you were hurt emotionally by someone or your once close friends. Yes… just walk away… don’t speak… don’t do anything stupid. It’s funny to see those faces fuming with anger and you did nothing but just walk away.

LET HIM OR HER ENJOY THEIR TRIUMP!!! So they felt that they are triumphant? Then let them party… but because you did nothing at all expect them to make the most horrendous, creative and baddest talked about you. I was even amazed by someone that he open my emails and literally printed all my rants and lovemails and let everyone read just to prove himself that am a demon personified … and that’s not all he even wrote to my boyfriend and friends in the Philippines. Hahahahaha… laughing is good you know…. Hahahahahaha…

FOCUS AND RELAX!!! Watch your enemy from afar, just watch and observe how they move around the battleground. Know what are his or her weaknesses and their strong moves.

VANISH AND GATHER INFORMATION ( OPTIONAL unless you’re really into it )… Go back to the basic, ask the people from his or her past if ever you have access. But be careful this might backlash to you if you are not clear with your past too. Gather all the information and choose the ones that are really bad… you’ll be surprised when you know about people’s past. Make that information as your ammunition in the future in case if its necessary. The punishment should always fit the crime. In other words, don't go nuclear over something trivial.

COUNTER-ATTACK NOW… Now you’re ready for a counter-attack. Always aim your revenge where it hurts the most. Go right for the jugular. Do exactly what they did to you… I mean exactly… If they ask sympathy from people to the point of demonizing you, Do that and they would feel exactly what you feel before… after all revenge is sweet.

DON’T BREAK THE LAW… just give them what they ask for… and cover your ass and be sure to cover your track as well.

MOVE ON… Once everything is consummated, move on, its over. And if he or she retaliates again… just do the first step and don’t bother to do anything anymore… let the law of Karma interfere at these point… and from that point watch as things fall into places.

That’s it my students and spectators… Enjoy…

say this to yourselves…

BECAUSE I CAN!!!

MWAHHH!!!!! don't correct my grammar... and spellings...

BACK FROM REHAB

"The thing about happiness is that it doesn't help you to grow; only unhappiness does that. So I'm grateful that my bed of roses was made up equally of blossoms and thorns…

From my great-auntie Miss Lana Turner

Well… well… well… how are you my beautiful expectators, pupils and students. Now that the holidays are over and so out to the past na… AM BACK… FROM REHAB…

I know everyone missed me… I miss you too… My apologies for going away without telling you all my beautiful pupils… and that would never happen again, I promised... hihihihi…

I end the year far away from the chaotic but happy world of partyness and celebrations of the past month. I had a party last December 20 and I never thought that it would be so big. It was supposed to be a small gathering in the rooftop of my beautiful villa but it turns out so very big. I invited like 20 people but the guest just keep on coming that my rooftop tried to accommodate almost to a hundred party animals, 102 people to be exact. I’m so happy I felt all the love in the world… but feeling is relative, that night was very good and happy, but still I felt alone like whitney in the bodyguard…

Then come December 25 and I judged the Mr. Blue Chilli event. The full account is in the Queer Cambodia blogspot. Then after that I came to see my doctor about my nervous breakdown and my gaut. The doctor adviced me to rest and while away for a while.

Then came New Years Eve… and the weather is cold which make my depression so unbearable that I finished four bottles of chardonnay alone on the terrace with “Adele” singing “chasing pavements… ( Should I give up or should I just keep on chasing pavements even if it leads nowhere… hmmmm… hmmm… ) I decided to stay at home on New years eve… sort of respect and tribute to my long dead beautiful sister which by the way is the same age of me when she died… Strangely, it rained hard during that night, a very long, hard and refreshing rain… it started at seven o’clock in the evening and finished around three A.M. ( secretly I smile… rain in new years eve is a sign of abundance and goodluck, which i’m looking forward to… )

The first week of January for me is very uncertain, sort of lost in space... I just stayed at home most of the time and veered away from my friends, Bars and restaurant owners called to me asking where the hell am i… Amigas and friends wondered why I didn’t go to the ribbon cutting ceremony at Toul Kork Highschool… In short I just wanna be alone…

Then come the second week… I went to Siem Reap to take a break… I been to Angkor Wat a couple of times but these trip is different, I came to see The Magestic Angkor Wat during the night… its very fantastic, beautiful and expensive… yes expensive its like entrance to the light show for Angkor Wat is 120 dollars and the dinner is like 30 dollars.
I’m estatic despite the fact that I spent 150 dollars in an hour… Anyway that trip to Siem Reap make me bounce back to my feet again… and these time I’m kicking hot and damn fat…

I don’t know why I always dreaded the holidays, it gives me cramps and headache… It must be because during holiday season everyone are with they’re families and love-ones,
Or it must be because of that traumatic break-up with my former bestfriend, Or it must be the fact that my sister died on New Years Eve… Or it must be because of that loneliness of waiting for someone… That someone who promised to be with you no matter what…

In the end I’m allergic with Christmas and New year celebration… Its traumatic…

But honestly I missed my life as Miss Bubbles Cojuangco… she always had fun...

