Azuthai’s J Gamboa and Chef Malichat

The two chefs will demonstrate popular Thai dishes like Tom Yum Goong (Hot and Sour Prawn Soup with Lemongrass, Kaffir Lime Leaves and Fresh Coriander); Goong Pad Prik Kratiem (Chili Garlic Prawns); Geng Kew Wan Gai (Green Chicken Curry); Pla Naeng Ma Naw (Steamed Apahap with Lime, Fish Sauce Garlic, Coriander and Chili) and Khao Niao Ma Muang (Mango with Sticky Rice).

Chef J. Gamboa belongs to a family of restaurateurs led by Malu A. Gamboa who runs the restaurant chain.  He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, New York.  He is Executive Chef of his family-owned restaurants Cirkulo, MilkyWay, Tsukiji and Azuthai.

Chef Malichat is a native of Nakhon Sawan, Thailand and has worked in 5 star hotels in Germany, China, Pakistan, Ukraine and in Thailand for over 20 years. For more information on other course offerings, log on to www.themayakitchen.com or e-mailcontactus@themayakitchen.com  or visit The Maya Kitchen Culinary Center every Tuesday to Saturday at 8F  Liberty Building, 835 A. Arnaiz Avenue (Pasay Road), Makati City or call 8921185 / 892-5011 local 108 / Mobile No. +63947 835 2290.

BonChon Chicken, the global chicken phenomenon, is known for taking classic favorites and making them oh-the-more-delicious by infusing them with a delightful twist.  The well-loved BonChon Ko-Yo, or Korean Yogurt, is delectably creamy natural yogurt that’s subtly sweet with a hint of tangy tartness.

BonChon heralds the onslaught of this golden summer with the seasonal lusciousness of mango.  Savor a wonderfully summery cup of alternating layers of cool, creamy Ko-Yo and homemade graham pie crust, topped with juicy mango preserves and toasted cashews in the limited edition BonChon Mango Sans Rival Ko-Yo.  Inspired by the cake, every spoonful of this layered treat is a delicious play of tastes and textures, making for a delightful summer interlude.

Make it a BonChon Ko-Yo Summer all season long.  Enjoy the classic Banoffee Pie and Blueberry Torte Ko-Yos, or have an icy, bubbly moment with the Ko-Yo Soda Floats in Orange or Rootbeer, also available in Cola and Lemon Lime.

The full Ko-Yo line is available in all BonChon stores nationwide, in all branches in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Baguio, Cebu, and Davao.  For more information, log onto www.bonchon.com.ph.

You might not hear the rest of the instruments that are played in the original compositions of the mentioned legendary rockers who might have played one of those neat suzuki keyboards at Guitar Center. But you will sure have a rockin’ time nonetheless! Check the Manila String Machine’s renditions over YouTube and you will be floored how good their are!

Forte Coffee House is located at 120 Maginhawa Street, Teachers Village, Diliman, Quezon City.

Incidentally, tonight, my brother in law’s quartet (no Clarinet at WWBW, just violins and cello), Manila String Machine is playing at SM Aura Premier’s soft opening tonight, May 16, 2013. It is one celebrated evening as it will also be graced by Sarah Jessica Parker herself. SM Aura Premier is located along C5 Road cor M.H. Del Pilar Drive, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

I had the photo above posted via Instagram as soon as #AmazingAlohaisBack was announced! Follow Me! —> instagram.com/jenaspacio

Amazing Aloha has been missing in action for far too long! I believe, it was last tasted, in 2009. This is definitely a favorite that the hubby and I are going to frequent Jollibee for.  A bite after bite delight of two juicy burger patties, crispy bacon bits, cheese and lettuce doused in honey mustard dressing, topped with fresh pineapple slice! 

Incidentally, to kick off its comeback, Jollibee is giving away 100 FREE Amazing Alohas in 35 Select stores nationwide on, May 15, 2013 at 3PM across the country! Hurry and be part of the Amazing Aloha Craze! Coupons will be distributed by 2:30 pm.

