Mothers Who Brunch: Cook. Snap. Eat. Chat.

Mothers Who Brunch came about when Sabrina Go and I started planning a little get together with our friends who wanted to learn more about cooking. Ultimately, we just wanted an excuse to get together in the Viking Kitchen, and it proved to be the inspiration to a plethora of wonderful ideas for the first gathering. It’s very clear that Sabs and I have similar tastes and cooking styles in the kitchen. I even noticed during our second event that we even had the same kind of slate cheeseboard.

It’s uncanny how many similarities we have once we start paying attention.

This new series of events has become such a joy to put together. We love gathering women. We love cooking with friends. AND We love posting about it on social media, particularly Instagram. This is where the inspiration to our second gathering of Mothers in the Viking Range Showroom came from.

Mothers Who Brunch: Cook. Snap. Eat. Chat.

We wanted to prepare brunch together. Cook.

We wanted to learn to take better photos of the food we prepare, for Instagram. Snap.

We wanted to enjoy our brunch. Eat.

AND We love the conversation exchanged amongst like minded mommas. Chat. 

 

BTS shot of #MothersWhoBrunch. Cooking, baking, styling, shooting, and chatting all in the @vikingrangeph showroom. I have always said that the kitchen is the heart of every home. Here, we gather mothers who enjoy spending time in the kitchen to learn from and inspire one another. Thanks @gia_jado for this awesome shot!

A photo posted by Michelle Aventajado (@mommanmanila) on Jun 27, 2015 at 4:58am PDT

Now y’all know I have always loved brunch…and I have always loved getting together with the ladies. Back home, I would find pretty much any excuse to get the girls together so that we could chit chat, eat, and LAUGH. Once we all had kids, we would still get together to do these things, the only difference was the kids running around and stopping to eat what we would prepare only to go back to playing with their friends again, while the parents sat around the table enjoying each others’ company as well.

As I have gotten older, I realize that each of the women who come to my table has much to offer me. I love the exchange. The SHARING of experiences. And we all know that whenever you get some women together…they start talking…and when they start talking…they start sharing.  Sharing is Caring.

In the interest of sharing, we asked the mothers who joined us to share one tip that works in the kitchen for them.

Here is what we learned from one another:

Did you know that you can make self rising flour all by yourself by consulting Mr. Google? Sometimes, it’s hard to find ingredients here, and when I cannot-I always turn to the internet for help. So during one of my searches, I realized that to make self rising flour all I had to do was combine 1 cup all purpose flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt.

Tina shared that you can make your own quinoa flour if you or your child is on a gluten free, wheat free diet.

Cat confessed that she throws a whole head of garlic in her stewed adobo because afterwards she loves to squeeze the soft garlicky goodness on top of her rice. (OH MY. I can imagine that now.)

Nicole advised us that the best way to spend time in the kitchen is in a relaxed way. Friends and family do not want to see a harassed cook! So sit back, relax, and have a glass of wine while you are cooking! It sets the mood and tone of your kitchen, doesn’t it? Mia taught us that if you would like to bake banana bread and you do not have over ripe bananas ready to mash-you can roast them in the oven until the skins are black and then mash away! Joey’s helpful tip was to make sure you don’t bake all your cookie dough at once. Instead, make sure you scoop out your desired cookie sizes, and then refrigerate or EVEN freeze your dough so that you can make fresh baked cookies ANY time you want! Another tip she divulged which I do sometimes, is to cook your veggies when you bring them home. They won’t be as quick to go bad sitting in the vegetable crisper this way. That means NO waste! Hooray for NO waste!

Michelle’s hint to keeping herbs fresh is by storing them in the refrigerator cut and in  clean glass of water. (THIS IS BRILLIANT.)

Cai shared that having the right appliances in the kitchen help make her life easier with no help in the house. She can throw dinner in the crockpot in the morning without having to worry. (I do this too.)

And Sabs gave a very helpful hint for those mommas who want to stop their pot of pasta water from boiling over and making yet another mess they would have to clean up afterwards. Simply put a wooden spoon across the pot so that the pot won’t boil over. 

And so, for this recent gathering of women in the Viking Kitchen Showroom, we were all happy to learn even more tips and tricks from Hazel Dizon and Ezra Antonio on ways to improve our food shots and our Instagram feeds. Many of the moms present, enjoy cooking and sharing what they make for their families on social media, so this mini tutorial was something that Sabs and I thought they would enjoy, just as much as we would.

We really wanted to make this event super special for the Mommas who would be joining us. We planned the menu and decided that Prime Rib would be a fabulous dish to serve them…after all, when we are talking about brunch, the possibilities are endless, right?

