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Mia P. Manansala Quotes

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Famous Mia P. Manansala Quotes

“Lola Flor pointed to the suman, saying, "Sweet sticky rice cooked in coconut milk and steamed in banana leaves. The banana leaves give the rice its distinctive flavor. They're garnished with latik. Caramelized coconut curds," she added at Derek's confused look. "In the bowl is ginataang bilo-bilo. Chewy rice balls, tapioca pearls, jackfruit, purple yam, and saba banana cooked in sweet coconut milk. The best thing to eat on a cold day like this.”

RiceBananasCoconutsFilipino Cuisine
Book:Arsenic and Adobo
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“When I grabbed the untouched bowl of ginataang bilo-bilo, Derek stopped me. "I haven't tried this yet. I can't write a full review if I don't taste everything on offer." I shrugged and slid it in front of him. "Knock yourself out. It's one of my favorite cold-weather treats, so I hope you enjoy it." Usually consumed for breakfast or at snack time for meryenda, it had all the comfort of a warm bowl of oatmeal but enough sweetness to qualify as dessert. While it wasn't the most Instagram-worthy dish, the various textures of soft and chewy with a bit of bite, combined with the sweet creaminess of the thickened coconut milk and my lola's deft touch made it the Filipino culinary equivalent of hygge. Pure coziness and warmth in a bowl.”

Comfort FoodFilipino CuisineSweet And Savory
Book:Arsenic and Adobo
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“Luckily, we always had chicken legs in the fridge and plenty of soy sauce and brown sugar. But what else was in it? The salty sweetness was the dominant flavor, but it was more well-rounded than that. There was a depth and brightness. Calamansi! My eyes alit on the bottle of citrus juice we kept on hand when we couldn't find the fresh fruit. That must've been what she used. And what else... I closed my eyes, picturing myself at this kitchen table, the fragrant chicken piled on top of a steaming bowl of white rice, a tiny dribble of dark sauce squiggled across. I smiled and opened my eyes. Garlic. Of course.”

CookingChickenSense Of TasteMemories Of MotherSecret Ingredient
Book:Homicide and Halo-Halo
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“Oh. My. God. Are the two of you wearing matching cardigans?" I had gotten so used to Longganisa dressing in cutesy outfits and doing multiple costume changes in a day that I had to glance down at her to remind myself of what she was wearing. "Yeah, Adeena has been obsessed with crochet lately and made these for us. It was Longganisa's birthday last month and this was her present. Well, one of them." Adeena, who loved colors and patterns as much as Ninang Mae did, had also been trying to get me to incorporate more color into my wardrobe. The chunky burnt orange cardigan with oversize buttons was a nice compromise for us, and looked absolutely adorable on Longganisa as well. She knew I couldn't turn down a cute matching outfit. Longganisa cautiously approached Cleo, who hadn't moved from her position at Quinn's feet. There was something regal about the older dog, as if she were waiting for Longganisa to present herself and curtsy. The two sniffed each other for a moment and, after a quick glance at me, Longganisa kneaded the blanket that Cleo was lying on into a little nest before curling up next to her. Cleo must've accepted her because she just laid her head on Longganisa and the two of them promptly fell asleep. Cue me and Quinn whipping out our phones to take pictures and trying not to sob from the cuteness.”

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Book:Guilt and Ginataan
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“I need to take Longganisa for her morning walk." My adorable dachshund accompanied me to work every day and was content to spend most of the day napping in my office, but I tried to be good dog parent and take her out for multiple walks throughout the day. The Brew-ha Cafe was dog-friendly, and Nisa proved to be one of our most successful promo attempts. Whenever people saw her walking around in her adorable Brew-ha Cafe-themed outfits, custom-made by my friend's daughter, they'd stop and ask to pet her. The perfect opportunity to hand over my business card and invite them to the cafe. Today, Nisa was outfitted in a lemon-yellow Brew-ha Cafe dress and a little flower crown to welcome spring.”

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Book:Murder and Mamon
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“This tastes so familiar!" Sana said. "That sourness... is it from tamarind?" When I nodded, she grinned, the dazzling smile lighting up her whole face. "I knew it. My family's originally from Trinidad, and we use it in a bunch of dishes. This soup is new to me, but somehow it tastes like home, you know?" She attacked the soup and rice with new vigor, and so did I, both of us patting sweat away with the paper napkins on the table. Rob noticed this and frowned. "I don't understand how you two can eat soup on such a hot day." I snorted. "What, do you think people in hot climates never eat soup?" Sana added, "Why do you think so many tropical countries eat spicy food? Sweating is healthy and helps us cool off. Removes toxins from the body, too.”