List of Participating Stores:

METRO MANILA: Emerald Ave, Ortigas; Fort Bonifacio, Global City; Insular Ayala; Alabang Madrigal; SM MOA 1; Valley Golf; Green Meadows; Katipunan; E. Rodriguez; Welcome Rotonda; North Fairview; UST Dapitan

NORTH LUZON: Sevilla (La Union 3); Baguio Legarda; Sta Rosa; Dolores; Marquee Mall; SM City Olongapo

SOUTH LUZON: Tagaytay Junction; Molino Blvd, Paseo de Sta. Rosa; Lucena Highway; Lipa Uptown; Legazpi Rizal, Albay

VISAYAS: Cebu Parkmall; Cebu Mango Ave; Bacolod Lacson; Bacolod La Salle; Iloilo Gen Luna; Iloilo E. Lopez

MINDANAO: Buhangin Davao; City Heights Gensan; MTS Davao; Butuan Hi-way; Camins Zamboanga

Crystal Jade Dining IN is a fine dining restaurant offering no less than authentic Cantonese cuisine with a refreshing modern twist and takes Chinese dining experience to a whole new level of culinary enjoyment.

(from top, clockwise) Sauteed Scallop with Chicken & Assorted served in Pumpkin, Sauteed Beef Rib with Basil Leaf & Spicy Sauce served on hot plate, Braised Pork with Special Sauce (served with bun), Glutinous Rice Dumpling with Taro, Steamed Chicken with Dried Mushroom, Cordycep Flower & Chinese Sausage, Fried Assorted Grain Rice in hot stone bowl,  Baked Bo Lo BBQ  Pork Bun

“If there’s one thing we are famous for, it’s the authenticity of the Cantonese cuisine we offer. Yet there’s a distinct flavor that makes it ‘ownable’ by Crystal Jade Dining IN, especially because we take pride in promoting and preserving Chinese culture and practices. Our menu and specialty dishes are faithful to Cantonese traditions but we can assure you that every dining experience with Crystal Jade is distinct. It’s not just about the authenticity of our cuisine but the excellent service and pleasing ambience,” said Cherry Chu-Lo, Crystal Jade Operations Vice President in the Philippines.

Chilled Avocado Pudding & Pomelo, Combination of Crispy Duck Sandwich with Shredded Duck Fruit Salad, Glutinous Rice Dumpling with Taro, Double boiled Crab Claw  Soup with Superior Mushroom in Fresh Coconut

Crystal Jade Dining IN offers mouthwatering dishes ranging from the sought-after dim sum, the delectable roasted and marinated selection, double-boiled soup choices, live and dried seafood, Cantonese dishes, Sichuan and Shanghai selection, healthy selection, and desserts. Among those favored by the patrons include the Baked Bo Lo BBQ Pork Bun, Crispy Duck Sandwich, Sautéed Scallop with Chicken and Assorted Mushroom Served in Pumpkin. Moreover, one gets to enjoy these culinary delights in a sleek, posh ambience.

“Crystal Jade Dining IN not only intends to please the palate but it also aims to provide a complete and quality dining experience to customers,” Chu-Lo adds.

Over the years, Crystal Jade Dining IN Singapore has gained a reputation in providing quality food, dining and service excellence through multiple awards winning major achievements including:

 CNNGo’s Best Eats Award 2010: Winner of Singapore Best Dim Sum
 The Miele Guide: Top 500 Asia’s Finest Restaurant 2009 to 2013
 SGTatlerDining.com:
Best of the Best – Hall of Fame 2013
Singapore’s Best Restaurants Guide 2008 to 2013 Regional Best Restaurants Guide 2009 to 2013
 Wine and Dine Singapore’s Top Restaurants 2008 to 2012
 Singapore Tourism Board: Singapore Service Star 2008 to 2012

All these accolades has encouraged the restaurant to seek for more ways to make the Crystal Jade dining experience simply delightful for customers, as it also prides itself in bringing people together to simply enjoy a good meal or celebrate milestones and special moments – something that it has been doing for over 20 years with 100 outlets across 18 cities in nine countries (including the Philippines) and counting.

