Gruyéres - the misty mountains of Switzerland

When wonder | wander | women touched down in Switzerland for the very first time, it was the wettest, gloomiest day of the summer. Sometimes even storybook wishes can be granted in mysterious ways.

comfort food

wonder | wander | women are not cooks by nature. Only learning to cook in our mid-thirties, when we had our own kitchens to putz around in or lord over. 

Growing up in our grand/mother's home, none of us learned to cook. When she was around, she did it all - quickly and distinctly her way. 

battered bible of basics

We love our food too much to not take an interest in it - even if we did not start out very hands on. We would collect cookbooks and pile them by our bedside to read through before bedtime. 

the heart of home

Tucked into the lush landscape of Negros Island, the Gaston ancestral home in Hacienda Santa Rosalia was built in the 1930s. Constructed by descendant Jose Gaston, married to Consuelo Azcona - it is the home where they raised their eight children amidst a bustling sugarcane plantation. 

This decades old Filipino French villa has undergone several striking transformations through tumultuous years in the tropical climate and fraught history of the Philippines. The Gaston generations have since struggled to honor its heritage by opening its doors to the public - sharing their gracious home and life history with us. 

Hacienda Santa Rosalia - where stories live & roots run deep

The project seeks to preserve the site’s original structure - retaining key historical elements and preserving its old world grandeur. It remains a spacious, secluded retreat that has accommodated a large growing family while maintaining the soul of the original owners. 

Punta Bulata 2: native feasts

Back in London it is too cold for June: the sun comes and goes, and the weather is windy and rainy more often than clear. wonder | wander | women comfort ourselves with the recent memory of our visit to Punta Bulata, and besides the scenery and the swimming, we daydream about the food.

squid sisig

cozy winter comfort food

Living in multicultural cities, wonder | wander | women delight in finding all sorts of special cuisine from cultures all over the world. Still, we love to turn to a few comfort foods we've come to seek out when tiredness strikes and the cravings pop up.

Maomao and Jinshi buy street yakitori, from The Apothecary Diaries

wander for wonder

wonder | wander | women are on a month long indulgence of our happy feet after years of not traveling much at all. 

Mahala & Issa at the Hotel Okura walkway

This last week in the Philippines has been a dizzying whirlwind of errands and visits with local specialists and friends. Trips to favorite pasalubong centers and eateries we grew up with and continue to long for. 

Mimi's Cafe & pasalubong center

heart finds, soul food

It's been so long since wonder | wander | women were back on our native island. We have truly adopted and been adopted by our new homes abroad, so it's taking us a while to relearn island living.

There's one thing that never fails to make us feel at home. Food, of course! Ilonggo (or Hiligaynon) food is distinctive from other regions of the Philippines. Each province has its own native flavours.

new adventures in comfort food

Even before quarantine, I always preferred staying at home to going out and even eating out. It was a good time to discover what my comfort food was, and experiment with whatever was in my fridge.

Pork and mushroom noodle soup

I enjoyed getting restaurant and even grocery deliveries, and was grateful to be able to order whatever I wanted when sheltering in place. Although I tend to have a repetitive taste - I just cook my favourites over and over again because they're easy and I don't get tired of them.

Chicken congee with crispy garlic

barrio fiesta easter

It's never too early in the year to enjoy some bone licking good barbeque. Summer is the height of the season - when backyards send of wafting scents to tantalize us on our neighborhood walkabouts. 

their local branch in Hoboken

For our Easter feast this year, we went with Myron Mixon's Pitmaster Barbeque from close by Hoboken, New Jersey. Going whole hog with Myron's award-winning competition recipes of the best sourced meats cooked in custom built smokers. 

half rack of baby back ribs

friends al fresco

After who knows how long, vaccinations in the UK are at the point where it's finally less risky to go out to the park and have some snacks and drinks with friends (at a safe distance) again. 

42 - the answer?

I was so excited to turn 42 this year. In the Douglas Adams science fiction series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the number 42 is given as the answer to "life, the Universe, and everything." 

Art corner at VANS in Seven Dials

summer eating for damp days

This summer in London has been a rollercoaster. wonder | wander | women are all turned around between sunny summer days and wet rainy days...and often sun and rain chase each other in a single day. This has made the garden mushrooms pretty happy.

indoor adventures: yaki onigiri

wonder | wander | women love the kind of food that you can have as a meal or a snack. They're great for eating at the movies, refueling while working, or watching TV together at home. Yaki onigiri, or grilled rice balls, are some of our favourites.

Photo courtesy of Just One Cookbook

Season's greetings, social distance style!

Like many other people who celebrate Christmas, wonder | wander | women changed plans this year to celebrate at home. Like many other Filipinos, we're used to spending the holidays away from our families, and have our own long-distance traditions. 

My favourite window: sun in the daytime, Christmas lights at night

indoor adventures: one pot wonders

wonder | wander | women have talked a lot about the electric lunchbox and how it changed our daily cooking and eating. Sadly our first kitchen friend stopped working and we had to get a new one!

feeding our souls

On a Viber thread with some former dorm mates from university, it was a joy to read this piece of light fun - especially with everything so sensitive and explosive going on.

In the Philippines much of our culture and conversation are rooted in, on, and around food. We delight over its history, preparation, cooking, displaying, eating, and most definitely describing it in its minutest detail and obscure facet.

keeping a rich heritage alive - home, decor, crafts, food at Casa A Gamboa

a bellyful of winter warmers

The chill and the dark of the BRRRR months are fully upon us, and a small fuzzy part of my heart just wants to curl up and go to sleep. But as wonder | wander | women are people and not squirrels or lizards, we still need the energy to get up and go out into the cold.

friends + food = NYC

One of the best perks in life for wonder | wonder | women is sharing a great love of good and interesting food with fellow food lovers.

Penthouse view from Gaonnuri

When we find someone and can keep them engaged for decades, our shared gastronomical delight grows exponentially with the years.

happy camper's happy meals

If there's anything wonder | wander | women love, it's food and good home-cooked meals. One of us is a good home cook, and one of us is...learning. Fortunately I have two magic tools.

goOOod foOOod

It has been a while since wonder | wander | women shared a fave recipe with our followers. Here goes.

our homemade dish

We got motivated by posts from dear friends of some food shots.