THE FINAL DAY... THAT WON'T END

(IMPORTANT: To fully appreciate the contents of this week's blog entry, you are advised to turn your speakers on as it contains several videos. Also, if your internet connection is slow and takes time to load the videos, it would be best to click the pause button after you hit play to allow the video to fully load so you can watch it without interruptions.)

The class was extra special last week. Yes, It was the final session for FCA batch 55. It was bitter-sweet but, being the positive bunch that we are, we focused on the festive side of the moment. Everyone was excited about the class picture and the graduation party scheduled that afternoon.

But of course we still had work to do...

Chef Gerd was the last Chef mentor for FCA 55

We grabbed every opportunity to take pictures with our friends

PER GROUP ... one more time

GROUP ONE

Dundee, Hyuri, Lani, Jackie, Tita Myr & Deby

GROUP TWO

Jun, Jane, Jiji, Mommy Brij, Donna & Joya

GROUP THREE

Jay, Dang, Jane, Liezel, Jong, Grace & Dave

GROUP FOUR

Mae, Kuya Toto, Emily, Ditas, Agnes & Denley

MORE GROUP PICS!!!

FCA 55 FINAL MASTERPIECES... well, for now anyway...

Beef Stroganoff

Spaetzle

Beef Wellington

Baked Tomato

Potato Gratin

Green Asparagus Sauteed in Butter

Horseradish and Smoked Salmon Crushed Snapper Fillet

AFTER ALL THAT WORK AND FOOD, WE WERE READY FOR OUR CLASS PICTURE...
NO WAIT... CLASS PICTURESSSS!!!

WE WENT STRAIGHT TO FRESKA TO PARTY!!!

OUR GRADUATION CEREMONY

WE HAD OUR VERY OWN GAG AWARDS

THE WINNERS...

DUNDEE
VIAJERO AWARD

LIEZEL
PANAWID-GUTOM AWARD

GRACE AND JAY
LOVE TANDEM AWARD

EMILY
LUBOG-LITAW AWARD

DEBY
HIGH-ENERGY AWARD

LANI
HIDDEN TALENT AWARD

AGNES
BALOT AWARD

DANG
STRIKE-A-POSE AWARD

HYURI
TURISTANG HAPON AWARD

WHATTA SURPRISE!

I was given a surprise token of appreciation by the class...

.... muntik na akong maiyak... huhuhuhu

.... but enough drama... LET'S PARTY!!!

FCA 55 is not just a batch of culinary arts students... As the weeks went on we became a family... Though we might not be able to see each other week after week like we used to, we are assured of a deep, loving friendship from each other... wherever we may be...
and this we shall always treasure and remember..

"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born."
~Anais Anin~

A VEAL and A VIDEO...

I just thought I should give this blog entry a little twist... READ ON... and WATCH (note: TURN YOUR SPEAKERS ON).

COOKING METHODS THREE

THE DISHES

OSSO BUCO MILANESSE with GREMOLATA

POLENTA

ROASTED RACK OF PORK WITH RED WINE ROSEMARY SAUCE

POTATO PUMPKIN GNOCCHI

COQ AU VIN

BOUILLON POTATOES with PARMESAN and CILANTRO

PAN FRIED LAPU-LAPU FILLET with ARAGULA ONION RELISH

OVEN ROASTED TOMATO COMPOTE

WANNA SEE HOW IT ALL HAPPENED?

THEN WATCH THIS!
AGAIN, SPEAKERS ON!

HAHAHAHA!!! It was a fun day!

SANA DALAWA ANG PUSO KO...

There comes a time in a man's life when he has to make a life altering decision... a crossroads of sorts wherein the outcome could forever change the way he looks at life and at himself. Arduously, he contemplates on the results of each option. As the universe conspires and awaits the unraveling of that intricate cosmic selection, he stops to meditate and, like a serene prayer from a sage buddhist monk, he asks himself the question: "Saan ba ako sasama this Saturday? Sa office outing sa Subic ba o sa Culinary Arts class ko na Pasta ang topic?!"

Ah, yes! I was unfortunate to be burdened with that predicament. It would be the first time for me to go with my office-mates in a different setting. And, in a strange twist of fate, the topic that my entire class eagerly waited for, Pasta and Rice, fell on the same date as the outing.

Needless to say, I had to make a choice and I chose the outing. Mind you, it wasn't an easy choice. Yes, I could always take a make-up class (which I would have to take with another batch) for that session I missed but it makes a whole world of difference when you take it together with your classmates... *singhot*...

So I made my choice... but did I make the right one... see for yourself...

Syempre, sa parking lot pa lang may picture-an nang nagaganap...

Hayan po si Eryk, may cerebral palsy siya...

And off we went!

Finally, we're on Subic grounds!

Lunch at Feng Huang Restaurant

By now, you would have already noticed that Eryk is a pain in the butt...

I should have known that this innocent game of PUSOY would set the tone for this outing.

Yep... I thought I would be basking under the summer sun while splashing away on the beach. But nooooo.... The Outing turned into Gambling. It was my first time to enter a casino... okay, several casinos. I had sun burn from the blinking lights of the slot machines.

We weren't able to take pictures inside as it was prohibited. (Although Jana and I tried to take a snap shot with her camera phone but we immediately figured that there were probably security cameras around. Baka naman kwelyuhan kami ng mga sikyo habang kinakaladkad kami palabas... yes, a Ted Failon moment would have transpired.)

KULITAN MOMENTS

Jojo and his version of a half-body photo

Malou, antok na u?

Then a taste of Subic Night Life at Pier One

Mga laasheeng...

Me and my soul-sibling, Jana

Next to Malou, I looked like a PBA player... hehehe

NYEEH!!!

Atty. Vince, Froi and Jojo

Before we left more pictures!!!

Sige Dennis, lumayo ka pa sa amin... akala mo kakulangan ka? Hah!

It may not have been the traditional summer outing but we still had fun. It was primarily because of the company that made the trip fun and worthwhile.



Meanwhile, somewhere in Katipunan, this was happening...

Ganyan ba ang ginagawa nyo pag wala ako?!!

Dundee at Dang, hwag nyo ngang ginagalaw ilong nyo!... Alam nyo namang kinabit lang ng Elmer's glue yan e...

Nakakahiya naman kay Chef Sean... tsk, tsk,tsk

Puro kayo pa-picture!

uuuhmm... Chef Sean, bakit pati naman ikaw e naki-posing na rin?...

Make them work!

Okay, break muna...

Sige Dang magpa-cute ka... parang gustong ma-discover nito ah... may career pa si Pokwang noh!... hehehe

THE PASTA AND RICE DISHES I MISSED...

Notice that there are no captions/labels... remember, I wasn't there... huhuhuhu

With a heavy heart, I accepted the fact that I missed one important culinary experience in the company of my good friends/classmates, but life has to go on...

So, the following day, life moved on... big time!

It was our baranggay fiesta and Ate Agnes decided to celebrate the college graduation of her eldest daughter on the same day. She needed my other sister, Gina, Hyuri and me to help her with the cooking and presentation. We did everything non-stop in a little over six hours (Nanalo na si Pacquiao, nag-celebrate na sya at malamang nakatulog na... kami hindi pa rin tapos magluto).

We went to battle in full gear... hehehe... not really, we wore our jackets after we were done cooking.

There were more dishes but I was too tired to take pictures of them. And for some dishes, there wasn't much left to photograph. My big hungry kapampangan family attacked the buffet table like a pack of wolves.

Our satisfied clients... hehehe.

What can I say... it was a jam-packed weekend!