Entries Tagged 'Affairs' ↓

Knorr Sinigang na Tilapia for Noche Buena

In a recent interview with the contestants of the MasterChef Pinoy edition, most of the participants agree that spaghetti is the number 1 food choice of Filipinos for Christmas. and I think it is true to my observation.

However, it doesn’t mean we will just settle with comfort food. We can always up the ante of our meals specially during Noche Buena (Christmas Eve feast) which is a special occasion for us Filipinos. One suggestion is the well-loved Filipino dish called Sinigang (Tamarind Soup).

Sinigang

In fact, we just had Sinigang na Tilapia for lunch earlier which my mom prepared using Knorr Sinigang sa Sampalok Mix. She prepared a lot so I know we’ll be seeing it again later for Noche Buena. 🙂

A steaming serving of the tamarind-base soup is enough to warm the heart and tummy especially during the cool evenings. Mom put in the traditional mix of tomatoes, kangkong, onion, pepper, and radish. The play of flavors found in a warm pot of Sinigang brings back fond memories with the family.

Knorr Sinigang sa Sampalok Mix

And to make the preparation less taxing, Knorr Sinigang is on hand to bring out the rich sinigang flavor in a convenient way. It is made from real sampalok and available in convenient sachet packs. It can also be mixed with pork or seafood together with gabi and other vegetables.

Holiday Season with Chef Marvin Agustin

Chef Marvin Agustin

Similarly, Chef Marvin Agustin makes sure that he goes the extra mile to offer something different yet definitely familiar to the Filipino palate. He uses leftover lechon as the main ingredient in making his classic sinigang.

“Everyone loves sinigang. We all grew up with it, and with a little creativity and a little help from Knorr Sinigang, you can have a winning dish for the holiday season,” Marvin concludes.

Knorr Sinigang Mix

So don’t hesitate to have some Sinigang in your Noche Buena! 🙂

Top Food Blogger Anton Diaz at the Cucina Andare Opening

We often visualize trucks as big nasty vehicles on the road. The nearest I could associate it with food are the fruit-delivery trucks from the provinces or the ones used by caterers and big restaurants.

But the Philippine foodie scene just got better as the group behind Mercato Centrale night market, led by Anton Diaz of Our Awesome Planet and author/celebrity RJ Ledsema, brings the US concept of food trucks to the Philippines. Hence, Cucina Andare was born two nights ago.

Cucina Andare Food Truck Finds: (L-R, T-B) Brother’s Burger, Bundaberg Apple Ale, Chicken Waffle, Beef Shawarma Plare

Mexicombi (Van)

Just in time for the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, the Cucina Andare food truck market is located at the Glorietta Park in front of Greenbelt 3, Landmark, and Makati Shangri-La Hotel. It will be open every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 4pm– 3am for the whole of December which started Last December 14, 2012.

It brings together specialty and gourmet food trucks, new and innovative food, drink and pastry vendors from home-based food businesses from around Makati plus some live acoustic performances.

“The food truck is a staple in the American foodie scene…There are now popular gourmet food trucks in San Francisco, New York and Australia, and people follow them wherever they go. We believe it’s about time that food trucks make their debut in the Philippine foodie scene,” shares top food blogger Anton Diaz.

Upper Left: Hungry Rover’s UD Beef Kofta Sliders (Mini Burgers) made of grilled patties, veggies, choice of sauce, and cheese in baked buns with chips on the side. P110

They also launched the Food Truck Association of the Philippines during the opening of the market to encourage more food trucks vendors and related innovative ideas. I think this is the start of a new niche in the Philippine food retail industry.