Definitely, Filipinos will find it a very welcome treat to savor traditional and authentic Cantonese cuisine in a posh, modern setting suitable for leisure and business meetings.

Crystal Jade Dining IN
Unit SEUG201, Bonifacio High Street Central
7th Avenue corner 30th Street
Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Tel. (+632) 519.8191

If free-range chicken sounds a bit of a jargorn, it is really just free-roaming chicken. Of course, when you buy it it’s not anymore.  But essentially, it was bred to roam around freely at the farm. Nothing of the above clip from Food, Inc., where chicken are considered full grown at 45 days!

Pamora Farm’s free-roaming range chicken. Just the way chicken are supposed to be — to see the light of day, to learn how to walk. The farms shown in Food, Inc. showed us barns with tens of thousands of chickens that never learned how to walk!  Although there are brands that claim to be free-range, in its very sense of the word, they really are not.

The principle of free-range method is to allow the animals to live at their instinctual behaviour in a reasonably natural way instead of being contained in a cage like commercial broiler production where the chickens are forced to grow abnormally fast in just about 4 to 5 weeks (28-35 days).

Free-range chickens roam in a barnyard or field (range) to forage with a minimum of eight (8) hours daylight. Aside from the daily intake of milled yellow corn, they eat whatever organic food they could find on the ground like grass, insects, and the like.

Pamora Free-range chickens are grown at a minimum of 70 days. Having the chickens ranging for longer period gives the optimum natural chicken taste, firmer meat quality, and much healthier poultry meat with less fat content.

Gerard Pappillon at the Pamora Farm

Being foodies get us to swanky places like Brasserie Cicou. I love the feel of the restaurant! I love it better that I learned right there that I don’t have to spend so much to experience authentic french cuisine.

Our meal started off with this generous spread of everything Pate! In this order: Chicken Breast & Gizzard Pate, Chicken Liver Pate, Chicken Gizzard Pate, Chicken Breast & Liver Pate,  Chicken Breast Pate and Chicken Liver & Gizzard Pate. Each of them has this distinct, interesting and I want some more taste to it! I knew it wasn’t just me because my son loved each and every variant I got home with.

This Chicken Liver variant won me over at first bite! I asked as soon as I had a taste of it where we can purchase. When Gerard said, Santis,  I knew I had more reason to go visit Santi’s more often. And they are only sold for P110! If you go to the Pamora Farm in Abra, then you’ll get it for only P80. It’s really the glass container that’s really costly in Pamora Farm’s Pate, Gerard Papillon said.

Brasserie Cicou Green Salad with Pickles and Mustard

I wish we can have fresh greens everyday! I devoured on this very tasty green salad with just pickles and mustard, to taste, as soon as it landed on my plate.

 Roasted Coquelet Chicken with rosemary, garlic and Mashed Potato

Truth be told, roasted chicken never tasted as flavorful as this. To think that there’s nothing more to this than just rosemary and garlic. I figured why:

Free-range chickens are grown longer, thus the meat is firmer, cooking time takes longer for free-range chickens, although you will not need any flavoring additives like broth cubes or chicken stocks. Salt and pepper will be enough, and sometimes even those are not needed.

Trio of Creme Brulee (Green Tea, Chocolate, Vanilla) 

For me, it was best to eat them three in that particular order. I love that they used dark chocolate (tastes a lot like our native cocoa). For that reason, Vanilla is still the sweetest of the three and should be eaten last, in my taste buds’ opinion.

