Desert Beauty

Visiting some friends this summer in El Paso, Texas brought a lot of pleasant surprises. We got a first hand introduction to a bit of Tex-Mex culture. Situated so near the Mexican border, you can actually see the hills of this central American country. It felt like we were in one of those tele-novela's and going about was like being lost in translation.

Dinner one Sunday was at Cattleman's, located within the desert just off the city limits. As the name evoke's, it is a carnivore's mecca with it's own cattle ranch. What impressed me more was the unexpected beauty of this seemingly desolate land. Being able to catch the sunset made this experience even more melodramatic.

Going over some photos makes me want to reach out for their Frozen Margarita made with the juice of a local cacti, perfect for an end-of-the-day cocktail.

USDA Prime Challenge

A good thick steak is something we REALLY enjoy in our house. We have also come to a conclusion that the best steaks are those that we prepare and cook at home either pan-fried or grilled over hot coals and served with whatever we want. No fancy sauces, just the taste of pure meat.

Having the chance to purchase USDA Prime (which we have never tried before), we decided to put it to a challenge against lower graded steaks. Verdict......it's called Prime because it is.

The Bread of the Month

A few months back, the New York Times' own Mark Bittman featured a no-knead bread from the Sullivan Bakery. For a while, I think this was one bread recipe tried in kitchens all over the world. I would visit blog sites and this no-knead bread would keep popping up. This is my own Sullivan bread served still warm, with some Italian salami.

"Get Lost" place

Paradise found.....Living in a small town can be a good thing especially during long, boring weekends. It gives us reason to drive to Siaton town, a 50-minute drive south of Dumaguete and spend a day or two at our favorite "get lost" place, Antulang Resort. Positioned at the southern-most tip of Negros Island, it is a place of refuge from our daily anxious and antsy lives.