And what did NomNom Club do there? What else but to eat! And here are our TOP FINDS from the first Philippine food truck market :

1. Gab Sobrepena’s Shawarma Bros Shawarma Truck
   

   Shawarma Bros

2. Hungry Rover truck by Romeo, Joseph, and Voltaire
   

   Hungry Rover: Check out their US Beef Tapa Grilled Wraps for P120

3. QKebab Shawarma Truck by Chef RJ Ungco
   

   QKebab Shawarma Truck by Chef RJ Ungco

4. Brothers Burger Gourmet Burger Truck
   

   Brothers Burger Gourmet Burger Truck

5. Bundaberg Ginger Beer
   

   Bundaberg Ginger Beer & Other Variants

6. GuacTruck Taco Truck – a partnership with the Big Chill
   

   GuacTruck Taco Truck – a partnership with the Big Chill (lower right)

7. MioGelati Gelato Truck
   

   MioGelati Gelato Truck

Best Food Truck

Since the new food truck market is so eye-catching, we can’t help but compare and judge them.  The best-tasting food for the night came from Shawarma Bros courtesy of the Beef Shawarma plate while the Best Food Truck Design goes to QKebab Shawarma & Shawarma  Bros.

QKebab Shawarma Truck

Beef Shawarma Plate by Shawarma Bros

On the other hand, the Best Food Truck Experience belongs to the Hungry Rover truck which even have a dining area inside the truck (good for about 8 people.) for the complete food truck experience.

Hungry Rover Truck

Other food establishments who participated in the food truck market include Mexicombi, Chicken Waffle Haus, Taclings,  Top Dog  Best Hotdogs on the World, Cakes by K, Carlo’s Kitchen, Petra & Pilar, the Spanish Club, and Chef Resty’s Roast Beef Carving Station, among others.

B. Wings creates a unique mix of buffalo wing variants

Taclings’ small malunggay tacos for about P120 a dozen

Cucina Andare Food Truck Market

Know more about Cucina Andare Food Truck Market via www.facebook.com /CucinaAndare and @CucinaAndare on Twitter. Contact them at admin@CucinaAndare.com or 09178401152. See you there again next Friday!

Kusina ni Kambal caterer also served us lunch

We have recently visited the Pinoy MasterChef house which serves as the temporary home of the Top 14 Cooks of the first ABS-CBN kusinaserye.

Myra – Chef Accountant of Muntinlupa

We also got to know the Top 14 cooks in a personal level in the same visit. But NomNom Club got extra close to some of them and even tasted their dishes. Here are six of them up close.

The Ladies

Ivory – the Bubbly Cook

We first met Myra. She is an employee by day and wife & mom by night. The Chef Accountant of Muntinlupafirst worked her way around the kitchen when she was still little. Her forte are home-cooked meals as she now cooks for her family of two.

With her in the room is Ivory. As a nurse, her parents initially wanted her to become a doctor bur her love for cooking made her pursue her culinary passion. Aside from that, she loves to eat, as she herself claims.

In contrast to other cooks and chef who prefers not to fully consume what they have cooked and leave it to guests, she likes eating what she has prepared. Her bubbly character will also help you enjoy your meal.

Myra has prepared a black and white chocolate crepe which served as a complementary dessert to the Italian-inspired potato-based masterpiece by Ivory. As much as Myra’s crepe was ok, Ivory’s dish was outstanding.

Myra’s Crepe & Ivory’s Potato Entree

Mac – the Kitchen Mac-Kulit of Tarlac

The Gentlemen

A former seaman, the Kitchen Mac-Kulit of Tarlac seem to be the jolliest of them all. I wasn’t initially sure if this is to compensate for his broken marriage, but I think Mac is naturally a happy person.

Ronnel – Boy Labong of Pampanga

Our second male cook is Ronnel. He is your typical husband from the province of Pampanga who is not surprisingly good in cooking and cooks over an open fire using twigs.

Known as the Boy Labong of Pampanga, he is the reserved type but have the looks for showbiz.

Tolits – Chief Cook of Police

Sorsogon’s Chief Cook of Police, Tolits, wanted to take up Fine Arts in college but was not able to because his family couldn’t afford it, and it was only in cooking where he was able express his passion for art.

He eventually joined the police force while being in charge of cooking tasks at home for his family as it was not the forte of his wife.

Ronnel prepared a very good tasting sisig which he claims to have prepared in the traditional way, Kapampangan style. Tolits served us a simple but also good-tasting shredded meat on bread. Mac, surprisingly and out-of-character, crafted a leche flan.