Chef Summer of Brasserie Cicou with Tina and Gerard Papillon of Pamora Farm

Expect us to come visit soonest, Chef Cyrille! Thank you Gerard and Tina Papillon for bringing this healthy alternative chicken to our country. When most businessmen of our race would shoot for what’s more convenient and faster ROI, you ushered in the complicated technology of this kind of poultry production towards a healthier Filipinos at rates so affordable.

Pamora chickens, eggs & pâté products are available at Santis Delicatessen, Terry Selections, Rustan’s Supermarket, Shopwise, Metro Market! Market!, RFI Farm Outlet (Holy Spirit, QC), Joji Berry (Crossroad 77 Mother Ignacia, QC), NCCC – Davao, Champetre restaurant (BGC), Brasserie Ciçou (Greenhills), Resorts World Manila, Ilustrado Restaurant (Intramuros), El Nido Resorts, Amanpulo, Saturday Market, Ayala Alabang Village and Golden Acres Farm, Inc. (distributor).

Pamora Farm
www.pamorafarm.com
(02) 759-2678 / (02) 506-1082
(0917) 537-5639 / (0917) 591-7391

My Tummy is Full was invited to witness Ristorante Bigoli’s All-You-Can-Eat Pizza and Pasta Challenge finals held last April 25, 2013 at the Eastwood branch. Challengers came and got themselves ready, probably skipped breakfast and lunch to make sure their tanks had enough gastronomic space as they aim to get hold of that iPad Mini prize while getting stuffed with pasta and pizza goodness.

Ristorante Bigoli takes its name and inspiration from bigoli, traditional pasta from the Veneto region of northeast Italy, named after the extrusion press made to create it. The press called “bigolaro”, dates back as fas as the mid 1400s.

Crusty Cream Dory with Fettuccine Alfredo 

My friends and I have always been frequent patrons even way before Ristorante Bigoli was yet known as Fazoli’s. We are thrilled that our favorites from their menu remained and introduced a wider variety for us to choose. Ristorante Bigoli is definitely our default hang out place. It’s more than just because of the bottomless drinks and addictive bread sticks. Maybe its Eastwood branch being so strategically right smack the City Walk stage where live bands are usually held. Now that I think about it, it’s probably because of the Italian dining without the ouch on the pocket. We are one but very practical bunch, you see.

Ristorante Bigoli is an Italian restaurant that brings together two of the most popular dining concept- the Italian Family Restaurant and Quick Service in a casual setting. Ristorante Bigoli offers a new, contemporary style of Italian dining with a mix of classics and can’t miss dishes, cozy interiors, homey and warm ambiance. Feast on house specialties like Cheese Overload Pizza, Spaghetti Bolognese, Fettucine Carbonara, Spaghetti Al Pesto, Italian Chicken, Pork Picatta, Cream Dory, Stromboli, Baked Ziti, our famous Breadsticks or Panini among others. For those who want a taste of familiar favorites, try Bigoli’s combos. I have this thing about their platters too.

Going back to Ristorante Bigoli’s Ultimate Pizza-Pasta Face-Off Challenge, the contenders were given 30 minutes to feast on all the pizzas and pastas they can eat. I like that throughout the challenge, there were no side comments done by the host that would have caused unnecessary pressure (as if there was not enough) to the challengers. It was such a fun event! Judges were representatives from Ideal Pasta, Coca-Cola and New Ventures Group. 

Face-off finalists were given 2 plates of pizza-pasta combo to start with. When the 2nd pizza-pasta combo is in the process of consumption, another pizza-pasta combo serving were served. Succeeding plates of pizza-pasta combo were automatically  replenished. Participants are not allowed to leave the contest table for any reason (ex. restroom break, etc.) during the duration of the 30 minute.

Congratulations to Aaron Marasigan who came all the way from Cavite!

On my next Ristorante Bigoli visit, I am shooting to try any of their Sagra Della Bistecca Meal. This is Feast of Kitayama Wagyu Steaks, with our Arrosto di Manzo, Bistecca Macinata and Spaghetti Polpette. The fusion of different flavors unravels with each bite providing an experience that is familiar yet unadulterated, and distinctly unique and perfect for good company.

