Who is Maria Ylagan Orosa? Banana ketchup inventor featured as Google doodle

MANILA — Google on Friday paid tribute to a Filipino food scientist and humanitarian through a “doodle,” or an illustration prominently displayed on its home page.

The doodle for November 29, 2019 shows Maria Ylagan Orosa, who is also known as the inventor of banana ketchup, on the occasion of her 126th birth anniversary.

Orosa hailed from Taal, Batangas and earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in pharmaceutical chemistry and food chemistry in the University of Seattle.

She returned to the Philippines in 1922 to help address the problem of malnutrition in the country through her culinary inventions.

Orosa is credited with inventing the palayok oven, which at the time provided remote villages a more effective means of cooking in the absence of electricity.

Aside from banana ketchup, now an iconic and well-loved condiment among Filipinos, Orosa invented Soyalac (a nutritious soya beans drink) and Darak (rice cookies rich in vitamin B1) — both provisions for Philippine forces during World War II.

In 1983, the National Historical Institute installed a marker at the Bureau of Plant Industry in Manila in recognition of Orosa as a war hero, food scientist, and humanitarian.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

After trying adobo, Nigella Lawson tries sisig

After previously trying the popular Filipino dish adobo, British culinary siren Nigella Lawson tried another popular dish.

Lawson, a food blogger-turned-author, best known for her indulgent recipes and sensuous presentations, posted on her Instagram a photo of the Pinoy dish sisig.


"Thank you Marion and Eugene for introducing me to the joys of Sisig! #filipinofood," Lawson wrote in her caption.

Lawson is in the Philippines for an endorsement deal.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

French chefs cook up a storm for climate

LE BOURGET, France - France pulled out its culinary big guns Monday for one of the greatest kitchen challenges ever: cooking lunch for the largest one-day gathering of world leaders in history.

Five chefs, each awarded stars by the demanding judges of the Michelin food guide, joined forces for a gastronomic tour de force to defend France's culinary reputation at a climate summit in Paris.

Undaunted by the challenge of catering to banquets with their familiar perils of rubber chicken and agonisingly long waits, the quintet sought to tempt the palates of 150 leaders, from US President Barack Obama to China's President Xi Jinping or Russia's Vladimir Putin.

"It was a very good lunch, a surprising lunch, very friendly and relaxed," Albanian President Bujar Nishani told AFP after leaving his table.

Judging his meal "very tasty and delicious", Nishani said his lunch was prepared with organic foods, "which go very well with this climate summit".

Albania’s leader said he washed lunch down with a glass of champagne to celebrate "cooperation and friendship".

He was among the 170 guests, including the leaders, to be wined and dined at the heavily-guarded Le Bourget conference centre on the northern outskirts of Paris.

Diners sat at 20 tables, the Elysee presidential palace said.

President Francois Hollande hosted the likes of Obama, Putin, Xi, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the table of honour.

- 'Impress with our cooking' -

All the dishes left the kitchen for the tables in less than an hour so as not to delay leaders trying to avert a global climate catastrophe, said Guy Krenzer, of the fine-food Paris caterer, Lenotre.

All five Michelin-starred chefs -- Yannick Alleno, Alexandre Gauthier, Nicolas Masse, Marc Veyrat and Christelle Brua -- volunteered their services for the 75-minute meal, which broke more than 12 hours of back-to-back speeches by leaders and was accompanied, naturellement, by the finest French wines.

"A lunch reflecting France's environmental and gastronomic excellence... but without ostentation," Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, the president of the conference, told reporters on Sunday as he described his hopes for the meal.

The feasting began with a "Modern Freneuse turnip soup with scallops cooked in floral steam", followed by "Free-range poultry from Licques, stuffed celery preserve with truffles and parsleyed creamed spinach," according to the menu.

The cheese course was an organic Reblochon from France's Mont Blanc region, and dessert a traditional Paris Brest cake with stewed citrus fruit and a "light praline cream".

The wine selection included a white Meursault 1er Cru "Santenots" 2011, a red Domaine Marquis d'Angerville Chateau Beychevelle 2009, and the Champagne a Philipponnat Cuvee 1522 -- with a fruit juice option for those averse.