Ronnel’s Sisig (left) & Mac’s Leche Flan (right); Tolit’s Dish is Top Photo

Cons – Kitchen Siren of San Juan

The light-hearted conversation led us to Mac’s love-interest among the Pinoy MasterChef Top 14. He confessed his childish attraction to Cons. This led our group of media to interview Cons on our way downstairs.

Known as the Kitchen Siren of San Juan, Cons once auditioned in Pinoy Dream Academy to become a recording artist. A disease, however, temporarily damaged her voice and deterred her from reaching her dreams. This set off her love affair with cooking and has since then vowed to master cooking.

However, she cleared that Mac is just a friend.

Who do you think will be crowned as the first Pinoy MasterChef and will win the P1 million grand prize? Who will stand out?

ABS-CBN MasterChef Pinoy Edition

Pinoy MasterChef Top 14 Cooks

Catch MasterChef Pinoy Edition and the Top 14 cooks as they cook their way to their dreams, Mondays to Fridays, 10:30 a.m. before Be Careful with My Heart on ABS-CBN’s Umaganda block. Follow them at Twitter @MasterChefPHL, www.masterchefph.tv, and www.facebook.com/MasterChefPH.

Greenwich Better Than Any Other Christmas Party

Filipinos continue to be innovative in their Christmas celebrations with or without a big budget as long a they have fun during the Christmas party. Just like Greenwich, the country’s leading pizza chain, they recently threw a fun-filled bash for those who contributed to the brand’s success.

Anne Curtis & Kelly Misa

The Greenwich Barkada, composed of officers from Greenwich and celebrity endorsers filled up the stage of a Makati Shangri-La ballroom in front of the media and their friends. Joining in the fun were the Pizza Gang composed of Vince Canizares, Mika Lagdameo, and Lloyd Zaragoza. The Greenwich pasta girls Anne Curtis, Solenn Heussaff and Kelly Misa also brought Christmas cheers through a song.

Cookie Cabrera of Greenwich (right)

The Greenwich Barkada entertained the guests with their rendition of popular Christmas tunes. They also shared their fun moments with their Greenwich family and gamely answered questions from the members of the media. Rockeoke session with the guests kept the night alive.

“This Christmas get-together is our way of showing our heartfelt gratitude to our friends from the press. They play an important role in helping us get our messages and stories across our market and in making the Filipinos aware of our latest offerings,” said Cookie Cabrera, Greenwich PR and Corporate Affairs Manager.

The Greenwich Barkada & The Pasta Girls

@ Makati Shang-ri La

Greenwich Special Overload Pizza – 15in Party Pizza

The star of the night though is Greenwich’s latest Christmas offering- Greenwich Special Overload Pizza 15in Party Pizza fit for Christmas parties. The highlighted flavour Greenwich Special Overload Pizza has 13 premium toppings. The party pizza has 16 square cut slices and more of the overloaded toppings making Greenwich truly the Favorite ng barkada.

Greenwich 15-inch Party Pizza (Greenwich Special Overload Pizza)

I think the new Greenwich 15-inch Party Pizza is a good additional idea for our upcoming Christmas parties. Of course, I’m ordering my favorite Greenwich Special Overload Pizza flavor.

KFC is challenging its customers in the Philippines to MAN UP and eat big with its newest product – the KFC Double Decker.

KFC Market!Market!

I myself  just had a spa session over the long weekend at Neo Day Spa in BGC, Taguig. After which I headed straight to KFC MarketMarket branch and enjoyed an order of KFC Double Decker Man-Sized sandwich and an original singles meal with rice.

With two big Original Recipe Chicken fillets, bacon strips, sliced cheese, fresh lettuce & creamy mayo, sandwiched in between Kaiser buns, having a 10th of a bite of the KFC Double Decker is already a mouthful.

KFC Double Decker

It is the newest addition to KFC’s Man-Sized Meals – BIG meals for men with BIG appetites, and ladies too, if you want! It is now available in all KFC branches nationwide for P 145 for ala carte and P 175 as a combo meal with fries and drink. The rest of the Man-Sized Meals are also available as follows:

• Double Decker Fully Loaded Meal = P 215
• Classic Fully Loaded Meal = P 146
• Supreme Bowl Combo Meal = P 100
• Original Recipe Sandwich Combo Meal = P 136
• Zinger Combo Meal = P 136

Man-Sized Meals & Sandwiches

Man Up Mondays Challenge

Double Decker: Man-Sized Sandwich

In line with the launch of the Double Decker and the rest of the Man-Sized Meals, KFC now challenges everyone to dress up and ‘Man Up‘ for a series of ‘Man Up Mondays‘!

