Entries Tagged 'Affairs' ↓

It’s Christmas Eve! Aside from the usual excitement for gifts that we’ll be giving and receiving, another highlight of the Filipino Christmas eve is the Christmas Noche Buena. And this year, we’ll be having a CDO Holiday Ham on our table tonight.

Christmas Ham

I always look forward to the Noche Buena because, aside from Buena Noche, it’s actually a rare opportunity to eat a full meal during midnight with the whole family.

Although, we’re not having a Lechon pizza, we do include the traditional ham in our Noche Buena set but it’s usually just the regular ham.

Last month,  I got invited by CDO on their media event of CDO Holiday Whole Meat Premium-Cut Ham. Chef Rob Pecson also joined us and demonstrated how to come up with salads and Christmas dishes using the CDO Holiday Ham.

Christmas Ham Dishes

Ham Salad and Ingredients

Check out Chef Rob Pecson‘s episode 1 video on ‘10 Ways for the Holidays with Chef Rob Pengson‘

CDO Holiday Ham

It also gave me the opportunity to know more about Christmas hams and what makes CDO hams different from the others in the market. While there are a number of meat brands we are familiar with, CDO Holiday Ham’s premium-cut ham has:

– no extenders
– high-quality smoked ham
– one whole boneless meat from the hind leg

Chef Rob Pecson and the CDO Holiday Ham

It turns out that meat from the hind leg is the best cut of pork for hams, is tastier, and meatier.

Furthermore, the net marks of CDO Holiday Ham means they are whole-meat hams because only whole meat hams can be smoked in ham nets. Otherwise, pieces would fall off.

It would also be best to consume the whole ham in a few days after the ham has been opened; even if kept in the freezer.

Learn more about Holiday Ham on their website at http://holidayham.com.ph. ‘Like’ them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/HolidayHam.

Have a Merry Noche Buena Christmas with CDO Holiday Ham everyone! Nomnomnom….:)

Thank you all for participating in this year’s Starbucks Planner 2011 Giveaway Contests. First on the writing contest, and next on the FB photo-comment contest. 🙂

Pardon the slight delay in the announcement as I had to validate and filter for the unique comments in the photo entries in which one even had an awesome 1,029 comments. On the other hand, reading through your Christmas stories with the theme of ‘sharing‘ was also heartwarming. Many entries were very creative as well.

I also invited Sebs Yu from  Marriage Journeys blogsite to be a co-judge in the “Share Your Stories.”. So we averaged our scores and came up with the winner based on the criteria.

Share Your Stories Winner

Starbucks Share Your Stories

Without further adieu, the winner of the the Share Your Stories writing contest with an average score of 88.5% is “Thinking April” with her blog post entitles “Last Christmas.” It was her personal story of sharing and letting go of old things albeit with sentimental value. Congratulations! You will receive a Starbucks 2011 Planner soon!

Following her in second and third place with a tie score of 84.5% are “Sharing  This Christmas Season” from Make Melodies and Snicker Ho Hum.

Photo-Comment Winner

Starbucks FB Photo-Comment Winner

And for the Photo-Comment entries, the greatest number of comments we had was 1,029. But since we are looking for the unique number of comments, we had to validate and trim them down.

The winner, who had originally 146 comments, and after validation was filtered to 110 unique comment entries is the photo by Jian Marla Reyes. Congratulations! You also receive a Starbucks 2011 Planner!

In second and third places are Krismer Acuesta who had 78 unique comments out of 298 and Joanne Garces Gonzales with 71 unique comments out of 1, 029. (all values include the +5 in comment to Digital Manila)

Thank you to all for participating!The two winners will get an FB message and/or email to get their snail mail addresses where the Starbucks 2011 Planner will be sent by Starbucks.

As a gesture of appreciation, I would like to invite the Top 3 Share Your Stories winners and Top 3 Photo-Comment winners to a simple merienda gathering at Spuds (Potato Corner brand) at the Ayala Columns condominium in front of RCBC bldg in Makati at the intersection of Buendia and Ayala Ave on 2pm of December 28, 2010. Kindy email me at admin AT NomNomClub.com to RSVP. Thanks! I’m off to Batangas tonight and will be offline until then. Will be back in Manila on Dec 26. Expect my email replies after that date. 🙂

“Pwede na akong mamatay” is a local euphemism which literally  means “I can die now.” Indeed, after you have tasted Pizza Hut’s Lechon Pizza, you could say that without hesitation, especially if you know you are going to Heaven. And well, because your cholesterol shoots up double time. 🙂

Pizza consumption by itself is one  the West’s strongest influence in modern Filipino food culture. The number of competing brands alone speaks for its itself.