But now am back… yes am back…

HOW TO GIVE ALMS AND GIFTS

Well… well… well… am back on my feet literally my dear expectators and audiences, after that harrowing “gout” episode of mine last 10 days ago. Because I was away for a while emails, invitations and comments piles-up and a lot of you my expectators beg me to write about gift giving. I cannot do that because my laptop is not yet delivered to me. I don’t know what happened…

To begin with we should know first how was gift-giving first developed. Gift-giving comes from the greek tradition called Xenia. Xenia is the concept of hospitality, or generosity courtesy shown to those who are far from home. It is often translated as "guest-friendship" (or "ritualized friendship") because the rituals of hospitality created and expressed a reciprocal relationship between guest and host. So these include giving the host a preserve meat or anything that might be useful for both parties. The custom of gift then went on to the Roman festival of the Kalends and took place on the first of January during the Winter Solstice. The Roman Emperor received gifts from his administration, as required. Then In the modern times the gift giving tradition was started by St. Nicholas giving gifts to orphan and poor children which was carried on now every Christmas as tradition.

Well… so much about history…. As I ponder over some unopened gifts given to me since last year and over the years, It makes me wonder why people give gifts and alms to each other for no reason at all. Maybe its just Christmas; or maybe it’s a form of atonement to oneself, Or a form of empowering oneself to overpower the lesser creature in front of you, Or it might be a form of insecurity where one pleases people with things and gifts, Or it might be you giving gifts to gain “utang na loob”, or again it might be a form of control --- like “I’ve got you because I give you shelter, alms and gifts…I remember a very remote, lonely x-friend of mine who would shower one’s friends with everything, alms and gifts but when disagreement and crisis came he would lash everything back to you and ask to return all the gifts he gives to you…

And as for alms I remember one time that changes my outlook in giving gifts and alms; I was on a taxi way back seven years ago in EDSA near the GMA station corner the now closed Chicos bar. The taxi is immobile as the red light is on, with burger in hand, I look up at the big billboards but as I was about to bite my first munch, a very dirty and poor little street boy is tapping on the glass window signaling me to give him something and out of kindness I open the window and give him the burger that am going to eat but to my surprise he throw it back to me… he wants money!!! And I was so pissed off that since then I never give alms to street children anymore.

Heniway… for whatever reason sincere and true “Gift Giving” in any form is an act of pure kindness and generosity, an act of pure abandon and unconditional expression of oneself to others but that depends on your status in life. If you’re rich you’re the one giving alms and gifts but if you’re poor you beg or by service hehehehe… well that’s the reality of it all. It’s always up to you if you want to beg and service everyone forever or stand up and become the gift giver instead.

So here we go…

How to give alms and gifts

List… In doing your list during a Christmas gift giving, Think of things that people need not about fancy things on your list. Gone are the days when you give anything for souvenirs, people now wants what they need. The idea behind this is that your friends and family are less likely to give you gifts that lie idle and unused through the year. Instead they offer you gifts that you really need and that you know you will use. This saves you money because you do not have to buy those things yourself and it makes the giver feel good because they know their gift has been worthwhile. Akalain mo nagkaroon ka nang perculator kahit di mo alam gamitin.

Ask… the best thing to make you save time and effort is to ask the person what they really want, I know it lessens the surprise element of gift giving… but it gives you time to think and save if ever you really give into what they want and can choose something similar to what they want if ever its expensive. Tsaka wala namang masama pag magtanong.

Recycle… it’s a nice thought recycling gifts for practicality’s sake but choose the one that can really be a gift and give it to someone who really needs it. Hey not that plastic bottles you’re holding… hmmmp…

Wrap… as oppose to the saying that it’s the inside of the gift box that is important more than the wrappings…. No… no… no… that’s a big wrong notion. There’s more to wrapper than just a wrapper. With creativity and proper choice of colors and theme it will give you as the giver an impression of who you really are. Makabalot lang kayo nang wrapper na merong xmas design check na… no sa akin yan di ko tatanggapin. And to the extreme try using designers paper bag and stuff your gift in there even if its preserve meat.