Go to any KFC branch wearing white pants today – December 3, 2012 – and get P 25 off from any one of the Man-Sized Meals!

If you missed this today and last week with floral shirts, you still have a chance for the next two weeks through the following:
• December 10, 2012: Pink Shirt
• December 17, 2012: Wildcard

Man Up Mondays!

Follow KFC Philippines on Twitter @KFCPhilippines and like their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/kfcphilippines.

Man up with the KFC Double Decker Man-Sized Meals!

City Delivery Boy

I surprised my fiance two weeks ago with a City Delivery package just before our trip to Batangas to meet more relatives from my side of the family. So instead of the usual meals I order from City Delivery, I tried something for merienda that we can bring on the road – cream puffs from Happy Cream Puffs. It’s one of the brands/vendors under the City Delivery wing.

Happy Cream Puff

It was October 31 and I was just glad that City Delivery was open for delivery that time even when it was the start of a long weekend holiday in the Philippines. I also came to know that they do deliver even at November 1 & 2.

Anyhow, so the surprise went all well as intended.

Happy Cream Puff Delivery

Generally, cream puffs are loved by all, being on the sweet side. The caramelized top ones were better, though  more sinful, than that of the plain cream puffs.

I tried different variants that the Happy Cream Puff menu offered but what caught my taste fancy best was the Mango Nama Choux. It was a burst of lovely sweet cream from the inside balanced by the mango fruit slices. Of course, my fiance and I shared ’em and we almost didn’t have enough. 🙂 The bite-size ones were also good for sharing as a box and offered more variations. But then again, the Mango Nama Choux cream puff is NomNom‘s highly recommended order.

Assorted Happy Cream Puffs – Small

Caramelized-top Happy Cream Puffs!

CityDelivery.ph Online

Online City Delivery Order

I usually order through the phone. This was my first time to try ordering through City Delivery online. After registration where they captured my contact details and delivery address, I was ready to order.

Aside from the usual cash payment option, customers can also use their credit cards. I hope time will come when they would also recognize Paypal as a valid avenue; only a handful of local commercial websites who cater to retail customers accept Paypal payments. For bloggers and netizens like me, Paypal is the easiest, hassle free way to pay online, while keeping the security of my purchases. I believe that day will eventually come.

I’m sharing with you some screen shots which I had to go through ordering as well.

Order Online

Online Food Cart

Checkout

City Delivery Check Out

City Delivery Hotline

City Delivery Hotline

The City Delivery number is simply 87878! Or order online through http://www.citydelivery.ph/

Aside from Happy Cream Puff, my other foodie favorites Sumosam, Bon Appetea, Empanada Mas, Crave Burger, Little Asia, Pepper Lunch, Yoshinoya, and Zong, are with City Delivery too. Try ordering from City Delivery hotline today and share your experience as well, good or bad reviews, in the comment section below.

Late morning shows of ABS-CBN currently lines up Kris TV, Please Be Careful with My Heart, and Showtime. Starting today – November 12 – a new ingredient will be added with the first kusina-serye MasterChef Pinoy Edition.

MasterChef Grocery / Sari-sari Store/ Stock Room

The MasterChef Pinoy Edition will be hosted Ms. Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo, Chefs Fernando “Ferns” Aracama, Chef Rolando “Lau” Laudico, and Chef JP “Jayps” Anglo who are reprising their roles as host and judges from the previous Junior MasterChef Pinoy Edition.

The newest version of the popular cooking reality show will give ordinary people from different generations, places, and economic backgrounds a chance to showcase their cooking prowess and overcome life’s challenges to reach their dreams.

