Yeah, OK – I’m no chef. Hardly a cook. But I do have an appetite and I know what I like to eat – and I’m here to make you hungry.

That is my philosophy going into this new cookbook I am writing.  It JUST may CHANGE the way you look at, cook and EAT food.  I know, that’s a lot to say in one sentence, but I have been practicing with a writing instructor.    ~

Some of you may be asking – what  is THIS guy going to write about? Well, did you read the title? Its about cooking. It’s a COOK BOOK. I will be cooking and sharing my point of view about food, and eating it.  I typically cook for myself, therefore everything I make and taste rocks.  But now, I want to show you want I can do.  Kapeesh? Good.

Check out the link below, or just click THE BOOK link on the Home page.

Thanks!

Grubdudes:  The Book

Anything that has burger in the title is a tasty friend of mine. Speaking of friends, my pal Mike is in Hawaii right now indulging in a “Loco Moco” which is a burger, cooked with onions, smothers in eggs on a bed of rice and brown gravy. mmmm…..

Mike is in Hawaii with his wife eating things I will never see unless he keeps sending photos like this and making me jealous! You think he would send me a photo of his EATING it? Noooooooo, but I was happy to have this as a memoir!

Way of the Spatula! What a great name, huh? Well, this is my hungry foodpal Millers website about his journey into (and through) food and cooking.  As you can see, the photos are good enough to eat. I recently sat down with Miller (actually, I emailed him from my cube) and asked him a lot of important questions about food philosophy and nunchucks.  Check it out! If anything, you’ll leave hungry.

Your pictures are so nicely shot – who is your photographer?

• Ha! Thanks. I’m my photographer. ..and I gotta tell you: trying to cook while taking pictures at the same time sucks! I may have to get a tripod or an assistant in the kitchen if I hope to make things even remotely easier. Anyway, yah, I’m trying to pick up some photography skills, what with this being my first forays into digital camera use and food photography. It’s all fun though and, hey, I’m learning.

What is your heritage?

• I’m Filipino but have spent all but two years of my life in the US. My formative years were spent in a mostly Chicano neighborhood over in Southern California and the last dozen or so years spent here in New England.

Do you have a specialty or a go-to food you will never get sick of?

• Arguably, my specialty is Filipino food if only because of scarcity. There aren’t any places out here that serve that sort of food so it stands to reason that if I want any, I’ll have to be the one to make it. Interestingly enough, this means I become the ambassador or gateway to all the people I introduce Filipino food to.. and granted, they’re my takes on these dishes and aren’t 100% authentic (especially if you ask my mother).

Where do your ideas for recipes come from?

• Other people, usually. I like seeing what people do and try to see if I can’t take that idea someplace else. Like Mexico. =]

How long have you been cooking for and where did the inspiration come from?

• I started to manifest a serious interest in cooking mostly out of necessity. One summer when I was home from college, a friend had asked me to housesit for her family. And so I did.. only to find out they didn’t leave a damn thing in their kitchen. So soon enough, I was on the phone, whining to my mother, asking her how to make this and how to make that.

How many cookbooks do you own?

• About one shelf’s worth. Most of them are Cooks Illustrated bound annuals and the others are just an assortment of books on various cuisines. Interesting sidenote: all of them were gifts. *shrug* I do a lot of research online, if anything.

Who/what is your favorite:

• Chef – Mom
• Restaurant – Anna’s Taqueria
• Food – Mexican, Japanese
• Pig Out Snack – Cheddar and sour cream chips

If you had to be one food item and risk being eaten, what would it be and why?

• Marzipan. Because then I’d at least be shaped into something really cool before I face my rather tasty (though not tasty for me) demise.

So, as you can see, Miller is pretty cool and knowledgeable about food. Not to mention a great writer, and can likely slay a dragon with a butter knife.   Head on over to Way of the Spatula and check out the foodfest!

