Kadayawan: Makati Version (part1)

I was busy with Giselle... and also a little tight with my liquidity... so a trip to Davao for the annual Kadayawan Festival was out of the question. I was blessed nonetheless, to do the next best thing. I got invited to be a part of the Kadayawan festivities at Market!Market! as judge for the culinary challenge.

It was a weekend event that featured two iconic ingredients that Davao is known for. The 17th of August was the competition to whip up delectable desserts with Durian as the main ingredient. There were 6 contestants who were given 30 minutes to whip up their desserts. I was just so excited to see what the contestants would come up with, I started snapping photos of the dishes they came up with.

There were three of us who served as judge. Myself, my dear friend Lorraine who is a chef and food stylist and Kathleen Tan who is Brand Manager for Dowell home appliances. All three of us noticed how well the dishes were plated. However, all three of us were unanimous in that above everything else in a cooking competition it's flavor that counts most.

Ist place: Durian crepe with durian infused syrup

Therefore,some of the more complicated platings did not merit a prize. We observed that some contestants had garnished their desserts with ingredients that were either unpalatable or had no bearing whatsoever with the dessert they concocted. So a simple crepe won the top prize.

2nd place: Durian bar with strawberry durian mocktail

At the end of the day, it was justified that even the most aesthetically pleasing manner in which to serve a dessert doesn't stand on its own if you can't eat everything on the plate.  So the durian bar with a strawberry and durian mocktail that looked really tempting only placed second because the rose petal was included purely for visual effect.

Third place: Durian bar crumble with dragon fruit and spun sugar and blueberry streak

Third place was a durian bar crumble with dragon fruit and spun sugar and blueberry streak which looked tempting except that the durian bar was mushy. It wasn't a bar at all but more of a pudding. It would have been nice to be able to lift it up and take a bite out of it if it had the texture of a granola bar.

Durian pudding with orange slivers

Some of the photos are entries which didn't quite make it. But I'm including them here for pure visual delight. The thing with durian is that is has a strong aroma and a distinct taste. It either grows on you or you can completely try to mask it. some flavors were pretty complementary to durian but sadly, some flavors just don't go well with it.

Durian tapioca with mint 

So for the not so lucky contestants, they have more time to experiment until next year...

Durian with raspberry syrup, orange marmalade and sugar tuille

Raffles and Fairmont: Trademarks of Oppulence

A few months ago, Ayala Land was host to the opening of two new spanking hotels. Both have been known for luxury and service beyond the ordinary... Raffles and Fairmont hotels have finally opened its doors as Manila's bespoke hotels.

The first one I visited was the Fairmont. Situated right beside the Landmark, it is one of the more modern hotels I have visited. Sparsely decorated... almost spartan in its interiors, the hotel breathes a minimalist design. Huge Vats decorate the front desk while vibrant tribal installation art line the foyer.

Fresh flowers adorn niches and a cascade of crystals offer an imposing site in the lobby that precedes the grand staircase. There's also a bowl of juicy red delicious apples on the vestibule, which from time to time, are snatched by the hotel's guests.

The coffee shop offers a wide array of cocktails for the weary traveler or for the thirsty visitor up for a tall drink at the end of the day. The bakeshop has an interesting array of cakes and pastries. And for the piece de resistance... macaroons! There's a whole assortment of them!!! And if foodies are to be believed, they're supposedly the best of them all...

On another occasion, i was able to pick up guests who were billeted at the Raffles Hotel. It is situated beside the Fairmont on a corner block along Palm  and Arnaiz avenues. The difference between the two is that the Raffles is geared towards expats who are expecting to stay longer than the average tourists.

Ergo, the Raffles is  designed more as residences rather than a hotel. A few settees are strewn about the lobby that has groupings of all sorts of mirrors and a crystal chandelier cascading down the center. It is where expats can feel the comforts of home away from home as they spend their days in Manila while on assignment. The hotel boasts of valet service 24/7. The lobby is clearly not a place to gather and chill out in unless you have a meeting with the guests at the coffee shop.

