ARTFUL COOK BOOK

"Cooking is an art and patience a virtue... Careful shopping, fresh ingredients and an unhurried approach are nearly all you need. There is one more thing - love. Love for food and love for those you invite to your table. With a combination of these things you can be an artist - not perhaps in the representational style of a Dutch master, but rather more like Gauguin, the naïve, or Van Gogh, the impressionist. Plates or pictures of sunshine taste of happiness and love." -Keith Floyd, A Feast of Floyd
"Find something you're passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it.”- Julia Child

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Due to popular demand I am re-posting my blog about the"Global Filipino Cuisine." Thanks to every one who supported this cookbook project.TITLE OF PAINTING: "THANKSGIVING -PINOY STYLE"SIZE: 30" x 38"
MEDIUM: OIL ON CANVAS

DESCRIPTION ABOUT THE PAINTING: This is one of my brand new paintings on display during my past art show last September 2008. I always believe that a family that eats and prays together stays together. Thanksgiving Day among Filipino families in America is celebrated with abundant food. While Americans typically enjoy a roasted turkey with all the trimmings, plus salad and pumpkin pie for dessert, Filipino families are not content with just having the turkey. They prepare turkey with all the trimmings, plus many more Filipino food-like fried lumpia, pancit (noodles), and native vegetables. Dessert is not just pumpkin pie. There are fresh fruits, fruit salad, cassava cakes, and leche flan. That's Thanksgiving celebration with Filipino style. I love vibrant Thanksgiving palette that abounds in the myriad autumn leaves color at this season of the year, which come in yellow, orange, pumpkin, red, burgundy, sienna, ochre,and brown. Last November, 2008, I donated this oil painting to KCS-KALUSUGAN COMMUNITY SERVICES of San Diego, California. It was their 6th anniversary celebration. This non-profit health organization was founded by my sister, Dr. Ofelia V. Dirige and his friend Dr. Riz Oades. The mission of KCS is to promote health and improve the quality of life among Filipinos and Fil-Americans by promoting and advocating positive changes in lifestyle through shared community involvement and respect for regional diversity, traditional values and belief systems. KCS, formerly Project Kalusugan was established in 1992 for the purpose of developing a coalition and conducting a health needs assessment. If you like to know more about this group please check out their website: http://www.webkalusugan.org/

The above painting is featured on the cover page of their 6th anniversary souvenir program. And recently on the latest KSC cookbook. BOOK LAUNCHING: Lately Kalusugan Community Services came out with a cookbook called "Global Filipino Cuisine." It's a very colorful cook book with my "Thanksgiving- Pinoy Style" oil painting on the cover. The book was launched last August 15,2009 at the Jacob Center Celebration Hall in San Diego, California. The event was called "Extravaganza III." We feasted on many Filipino American dishes. There were food demonstrations by executive chefs. Also colorful folk dance entertainment. The book launch was a success. The proceed from the sales of the book will go toward the many programs initiated by KCS. It's currently for sale at $25.00 plus $5.00 shipping.
This is the photo of my beautiful grand daughter Audrey and me with the cookbook. Filipino cuisine is a blend of traditional, native cooking, and the best of foreign culinary practices. It has its niche in the current trend of globalization, hence the title of this book. the tasty recipes in the 200-paged cookbook were modified to be healthy-lower in fat, cholesterol, salt and sugar. Unlike most recipe books, its unique feature is the analysis of selected nutrients and food components based on the USDA Database, as well as a simpler method using the 2008 Diet Exchanges by the American Dietetic Association and the American Diabetes Association.

THE ARTIST (Ebb Tide- right photo) and her husband, Rhod. My husband and I always believed in the mission of KCS. Over the years, we are actively involve and financially supported the organization, although we live in Valencia, Santa Clarita.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS: Dr. Ofelia V. Dirige (the woman in the middle-left photo) is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the KCS Fil-Am Wellness Center. She obtained her B.S major in Nutrition dietetics from the University of the Philippines (UP). She came to the US in 1966 and obtained her MS in Nutrition from the University of Hawaii through the East-West center grant and DrPH from University of California Los Angeles. She has worked for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health; and taught at the UH School of public Health and San Diego State University (SDSU) Graduate School of Public Health, Maternal and Child Health division. She currently teaches at SDSU Center for Asian Studies; is also a registered Dietician (RD). She is a recipient of numerous awards for research and outstanding community services. Dr. Riz A. Oades (right side of the photo) is the Founder and Director of Kalusugan Community Services. He's also History Professor at SDSU, Community Leader, Newspaper Columnist. He has written a number of books, monographs and over 600 newspaper and scholarly journal articles that covered varied subjects on Asian and Filipino-American cultures, society, history, public health and politics. He also runs columns in the Asian Journal. He has been a recipient of numerous outstanding awards- the latest is Asian Heritage Society's 2008 "Outstanding Community Service Award." The other co-author is Dr. Aurora Cudal (not in photo). She is a KCS's staff member whose line of work is resource development specialist and public relations.

GRAND SON- SIMON RESELLA
GRAND DAUGHTER-AUDREY RESELA
My joy and inspiration as an artist.

MORE ABOUT THE COOKBOOK: The cook book contains not only tested Filipino recipes and color and black photos that bring to life the ingredients, dishes and regional groups of Filipinos worldwide. It is rich in cultural nuances and nowhere else can you find such a simple and accessible resource of current and time honored Filipino cuisine. Also the cookbook contains 4 of the my latest oil paintings. One on the cover and 3 more inside. The copies of my oil paintings alone is worth the prize of the cook book. Besides your generous check will help toward the KCS healthy projects.

If you're interested to order the book please write your check to:

KALUSUGAN COMMUNITY SERVICES
COST: $25.00
Shipping & handling $5.00 per book.
Please mail it to the artist:
Evelyne D. Resella
27371 Parklane Way
Valencia, Ca. 91354