The Avocado sandwich that became more than an avocado sandwich

I've seen a number of people use avocado as a sandwich filler, and so I have gotten used to this although initially I found it odd (as did most Filipinos here in New Zealand, I'm sure).  You see, avocadoes are consumed differently in the Philippines.  It's mixed with evaporated milk and sugar and thus eaten as a sweet treat.  It's never used in sandwiches or salads.

Pavlova

So after you've made your yema balls, what do you do with the egg whites? Make Pavlova, of course!

Pavlova is a popular meringue-based dessert here in New Zealand. The name sounds Russian because it actually is; this dish is named after Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova, who toured Australia and New Zealand in the 1920s. This is usually served during Christmas and special occasions but I will add another reason to make Pavlova: when you have leftover egg whites!

Here's an important tip: make this dessert the night before.  This is because you will need to let the Pavlova rest inside the oven overnight.  The probability of deflating is high when you take it out of the oven immediately, so it's best to just leave it in until it has sufficiently cooled down.

Fresh Guacamole

Not exactly related to food, I know, but I found this video amusing and thought it will be an interesting short film to watch if you haven't yet.

About this film:
"The 2013 Academy Award® Nominated film by PES. Fresh Guacamole is the shortest film ever nominated for an Oscar®.

Fresh Guacamole was originally commisioned by Showtime as part of its "Short Stories" series and first appeared on Showtime's YouTube channel for a period of 1 year (March 7, 2012 - March 7, 2013). In that time the film tallied 7,842,373 views. Since YouTube does not allow view counts on a film to be transferred between channels, the upload here on PESfilm has to start again at zero. It is the only place online to see the film for free."

Yema balls

Yema is a traditional Filipino candy, made primarily with egg yolks and condensed milk.  It is commonly formed into a pyramid shape and wrapped with coloured cellophane, making this a festive treat.  Ground peanuts can also be added.

Fish salad

Our friend Cacay made this fish salad when we had a get-together in their home recently.  She announced that she was making a dish similar to kilawin (which is the Filipino version of the fish salad), but in this instance she will be followed a process done in the Pacific Island of Samoa.

How to cook the perfect pasta

Thanks to America's Test Kitchen for this video.


One practice we have that has been debunked here is the use of oil in the boiling water.
We do not rinse our pasta in cold water, so that's a thumbs-up for us!
I hope you also learn a few tricks in this video.