My new best friend is named Ed. He's from the Philippines and works at a couple of my company's properties as a "coach" for developmentaly disabled adults.

The clients sweep up and generally keep the places looking spiffy.

I've learned that Ed is quite a cook and that he'd like to start a catering business someday. Since I love to explore Asian food and am totally in love with the Philippines, Ed and I have been talking a lot about food lately.

Over the weekend his family drove up to Vancouver, B.C. (British Columbia, not Before Christ you dork). They brought home some three dozen Chinese baozi - steamed buns - from the famous New Town.Bakery and Restaurant.

Nice person that he is, today he brought me two Filipino-style baozi known as siopao in the Philippines. These rice-flour buns were filled with a Filipino pork dish called pork asado (asado baboy, I believe).

Man, they were deeeeelish! They're sweetish/savoryish with both sugar and the sweetish rice flour influencing that side of the deal and soy sauce influencing the savory side.

Lunch was Heaven today I tell you! Hea-ven!

Thanks, Ed!