ERIKA SORIANO MATA

 

Erika Soriano Mata is the face of calm and peace. Her mere presence is like a breath of fresh air, with her jovial personality, well complemented by her charm and effortless grace, and her big heart and modest smile which ceaselessly inspires any jaded soul. Her youthful glow gives you no hint that she’s actually 35 years of age, nor does it reveal that she now has a kid reaching adolescence stage. A full time mom to 3 beautiful children namely Patricia, Amanda and Richardo, Erika or “Ek” (as she is fondly called), maintains an idyllic life by staying positive and living an attitude of gratitude wherever she goes.

 

Stay at home mom

“Being a full time mom is a decision my husband, Richard, and I made. It’s not for all families, but we felt that it’s better if I stay home and take care of the kids’ needs and affairs,” says Ek. “We’re blessed because with my husband’s job as a pediatrician, we’re able to live comfortably with only one parent earning. Being a housewife is no easy task, unlike what others think. Day in and day out, we have to manage a household with different personalities, attend to each of their needs and keep up with the demands of the day. You become a last priority, but I see to it that I also take care of myself. On the side, this is what I do --- imparting tips and useful insights to fellow mothers on how to stay classy and chic at any stage of our life. You see, amidst all the stress, we need to feel good about ourselves.  Not that my family is too much for me to handle, but even with the ease and comfort of having good children, I try to look and feel my best not just for me but also for my loved ones.”

 

Parental Guidance

Being a woman of today, Ek stays attuned with advances in technology. “Raising kids nowadays is totally different as compared to how our generation was brought up. With the availability and convenience of any kind of information on cable TV and Internet, my husband and I believe that parents have more responsibility now in guiding the kids through learning and discovery. While they do us good in so many ways, TV and Internet are also factors which form and shape behavior. A good foundation of values at a child’s early developmental stage somehow helps in instilling proper behavior and attitude as he or she grows up.”

 

“There are some parents who tend to substitute their lack of time for kids by giving them gifts and toys. They tend to forego the pressing matters such as discipline because they feel they are guilty of not giving enough attention to their kids. I believe that parents need to confront the problem whenever children misbehave. It all starts with your relationship with them, how you deal with their concerns and issues. You cannot take this for granted. In one of Zig Ziglar’s parenting lectures, we learned that rules without relationship equal to rebellion. If you’re not able to develop a stable and open relationship with your kids when they’re young, you’re bound to have difficulty implementing rules by the time they hit their teens.”

“We don’t resort to spanking as a disciplinary action. We deal with the problem by sticking to the source of the problem. We deal with the source rather than the outcome. For example, if our child misbehaves, we check on the possibility of lack of sleep as the cause for her crankiness. In turn, we try to make him or her get ample sleep. Of course, there are far more causes of misbehavior other than just the sleep issue. We also try to interpret situations based on our child’s personality which she or he naturally inherited from us or acquired from the environment.”

Share and learn

There is no perfect formula on becoming a good parent. As parenting is a life-long process, Ek believes experience makes a perfect teacher. “We learn how to better manage our homes by two ways --- either through our own experience or the experience of others. When we say others, it means from reading books, listening to audio lectures or attending seminars. Our parenting style revolves around two objectives: keeping the communication lines open and practice being role models. This is mainly the reason why we advocate faith and receptive parenting within the community. This is our contribution society and, in turn, it makes our life more meaningful. From time to time, we fly in inspirational speakers here from Manila, the likes of Anthony Pangilinan, Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan and Chinkee Tan, to give talks on successful parenting.”

Ek and her husband have consistently and generously shared their blessings with the less fortunate ones by enrolling a selected few in school. With Ek’s penchant for style and passion in reaching out to the community, she thought of other means of charity work within the area of fashion and lifestyle. “We want to help more students by getting extra funds to support them in school,” she shares. “I started designing bags together with my daughters. After series of brainstorming sessions, Humabi was born. We were able to strike a deal with female bag weavers in the correctional facilities who are mostly mothers with dependent children. We actually haven’t launched our products yet, but soon they will be available to all. These are high quality but bags at very affordable prices. Each Humabi bag sold will help two people namely a bag weaver in correctional facility and one of our scholars in the Philippine Science High School. As of this time, I’m in communication with celebrity mothers and some mompreneurs who are open to promoting this bag for free --- all for a good cause. Our main goal is to send a message of hope to everyone in the community.”

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Story published on my newspaper column, Metro Mom.
A1, INdulge, Edge Davao, Vol. 7 Issue no. 177, 19 November 2014.

 

KITCHEN 101: LIFESTYLE AND COOKING CLASSES BY BABYCAKES

Culinary classes are a fun way to immerse yourself into the rudiments of cooking and baking. It’s a valuable investment not only for those who are kitchen-challenged but also for food enthusiasts and the learned ones. Whether you’re in a beginners’ class or cooking with the pros, each course can still work to your advantage because you get to practice new techniques and modify recipes to your own taste.

 

Babycakes, a long-running quaint patisserie managed by fellow moms Kay and Maite Gempesaw, just opened its doors to wannabe cooks and interested individuals who wish to enhance their skills in the kitchen and taste new flavors.