"There are no showy or very expensive ingredients," said Alleno, the three-starred chef who presides over the kitchens of the Restaurant Ledoyen on the Champs Elysee before the lunch.

"We will aim to impress with our cooking instead."

Meanwhile, in the centre of Paris, President Francois Hollande chose to entertain Obama not in the gilt splendour of the Elysee Palace, but at L'Ambroisie, a restaurant with three Michelin stars in the Place des Vosges square.

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls and US Secretary of State John Kerry were among 14 people who sat down to dinner at the exclusive eatery.

Established in the fashionable Marais quarter in 1986 by Bernard Pacaud and his son Mathieu, L'Ambroisie is considered a leader in classic French gastronomy, say food critics.

Its regular items include chestnut soup with a velvet mousse, sole braised in yellow win e with white truffles and langoustine feuillantine, Le Figaro said in a 2013 review.

"The bill is quite hefty -- expect around 350 euros ($369) a head... but it was good," the conservative daily opined.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

New restaurant alert: Cocina Peruvia offers more than chicken

MANILA -- Peruvian cuisine has found a home in Bonifacio Global City at the new restaurant Cocina Peruvia, which officially opened on Sunday.

While many Filipinos equate Peruvian food to roast chicken, thanks to several South American restaurants in the metro that specialize in this dish, Cocina Peruvia has a more diverse menu.

For instance, during a preview dinner for select food writers prepared by Peruvian culinary consultant Andres Higa and local consulting chef Him Uy de Baron of Nomama fame, two kinds of ceviche were served.

This South American staple was given the Peruvian spin in the Ceviche Mixto, a lemon-marinated mix of seafood (shrimp, mussels, squid, octopus), sweet potato, and dry corn, with the addition of the pepper, aji Amarillo, a small medium-to-hot pepper that has a fruity component to it and is ever-present in Peruvian cuisine.)

Ceviche Nikkei, on the other hand, showed the diversity of Peruvian cuisine and how it has been influenced by Japanese cuisine. Fresh salmon and jack fish (talakitok) were marinated in a leche con tigre (marinating liquid in a ceviche) of lemon, coconut milk and soy sauce.

Creamy would be the best description for the Avocado and Tofu Salad, which was like a deconstructed Peruvian guacamole with raw tofu, creamy avocado slices, fried garlic chips, sesame oil and lemon. This dish was light and refreshing, had a nice balance of acid and salt, and the fried garlic gave some bites contrast.

The quinoa salad, meanwhile, comes in a large serving and would surely please any health buff with all its healthy trimmings of greens, tomatoes, olives, and arugula, tossed with a spicy and tangy aji amarillo dressing.

Aji amarilllo again flavored the Arroz con Mariscos, a seafood rice dish reminiscent of a paella but with spicy undertones from the pepper. Eat the rice with any of the “anticuchos” or Peruvian-style barbecue – from lomo (beef), pollo (chicken), gindara (fish), and even corazon de vaca (beef hearts). Each skewer of meat had a rub-crusted exterior with spicy and almost Middle Eastern undertones.

Eating the lomo felt similar to eating a kebab, but the similarity ends with the sauces. Two sauces come with all your antichuchos, the first is the aji amarillo sauce, and the second is the ubiquitous Peruvian classic, the chimichurri, an oil-based sauce with roughly chopped parsley and garlic had some heat in the end, and was enjoyable to eat, especially with the pollo and fish.

Uy de Baron called the Corazon de Vaca one of his favorites and declared it a must-try. I agree: the Corazon de Vaca was cooked properly and was neither chewy nor sinewy. Nor did it taste anything like liver as it was rather tender, and eating it felt similar to enjoying rib-eye. It was also very delightful with a glass of red wine.

We were also given a preview of the “plato principales” or the main dishes. Bistec ala Plancha is a Kitayama flank steak grilled on a metal plate and topped with aji panca and chimicurri in. Aji panca is another type of dried pepper from Peru which has a fruity taste but with “smokier” undertones that went well with the tender beef flank steak.