Prime Rib in my house is done by my husband. This is why we asked him if he wouldn’t mind sharing his recipe and the techniques involved to the PERFECT Rib Roast, and he happily agreed. Even when he was explaining to the girls who joined us, how we loved entertaining and have people at our home back in NY, he reminded me of just how it was back then.

He would take on the big roasts, the barbecue, the ham, and the MEAT. 

 

 

Now this is how to do brunch!! Thank you @mommanmanila for bringing your prime-rib-making husband! #motherswhobrunch #vikingrangeph @sinfullysabrina #f52grams #feedfeed #lifeandthyme @motherswhobrunch @vikingrangeph

 

A photo posted by 80 Breakfasts (@chichajo) on Jun 26, 2015 at 10:00pm PDT

I would handle side dishes, pasta, and dessert. Together, we would tag team in the kitchen, hang out with our family and friends, and enjoy good food and good conversation.

I guess that’s why, Sabs and I feel so passionate about how we have been able to put these little events together where we get to hang out with other Mommas. It’s all about making it good, and right, and FUN in the kitchen, which is the heart of our homes, and with some of these other ladies as well.

Make no mistake. We love food. We love to have a healthy relationship with food, and this is why we share our recipes with all of you without hesitation. 

Check out this photo stream of the ladies who joined us, the food we prepared, the VIKING equipment we prepared it on, and the photo styling tips and techniques that we picked up along the way.

 Hosting a smart phone photography workshop in the Viking Kitchen is easy to do when you also have really pretty food, like this SHORB from Shorts Gourmet.

Being able to photograph colorful macarons makes for playful subjects…yes… I’m talking about food as though it is playful! hehehe…

 Having Viking equipment to prepare delicious dishes with quality ingredients makes for beautiful celebrations of sharing and breaking bread together. 

 Even more so when you are with like minded women. 

 Hazel and Ezra together with Lady and Steph from Boqueria Lifestyle Market made it very easy for our participants to find inspiration in different layouts for each of our different dishes.

But really, what we enjoy the most was getting in the kitchen with the ladies, and even our daughters.

Sabrina and I would run upstairs and shoot some photos, then run downstairs to prepare the next dish or check on the food still waiting to be served. 

 And all the while, our blogger friends were able to shoot their own photos and learn from our experts.

 When Nino finally served up his Roasted Garlic Capped Wagyu Prime Rib, it made for a beautiful plate and a full tummy. I’m pretty sure the girls enjoyed this different take on brunch.

Chatting, learning from one another, and enjoying each other’s company is also part of this series of events. It’s the interaction between the ladies, as well as the relaxed vibe that allows us to explore the Viking Kitchen together through the food prepared and the meal we can indulge in. 

Part of what makes these gatherings so special are the way our sponsors spoil our mommas. Thank you to all of our sponsors who helped make MWB Part Deux extra special. 

 I love that I can share these things with my daughter…I imagine her a better version of me in the kitchen and in life…she’s brilliant, beautiful, talented and so compassionate. #LUCKYTOHAVEHER 

Even when we were shooting…there was this exchange of energy that I was so grateful for. It was more than fun and exciting, I felt as if it was the beginning of some new friendships too! 

 Thanks Jay for this fun shot!!! It’s the perfect example of how everything came together…

The day was made more fun with raffle prizes from sponsors as well.

Mothers Who Brunch Part Deux Recipe Cards

As always, our Mothers Who Brunch events are made even more fun by the sponsors who believe in cooking, eating, and sharing these experiences with other women.

Thank you most of all to VIKING RANGE in Westgate, Alabang for helping us share the beauty of cooking and preparing meals on superior equipment. If you are in the market for new appliances for the heart of your home, please visit our showroom. We have designers that you can work with to make your kitchen wishes a reality. I for one, cannot wait to put plans into action and build mine. Visit our website:  http://www.vikingrange.com.ph/ or call to schedule your visit to the showroom:  02-828-1363 / 0917-997-9879

Shorts Gourmet

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shortsgourmetmanila

Instagram: https://instagram.com/shortsgourmet

Tel:  +63-917-878-8818

GLAD Kitchen

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GladKitchen

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gladkitchen

Lemons and Greens

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lemonsandgreens

Instagram:  https://instagram.com/lemonsandgreens

Viber: +63-917-389-1980

The Flour Girl

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/theflourgirlbakery

Instagram: https://instagram.com/theflourgirl

Telephone: +63917 5436350

Fotogra Books

Website:  http://fotogra.ph/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FotograBooks

Instagram: https://instagram.com/fotograbooks

Kate Adajar from Slice of K

Website:  http://sliceofk.tumblr.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SliceOfK

Instagram:  https://instagram.com/sliceofk

Hydration Nation

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hydrationation

Instagram:  https://instagram.com/hydration.nation

All the photos in this post were shot by our photographer, Jay Santos, unless otherwise indicated.

Styling by Boqueria Lifestyle Market