On my visit here, I chanced upon Rick Harrison of Pawnstars fame. Yes, he was in Manila for a spell with son Cory. I managed to shake hands with the celeb and even managed to infom him I watch his shows. He managed to smile and thank me for being a fan... and that was that!

Realizing Giselle

Months ago, I posted a blog on the designs of Giselle. I was in the process of making the costumes for Ballet Philippines' Gala presentation to open the 44th season of the company.

I'm so honored to have been a part of the production. It was not without its trials, however, I feel the difficulties far outweigh the rewards. At first I thought the project was going to be easy-breezy. How difficult could it be to spruce up Badong Bernal's costumes? Little did I know the costumes were in total disrepair...

With Nonoy Froilan's visual peg, I started over in making the costumes from scratch. A few weeks later, some costumes came into realization. They weren't perfect, as some prototypes are expected. But they weren't bad...

With that conceptual direction down pat things got underway. The sourcing of materials, the contracting of suppliers, the scheduling of measurements and fittings had to be done in the span of barely two months. Add to that the constant changes from panicking re-stagers and choreographers and the unsolicited opinion of those who think they know how to make dance costumes were incessant irritants to my usual calm composure.

But come Gala night, the costumes were ready. Up to the very last minute, capes were being sewn and beads were being added to headresses. After all the hardwork Giselle had a successful run this weekend. After the heart aches and disappointments, all's well that ends well. =)

Giselle Open Rehearsals

Katherine Trofeo as Giselle

20, July, 2013 was a busy day for the staff and dancers of Ballet Philippines. They have decided to show excerpts of the company's season opener for its 44th season.

The Willis

Giselle is the tragic story of a naive peasant girl who falls in love with Albrecht, a nobleman who pretends to be "one of the guys". He stays in a village in the guise of being a simple man with no rank nor power. However, his ruse is found out when a royal party wanders into the village headed by the prime minister and his betrothed, Bathilde.

The Willis

Giselle is distraught over the deception, loses her sanity and dies. The villagers believe in a myth that unmarried maidens who die ahead of their  time haunt the forests and grave sites at night exacting revenge on hapless men who cross their territory at night. Hilarion, who wooed Giselleearlier on, becomes the first victim. He is haunted by the Myrtha, Queen of the Willis, and the spirits of the unmarried maidens and dances himself to exhaustion. 

Katherine Trofeo as Giselle in a pas de deux with JM Cordero

Albrecht, beside himself with grief and remorse, visits Giselle's grave in the dead of night. He falls prey to Myrtha and the Willis. He, however, is saved from doom by Giselle who appeals to Myrtha for Albrecht's life. She dances in his behalf and attests her undying love for Albrecht and he is saved when dawn sets in and the Willis must return to their graves. Giselle and Albrecht dance in a haunting pas de deux and Giselle bids Albrecht goodbye forever...

Carissa Adea as Giselle

Giselle will be portrayed by Katherine Trofeo, Carisa Adea and Denise Parungao. Jean Marc Cordero  Richardson Yadao and EJ Arisola take turns to essay the role of Albrecht. Tim Cabrera and EJ Arisola alternate for the role of Hilarion. Madge Reyes, Rita Pinder and Macel Dofitas alternate for Bathilde/ Myrtha. Actors Bembol Rocco and Shamaine Centenerra-Buencamino portray the roles of Wilfred (Albrecht's friend)  and Berthe (Giselle's Mother), respectively. 

JM Cordero as Albrecht

Giselle's play dates are on the 16th, 17th, 18th of August, 2013 at the CCP Main Theater.

CERVESERIA

Salad with Pecorino cheese, arugula, grapes etc.*

I do not drink! I am allergic to anything with alcohol in it. But what am I to do when friends invite you to a restaurant with a name like this? You just take it is stride and show up for lunch.I was relieved though, that no alcoholic beverages were served with the food. You'll find CERVESERIA at the promenade on Greenbelt 3 right where the nice casual restaurants are.