Now, here are the 7 ingredients to watch-out for in the new MasterChef Pinoy Edition:

1) Judy Ann Santos

Undeniably, teleserye queen Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo (top photo) is the key ingredient on making this show a success. From the trailer that I saw in the recent presscon, Judy Ann’s hosting style and her capability to relate to the lives of the MasterChef aspirants brought about what the show intended to.

Kusina-Serye

2) Kusina-Serye Twist

One major factor local cooking-show followers would notice with the Pinoy MasterChef show is the heightened focus on the personal lives and emotional relationships of the cooking aspirants.

Yes, it is a deviation from the usual franchise format of the MasterChef you see in cable. Hence, it was also placed in the time slot just before lunch mainly to target the home-based mother and female audience. So don’t be surprised if you see them crying while cooking.

As much as it was a surprise to me, I think this is ABS-CBN’s way of making it suit more to the Filipino taste by touching their hearts at the same time appealing to the palate.

3) Expert Chefs

Chef Judges Chefs Fernando “Ferns” Aracama, Chef Rolando “Lau” Laudico, and Chef JP “Jayps” Anglo

Having proven themselves that they can also do wonders beyond the kitchen and into the tube, Chef Fernando “Ferns” Aracama, Chef Rolando “Lau” Laudico, and Chef JP “Jayps” Anglo are are back!

Unmistakably, they lend the expertise on the show’s main subject of cooking as they sample and critique the dishes.

Mystery Box

4) Fierce Competition

They ain’t kids anymore. Considering the adult participants, the chef judges said they will now be tougher with their judgement and straight to the point in their comments.

The screening of MasterChef hopefuls is expected to be filled with thrill and drama as Judy Ann, Chef Ferns Aracama, Chef Lau, and Chef Jayps will be more stringent and honest with higher expectations. They also expect the chef amateurs to reason out or defend their dishes.

“The challenges will definitely be harder. We will be more blunt in giving comments. To be a good chef, one needs to endure all the hardships.” says Juday.

5) P1 million

The emerging winner who will be able to prove himself or herself in the kitchen will become the very first Pinoy MasterChef and take home P1 million.

MasterChef Pinoy Edition Kitchen Studio

6) Reality Show

Reality Show

More than being a cooking show, MasterChef Pinoy Edition will give viewers a taste of ‘reality’ by housing the finalists under one roof. With a hint of ‘Pinoy Big Brother,’ the aspiring cooks will will have to blend with others, foster new bonds and conflicts, and experience success and defeat with each other.

Moreover, there will be a showcase of easy-to-prepare Filipino recipes, cooking demos, and home management and health tips.

7) MasterChef Saturdish Edition

Watch out for Melai Cantiveros and Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition 4 housemates Joj and Jai Agpangan on MasterChef Saturdish Edition as they embark on fun food adventures.

Join them as they discover and whip up extraordinary dishes as well as give out cooking tips and trivia.

Catch MasterChef Pinoy Edition on Nov 12

Get updates from www.facebook.com/MasterChefPHL, @MasterChefPHL on Twitter, and website www.masterchefph.tv. Catch the premiere of MasterChef Pinoy Edition later at 1030am (Monday, Nov 12) before “Be Careful with My Heart” on ABS-CBN’s Umaganda block.

Starbucks Planner 2013 Philippines

It’s that time of the year again when Starbucks Philippines releases their annual Starbucks Planners. Now on it’s 10th year, the Starbucks Planner 2013 set comes in 3 symbolically fiber leather cover colors representing their brand – black, white, and green. If you’d notice, it’s the 3 colors of their continually evolving logo.

This year’s theme of the limited edition Starbucks Philippines 2013 Planner is “Moments of Connection.” They chose to highlight this throughout the planner to emphasize shared moments over coffee as a form of genuine connection to uplift someone’s day.

Inside Pages: First Calendar Month – January

Here, I have also compiled 13 reasons why you should get the Starbucks 2013 Planner:

1. White & Green Covers

Apple aficionados and La Sallites would rave about this, no doubt. The white one will surely complement my white iPad and imaginary white iPhone. The Starbucks La Salle branch along Taft Avenue would surely always run out of the green one.