SweatingReminiscentSpicy FoodTamarind
Book:Homicide and Halo-Halo
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“Longganisa was curled up on her bed beneath my desk but stood up to greet me. Today, she was outfitted in a leaf-patterned hoodie that bore the Brew-ha Cafe logo. Cute, simple, and practical since Longganisa hated the cold. I clipped on her leash and led her around the cafe. Her usual admirers surrounded us, and we spent some time on pets and belly rubs. When we got to the front of the shop, Leslie was helping Adeena bag her order. "Longganisa, show your Tita Adeena some love." Adeena was more of a cat person, but she loved my little wiener dog almost as much as I did. Longganisa adored her as well, and Adeena was the only person other than me and Jae who was allowed to pick her up. Even Tita Rosie didn't get that privilege. Adeena snuggled Longganisa close to her chest, and Longganisa rewarded her with a few licks. "Oh, my bestest girl. Your kisses will sustain me through all my family lecturing.”

DogPuppy LoveDachshundHoodie
Book:Guilt and Ginataan
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“I reached into my tote bag and pulled out one of our huge carryout boxes. "Matcha mamon! Mamon isn't too different from Japanese castella, and I figured adding matcha would give it a little extra flavor and make it perfect for a Japanese restaurant. I also made matcha white chocolate chip cookies and strawberry-matcha mochi donuts, plus a basic parfait idea that you can adapt seasonally.”

FusionJapaneseFilipinoPastriesMatcha
Book:Murder and Mamon
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“We all helped ourselves to a piece and took a bite. The bittersweet flavor of good chocolate combined with the richness of olive oil and the flakes of sea salt on top overtook my mouth, and for a moment, Adeena and I sounded like we were reenacting that one Meg Ryan scene in When Harry Met Sally. Over the top? A little. But what can I say? Sometimes a good brownie just hits like that.”

Olive OilBrowniesFoodgasmSea SaltWhen Harry Met Sally
Book:Death and Dinuguan
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“Nisa and Poe were curled up in her large dog bed together, napping peacefully. Poe's tongue was out in a permanent blep as he slept, and Nisa's head was tucked under Poe's chin, narrowly avoiding his tongue. "Oh. My. Gulay. This is the cutest thing ever!" I whipped out my phone and started snapping a million pictures. Elena nodded. "I know. I had no idea I needed small dogs spooning in my life, but this has made my entire week. They are so sweet together.”

Small DogsCuteness OverloadSpooning
Book:Blackmail and Bibingka
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“I hope you don't have a hangover after all this." I wasn't sure if I should be annoyed or touched by how he was trying to look out for me, so I figured some light teasing was in order. "Unlike you, I'm still in my twenties, so I'll be fine. Get me another sports drink and a bunch of salty carbs and I'll be ready for my morning run with Longganisa." He clutched at his chest in fake pain. "Well, since this old man needs to sleep soon, maybe I should drop you straight at home and let your aunt and grandmother help you." "Nooo, I'm sorry! I'll treat you to your favorite seaweed snacks and those honey butter chips you love." He leaned over for a quick kiss. "Acceptable.”

Boyfriend And GirlfriendTeasing Banter
Book:Murder and Mamon
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“I come bearing brews and treats for Longganisa. There was a gourmet pet store by the restaurant I went to last night and the salesperson promised these treats were both delicious and diet-friendly." Jae held up a four-pack of beer, a bottle of Adeena's cold brew, a bag of Elena's calming tea blend, and a box of organic dog treats. "Where should I put them?" I led him into the kitchen, where Longganisa lay in wait. As soon as he stepped into the room, she pounced on his legs, barking and nudging him until he'd set down everything and stooped down to pet her. "Hey there, Longganisa. I missed you, too." He held out a treat and she went still. "Son jooseyo." She put a chubby paw in his hand and received a treat in return. I laughed to myself at this scene as I washed my hands and got dinner ready. Jae had taken Nisa out one day when I was sick, and his mom had taught my dog the command for "paw" in Korean. Which was adorable in itself, but it wasn't until Jae translated and explained his mom had been politely asking my dog to "please give me your hand" that I melted.”