The varieties also testify the market’s complex taste and preference of their own pizza. You have the thick, the thin, the stuffed, the pop-ups, and the top thats.

On the other hand, the “Lechon” (roasted suckling pig) is a major food centerpiece for big gatherings, fiestas and celebrations here in the Philippines.

I never thought the day that the lechon and the pizza would meet can actually happen. But Pizza Hut did it. Pizza Hut dared and successfully combined the goodness and crispiness of lechon and the quality of their pizza.

Lechon Pizza Slice

Think of Pizza Hut layered with generous cheese with chunks of lechon meat and slices of the sought-after crispy lechon skin and you have your deadly but delicious Pizza Hut’s Lechon Pizza.

The skin is not the traditional shiny lechon skin but more of the fried and crunchy. Good thing I liked it more this way. Pizza Hut intentionally air dried the skin separately and adds it as topping on top of the pizza only as it is served. This allows the lechon skin to maintain its crispiness.

Your initial temptation is to pick the crispy lechon skin atop the pizza slice and eat it by itself. But that might  leave your pizza lacking as a whole. I prefer to hold my guns and consume it altogether and experience the crispy lechon skin as I take one bite at a time of the lechon pizza. 🙂

You could also request for the sauce to be held and not immediately spread on top of the pizza as served. Although the lechon pizza sauce is still on the sweet side, it is not as much as your retail favorite Mang Tomas lechon sauce. This can either be good or bad on a person-to-person basis. 🙂

Hold that saliva from dropping. The Pizza Hut’s Lechon Pizza comes in two sizes – medium and large.  The Lechon Pizza price starts at Php 329 for the former with 10 inches and Php 499 for the latter of 14 inches.

You can also have it as part of a special package under the Manila Signature Dishes where it is paired with  other servings and wine for the price of P799.

“Inspired by the popular local favorite, this new flavor celebrates the Filipino creativity and ingenuity.“

Manila Sugnature Dishes 2010:
Pizza Hut Bistro New Lechon Pizza Set P799 (Price still subject to service charge and local tax)

• Medium Lechon Pizza
• Seafood Supremo
• Olive Garden Salad
• 2 Glasses Casillero del Diablo Merlot

It has the rustic burnt lechon aroma you can smell from afar as it comes nearer your table. It is an ultimate dream come true for pizza and lechon lovers. Have the best of both in a single serve. You should not let this ultimate foodie comfort food pass this Christmas holiday season as it is only available until about the end of January next year.

Pizza Hut Lechon Pizza

I recommend the Pizza Hut Lechon Pizza with a thumbs up for those who love pizza and lechon. Be sure to bring family and friends to share it with as  I myself was only able to consume 3 slices. Try one before you die, it’s Pizza Hut Lechon Pizza or forever hold your peace. 🙂

Magnolia Ice Cream recently launched its newest limited edition flavors for the holidays – Vanilla Praline, Caramel Cheesecake, and Apple Strudel.

In line with this, Magnolia Ice Cream is holding a blog writing contest where you could share your Magnolia ice cream experience with your family. The flavor in the blog story could be any one of the holiday limited edition flavors.

Complete mechanics are as follows:

1) Concept

Write a blog about an experience you and your family had with any or all of the Magnolia Ice Cream Christmas Limited Edition Flavors with the theme “Enjoy While It’s Here“.

2) Article

The entry should contain at least 200 words and a maximum of 500 words. The words ‘Magnolia Ice Cream’, ‘limited edition’, and at least one of the three variants (Vanilla Praline, Caramel Cheesecake, Apple Strudel) should be mentioned at least once anywhere in the whole article or blog. At least once, the word ‘Magnolia Ice Cream’ should be a link to http://www.magnoliaicecream.com.ph/

3) Photo

The blog should contain at least one photo containing any of the three variants/flavors relevant to the article. Make sure the photos are yours and does not infringe any copyright.

4) Share

Encourage other readers to join the blog writing contest as well and link to http://NomNomclub.com/affairs/2010/magnolia-ice-cream-blog-writing-contest. Leave your blog post URL as a comment below including your email address where you will be notified in case you will emerge as the winner.

5) Duration

The writing contest will be from December 6, 2010 to 25 January 8, 2011. Announcement of winners will be on December 31, 2010 January 16, 2011.

