About the Queen
PDF 
My name is Elizabeth Besa Quirino. For over 25 years, I have been cooking FILIPINO & ASIAN dishes almost every day. I am the “Queen” of my little kitchen, but the amount of food and love that comes from it is abundant.
When my husband, my sons and I moved to America, more than 20 years ago, one of the most important things I packed in my suitcase was my NOTEBOOK of recipes. The recipes were mostly from my mom, Lulu Reyes-Besa. Along with the NOTEBOOK were Mom’s collection of newspaper and magazine clippings of recipes, letters from family and friends….all these had recipes that were tried and true, handed down from generations.
Over the years, my recipe collection has grown and the NOTEBOOK bulged in all its four corners…with Filipino and Asian recipes, growing to vast lists of global dishes and cuisine. My sons have teasingly called it “the archives”, each time I hauled it out when I needed to look up a recipe. I refer to it as the NOTEBOOK. The core of it all was my Mom’s recipes.
In the rural agricultural town of Tarlac, in the Philippines where I grew up, Mom churned all these delicious meals three times a day from scratch, with all her love poured into each platter….whether it was merely “merienda” (a Filipino snack in between meals) or a big family feast.
My Mom, the Queen of our hearts, has long gone, but her memory lives on in the dishes and recipes she taught my sister, Isabel and me. Today, in turn, we try to do the same for our families….show our love through our cooking and baking. And with much pride, I open my NOTEBOOK to all of you…a collection of recipes, reviews, travels….all filled with stories of food, family and love.
BIO:
Elizabeth Besa Quirino, has a BA Communications degree, is a freelance writer and Creative Director of 2 blogs http://www.queensnotebook.com and http://www.asianinamericamag.com.
Some of her recipes are to be found on GOJEE, a highly curated recipe site http://www.gojee.com AND Homemade Quirk http://www.quirkbooks.com/post/, a blog of QUIRK BOOKS.
Elizabeth also writes for international publications. You can also find her articles in “FOOD”, the largest culinary magazine in the Philippines, published by ABS-CBN Inc., where she is a contributing writer.
Recently, her essay “ A Hundred Mangoes In A Bottle” won 2nd Prize in the prestigious Doreen Gamboa Fernandez Food Essay Awards for 2012 in Manila. Her essay will be published along with other winners, in a book to be launched in the fall .
As an international food writer, she is currently writing/editing the “Paulinian Cookbook Project”, a collection of alumni recipes for her alma mater, St. Paul University of Manila, to benefit their outreach programs.
Elizabeth has worked as an advertising agency copywriter and written multimedia campaigns for Nestle, Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Wendy’s, A & W, Disney Licensing.
She has had an extensive teaching experience and was a College Instructor for the Mass Communication Department of Assumption College, Makati, Philippines. Here she taught Marketing, Advertising and Creative Writing subjects. Elizabeth also taught Spanish at the Berlitz Learning Center, USA .
On the side, Elizabeth dabbles in watercolor and Chinese painting, having learned the art from the esteemed artist and philosopher, the late Professor Chen Bing Sun.
Ms. Besa Quirino hails from Manila and Tarlac, Philippines. She lives in the east coast of the USA with her family and has been cooking FILIPINO & ASIAN food for over 25 years.
She travels regularly between the USA and the Philippines in constant search of great gastronomic adventures and enthralls her readers with her fun culinary travels and recipes.
Queen Betty Ann, I love reading your blog, I didn’t realize that you have a hidden talent in writing. Congrats to you crew, they are really Pros, what is Elpi’s role? You are now in My Favorites, I will visit often.
by: Lani Besa-Loria, Jun 25th at 3:54 pm
Love it!!! What a fabulous way to share your wonderfully diverse talents! As we say in places where Goddesses and Queens alike are found, “You go girl!”
by: Goddess Joanne, Jun 25th at 4:39 pm
Great blog site, Queen B! Kudos to you and your talented sons! Guess we know where they got their talent from. Our lemon tree is bursting with lemons. Will do your lemon bars recipe soonest!
by: nancy tizon truscott, Jun 25th at 4:48 pm
Great blog site, Queen B! Kudos to you and your talented sons! Guess we know where they got their talents from
Our lemon tree is bursting with lemons. Can’t wait to try out your lemon bars recipe. Thanks for sharing!
by: nancy tizon truscott, Jun 25th at 4:50 pm
Very nice site! Kudos to you and Tim! I will visit here often.
by: Dale Borja, Jun 25th at 8:59 pm
This is a revelation! You’re truly multi-talented, Betty Ann! Outstanding work by Tim and Toby!
by: Nieva Cruz, Jun 25th at 10:58 pm
Great site! Looking forward to reading more!
by: Kristine, Jun 26th at 1:04 am
Awesome blog site! On my favs now…Great job, Tim and Toby….Btw, QE is in town on 6 July.. High tea with her??!!
by: Jan, Jun 26th at 7:56 am
Goddess, your response is much appreciated!
by: Elizabeth Q., Jun 26th at 10:59 am
Thanks to my friends and supporters ! The Queen hopes to bring you many more exciting articles to make your time worthwhile. Come back to visit soon!
by: Elizabeth Q., Jun 26th at 11:00 am
OMG!!! You are awesome!!! Hahaha! I love your recipes and my daughter, Pia can’t wait to try them in our kitchen. Bravo to you and your princes!
by: Pet Besa, Jun 26th at 12:15 pm
Your name alone is mind boggling, my Queen Elizabeth (ha, ha, ha). Great site.
by: Marissa deLeon-Aguinaldo, Jun 28th at 4:50 am
As others who have visited said, this IS awesome – YOU are awesome, and the title of “Queen” certainly fits. I knew just a bit of your talents (tasting delicious morsels at Kim’s, seeing a couple of your art work pieces) but had no idea of just how extensively talented you are.