Silly question? I thought most of my readers would say that to themselves. I guess the real question is: How MUCH to you really like meatballs fast? Well, if the answer is A LOT and REAL fast, then check this out. Grubdudes is putting together a speed eating contest featuring everyone’s favorite ball – the meatball!  If you live in or around the Boston area and would be interested in participating (speed eating), becoming a sponsor or are a local or national media outlet that would like to be present for the event (hint: Guinness Book of World Records, maybe?) then please take the click and read what we have to say after the jump!

Grubdudes is looking to partner with local business to sponsor the event, an event hall to hold the event, as well as vendors and assistants to help with organizing it. If you are interested, please send your info, ideas and how you would like to help to grubdudes@gmail.com.  For the short list, we are looking for:

• Food sponsor (to provide the meatballs
• A venue to hold the event, preferably with a kitchen (approx 100 people capacity)
• Assistants to help organize, set up tables, sign contestants in, etc
• Volunteers to help promote the event such as local or national food blogs, websites, newspapers, etc.
• A local charity (fitting) for possible donation of revenue generated by the event

Also, if you feel you have an an idea that could benefit us in our quest for the ultimate food eating contest, email us at the address above, and we will get back to you as soon as possible!

PS… the photo is courtesy of my mom!

The next few years is going to be mighty tasty.  With Julia and Julie kicking it off this summer its just going to get better from here! Of the movies above, I am really looking forward to Will Smith playing Jeff Henderson  although, I do think there could have been a better choice for the lead. But, that wont stop most of us from checking all of these out! Click on the photo to see a larger readable image. The one with Keanu Reeves makes me the Gordon Ramsay’s life story.

I think the most bizarre paring is TOm Cruise playing a top-chef, only to get “served” and sent to work in a school cafeteria. The premise sounds good, but I just don’t see Tom as a chef.  Then again, I didnt like Broccoli when I was a kid either.  Looking forward to these!

more @ Food Network Magazine

Hey! If you havent already, check out the Grubdude videos on the right-lower of the page (or click here.)  Shot, produced and edited by New Gravity Media. It’s just me making stuff I want to eat. NOW.   First episode is for PIPESTEAKS! Basically a sausage shaped cheeseburger. Awesome.  Next, I plan …

Next, I plan on making 3 pizzas: a mash-up sort of recipe, THEN a “no-bake” pizza (really) and lastly a traditional style sort of hybrid of stone-baked Sicilian pizza. You are going to drown from salivating. Trust me.

Check us OUT (Gubdudes) on YouTube!

Do you like meatballs – or any type of balls? Well, now you can give those balls the great grilled flavor only charcoal (or propane and propane accessories) can give. Williams-Sonoma has what you need.  I’ll be getting one of these for sure. Check it out in all its ballsy glory after the jump.

Our ingenious grilling tool gives smoky open-fire flavor to homemade meatballs. The sturdy stainless-steel basket has 12 perforated wells to drain excess fat as meat is infused with flavor and browns perfectly. With the lid closed, the meatballs are held securely in place and out of the fire. The removable polypropylene handle makes the basket easy to turn – just flip it over for even cooking. The basket works with beef, lamb and poultry as well as vegetable mixtures. Hand-wash. 9 3/4″ x 20 1/2″ including handle. A Williams-Sonoma exclusive.

more @ Williams-Sonoma

Hmmm… OK?  How will this first-time-in-New England stack up against BK, Mc’Ds, Wndys?
Not to mention the foodfest that is R1?  I have no idea – but I am willing to find out…

More @ Salem News

Dan Delaney emailed me and intro’d his website and new episode of VendrTV.  There are only a few things in this world I could watch all day long, and one of them is grilling.  More specifically, burgers, dogs, sausage – you get the picture.  So it was with no hesitation I watched this video (3 times) and wanted to share it with you all… check out the dogs after the jump!

more @ the source: VendrTV

There are a lot of ways to cook hotdogs. There are a lot of gadgets to make it simple, and even more fun. But, this thing is a site to be seen: one of the more “artistic” contraptions to steamn your digs, warm your buns, and make you feel all warm and doggie inside. Check it out after the jump…

Unfortunately, the link to buy one of these is FORBIDDEN!

In any event.. more @ GIZMODO