Give… a little luxury item, it need not be expensive, in your gift giving. This should be aimed at those ’special’ people in your life … you know who they are. Give these people a little luxury item that serves to express your thoughts or feelings about them and how much you value their being in your life.; even if it means a week of noodles and eggs in your stomach.

As for alms giving don’t ever give it to them directly or if you give, refrain from giving money to them as much as possible, food and drinks are good and clothing too. That’s it for gift giving… honestly I don’t really fond of giving gifts but I love receiving gifts. I love giving to donations to the charities and orphanage.


That’s all expectators… I still need to drink my drugs…. Mwahhh!!!

HOW TO AVOID A SOCIAL DISEASE LIKE GOUT!!!

Sorry my dear beautiful expectators of mine… Your highness was sick for a week… I’m sick with these social disease called “GOUT” and its very daut!!! I mean can you imagine me wearing my manolo high heel shoe, because its only on my left foot and its aching so badly that I was absent with all the functions and events that’s been line up for me for the month of December which includes a very important interior design pitch for our new office. Its good thing that the landlord and my humble manang was there for me all the time.

Gout is a very painful experience, one can call all the saints and devels when it attacks you. Its very strange for as young and as beautiful as I am is afflicted with terrible, horrible and not so sosyal illness. I called it social disease because it involves more on your lifestyle. One can get Gout by too much eating legumes and innards like liver and anything which is high in uric acid. Drinking alcohol, red wine ( which I just fall in love lately, so no more wine tasting muna pero pwede ang Gin, kaya naman pala nung gin pa lang ang tinutunga ko ala akong ganitong sakit… iba talaga pag hindi sanay ang stomach sa mga sosyal na food and drink na mga iyan)… and partying too much without exercise can cause gaut, which by the way is often inherited.

Gout attacks are caused by deposits of crystallized uric acid in the joint. Uric acid is present in the blood and eliminated in the urine, but in people who have gout, uric acid accumulates and crystallizes in the joints. Uric acid is the result of the breakdown of purines, ( hindi sya cat food ha!!! ) chemicals that are found naturally in our bodies and in food. At cooler temperatures, uric acid turns into crystals at eto yung makirot para bang may mga needles and iyong mga joint but for some reason I like it siguro masokista ako. Since the toe is the part of the body that is furthest from the heart, ( of course it is ) it’s also the coolest part of the body—and, thus, the most likely target of gout. However, gout can affect any joint in the body. “huh’ ako ba eto at diretso ang English ko.

Gout is derived from the latin word “gutta”, meaning “a drop” (of liquid)… in short rayuma if you are poor, but because I’m sosyal I called gouty arthritis of the big toe. Bwahahahaha… gouty arthritis daw… ang hirap nga e-spelling pero madaling bigkasin.

Well… well… well… heniway… our topic for today is

How to avoid social disease like GOUT!!!

Try… ( try lang naman )… try to limit your intakes of food that are high in purines like meat, poultry, fish, tufo, legumes, kidneys, liver, brain, sardines, anchovies, clams, shrimps, crabs, lobster, scallop, oyster, asparagus, spinach, ampalaya, string beans, cauliflower, mushroom, fruit preserves, jam, jellies, syrup, candies, cookies, ice cream, cakes, vitamin c, tea, and aspirin… pati kanin… in short wag ka nang kumain… punyeta di ba!!! Ako pa… ako pa… god buti na lang sa list nang mga alcohol hindi bawal ang gin.. pero beer at red wine di pwede mataas ang purine nyang mga yan.

Eat… eat these social stomach fillers… tart cherries ( its expensive you know so I like it ), berries, celery, cheese yeah cheese, banana, carbonated beverages and gin, they don’t mention coffee so coffee I guess?

Take… take vitamin B5 instead of vitamin C as it increases the production of uric acid.

Drink… drink a lot of liquids specially water para di ka matoyuan… nang ulo or whatever… but that’s really to dilute the acid and will keep you pee all the time.

Put… put on socks or any warm protection to your feet during cold season.

Exercise… of course what else, that’s true when you get older… I love sychronise swimming as an exercise… I used to be synchronised you know.

Well that’s it, however there is really no cure for Gout but it has remedies when having an attack. Take this pills I like it, makes me bangag and high… prednisone, cortisone and ponstan… they are all steriodal… but what else I can do… masakit sya…

Well… well… well that’s it for today… mwah…

Again reminder don’t correct my grammar and spelling!!!