 Follow Ristorante Bigoli on Facebook. You will find more photos of the All-You-Can-Eat Pizza and Pasta Challenge grand finals via My Tummy is Full’s Facebook page.

The workshops include recipes for healthy snacks, to-go meals of pasta and rice dishes, quick and easy party foods for entertaining. Teens will learn party tips, theme ideas and planning checklists to enable them to throw the best parties they can. On the final day, as a culminating activity, the students will host and cater their own themed cocktail parties and invite their friends for a party they will remember.

Lifestyle courses include: Puto Variety, May 11, Saturday, 9am-1pm; Pinoy Kakanin, May 11, Saturday, 1:30-5:30pm; Bestselling Desserts and Sweets, May 11, 1:30-5:30pm; Pinoy Home Cooking, May 18, Saturday, 1:30-5:30pm; Easy Express Meals, May 25, Saturday, 1:30-5:30pm; Best of Baking Recipes with Maya Mixes, June 1, Saturday, 1:30- 5:30pm.

Certificate Courses for the month are: Basic Culinary, May 7-10, Tuesday-Friday, 1-7pm and May 28-31, Tuesday to Friday, 9am-3pm; Restaurant Operation, May 17-18, Friday to Saturday, 9am-4pm; and Fundamentals of Bakery Production, May 21-24, Tuesday-Friday, 10am-3pm.

For more information on other courses offerings, log on to www.themayakitchen.com or e-mailcontactus@themayakitchen.com or visit The Maya Kitchen Culinary Center every Tuesday to Saturday at 8F Liberty Building, 835 A. Arnaiz Avenue (Pasay Road), Makati City or call 8921185 / 892-5011 local 108 / Mobile No.+63947 835 2290.

Now on its second year running, Bizu’s Macaron Day offers free macaron in especially designed packaging that signifies a personality trait. There is a macaron perfect for everyone. First held in 2005, Jour du Macaron was started by French patisserier Pierre Hermé as a gourmand event in support of charities. For its part, Bizu will donate a portion of its macaron sales for the day to Action Contre la Faim (ACF), A French humanitarian NGO.

Macaron is a French cookie that is crisp on the outside with a soft crème ganache and ground almonds in the middle. It is said to have originated in Italy in the 1500s then found its way to France. What was just a simple recipe of ground almonds, egg whites and sugar with no filling and flavoring was then transformed in early 1900s by French chef Pierre Desfontaines of Parisian pastry shop and café Ladurée into the macaron we know today, two cookies with a ganache filling.

Bizu introduced the macaron to the Filipino palate way back in 2001. Bizu Groupe founder and CEO Anabel Tanco recalls that very few people know about macarons then, often confusing them with the sweet coconut covered macaroons. Bizu now has 13 macaron varieties all with less sugar and more almonds, which made me love these sweets all the more.  My sweet treat in between enjoying our village’s pool with pentair EasyTouch to beat the scorching summer heat.

Share your photos and videos doing the Bizu Macaron Kiss on Twitter or Facebook. Check out www.bizupatisserie.com, www.facebook.com/ilovebizu, Twitter and Instagram: @Bizuph #bizumacaronday.

Bizu has chosen Action Contre la Faim (ACF) to be its beneficiary for its 2013 Macaron Day celebration. It is a global humanitarian organization that fights hunger, from its most extreme manifestation of severe acute malnutrition to its causes—inadequate maternal and child care and feeding practices, poor household access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food, clean water and quality health services, and unhealthy environment. ACF intervenes directly in over 40 countries and supports more than 6 million people. Since 2000, ACF has provided humanitarian and development assistance to less empowered and more vulnerable populations in various regions of the Philippines, including populations affected and displaced by armed conflict and natural disasters such as Typhoons Ondoy, Sendong and Pablo.