DogTreatsAwwwwwwwwwwwwBoyfriend MaterialPawNew Tricks
Book:Homicide and Halo-Halo
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“Large fountain glasses arrived at our table, layered with sweet beans, caramelized saba bananas, jackfruit, palm fruit, nata de coco, and strips of macapuno topped with shaved ice, evaporated milk, a slice of leche flan, a healthy scoop of ube halaya, and a scattering of pinipig, the toasted glutinous rice adding a nice bit of crunch. This frosty rainbow confection raised my spirits every time I saw it, and both Sana and I pulled out our phones to take pictures of the dish. She laughed. "This is almost too pretty to eat, so I wanted to document its loveliness before digging in." "This is for the restaurant's social media pages. My grandmother only prepares this dish in the summer, so I need to remind our customers to come while it lasts." "How do we go about this?" Rob asked, looking at his rapidly melting treat in trepidation. "Up to you. You can mix everything together like the name says so that you get a bit of everything in each bite. Or you can tackle it layer by layer. I'm a mixing girl, but you better figure it out fast or you're going to be eating dessert soup." We all dug in, each snowy bite punishing my teeth making me shiver in delight. I loved the interplay of textures---the firmness of the beans versus the softness of the banana and jackfruit mingling with the chewiness of the palm fruit, nata de coco, and macapuno. The fluffy texture of the shaved ice soaked through with evaporated milk, with the silky smoothness of the leche flan matched against the creaminess of the ube halaya and crispiness of the pinipig. A texture eater's (and sweet tooth's) paradise. "This is so strange," Valerie said. "I never would've thought of putting all these things together, especially not in a dessert. But it works. I mean, I don't love the beans, but they're certainly interesting. And what are these yellow strips?" "Jackfruit. When ripe, they're yellow and very sweet and fragrant, so they make a nice addition to lots of Filipino desserts. They were also in the turon I brought to the meeting earlier. Unripe jackfruit is green and used in vegetarian recipes, usually.”

Ice CreamDessertFilipinoFruitsMixed UpShaved IceTexturesJackfruit
Book:Homicide and Halo-Halo
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“Hey bruha, about time you came to visit me. You been with Tita Rosie for what, two or three months now? And you're only coming around now that you need me for something?" She made a noise with her lips and gestured to Amir. "Even Mr. Big-Time Lawyer here knows how to make time for his family. What's your excuse?" I pasted a smile on my face as I screamed on the inside. "Missed you too, Ate Bernie. And in case no one told you, I've been busy helping Tita Rosie and Lola Flor run the restaurant. Maybe if your ex-boyfriend stopped being trash and came to help his mom, I'd have more free time.”

Hot Takes
Book:Arsenic and Adobo
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“How is my freedom at stake and everything is still all about Lila?" I froze, my own dessert spoon halfway to my mouth. "What? The only reason we're all gathered here tonight is for you. You're the one who asked me to investigate." "Yes, to help me. And instead you're twisting it into some quest your beloved suitors need to fulfill in order to win you over. Spoiler alert, Lila: Nobody likes love triangles. Nobody.”

Hot TakesLove TrianglesEnvy And Spite
Book:Homicide and Halo-Halo
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“Adeena had created rose lattes before, as well as rose and cardamom drinks, but even though she'd been working on a drink that echoed the flavors of gulab jamun since the Brew-ha Cafe had opened, she hadn't been able to come up with an iteration she liked enough to put on the menu. Gulab jamun consisted of fried balls of milk solids soaked in a sugar syrup flavored with rosewater, cardamom, and sometimes saffron. Even though the flavors seemed straightforward enough to replicate in a latte, the espresso easily overpowered the rose unless you got the proportions just right. Cardamom and saffron were also strong spices, so she'd been tinkering with the recipe on and off for the past couple of years.”

RoseFlavorSpicesLatteGulab Jamun
Book:Death and Dinuguan
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“Elena said, "I've been wanting to make olive oil soap but haven't found a bulk supplier I'm happy with yet. I'd love to check out the shop with you!" "I had no interest in those trendy olive oil lattes before, but if it'll help with the case, I'd be more than happy to give it a try and see if it's worth adding to the menu," Adeena said. "Love a good tax write-off/investigation combo." "An olive oil cake might be a nice addition. I know citrus pairs well with olive oil, so maybe adding some calamansi to the cake itself and topping it with a calamansi glaze or serving it with calamansi marmalade would---”

MerchandiseBrainstormingOlive Oil
Book:Guilt and Ginataan
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“How's it go--- Whoa." Jae stood in front of the full-length multisided mirror in the back as Quinn fussed with his outfit. He was dressed in a slim-fitting maroon suit that somehow highlighted all of his best assets and drew attention to ones I didn't even know he had. He met my eyes in the mirror. "You approve?" It took everything in me to not shout, YES, ABSOLUTELY, BUY IT NOW AND WEAR IT OUT OF THE STORE, so I just nodded like a bobblehead on the dashboard of a car hitting every single pothole on a Chicago street.”

BoyfriendSuitMaroonSexy As Hell
Book:Guilt and Ginataan
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