One of the owner’s favorites is the Pescado Al Ajillo and this dish has everything going for it: beautifully gindara cooked ala plancha, topped with shrimps and bathed in a generous serving of lemon garlic butter sauce.

The last were two beef dishes that would delight any Peruvian cowboy. Lomo Saltado, a traditional Peruvian dish with Chinese influences, was stir-fried beef tenderloin with onions and tomatoes, served with fried potatoes. The fried potatoes nicely sopped up the juices from the stir-fry, and one could imagine eating this with a cup or two of rice.

Save the best for last with the Lomo Seco, which is a meal in itself. The beef was slow-cooked and braised until it created its own thick gravy. This was accompanied by cilantro, blanched green beans for crunch, and Cocina Peruvia’s version of arancini using rice and beans.

Dessert was a crepe filled with dulce de leche, topped with strawberries, a dash of salt and vanilla ice cream, created by Uy de Baron.

Cocina Peruvia
G/F Bonifacio One Technology Tower
Rizal Drive corner 31st Street
Bonifacio Global City, Taguig

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Italy offers Neapolitan pizza for UNESCO heritage menu

ROME - Italy has chosen Neapolitan pizza as its candidate for protection under UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list, Italian media reported late Thursday.

The Italian National Commission for UNESCO decided to recognise "the art of Neapolitan pizza makers" in tribute to their culinary skills.

The list "is composed of intangible heritage elements that concerned communities and states parties consider require urgent measures to keep them alive", according to the UNESCO website.

Naples has long been determined to maintain its reputation as the spiritual home of one of the world's favourite foods.

Neapolitan pizza is characterised by its raised crust rendered golden by oven cooking, by the crispy yet tender consistency of its pastry, and by its acid tomato taste, along with aromas of oregano, garlic, basil and mozzarella.

http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons">

The role of the pizza maker, or pizzaiolo, and the wood-fire oven are also determining characteristics of the Neapolitan pizza.

The base should be no more than 3 millimetres (about an eighth of an inch) thick and cooked for between 60 and 90 seconds in a stone oven with an oak-wood fire.

The Neapolitan pizza was invented in the southern Italian city between 1715 and 1725, with the world-famous Margherita variant first cooked up in 1889.

Tradition has it that Queen Margherita of Savoy asked one of Naples' famed pizzaiole to come up with a dish for the people.

The result, which provides the basis for most pizzas enjoyed around the world, represented the colours of recently unified Italy: green basil, white mozzarella and red tomatoes.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Kinilaw impresses crowd in Madrid Fusion

Last Monday saw a major culinary milestone for Philippine cuisine. For the first time ever, Filipino chefs took the Madrid Fusion stage to present our very own kinilaw.

Margarita Forés and Myrna Segismundo introduced the much-loved dish before a crowd of hundreds. The chefs talked about the history and composition of kinilaw. They presented three versions of it, each inspired by the produce of our island groups, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

The crowd's reaction was quite warming and fulfilling. As a member of the Philippine contingent, it's hard not to feel proud after watching the whole presentation.

There were many people responsible for the production of the whole presentation, including credible sources like Patrick and Pia Roa of Patricio’s Restaurant in Taguig. Qatar Airways and NutriAsia have also helped in making the project possible.

This story first appeared in Coconuts Manila. For more stories, go to Coconuts Manila.

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Chef offers tribute dinner for kin of fallen SAF troops

MANILA – Local celebrity chef Myke “Tatung” Sarthou wants to pay tribute to the 44 Special Action Force members who were killed in Maguindanao by doing what he does best – cooking.

In a Facebook post on Friday, Sarthou asked his fellow chefs to help him prepare a tribute dinner for the families of the slain SAF members.

Culinary professionals, food writers and event organizers were quick to respond to Sarthou’s call, with many of them offering to cook with him and promote the event.

A Facebook group dubbed “Chefs for Fallen 44” has been created to coordinate efforts, as well as similar accounts on Twitter and Instagram.


Police and military officers on Friday eulogized and paid tribute to the 44 SAF commandos, who were slaughtered by Moro rebels in a botched anti-terror raid in Mamasapano town, Maguindanao.

