Traveling Tummy-Sydney: Scenes from Christmas Day

Christmas Day is always happy chaos in the Paredes household here in Sydney. We have about 40-50 people come over each year to celebrate Christmas with a potluck, barbie, games for the kids and lots and lots of singing!

beef stew

Creamy chicken casserole with crunchy bits

My favorite home-made ham! yum!

Yup, cheese! All day, everyday!

Tita Reggie hand rolled all 250 pcs of lumpia!

I had lots of left over sauce and adobo flakes so I made more adobo cream pasta

My brother manning the barbie--wings and sausages!

Thanksgiving prayers

Leeeeeeesssssss eeeeeaaaaatttt!!!

Next up, New Year's Eve. Another night of food experimentation and generally oinkness.

Traveling Tummy-Sydney: Why eat out when your food tastes better?

6pm: Can you make dinner?
6:15- after scrounging around the kitchen I find beef, basil, tomato paste, pesto, onions,potatoes, mushrooms and garlic.
8:15-- Nomnomnomnom....

Always start with a drink. I prefer wine because it doesn't get me drunk fast but my mom wanted to make mojitos so who was I to refuse?

Halfway through. Yum.

plated and served with garlic bread :)

We ate al fresco tonight... kinda cold out (even if it's summer!)

Then the kitchen elf made brownies :)

Why go out?

Visit our FB page!!!!

It sucks that the videos I've put up haven't been working on blogspot, but you can check them all out plus more on Gourmet Kitschen's Facebook page! Please hop on over to https://www.facebook.com/GourmetKitschen and look at photos, watch videos... click LIKE if you love it :D

Traveling Tummy: Christmas Dinner/ Noche Buena

Christmas means family time in Sydney! I'm almost never in Manila during the holidays and I would like to keep it that way. I like the smaller, more intimate celebrations we have over here. We have no helpers so everyone really chips in to make it special.I gave my family 2 menu options for Christmas dinner and they chose the 2nd, Pinoy-inspired option. Here's what I made:

Roast Pork Belly-straight out the oven!

That we turned into this! (sliced, with caramelizes garlic sauce + bagoong-cilantro rice)

Also made rosemary and adobo cream sauce linguine with toasted adobo flakes and crumbled goat cheese

A Christmas present--> The Boozy Chef (For drinkers who love to cook) Awesome!

Skull cups for awesome cupcakes! Marrying my 2 favorite things!

Ananda's new Cabbage Patch doll :)

Chorizo braised in red wine and garlic with turkish bread and prune compote

Merry Christmas!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

...from the Paredes Mafia down under :) May all your wishes and dreams come true!!!!

Traveling Tummy-Sydney: El Jannah, we meet again. Part 1.

I'm delirious from a long tiring flight but super happy to be here...as you can see.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

A Bohol trip, a 70's disco themed office party, pigging out at Draft with the homies AND the annual Ateneo girls Christmas dinner. It's been a fun, crazy past week!

I am beat and raring to get to Sydney to spend real Christmas with my family!

Disclaimer: I know it seems like I am drunk all the time and well, that's not true. NOt ALL the time. Just like 70% of the time.

Also, I don't usually wear leopard print but I figured i could pass for a cokehead 70's disco girl.

Leaving for Sydney tomorrow. Hope y'all are having a wonderful holiday season!

FINAL GIVEAWAY WINNER!

TRISH MANLANGIT! You're the winner!!!! Please email me your contact details at ericaparedes@gmail.com (address/ mobile)

I'm leaving for Sydney so I will try my best to get it sent to you BEFORE i leave (if you email soon enough) Otherwise, i will send out first thing when I get back after the New Year.

CONGRATS! and may you all have a Merry Christmas!!!!

Out of the Kitschen: Ladies who (book) launch

Because aside from nourishing your tummy's, you also gotta nourish your soul

Last night, these two beautiful ladies launched "Unscripted", a book documenting their favorite interviews from the now defunct (but Why?!) "The Dollouse" radio show. Sarah and Vicky are two people in my very small circle of trust. I am proud beyond words that they came out with this book (and at a loss for words now that I have to talk about them)

Ever seen so many people at a book launch (and dancing in the middle of Fully Booked on a Thursday night?)

It was all due to Nix Pernia aka @nixdamnp who Sarah introduced as "The only DJ we trust"

The lovely Sassa Jimenez provided the 'fits for the night!

My dad is one of those featured in the book :)

Tina and Teresa Herrera (Thanks Ter for letting me use your photos!)

Oxygen's Jeff Bascon getting his copy signed.

If you are looking for me...anywhere... go to where the alcohol is :D

Get yourself, or your friends a copy for Christmas!!! Available at all Fully Booked branches! (Marc Jacobs Sharpies not included ;p)

*Photos by Teresa Herrera

Gastronomic Giveaways FINAL WEEK PASABOG!

First of all, Congratulations to last week's winners!

Baked bites sampler goes to HANNA LEE!

The Balcony GC goes to Tricia Morente!!

Please email me at ericaparedes@gmail.com :)

Second, I know I said I would have 8 weeks worth of prizes, but what I didn't realize was that on the 8th week, I'll already be in Sydney. So, instead of doing week 7 and 8, I've decided to combine both and announce a winner by TUESDAY next week (Dec 20)

Up for grabs on Gourmet Kitschen's FINAL Gastronomic Giveaways Week:

A P500 GC from Malcom's

A P1000 GC from Rue Bourbon

A P500 GC from Gino's brick Oven Pizza

P1000 GC from OPUS

1 Box Savoury Pies from Tina's Pie Outlet

GC for a Nutty Crispy Tower from Swensen's

THERE WILL ONLY BE ONE WINNER FOR ALL THESE GREAT PRIZES!For a chance to win, simply click on the comments link and answer this question:

What is the best gift you will be GIVING this Christmas and WHO are you giving it to?

Good Luck!!! :) Contest ends Monday, December 19 11:59 pm!

Also, please visit the Gourmet Kitschen Facebook page and click like for more updates on the upcoming online show! :)