A deconstructed salad, is simply one whose ingredients have been taken apart then served in a composed way, instead of tossing them all together. The Salad Nicoise (ni-suaz), that perfect and timeless French salad of olives, capers, french beans, tuna and hard-boiled eggs, is technically not a deconstructed salad (nor is the Caprese), because there was never a plan to serve the salad tossed together in the first place. I know right? Deep stuff.

But other classic salads and some new inventions can surely benefit from deconstructing. I think it is one of the easiest ways to make your old favorite new again. Here are a few tips and some great recipes…

We recently spent some three weeks in my second hometown of Cebu, where time with my parents and family is always worth it. We love to eat out and loved the burgers at Fat Cow, and the Mexican restaurant and bar right next to it, called Pueblo Mexicano. I also happily ran into Carla, one of my best childhood friends, whose husband Joel owns the restaurant, Pino.

Carla recommended the Guava Margarita with Tamarind Salt. Margarita isn’t my drink, but this one was delicious, refreshing, and with a twist that makes it special. And I couldn’t wait to try and make it at home.

I spent most of my childhood in my grandmother’s house, where one of my favorite things to do was to browse through her collection of cookbooks. The Good Cook series, published between 1978-1980 by Time-Life Books, is a treasury of techniques and recipes, covering everything from hors d’oeuvres, pasta, fish, meat and dessert. My grandmother owned about ten of these books. They’ve been damaged by a horrible flood, some beyond repair, yet I cling to them because of her, and out of nostalgia for what it really means to be a cook.

I have three books for safekeeping: Pork, Eggs and Cheese, and Cakes. Salads, and Preserving were my least favorite ones, but people change, and now I hope those two are still in my parents’ house.

Homemade Limoncello, that beloved Italian liqueur served mainly as an after-dinner digestive, is laborious, almost artisanal. You carefully peel the lemon rind to pithless perfection, and let it steep in vodka for anywhere from 4 to 10 days. But yesterday was supposedly the hottest day in Manila this summer yet. And with no sign of reprieve from this crazy heat, I just went ahead and took some short cuts. I wanted the flavors of limoncello, but like a cocktail, and in a bigger glass.

When you’ve got a sweet tooth and adore chocolate like I do, you will have very strong opinions about what makes the perfect chocolate cake. Rich and moist, with lush frosting and good chocolate flavor but not too sweet. A cake that’s good with coffee for dessert at home, or as a midnight snack with a cold glass of milk to enjoy in your jammies. Or with a glass of champagne for fancier times? I think I’ve found that cake!