6) Criteria

•    Creativity and Writing Style – 50%

•    Originality, Grammar & Adherence to Theme – 20%

•    Photo Quality and Relevance – 20%

•    Overall Impact – 10%

7) Prizes

The winners’ gift certificates (GCs) shall be couriered to any valid address in the Philippines:

• First Prize – P2000 P3000 worth of Magnolia Ice Cream GCs
• Second Prize – P1500 P2000 worth of Magnolia Ice Cream GCs
• Third Prize – P1000 P1500 worth of Magnolia Ice Cream GCs

Magnolia Ice Cream Flavors

Your Filipino Christmas festivities are not complete without Magnolia Ice Cream in the table. Try one or all  of the three limited edition variants (Vanilla Praline, Caramel Cheesecake, Apple Strudel) today!

Today, Starbucks marks its 13th year of presence in the Philippines. Its first branch of Starbucks in the Philippines opened December 4, 1997 at 6750 Ayala Building in Makati City.

The 1997 opening of Starbucks in the Philippines was significant as it became the third market to open outside of  North America.

The Starbucks experience has since spread throughout the Philippines. In fact, it’s first branch in Mindanao has opened just last month in the province of Cagayan De Oro (CDO).  Starbucks continues to innovate with new concoctions and products such as their latest introduction of the Starbucks VIA Brew instant coffee. They have also released their Starbucks Planner 2011. They are also having the rounds for their Christmas Starbucks Cheers Party around the Philippines.

And as a Starbucks treat to it’s loyal customers, all branches of Starbucks in the Philippines are giving away complimentary cupcakes to it’s first 50 customers in each branch today. Happy Anniversary Starbucks!

It’s NomNom Foodie Club‘s first Christmas together and what most fitting activity to celebrate the holiday but with the traditional Filipino culture of a Christmas Party!

To be held at the first day of the last month of the year, this Christmas foodie party will indeed start the Christmas month symbolically.

Geiser Maclang

The theme of our NomNom Foodie Club Christmas Party is “Sarap ng Pasko,” in recognition of our food and venue sponsor Kraft Eden Cheese‘s Christmas campaign “Sarap ng Pasko.” This was also made possible with the support of GeiserMaclang.

It will be held at the Kraft Eden Cheese Keso de Gallo Christmas Tree area and platform installation in front of Gerry’s Grill and IMAX theater entrance on the first floor of SM Mall of Asia.

In support of this campaign, we would like to encourage you to promote “Sarap ng Pasko” by simply posting in your Facebook walls any and at least one of the following links from November 27– November 30 (specifying that the deadline of voting is Dec 1, 2010):

• http://www.SarapNgPasko.com/
• http://www.SarapNgPasko.com/mechanics
• http://NomNomClub.com/affairs/2010/sarap-ng-pasko-christmas-food/
• http://YummyManila.blogspot.com/2010/09/world-longest-christmas-food.html
• http://www.LetsGoSago.net/2010/09/bauan-batangas-vegeden/
• http://www.SarapNgPasko.com/about

Kraft Eden Cheese's "Sarap Ng Pasko"

In your Faceboook wall, make sure to tag ‘@’ ‘NomNomClub’ or ‘@’ ‘Yummy Manila.’

If you are a blogger, you also have the option to blog about Kraft Eden Cheese’s “Sarap ng Pasko” campaign. Best blog gets a special prize from Kraft Eden during the party.

Soo what are you waiting for NomNom Foodie Club members? Simply email your link/s to admin AT NomNomClub.com with the link of your Facebook wall post and you are automatically registered to the Christmas party. Due to the limited space of the venue, we can only accept the first 50 (out of 100+) NomNom Foodie Club members to submit. You will receive a confirmation email a day after your submission if you are part of the first 50.

Please bring a monito-monita gift worth NOT MORE than P50 for your mystery monito-monita. 🙂

Here is the program flow for the Christmas Party:
0600 p – Registration and Dinner
0630 p – Short Introdution & Game
0700 p – Raffle Set 1 + Word from Kraft Eden Cheese
0730 p – NomNom Club 2010 and Plans for 2011 + Monito- Monita
0800 p – Raffle Set 2 & Closing Ceremonies

Some NomNom Foodie Club members during the 1st Anniversary Celebration at Greenwich SM North

Raffle Prizes would include Christmas Packs and other items
Special Prizes:

• Best Monito-Monita Gift under P51
• Best Christmassy attire/costume that best embodies the theme of “Sarap ng Pasko”
• Best Blog post on Kraft Eden’s “Sarap ng Pasko” campaign.