Congratulations on creating and appreciating beauty in this life. You’re a gem!
by: Mary Grace, Jul 10th at 12:29 pm
Hi Queen B. I enjoyed reading your blog. What led me to your blog was my search for my college best friend Nancy Tizon who responded to your blog. Is she the Nancy Tizon who graduated from UP Diliman in 1980. If she is, would you please tell her I owe her a big apology for my silence? Would you please get back with me Queen B?
Thanks a million, Emma
by: Emma Coronel, Jul 11th at 11:06 pm
What a lovely picture! And such a beautiful conglomeration of talents…will have to visit your blog again and again. I can see Tita Lulu’s and Tatay Meni’s beaming faces! love…Tootsie
by: Tootsie Besa, Jul 14th at 6:06 pm
LOVE THE PHOTO! I can just see Tita Lulu as bright and clear right now. Always so graciosa and so classy! You two are cuties!
by: Amy Besa, Jul 23rd at 4:50 pm
Our Queen B… Applause !! you are a revelation.. looking forward for more
exciting features my dear Queen!!
by: carmel bolinao, Sep 3rd at 6:21 am
Move over Martha Stewart, here comes my cousin the Queen.
LONG LIVE THE QUEEN OF Tarlac
by: Imelda Chung, Sep 23rd at 6:12 am
Thank you, Mell. Keep visiting my blog often. We will always have something you might like.
by: Elizabeth Q., Sep 26th at 1:27 pm
Oh my – your majesty, this IS AWESOME.
by: tepton, Oct 4th at 11:41 pm
Thanks, Tepton.
by: Elizabeth Q., Oct 4th at 11:53 pm
I love your website. I love reading your blogs and thanks for sharing your recipes…I love the green tea cake.
by: Rissa, Feb 23rd at 12:44 am
Thanks, Rissa. Nice to hear from a foodie all the way in the Philippines. Try the green tea cake, it’s superb!
by: Elizabeth Q., Feb 24th at 12:57 am
Hi Betty Ann, I love your site. No need to call home to ask how to do this and that
It’s a great resource for me who cooks the same dishes all the time. Now, i can definitely add variety to our menu 
Hope all is well and come visit us when you come to the west coast.
by: Cecile, Mar 17th at 11:30 am
Thanks, Cecile. Check out my other blog, too : http://www.asianinamericamag.com
by: Elizabeth Q., Mar 17th at 9:05 pm
bi betty ann…….just saw this part of your wesite this afternoon….i love this picture of you,isabel and tita lulu……i remember her so much as a mom who really loves to cook and i should say i am one of those lucky ones who have tasted a lot of her cooking………love your site…….
by: Maricar Nunag, Apr 12th at 4:09 am
Thanks, Maricar! This blog is inspired by Mommy. And of course, can’t do it without Isabel’s recipe advice!
by: Elizabeth Q., Apr 12th at 8:19 pm
Betty- Ann Besa. Haven’t heard that name in what? three decades?
by: Vincent Pozon, Aug 11th at 8:49 pm
Hi Vince, nice of you to drop by.
by: Elizabeth Q., Aug 11th at 9:22 pm
What a fabulous blog, and mouthwatering food! Look forward to reading more, Ali xx
by: Alison McKenzie, Jan 12th at 4:13 am
Thanks,Ali! Nice of you to stop by! Come again soon
by: Elizabeth Q., Jan 12th at 10:00 am
Hi Betty Ann! So glad you found me through FoodBuzz.com.
Love, love, love your blog!
It is always nice to see fellow Filipinas blogging about Filipino food.
I’m not as talented in writing as you are, but I hope you’ll have time to come visit and join me at my blog http://www.theredapronscravings.com.
I too went to school at St. Paul’s Manila but only for 2 years. Unfortunately, I was the only one left at the Music Dept. when I was enrolled on my 2nd yr.So I had to transfer school.
If I had listened to my moither and continued on to Assumption College San Lorenzo, we might have crossed paths. I studied in assumption Iloilo in my HS days.
But I’m sure my cousins and friends have been your students there.
Nice to have found you at foodbuzz!
by: gghie, Jul 2nd at 12:10 pm
Hi Betty Ann! So glad you found me through FoodBuzz.com.
Love, love, love your blog!
It is always nice to see fellow Filipinas blogging about Filipino food.
I’m not as talented in writing as you are, but I hope you’ll have time to come visit and join me at my blog http://www.theredapronscravings.com.
I too went to school at St. Paul’s Manila but only for 2 years. Unfortunately, I was the only one left at the Music Dept. when I was enrolled on my 2nd yr.So I had to transfer school.
If I had listened to my moither and continued on to Assumption College San Lorenzo, we might have crossed paths. I studied in assumption Iloilo in my HS days.
But I’m sure my cousins and friends have been your students there.
by: gghie, Jul 2nd at 12:11 pm
Hi Gghie! Thanks for the kind comments. I’m just as glad to connect with you on Foodbuzz, here & the other networks. Great to visit your blog, as well. Stay in touch and I look forward to sharing lots of food fun with you.
by: Elizabeth Q., Jul 2nd at 4:15 pm