Focus on the Food

GIVEAWAY REVISED: Just comment on any of the posts, tell me who referred you to my blog, and you will be entered into the giveaway! You have 6 days left!

In the Philippines, all of our celebrations are pretty much announced by two main things: noise and the food (man, I miss that!)

Unless you are uber-rich like Trump or Gates, eating like the "Pinoys" is not hard at all... We focus our menu on three common things: a meat dish, the rice and a steamed or cooked veggie. And because we often ate at dusk, most humble tables have a very romantic glow to it. Combine that with no electricity in most rural areas and candles reign, we are talking back to basics! (aaahhhh, the simple life...)

So, in my own "focus on the food" tablescape, I combined the simplicity in the beauty of the hospitality of my people with the formal table etiquette of the Chinese and Spanish. When I think of my childhood meals, this is as formal as I can visualize it. It is so easy, you can even do it and wonder, "why didn't I do that before?" (if you slapped your forehead rather hard, do remember not to do that next time; but it's your choice.)


THEME:
FORMAL FILIPINO

MY INSPIRATION:
These three plastic serving sets
I got these at a Grand Opening of a big Asian market called H-Mart near us. They gave it away FREE three different times, so I got three of them. I was feeding the missionaries and my good friend and neighbor Heather and I didn't want to just feed them, you know?
So, since I already committed to an authentic Filipino menu, I decided to give it a more uppity Filipino flair. I set up the table with just my everyday things and let the candles dictate the mood and the food as the centerpiece. The shapes and colors of the serving pieces are the focus of this tablescape, not height or dish stacking.

At dusk, I lit the candles and took this awesome picture. There were no towering candles, or poofy floral arrangement, I didn't need it. I am going for authenticity here, remember?

If we were to dine like Filipinos, then the food would have to provide the "eye candy" and the romance that the glowing low flames brought to the table. Two glasses because we Filipinos, we love our juice and water! The spoon at the top of the plates indicated we had dessert coming.

My apologies for the wrong utensil setting, my dh is a leftie and from time to time, I put his feeding habits first. (How's that for an excuse? lol)

TABLE GOODIES:
Plastic serving pieces- H-Mart Giveaway- FREE
Plates- Corelle Shadow Iris(1997)- MINE
Utensils- Gibson- Chrome Bamboo Handle; Ross- $38 40-pcs (normally $80)
Runner & Placemats- Walmart- MINE
Glasses- Anchor Hocking Fire and Ice(2008);Walmart- $9 16pc/box
Ramekins- MINE
Tealights- MINE

MENU:
Chicken adobo (chicken braised in soy sauce and ginger)(sorry, family secret...)
Steamed Jasmine rice
Steamed green beans and diced tomatoes
(with lemon & olive oil sauce)
Pineapple juice
Ice Water
Vanilla ice cream with raspberries (Filipinos love their fruits!)

Filipinos and food, "tight like spandex" as my teen would say or was it "it's boss"?

Hope you all had a great Saturday!