Summary:
What: “Sarap ng Pasko” NomNom Foodie Club Christmas Party
When: Decemeber 01, 2010 (Wednesday)
Where: SM mall of Asia – Kraft Eden Cheese Christmas Tree area & platform (near Gerry’s Grill & Starbucks MOA)

Requirements:

• FB wall post for “Sarap ng Pasko” campaign AND P50 Monito-Monita Gift.
• Email your links to admin@NomNomClub.com. This serves as your official registration for the party llimited to first 50 members.

Sarap Ng Pasko

Merry Christmas indeed! See you soon at the NomNom Foodie Club Christmas Party with Kraft Eden Cheese‘s “Sarap Ng Pasko.”

I would like to share a ‘cheesy‘ experience last month. Literally, there was an overload of cheese at the California Butter and Cheese Training Seminar with Chef Robert Jorin (CMB) from the Culinary Institute of America‘s Baking & Pastry Arts Certificate Program.

Monterey Jack and Jalapeno Jack

In line of promoting California Milk Advisory Board‘s marks “Real California Cheese” and “Real Califonia Milk,” we had a crash-course in butter and cheese appreciation at the Edsa Shangri-la Hotel in Makati together with other lifestyle and food-related media personnel.

Chef Robert Jorin (CMB) of Culinary Institute of America

Explained one by one, we had mozzarella, Monterey Jack, Jalapeno Jack, sour cream, mascarpone, ricotta cheese, and unsalted butter, among others.

Following the ingredients in their bare form are its by-products sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, buttermilk, manufacturing cream, homogenized milk and the sinfully-sweet milk caramel dulce leche. I realized that I never knew how Dulce de leche are made, until that day, and how simple but delicately complicated it can be. 🙂

Unsalted Butter

Participating California brands include Mozzarella Fresca, Crystal unsalted butter, California Farms, Berkeley Farms, and California Sunshine. All “Real California Milk” certified.

Of course, we had to try out some creations by Chef Robert Jorin whom he himself prepared. These include Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Raspberry mirror glaze, Pepper Jack & Olive Rolls, Cream Scones with Cheddar Cheese & Green Onions, Mascarpone Chocolate Swirl Cheese cake and Cheese cake with sour cream topping and strawberry on top.

California Butter and Cheese Training Seminar

I had to refrain from eating any food or dish with any form of cheese for two days after this event. (lol)! It was a great and educational experience nonetheless.

Cheesecake with Sour Cream Topping and Mascarpone Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake

Tiramisu on Glass w/ cream on top

Hats-off to the California Milk Advisory Board and cheese & milk expert Chef Robert Jorin of the Culinary Institute of America. Check their recipes at http://www.realcaliforniamilk.com/. For more information, you may contact Ms. Reji Retugal-Onal at 534-8534 or email rronal@synergyasia.biz.

Goodles Noodles & Mercato Centrale

Goodles Anniversary Promo

Goodles is celebrating its 1st anniversary on November 24, 2010 and they are sharing an anniversary promotion. From 11am to 9pm, three (3) of Goodles’ best selling pasta tubs will be sold for P100 only during various times. (see photo below for details).

Goodles Anniversary Promo - P100 Noodles

Check their online pages as well at facebook.com/ilovegoodles and ilovegoodles.com .

Mercato Centrale

We have the market-style foodie destinations Salcedo Market (Saturdays) and Legaspi Market (Sundays) both in Makati City. While on the other prime business district of Ortigas in Pasig, is Banchetto.

And then there will be Mercato Centrale – Bonifacio Global City’s answer to the weekend’s demand for great meals and food adventures. nomnomnom…

“Inspired by the outdoor markets of Mercato Centrale in Florence and the Boroughs Market in London, Mercato Centrale at Bonifacio Global City is an innovative weekend lifestyle market with unique, great tasting food finds that you won’t find anywhere around the metro! Mercato also has an extensive selection of healthy and organic fruits, vegetables and livestock, all located in a clean, comfortable, well-ventilated and organized setting.” – http://www.mercatocentrale.ph/

Mercato Centrale BGC

They start tomorrow – November 21 – at the corner of 30th st. and 9th avenue in Bonifacio Global City from 6am to 12nn. See you at Mercato Centrale at about 9am! 🙂