Papas Bravas*

With a name like CERVESERIA, you would expect it to be a watering hole of sorts, wouldn't you? Yeah, you might. And it is, once the sun starts to set. But their take on Spanish food is quite close as far as authenticity is concerned. The flavors were surprisingly Iberian. I came a little late as I had forgotten about the lunch date so I missed out on the salad greens with Pecorino cheese. Can't give you a review on that one, sorry!

Gambas al Ajillo*

The Gambas al ajillo was superb, though. I love the taste of roasted garlic and the hot, sweetish taste of the pepper that flavored the olive oil it was cooked in. The shrimps were cooked rather well. And they were plump and juicy as they should be.

Calamares Fritos*

The Calamares, a perennial favorite, was crispy on the outside. The batter was light and not the usual oily breading that most of us have gotten accustomed to. They were tender and not rubbery, which means the right amount of temperature and time were used in creating the dish. The dip was creamy and had just the right hint of herbs and lemon juice to flavor it with... no, not your usual mayonnaise dip! I was relieved...

Lechon de Leche*

I thought all the servings were done Tapas style like they do in Spain but the Lechon de leche was a pretty  big serving for four people. The skin was crispy and the meat was tender and succulent as it's supposed to be. I only had to taste a bite of it so i won't over eat. It was delicious and not overpoweringly greasy. Still, i was careful not to over indulge on this one. It was good enough though, so i couldn't pass on this lechon. And there was plenty to spare so we had it doggie-bagged...

Paella Cerveseria*

Their take on Paella wasn't too bad either. They did not scrimp on the saffron nor the seafood in the dish. The rice was well seasoned and well-cooked. and the beans were crisp but not raw. Perfectly balanced flavor and color. What I missed though was the slightly overcooked rice that settles in the bottom of the paellera... TUTONG! I was sort of looking forward to scraping it off with my fork, but hey, the meal was near perfect... why fret?

*photos courtesy of Sarita Jovellanos

Modern Shanghai

Before you even think it... No, I wasn't on a trip!!!

I was with my friends. Mama June, Fides, Jojo and Sarita. It was Sarita's idea that we have lunch here.  And it wasn't a bad idea either. Modern Shanghai is a nondescript, well-appointed restaurant that serves updated Shanghainese food for the finicky diner of Chinese cuisine. 

You'll find it on the third floor of Glorietta 2. It's owned and operated by George Yang of McDonald's. I guess, it's their way of adding a new spin on their food empire. This one is a nice departure from burgers, though. Tastefully decorated and lit in amber tones, the restaurant looks really classy from outside. 

cold seaweed starter

Their food, needless to say, is GREAT! If you're not up on your Chinese cuisine... here's a little backgrounder. There are four types of Chinese cuisine: 1)Shanghai, 2)Beijing, 3)Cantonese and 4)Hainanese. Each cuisine has a specific quality that comes out when you try them. 

silken tofu in vinegar dip

Shanghai cuisine tends to be spicy as the region lies at the end of the silk road. Most of the travelers to China from the time of Marco Polo ended up in Shanghai where traders heaped up mounds and mounds of spices for trade or for sale. 

sweet and sour pork

Beijing cuisine has more of the herbs and aromatics mixed in their cuisine The region lies on the northeastern part of the Chinese continent where the climate is cold for most of the year. The food they cook up is mostly created from livestock and scented and flavored with lots of coriander and basil and garlic and ginger. Tasty, soupy cuisine and most of them has for the most part, warms the body on a cold day.

tofu in black vinegar sauce

Cantonese cuisine lies somewhere in the middle of the continent. There's more produce in this part of China. It only follows that the cuisine will include more vegetables and fruits. This takes into account the ingredients in most meals specially in the summer time when the produce is at its best quality.

shanghai fried rice

Hainanese cuisine is unique in that the region has a more temperate climate than the rest of the Chinese continent. The area lies at the southern portion of China's land mass. The cuisine therefore, includes a lot of sub-tropical ingredients... mostly peanuts.

steamed dumplings

Needless to say, the food in Modern Shanghai falls under the first category. But this restaurant makes it different in that the food is familiar but updated. No fusion here, though. It's Shanghai food with a modern slant. The menu offers a wide selection of viands from veggies to meats to seafood. Just look at the photos and you'll get an idea of what they have cooking in the kitchen. I enjoyed the food priced a little higher than the usual family restaurants down the halls. The servings are not too big but just right for five people to share. Worth a try... 

beef with leeks

Un Bel Di (One Fine Day)

Me at SM Aura's roof deck garden

Not even the recent gas explosion in BGC's Serendra II could ruin it for me! I was in the area with my BUBBY the night it happened but earlier in the day, we just went gallivanting in the outlets and the malls browsing through the stores and checking out items that could be included in our individual bucket lists.