President Benigno Aquino III has declared January 30 a national day of mourning to honor the fallen heroes.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Pampanga mall offers a taste of the North

MANILA – Here’s a good reason to go to Pampanga this weekend: over 100 food stalls from northern Philippines will serve their specialties in a big culinary event, which will also be attended by some of the country’s well-known chefs and home cooks.

Ayala-owned Marquee Mall will serve as the venue for “Big Bite! The Northern Food Festival,” a first of its kind in the country, which will be held from October 18 to 20. Here, visitors can sample everything that the North has to offer, from fresh produce to snacks, meals, desserts and even unusual delicacies.

For the event, Ayala Land collaborated with the Department of Tourism, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Mercato Centrale Group, which is known for putting up food markets in different parts of the country.



Maria Rowena Tomeldan, vice president and head for operations and support services of Ayala Land’s commercial business group, explained why they chose to hold the Big Bite in a provincial mall instead of Manila.

“It’s really suited for Marquee because Pampanga is the culinary capital of the Philippines… And as a group, we make sure that we don’t just bring in the strong Manila brands,” she told food writers during a preview of the event. “We make sure that we also bring in regional concepts.”

“Because you know, the Filipinos are actually so talented when it comes to food,” she added. “Even in the dining table, we talk about food while eating. That’s what makes us so different. We already plan the next meal. At saka ‘pag may party, ang tanong, ‘anong handa?’ Hindi ‘sino ang bisita?’ So that’s what we are as a race, it’s part of our culture. We want to highlight that.”

The food

Tomeldan said visitors can expect to see at least two versions of a certain dish in the first ever Big Bite, citing the sheer number of participating stalls in the event.

For the media preview held last week, organizers handpicked some of what they believe are the most successful food stalls in the food festival.

“They’re very persistent,” Tomeldan said of these local food vendors, which have made it big in some provinces and even in Metro Manila.

She is hoping that other homegrown food concepts will follow suit. “Kasi some of them are hesitant, they’re happy where they are,” she said. “So we invited food retailers and chefs and cooks all the way from Bulacan to Ilocos.”

Among the more popular food brands in the Big Bite is Nathaniel’s, which now has branches in Katipunan and Timog Avenue, both in Quezon City. The Pampanga-based shop is known mainly for its buko pandan salad, a refreshing treat made of milk, coconut and pandan-flavored gelatin cubes.

Other Kapampangan favorites include Susie’s tibok-tibok, a white pudding made with carabao’s milk and topped with fried coconut bits; Pampanga’s Best tocino and ham; and Kuliat empanadas and Toll House’s baked macaroni which are a little on the sweet side, just how most Filipinos like their food.

“Masarap ang macaroni nila,” said Tomeldan, who admitted that she has always been a customer of Toll House. “When you think about it, sobrang simple lang ang macaroni. Pero parang ‘pag masarap kasi ang macaroni, everybody eats.”

There is also Kabigting’s Halo-Halo which, like Razon’s, is known for using few ingredients. Kabigting’s version (which has beans, sweet corn and carabao’s milk pastillas) is sweet but not overwhelming, although it tends to leave a chalky texture in the mouth because of the pastillas.

Pampanga’s neighboring provinces were represented during the media preview by Sweet Heavens’ Leche Flan in Nueva Ecija, Christy’s Special Bulacan Chicharon and Bella’s Puto Calasiao in Pangasinan.

Rich and creamy, Sweet Heavens’ Leche Flan is a dream come true for those with a sweet tooth. It deserves praise for its firm and smooth texture, but easy on the syrup – it tends to become cloyingly sweet.

What hits the spot is Bella’s unflavored puto Calasiao, with the bite-size, sticky rice cake having just the right amount of sweetness. The flavored ones, like banana and mango, may be an acquired taste for some.

Also noteworthy is the very tasty and indulgent chicharon from Christy’s, which is best enjoyed with steamed rice.

“We’re getting all the contacts of the best suppliers and putting them all together in one big event. So parang the best of the best,” said Sandy Espinosa, marketing manager of Ayala Land’s commercial business group.

“There will be stalls from Baguio, Ilocos, from different parts of the region,” she added.

