Auntie Pearl's

Life as a university student is not complete without pizzas and burgers. After a tiring week of lectures, laboratory reports, research papers and exams, pizzas and burgers are the best stress relievers. But as a student whose daily sustenance depends mainly on weekly allowances from my payrents (a term invented by my mom’s friend for parents), I could only indulge in these comfort foods if the price is right!

A walking distance from the University of the Philippines Los Baños(UPLB) is an eating place called Auntie Pearl’s at Oregano Street corner Lemon Grass, Demarces Subdivision, Grove, Los Baños, Laguna. It is owned by an Italian named Frank DiBerardino and his Filipino wife Pearl.

The facade of Auntie Pearl’s at night. (Photo credit: Auntie Pearl's Facebook Page)

Auntie Pearl’s is celebrating its 1^st anniversary this month. With its recent expansion, Auntie Pearl’s has been attracting more customers, not only because of its sumptuous food, but also because of its comfy ambience. It is fully air conditioned and the interior design is truly eye-catching. 

Uncle Frank makes the dough for the pizza. (Photo credit: Auntie Pearl's Facebook Page)

Last Friday, I gathered my high school classmates to unwind and ease into a gastronomic excursion at Auntie Pearl’s.

I ordered a solo Pepperoni and Mushroom Pizza. The perfect combination of ingredients used creates a balance of flavor in each bite. Price: Php 69.00! 

            Meat Lovers (Php 399.00) for all of us to share.

A closer look at Auntie Pearl’s Meat Lovers pizza.

    My BFF Charmaine could not resist the very tempting Hotdog with Chili and Cheese (Php59.00)

Delizioso!

Next time around, we will order flame-grilled burgers. Their best seller is the Jerry Belly Buster, Php 109.00 (left). (Photo credit: Auntie Pearl's Facebook Page)

Uncle Frank and Auntie Pearl, tornerò presto. Grazie! (I will be back soon. Thank you!)

Dear Darla

The pizza cut into rectangular slices

Step 1: Take a rectangular slice of pizza

Step 2: Spread a layer of arugula greens and top with alfalfa sprouts. Drizzle with chili oil.

Step 3: Roll the pizza crust tightly.

Step 4: Roll until it forms a mini wrap.

Step 5: Dig in!

Are you a part of the Yellow Cab’s Dear Darla fans club?  Dear Darla, my all time favorite pizza derived its name from the characters Darla and Alfalfa in the movie, Little Rascals. The main ingredients of Dear Darla pizza are alfalfa sprouts and arugula leaves. Alfalfa, a member of the legume family, contains a wide range of vitamins making it a good source of anti-oxidant. The very succulent arugula leaf is best known for its phytochemical components, thus, high in anti-cancer properties.  Fresh-from-the-oven thin-crust pizza pie is cut into rectangular pieces and topped with  a special tomato sauce, cheese, onions, pepperoni and olives. The crunchy greens give a flicker of freshness to each bite of the Dear Darla pizza.

Whoever is behind the concoction of the Dear Darla pizza is a genius. A masterpiece, indeed.

Pizza and pasta night

Regular spaghetti noodles. Some of my health-conscious friends prefer whole-wheat pasta. Though whole-wheat pasta tastes a little different from the conventional pasta made with refined and processed flour, it contains more dietary fiber and other nutrients, thus, a healthier alternative.

Fresh basil leaves. We get our supply from our very own small herb garden. Basil is a bestseller culinary herb in our home, especially since my sister’s most acclaimed dish is pesto pasta. Our relatives and friends swear by my sister’s expertise on this dish. Promise, I will feature her pesto pasta in my future blogs. Basil contains many chemical compounds that are known to have disease preventing properties. Also, it is a good source of Iron.

      Of course, the tomato sauce. Tomato not only satisfies our taste buds but also helps fight diseases because of its Lycopene content, a vital anti-oxidant.

The final product. Yummmm!

What's a pasta without a pizza? This simple pizza has grated cheese, hotdogs, ham, onion, tomato sauce. 

    

        
         I am so thrilled because this is my first blog. I can't wait to share with you all my food adventures. So last night, my sister and I decided to prepare a pizza and a pasta for dinner. She did the pasta, which was Spaghetti with tomato sauce, lean ground beef and fresh basil, while I made the pizza. She always cooks spaghetti, Italian style (not sweet). The rich sauce was made more special with the sweet aroma of chopped fresh basil leaves Please take note: Make sure to add the basil leaves towards the end of your cooking so that the volatile oils will not be dissipated by heat. For the pizza, I used tomato sauce, onions, hotdogs, ham, and grated cheese. A very simple and easy-to-do meal for your loved ones.