Bonifacio High Street

For starters, we were dressed to the nines and prepared to be appropriately dressed for dinner somewhere in one of Serendra's  fab restaurants. But since we wanted to find out what the hype was all about, our first stop was at SM Aura. Sarah Jessica Parker was in Manila to grace the ribbon cutting and soft opening of SM's new "jewel". So why the heck not visit it?

Me at the Bonifacio Hight Street ampitheater

It wasn't that huge and we were quite surprised but since the mall is spanking new, we enjoyed the still half empty mall and sparse human traffic. It was mid morning and the movie ticket we purchased wasn't until 2:50 p.m. Walking around made us hungry but we didn't want to ruin our appetite so we settled for a few snacks... bottled water and cupcakes from Slice.

choco choco cupcake by Slice

I picked up a deep dish peanut butter cupcake and a carrot cupcake (trying to be healthy?) and Bubby picked a triple choco cupcake that had rivulets of chocolate rosette frosting. The two cupcakes I picked were substantially heavy considering they were a bit small in size. The peanut butter one was quite similar to a Reese's peanut butter cupcake in flavor but not as sweet and the outer portion was crisp and a little harder to hold in the filling inside. 

Carrot cupcake and deep dish peanut butter cupcake from Slice

Then there was the movie which we watched at the Director's Club cinema. We purchased some popcorn and drinks before the screening of Hangover 3 not knowing that there was free popcorn in the theater as well. So we had three popcorn tubs and bottles of water and iced tea for the movie. We were having so much fun we didn't mind walking around some more and taking photos on the roof deck garden then out towards Bonifacio High Street.

Cupcakes by Sonja Red velvet, chocolate icing and sprinkles and  banana cupcake

It wasn't long before merienda time saw us getting into Cupcakes by sonja's tiny atellier. I chose chocolate creme filled cupcake while Bubby picked a red velvet cupcake and a peanut butter cupcake. We went walking around Bonifacio Hight Street some more to burn off the sugar rich cakes we've been eating. Before we knew it, dinnertime was looming and we back-tracked to find a reasonably priced restaurant that had tempting food.

Grapefruit fizz

According to Bubby's google search, Mamou was a good choice. It was quite early still so we were readily accommodated for dinner.  We had a corner table for two and we were vacillating on ordering too much food. The servings were substantial and could be shared by two people on a diet. 

Truffle cream pasta and fish fingers from Mammou

We ordered the Truffle cream pasta which was a favorite of foodies. The pasta was cooked to a fine al dente with the generous cream sauce lending its salty, distinctly truffle taste on it. The Kurobuta Mamou-Katsu was served on a bed of red organic rice. Obviously a take-off from the Japanese tonkatsu, the meat was encrusted in a flaky breading and a side serving of onion based sauce came with it. And the Fish fingers which was an appetizer was big enough for both of us to share and enjoy as a viand on its own. Bill total came down to a little over P1,200.00 which isn't bad at all considering we had to doggie bag what we couldn't consume.

Kurobuta Mamou-katsu

As we were stepping out of the restaurant, we heard a loud explosion that rocked the ground we were standing on. We feared for a terrorist attack so we immediately left for safer ground and to soothe of frazzled nerves. We ended up having Cake Club's signature Le Royale which was a hazelnut crisp based chocolate dessert dusted with rich powdered coco. What a way to cap a perfect day!  We went home before nine p.m. fully sated and longing for another day quite like it soon...

Cake Club's Le Royale

Thanks, Bubby! That was some experience. ;-)