Food Photography by Ryan Macalandag
I really hadn't known crepes are real easy to make. Our French friends Miriam and Tuff had made them once at their home in Manga (when they where still here) but I was so busy at the liquor table. Pastis are irresistible you know, so don't bum me about not helping in the kitchen! #$@*!
Anyways, to make the long story short, my wife insisted we (meaning me) tried making some. Turned out it was real easy. Piece of cake.
Here my recipe to a basic crepe:
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups skim milk
3 eggs
2 tablespoons oil (or butter)
salt to taste (optional)
Preparing the batter:
1. Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl. Get a bigger mixing bowl if you're clumsy like me or you'll be throwing stuff all around.
2. Pour in the flour and milk in small amounts at a time.
3. Mix well until there are no lumps of flour in the batter. I used a wooden ladle to mix and tried to squish the lumps on the side of the bowl. It works. Honest.
4. Mix in the oil and salt.
"Frying" the batter:
1. Get a real good crepe pan. One that is flat, round and non-stick. I heard in France, crepe pans are family treasures. They are kept for a long time and even passed along to children (when they grow up, not when they're small, dummy).
2. Heat the pan to about 200-and-then-some degrees or when it is really hot or about 3 minutes on medium heat.
3. Wipe some oil to keep the batter from sticking.
4. Pour in about 3/4 of a cup of batter into the pan. Flatten the batter by tilting the pan sideways and round.
5. After a few seconds, flip the crepe (I flipped the crepe one handed on my first try! Psheeeet). I like my crepes a bit browned on both sides. Then, that's it. A crepe for you and your family!
Eating the crepe:
Easy huh? There are a lot of ways to eat crepe. You can use choco cream, peanut butter, olive oil, margarine, butter, fruits, meat, or just about anything.
There are also different kinds of folds. I can't tell you the ways 'coz mostly I just dunk 'em crepes into my hungry mouth!
A word of caution though, never try to put all fillings altogether or you'll be full in no time!
Some references:
Basic Crepes
How to make a basic crepe
Cooking Debauchery: Crepes
Food Network: Crepes
Friday, February 29, 2008
Food: Crepes 101
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Wedding: Antonio & Pressia, Waterfront Davao
Wedding Photography by Ryan Macalandag
Waterfront Insular Hotel, Davao City, Philippines
Antonio and Pressia were already married in Spain right after the Christmas of 2007. But since most of their friends were in the Philippines (and couldn't go to Spain for the wedding), the couple decided to hold a wedding party here in the Philippines.
Which was really good. I had always wanted to go to Davao for so long a time. Antonio invited me to go and be the official wedding/party photographer. I grabbed the invitation, of course.
The party was held at the Waterfront Insular Hotel in Davao City. It's one of the bigger hotels there.
After more than half a day of travel (from Bohol to Davao, via Butuan), we arrived in Davao City around lunch time. After a super heavy lunch in SM City Davao, we dropped by downtown to grab some stuff and went ahead to the hotel after. So I really didn't have time to rest. By 3pm, I started preparing for the shoot, scouting for locations, casing the joint..the beach wasn't that nice, I noticed. By 4pm I proceeded to the couple's room to start shooting preps.
The venue was in an open-air bar at the end of a narrow walkway just off the hotel's beachfront. The couple marched the walkway and were greeted with percussionists beating the drums and chanting.
As soon as they reached the throng of guests, a simple ceremony was started. Again, as they were already married in Spain, a prayer for the couple was made and greetings were said. It was short but sweet.
The party which followed the buffet dinner was a blast. It really helps that guests are close friends. Everyone stayed on 'til late and had a helluva great time.
Party music was provided by - none other than - (the great) DJ Bodo himself.
No wonder "YMCA" was such a great hit.
And the people were out and proud with their 80's dance moves.
Even Antonio who was never a dancer (he claims), burned the dance floor away.
All in all, we had a great time and tons of fun...especially the couple. Of course, especially the couple!
For the rest of the photos in this set,
Flickr Album.
Picassa Web Album
Monday, February 18, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Travel: Davao at last!
Travel Photography by Ryan Macalandag
In my 27 years of existence, I have never been to Davao until last January. A Spanish friend who had their post-wedding party in Davao (their wedding ceremony was in Spain) invited friends over. As usual, I was to be their official wedding photographer. When we got married, Antonio was one of the groomsmen so it was kinduv an exchange of favor, except that Antonio had to pay for my travel expenses. haha
So anyways, I really had opted to go to Davao through the boat-bus route and not by plane so I can explore Mindanao some more. And explore we sure did. Mindanao is a huge island so our bus ride from Butuan was long -- about 7 hours. We took the new air-con Bachelor bus so we were comfortably seated.
Here are some photos from the trip.
#1 This was shot in the Port of Jagna, Bohol. The boat left at around 11pm and arrived in Nasipit at around 5am. Terence is still a bit drunk from the 2 San Miguel grandes we downed.
#2 This is a shot of the Bachelor Bus interiors. We rode on this from Butuan City to Davao. Took us about 6-7 hours.
#3 We arrived Davao City around lunch time. This is the facade of the Ateneo de Davao University.
#4 We we strolling around downtown Davao to look for some little bronze bells that Tito wanted to buy.
#5 At the wedding party..Tito, me, Terence and Antonio.
#6 These vendors are persistent!
#6 We went home a couple of days after. This time, we rode the Bus to Cagayan de Oro City and took a boat direct to Tagbilaran City from there. We left around 7pm and arrived at around 5:30, just in time for this perfect (just before) sunrise shot.
#8 As the ferry drew close to the pier, some Badjaos (sea gypsies) came paddling around on the side of the ship to dive for coins.
To view more photos from this trip, please click here.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Events: My sister just got married!
Wedding Photography by Ryan Macalandag
My sister Elaine Marie Macalandag just got wed to Dennis Bacquial last February 2, 2008. The wedding ceremony was held in K of C Church in Tagbilaran City, Bohol.
This shot of their wedding ring was done using a snooted SB-600. Now, I don't carry a special snoot around but I just use found objects (as always) as a light modifier. For this one, I used the "misalette" a small booklet for the ceremony.
Notice the invitation. I and my wife, Reg, were tasked to make the invites and we had chosen the black and magenta combinations. As we expected, people were astonished at the color scheme! I think it's quite nice though. :)
The preparations were done in Water Paradise Resort in Taloto District. The room was small so I was forced to crop my shots. It helped that I only used the Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 for most of the preps shots.
During the preps, the TV was tuned in to Wowowee (KAPAMILYA!) and Ethel Booba with Pokwang were in a tandem sing-off against the sisters-duo of Aegis. It was a laugh trip.
Photo below is my Ma and Pa clapping their hands after the ceremony.
Aside from the invitation, we also took care of the cake. We opted to get one from Ramirez Cakes and Pastries, the leading wedding cake supplier in all of Tagbilaran, IMHO.
Here is a beautiful shot of an equally beautiful (and delicious, too!) cake.
For more of this set, please click here.
Photobin: Sunset Watching
Sunset Photos by Ryan Macalandag
Every time we go sunset watching, I still can't help myself but be amazed at how the day turns into night. The entire process is just as beautiful as each moment the sun sets. The burst of colors, the drama of the clouds hovering, the graceful dance of the waves in the sea. And most of all, it is made special if one enjoys it in the company of friends - drinking coffee, smoking a cigarette, or even just sharing a tetra pack of orange-flavored Zesto.
For more of my sunset photos, click here.
