Why Retire in the Philippines/Marinduque Vacations: The Pasta e Fagioli Soup and the Oktoberfest Celebration

Planning to Retire Soon!

If you are planning to retire in the Philippines soon, I suggest you visit several excellent websites on pro's and cons of retiring in the Philippines. However if you want to retire in the provinces, where life is simple, standard of living cheaper, less traffic congestion and pollution, availability of fresh seafood and vegetables compared to the big cities, my island province is the place for you! If this is your first time in my site, welcome. Some of the photos and videos on this site, I do not own. However, I have no intention on the infringement of your copyrights. The photo above is the front yard of Chateau Du Mer- Our Retirement Home in Boac, Marinduque, Philippines

Saturday, October 5, 2024

The Pasta e Fagioli Soup and the Oktoberfest Celebration

My lunch yesterday was half-Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich, a bowl of Pasta e Fagioli soup, water melon and coke ( photo below). It was a yummy lunch and very filling with the hearty Italian Fagioli Soup. I was curious about the soup and its difference with minestrone soup so I did my search and here's what I learned.

Pasta fagioli and minestrone are both Italian soups with similar flavors that make use of whatever vegetables you have on hand. The main difference is the beans in the pasta fagioli that result in a thicker soup than minestrone, which is traditionally very brothy.

In Italian, “Pasta e Fagioli” translates to “pasta and beans”. This makes a whole lot of sense considering this soup is chock-full of pasta and beans! It is also loaded with aromatic veggies and lean ground beef, making it a whole meal in a bowl. Think of Pasta e Fagioli as an Italian spin on chili!

So now that you know what Pasta e Fagioli soup is all about, let us talk about The Newton's Oktoberfest Happy Hour and Dinner yesterday. The Cocktail Hour was held outdoors with temperature in the low 90's, but the shade from the trees and outdoor umbrellas provided relief from the unusual heat wave that has struck Northern California this week. There was German Polka Music for everyone to enjoy. Some of the music pieces played we can sing along.

I took some photos during the Happy Hour Celebration as follows:

The authentic German Dinner Menu was delicious. I enjoyed specifically the German Potato💚 salad and the German Chocolate Cake.

German chocolate cake uses a particular kind of baking chocolate as its base, one which has a milder, sweeter profile thanks in part to lecithin, a fatty substance derived from egg yolks. In contrast, classic chocolate cake recipes often use cocoa powder or darker chocolate for a richer, more intense flavor.

💚What Is German Potato Salad? Unlike mayonnaise-based American potato salads, German potato salad is tossed in a vinegar-based dressing made with bacon drippings. It is usually served warm instead of cold, but some people prefer to serve it at room temperature.

I also enjoyed the German Goulash Soup and of course the Beer:

Gute Nacht to All!

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Fruit Trees in the Gardens of Chateau Du Mer

The Mango Tree-I have three varieties in my Garden-The Indian, Guimaras and Carabao Mangoes My caretaker/gardener informed me last month that due to the El Nino drought in Marinduque, two of my Durian trees died in spite of his vigilant watering. One of the tree was attacked by insects that looks like a big fly but yellowish in color that sucks the sap of the seedling. The roots of the other tree was attacked by ants residing in the soil. However, my other fruit trees, the rambutans( 2), the lanzones(2) and the jack fruits ( 2) trees are doing well. The above eight fruit trees were given to me by Retired General Recaredo Sarmiento of Boac and Lucena., about three years ago. General Sarmiento is the “atid” of my wife. “Atid” is the colloquial term for brother. Evidently, Macrine's father, the late Bernardo Jambalos was the Godfather of General Sarmiento during his baptism and comfirmation. Gen Sarmiento's hobby is orchard planting, reforestation and farming. The other fruit trees in my garden are guayabanos, cashew, avocados, starapples, duhats, ates, guavas, mangoes( 3 varieties) and papayas as well as several varieties of bananas . Of the above fruit trees, my favorite is the guayabanos, also known as soursop tree known for its anti-tumor and anti-cancer properties . The following are photos of the fruit trees. The Durian photo is from the web. Note that it almost look like a jack fruit tree, except that the leaves are bigger and shiny. My desire is to have a passion fruit tree in the near future. You are welcome to visit my orchard and flower gardens any time, if perchance you are in the vicinity of The Chateau Du Mer Beach Resort and Conference Center.

The Rambutan Tree and Fruits

The Lanzone Tree and Fruits

The Jack Fruit Tree

The Durian Fruit Tree