HOW TO TASTE WINE

Well… well… well… there you are my shy and lovely expectators and audiences. Today is a lovely day for me; I don’t know I just felt happy today. Maybe because its December, and a lot of parties are coming maybe that’s it; and small things and problems have been resolve lately and it feels nice.

Lately I been hanging around with Mr. Gush who’s been a resident here in Cambodia for eight years now, He’s an Austrian and a chef, he already wrote two popular cookbooks. He loves wine so much and I love him for that, I don’t really know much about wine not until I met him.

Wine for me during my transformative years as a social climber are for classy people only, besides being costly it don’t make me drunk easily. My alcohol dosage when I’m just a poor little provincial girl is consist of cheap gin ( gin bulag ) concocted with different kinds of nectar and juices and named it with the most fabulous name ever there on earth like “Green eyed monsters or “gin pomelo”. “Tuba” in the visayas of course is my favorite mixed with coca-cola and San Miguel beer that’s all I know.

However, listening to professional wine tasters, it is easy to get an impression that wine is all about feeling, intuition and literally spirit. Wine tasting or wine drinking is not at all about getting drunk, it’s about refinement and appreciation of your life and culture in general. Wines are always present in every formal or informal ritual to the western culture, like tea to the Asians and “Sake” for the Japanese. Bouquet, clarity, earthy, crisp, open, and nostalgic could be difficult for many to understand even to me who is very understanding. By the way oenology is the science of winemaking, para sa vocabulary nyo yan… okay…

Serving wine requires some education and experience. Some wines are best served at room temperature (red generally), while some should be served chilled (white generally). But that’s the general rule in western culture, but in tropical, or asia and hot country people tend to chill everything be it red or white. So don’t be surprise when people in asia ask for ice with they’re red wine.

There are several main varieties of wine, which are named after the type of grape they are made from. Some of the most popular are: Merlot, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah (Shiraz in Australia),Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Pinot Grigio,Gewürztraminer. ( punyeta hanggang ngayon di ko pa rin ma-pronounce nang tama yang german word na yaan ) Bordeaux is actually a combination of Merlot and Sauvingnon Blanc. But don’t ask me how to pair it with foods… all I know is how to drink it.

So here we go our topic for today is…

How to taste wine

Pour the wine into an ordinary wine glass no more than half full and swirl it a bit to generate additional 'winey' vapor. As much as possible don’t ever use metal glasses not unless its glazed like the cup that the priest uses. Avoid heavy glasses so the wine can easily be seen.

Then examine to determine if it is clear, hazy or opaque. Clear is when you don’t see any sediment ( sediment di mo alam eto yung parang latak na namomoo sa tasa nang kape mo pag ubos na in wine meron nyan ) So its hazy if it looks like thick but a little bit clear. Opaque kung para na syang kape ka dark.

Smell the wine briefly and pay close attention by closing the eyes. This may seem pretentious but will help you to focus on one or two sense taste and smell over sight. I love it when I do that, it makes me feel like very social… you know and very pretentious.

Attempt to identify the odor. Determine if the odor is fruity like grapes or apples or oranges… attempt lang wala namang masama… basta try to identify what you feel and smell what’s it like, intuition is very important here.

Now take a small sip and run it around the tongue to get many different taste buds involved. Yeah literally imomog mo!!! Different areas of the tongue are more attuned to sweet detection, other more salty or bitter. These is what I love about tasting wine it makes you more aware that there are other taste bud in our tongue more than the sweet bud we know. That is why marami ayaw nang ampalaya kasi hindi nasanay ang mga bitter taste bud mo sa pait.

Set the wine aside or finish it and let it linger with your taste bud… drink another kind of wine after the next day and try to differentiate what you feel from the previous one and the one you’re drinking now. If you paid attention with the first things above you can differentiate it. Its like memory but through the senses.

In all cases, subtlety is the key. Good wines don't have a strong scent.

Swirl the wine gently, sniff and taste”

That’s it… that’s the general rule to be a wine taster. Before long anyone can be swirling around a glass of wine and tossing around 'delicate', 'floral', and 'woody' like an expert…. For me I always call them SUPEE!!! For super!!!

Thanks to Mr. Gush for giving some insights about wine tasting, Am not a pro but I enjoyed the fun of tasting wine it makes me drunk and I love the way red wine stain my already red lips…
MWAHHH!!!