Although I found the blackl one generic, it’s for the ‘classic‘ lovers who want to keep it low, plain, and simple. The white and green ones just stand out, they are for the creative-types who doesn’t mind the extra attention…like me. LOL

Starbucks Planner 2013: Green, White, Black

2. Textured Pattern Cover

Front-facing, the jagged-polygons / star-like pattern on the cover start from the left fading to right which lends a textured feel while not leaving the impression of being overly designed nor too plain, externally. Two thumbs up for this.

Textured Planner Cover

3. Environment-Friendly & Inside Cover Flow Design

The external pattern was intrinsically reiterated on the first page upon opening. It reminds us of the environment-conscious efforts of Starbucks traditional in their planners every year. The same goes for this year’s planners which are 70% made of recycled materials.

4. Reusable Notebook Cover (Refills maybe?)

Awesome is awesome. I never thought SBX would make a planner with a reusable cover like this. I only see plastic reusable notebook covers in standard bookstores. But Starbucks was able to consider about making this awesomely designed covers (refer to reasons #1 & #2) actually reusable.

Reusable Planner Cover: Notice the attachments of the paper notebook and the cover in the photo.

I’m just not sure if this is a preemptive move in preparation for Starbucks Planners 2014. Maybe the future ones would even be more environment-friendly as refills? I don’t know, this is just a hunch. 😛

5. Charity: SparkHope

Customary as well with the journal is a charity beneficiary for the project. Every redeemed Starbucks Planner 2013 comes a donation for the children of SparkHope – an early childhood care and development program. It’s Christmas season after all and it would be great to be of help with every sip of your favorite coffee.

Charity beneficiary: SparkHope

6. Weekly and Monthly Calendars

Of course, since it’s a planner, there are calendars (lol). Weekly and monthly calendars are there for you to actually fill and somehow organize your life schedule beyond just lugging around these awesome planners.

7. “Moments of Connection”

In line with their “Moments of Connection” theme, inspiring ‘connection‘ notes are placed in random dates to remind the planner aficionado to give a friend a pat at the back or to say ‘hi’ to a relative.

“Moments of Connection”

8. Post It notes, double adhesives & Postcards

To further enhance reason #7, built-in post-it notes and postcards are inserted in different months to share special thoughts and moments with someone you care for. It’s similar to your Facebook like and share button, only offline. 😛

Make an effort to make that someone feel extra special by giving him or her something non-digital (this reminder goes for me as well). 🙂

Post-Its & Postcards

9. Magnet Lock

I hate buttons for binders, they usually don’t last long and easily gives up to wear-and-tear even before the whole year is over. Solution – magnets! It makes that interesting tapping sound as well. Tap!

(See top photo)

10. Magnetic Bookmark

Remember the previous Starbucks Planner bookmarks with strings to divide the page? This year, they’re out. Magnet bookmarks are in. It’s a back-to-back hot beverage single-attached magnetic bookmark. However, since it’s basically two magnets, they tend to be too tight sometimes.

Magnetic Bookmark

If magnetic bookmarks are not your thing, you can cut it and viola, you have two Starbucks ref magnets! 🙂

11. Coupons

They’re calling them “kindness cards” this year. Call it whatever you want – freebies, discounts cards, promos, coupons!

Starbucks Planner 2013 Coupons

12. More Coupons

As they say, you can never have enough. So, you have a second page of more “kindness cards!”

More Freebie Coupons

13. Flip Book Style
Again, awesome is awesome, the inside pages have a Starbucks cup on the lower right side which starts empty in January and fills-up through the days and pages to a fully-filled beverage by December! An instant Flip Book!

Although I thought having the reverse would be more cute depicting ‘time running out‘, mine is a pessimistic way of looking at it. This one’s better, more positive. 🙂

Flip Book Pages

So how do you already have one of the 2013 Starbucks Planners? Click here to see how to get a Starbucks Planner 2013!

The 2013 Stamp Card which is more of a ‘paper’ than a card. 🙂

2013 Starbucks Planners

For my final verdict – the 2013 Starbucks Planners are the best Starbucks Planner set they have released in the Philippines in all 10 years. Reasons #1, #4, #10, and #13 are the major turn-ons for me which contributed to its minimalist and modern look. I love the green one best, followed by the white.