Marjorie Barretto first ventured into the kitchen some 20 years ago. And like many cooking enthusiasts, her first teacher was no other than Sylvia Reynoso Gala.

She has graced my cooking classes as well. “I just fell in love with cooking,” Marj confessed.

She reminisced about her younger days. When she was growing up, food was always so important to the Barrettos. She intimated that birthdays and family out-of-town trips were not planned over a guest list, nor did they meet to iron out their itinerary. Instead, they gathered to talk about what they will eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, or to decide what food to bring or cook for the trip.

Marj is not the lone cook in the family. Her dad Mike cooked. So does her mom Inday. It is her sister-in-law Connie, however, who she describes as one who “cooks with love,” that enticed her to discover the joys of cooking. She has grown so madly in love with it, it has become her love language. “It’s how I show my kids my love!” said Marj.

It’s a pleasant surprise that her daughters have their own dishes that they call “specialties.” Julia makes good tomato and basil pasta, while Dani makes her own version of salpicao really well.

Marj’s children look forward to Sundays. Her home is their haven. It is their refuge when stressed from work or school.

Her children always ask their mom to cook their personal favorites: baked macaroni for Julia, beef salpicao for Leon and Dani. Claudia loves her mom’s chicken pastel.

Vlog

Marj describes her cooking style as lutong bahay. “It is not chef style, more on mommy cooking, comfort food.”During the pandemic, the children encouraged (more like coerced) their mom to start a vlog. The vlog turned out to be Marj’s expression of her essence as a mom and cook, and of her penchant for entertaining.

Her vlogs give viewers insights into Marj’s creativity and her love for beautiful tablescapes, and allow her to demonstrate that special dishes need not be so complicated to prepare, with the use of minimal ingredients or whatever is in the pantry. It is to prove, she says, that simple meals make some of the best meals.

She recalls the birthday celebrations of her children, and how each one was planned in detail. Everything was well coordinated and themed, from the decor down to the food and drinks. Finding ways to do it inexpensively gives her a thrill.

She finds it most fulfilling when people come up to her (in the bank, the malls or when she’s strolling) to let her know that they learned a thing or two from her vlog.

Her Bulacan hideaway has been keeping Marj busy these days. “It is my rest house, and really my second home.”

She says that everything in the house is personal—from the furniture, to her beds and her paintings. Marj did the interiors herself and calls it River Garden. Rightfully so, as a river runs through her backyard.

She opened the house to let two years ago. “Our guests love the place so much because it’s homey, cozy and intimate. I have a lot of guests who come back!” This is proof, indeed, that Marj does things right, and why her children—and now, even her guests at River Garden—can’t get enough. (Follow @rivergardenph)Marj doesn’t measure for her beef salpicao recipe. She does it by feel, so I took the liberty of reconstructing her creation. Feel free to do the same and make it your own version, to have a taste of her salpicao your way.

Marj’s Beef Salpicao

1. Cut 1/2 kg rib-eye or beef tenderloin into cubes and marinate with 2 tsp Knorr seasoning and lots of freshly cracked black pepper.
2. In a pan, sauté lots of thinly sliced garlic (1/3-1/2 cup) in 1/4 cup olive oil and lots of long green chilies; adjust according to your tolerance for spice. Set aside.
3. In the same pan, put 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add 2 Tbsp butter.
4. Put the beef cubes in batches. Don’t put all the beef cubes at the same time so it doesn’t get watery. “I like my salpicao a little dry,” says Marjorie.
5. Cook quickly, then put all beef cubes back to incorporate with garlic and chilies. Do a quick mix.
6. Adjust pepper and Knorr seasoning to taste.

www.reggieaspiras.com; @iamreggieaspiras on Instagram and Facebook.