 

“Compared to culinary schools, ours is more like of an intimate class,” explains Maite. “The syllabus in schools is more advanced and immensely technical. Kitchen 101, as we call our classroom and workshop series, is home-oriented. We don’t delve deep into the science and theory of cooking nor do we give practical exams to our students. Our short courses feature recipes which homemakers, or anyone in particular, can do in their own kitchen --- no fuss, no frills." 

 

Kay, as Maite would put it, picked up Martha Stewart’s finesse in crafting ideas into edible goods and space and styling solutions. “She is not only my partner in the kitchen, she is also the creative genius behind our branding and packaging,” Maite beams. “She has given our brand an identity of its own with shabby-chic solutions and upcycled materials. With her ingenuity, we’ve incorporated tutorials on crafting and lifestyle concepts into our weekly sessions.” 

New themes and recipes are introduced every week and each course is reasonably priced, ranging from Php550 to Php1,500.00 net per person, inclusive of materials and ingredients. The best part of the class is the sit down meal where everyone gets to eat and bring home the dishes they made.  

Kitchen 101 kicked off its weekend classes with a 5-hour session on edible gifts from savory to decadent treats. Kay shares, “These are delicacies which you can share as gifts to family and friends. The fact that you made them yourself adds a personal touch to the gift --- making it more meaningful and special. Some may also think of selling these as edible goods have so much revenue potential during the holiday season.” Attended by 6 students, majority of which are moms, the class tried a couple treasured recipes such as (soft and chewy) Fudge Brownie, Spicy Gourmet Tuyo, Smoked Fish Pâté, Garlic Herb Butter, Red Pepper Butter, Orange Honey Butter and an adaptation of the popular ‘Custaroons’ (a delightful medley of two indulgences – the custard cake and macaroon). 

Right before the session ended, Kay shared some tips on wrapping and packaging, particularly for those goods which could be sold in the market.  

 

Other classes lined up this month are the following:

·         Nov. 15 – All About Pies (Bannofee Pie, Apple Pie, Coconut Custard Pie, Mud Pie)

·         Nov. 22 – Classic Noche Buena Favorites (Baked Christmas Ham, Russian Potato Salad, Embotido, Cathedral Window)

·         Nov. 27 – Decorating Baked Goods (Gingerbread House, Cookie Ornaments, etc); Open to kids 5 to 12 years old.

Each class is limited to only 8 participants. For reservations and inquiries, follow Kitchen 101 on Facebook and Instagram, or contact 0925-700-2860 or 0923-542-5299. Visit the shop located at Door 7, Values School Building, Marfori Heights, Davao City.

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Story published on my newspaper column, Metro Mom.
A4, Indulge, Edge Davao, Vol. 7 Issue no. 172, 12 November 2014.

 

PETIT CHEFS IN THE KITCHEN

 

Remember your first experience in the kitchen when you were a kid? There's nothing like the smell of something baking in the oven. The intoxicating aroma can send any weary soul into a trance, a delicious imagination that stays until you finally make your first bite. The scent wakes you up like any stimulant, spurring up excitement in your stomach. To a child, a wooden spoon is like a wand that whips up delectable magic at home. 

 

 

 

Recreate happy kitchen memories with your children by teaching them how to bake! More than just whipping something to chew on, it's also a wonderful way to teach, share, and connect. 

 

 

 

Joan Ramirez-Bala of the Fat Mama' Kitchen enjoys bonding time with her 2 daughters over finger-lickin' good batter and messy memories. She says 2 extra little hands makes the task more fun and light.  

 

 

"They started as young as 3 years old. They would huddle up in the kitchen, their cheeks resting on the table as they eagerly watched me mix ingredients. Soon, they finally took a hand in baking, mixing and portioning out the batter themselves."

 

 

 

"Kids as young as 3 can help out in simple baking activities such as pouring, stirring, decorating, cutting dough into different shapes and sizes. By the time they reach 10, they've already developed discipline and coordination, and they can pretty much operate electrical equipment. At that age, they have a better grasp and comprehension of the kitchen glossary and the steps involved in each recipe."

 

 

Baking is also a fun way for kids to learn and apply math in the real world. Joan says, "They get to learn fraction through measurement of ingredients and division by cutting the dough. It helps develop precision and patience, as well as practice their reading skills through recipe books. Kids get curious about the 'magic in baking' and they get to discover the science behind it by using various ingredients. The whole experience is like learning math, science and reading with a yummy result!"

 

 

 

At home, her daughters have more than enough supply of treats for them to bring to school. Joan finds time in between work to bake snacks for her kids. Sometimes, they even make their own. 

 

"Now that they're all grown up, they can pretty much choose recipes and bake on their own," shares the proud mom.

 

 

 

As the holidays are fast approaching, orders for baked desserts are sure to pile up at the Fat Mama's Kitchen. Joan simply looks forward to the holiday rush. "Busy days are coming but I have nothing to worry about. If Santa had his elves helping him at work, I've got little hands helping me in the kitchen as well." 

 

 

 

For delectable Christmas gifts and goodies, send in your inquiries and orders to Joan Ramirez Bala on Facebook.

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Story published on my newspaper column, Metro Mom.

A1, Indulge, Edge Davao, Vol. 7 Issue no. 167, 5 November 2014.