Oregon Berry Packing, a family-owned business based in Hillsboro, is one of many growers using new wireless sensor technology to monitor crop conditions in real time.

Technological advances in crop management from companies like Onset Computer Corporation have given rise to the use of wireless sensors, or data loggers, which can provide valuable feedback to the grower, like temperature and soil conditions.

The grower could modify their irrigation based on the data or alerted to extreme conditions of nature like frost.

Adobo literally means a marinade for meat but unlike marinades which require a time to … um … marinate, the meat actually cooks in it and produces a tangy taste unlike any other you will experience. Warning: the smells that fill the kitchen will make your mouth water.

The key ingredients are meat, soy sauce, pepper, garlic, brown sugar and vinegar. No frills here: just pure and simple. Some add bay leaves or onions but I like to keep things simple.

Ingredients:

• 6-8 chicken thighs with skin
• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1/3 cup vinegar
• 3 tbsp dark brown sugar
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large cooking pot, heat soy sauce and chopped garlic on medium heat. Place chicken thighs in pot skin-side down for a 1-2 minutes. Turn over thighs and cook for another minute. Pour in vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and turn heat to low for simmering. Sprinkle brown sugar over the thighs and cover the pot. Simmer for 40 minutes. Serve with white or brown rice and steamed broccoli or carrots and peas. This is Filipino comfort food at the highest level.

For those in other parts of the world, here is my alternate version with UK measures. A “jolly good fellow” to Paula for providing the correct conversions. If you’re looking for the US version, click here.

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies by L. Siulagi

• 8 oz/224g unsalted butter
• 7 oz/200g dark brown sugar
• 4 oz/115g granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp vanilla flavouring
• 9 oz/255g self raising flour
• 6 oz/170g plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 oz/115g hand broken pecans
• 10 oz/285g plain choc chips

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius (or Gas Mark 5) placing a wire rack in the upper third of the oven. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, mix the butter until it is fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Beat in sugars for an extra 5 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla until well mixed. Now put away the mixer (clean the beaters, of course).

In a smaller bowl, mix flours, baking soda and salt together. Fold flour mixture into large bowl with a strong spatula or wooden spoon. Try not to over-stir. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans.

On an ungreased baking sheet, use a big spoon or a 2 oz. measure, to scoop the dough into 12 cookies. Bake on the upper rack for 11-12 minutes or until it the edges are brown and the tops are not glossy. You might want to let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for a minute or two before you place them on a wire rack.

Serve them warm and enjoy with a big glass of milk. You can refrigerate the dough or even make the batter a day ahead because cookie dough always tastes better when baked after one day in the refrigerator.