Other activities

Aside from the food stalls, Big Bite will also feature cooking demonstrations from top chefs and cooks such as “Junior MasterChef Pinoy Edition” judge Chef Rolando Laudico, Chef Sau del Rosario, Sabrina Artadi of “Sabrina’s Kitchen,” and Lilian Borromeo of the famous dining destination, Kusina ni Atching Lilian.

There will also be inter-school cooking competitions among culinary schools such as Philippine Women’s University, Systems Plus College, Angeles University Foundation, NorthPoint Culinary Academy and Bulacan State University.

Contests will also be aplenty, from eating showdowns to the search for the best heirloom recipe.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Holy cow! World's first in-vitro beef burger to make history on Monday

LONDON - A corner of west London will see culinary and scientific history made on Monday when scientists cook and serve up the world's first lab-grown beef burger.

The in-vitro burger, cultured from cattle stem cells, the first example of what its creator says could provide an answer to global food shortages and help combat climate change, will be fried in a pan and tasted by two volunteers.

The burger is the result of years of research by Dutch scientist Mark Post, a vascular biologist at the University of Maastricht, who is working to show how meat grown in petri dishes might one day be a true alternative to meat from livestock.

The meat in the burger has been made by knitting together around 20,000 strands of protein that has been cultured from cattle stem cells in Post's lab.

The tissue is grown by placing the cells in a ring, like a donut, around a hub of nutrient gel, Post explained.

To prepare the burger, scientists combined the cultured beef with other ingredients normally used in burgers, such as salt, breadcrumbs and egg powder. Red beet juice and saffron have been added to bring out its natural colours.

"Our burger is made from muscle cells taken from a cow. We haven't altered them in any way," Post said in a statement on Friday. "For it to succeed it has to look, feel and hopefully taste like the real thing."

VIABLE ALTERNATIVE?

Success, in Post's view, would mean not just a tasty burger, but also the prospect of finding a sustainable, ethical and environmentally friendly alternative to meat production.

According to a 2006 report by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), industrialized agriculture contributes on a "massive scale" to climate change, air pollution, land degradation, energy use, deforestation and biodiversity decline.

The report, entitled Livestock's Long Shadow, said the meat industry contributes about 18 percent of global greenhouse-gas emissions and this proportion is expected to grow as consumers in fast-developing countries such as China and India eat more meat.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), annual meat production is projected to rise to 376 million tonnes by 2030 from 218 million tonnes in 1997-1999, and demand from a growing world population is expected to rise beyond that.

Post cites FAO figures suggesting demand for meat is expected to increase by more than two-thirds by 2050.

Animal welfare campaigners applauded the arrival of cultured meat and predicted a great future for it.

"In vitro technology will spell the end of lorries full of cows and chickens, abattoirs and factory farming," the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) campaign group said in a statement. "It will reduce carbon emissions, conserve water and make the food supply safer."

A study published in 2011 comparing the relative environmental impacts of various types of meat, including lamb, pork, beef and cultured meat, said the lab-grown product has by far the least impact on the environment.

Hanna Tuomisto, who conducted the study at Oxford University's Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, found that growing meats in-vitro would use 35 percent to 60 percent less energy, emit 80 percent to 95 percent less greenhouse gas and use around 98 percent less land than conventionally produced animal meat.

While Monday's fry-up will be a world first and only an initial proof-of concept, the Dutch scientist reckons commercial production of cultured beef could begin within the next 20 years.

"What we are going to attempt is important because I hope it will show cultured beef has the answers to major problems that the world faces," he added.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

After the cronut, cafes bet on crookie, croclair

MANILA – While some bakeries attempt to replicate the success of the “cronut” in New York, other cafés have come up with their own pastries to compete with the croissant-donut hybrid.

One such treat is the “crookie,” a pastry is made by stuffing crushed Oreo cookies into a croissant dough, according to a report from ABC News, who noted that the sweet treat was invented in the Clafouti Patisserie et Café in Toronto, Canada.


Each crookie is priced at $2.70 – lower than Dominique Ansel’s $5 cronuts – with customers placing large orders, according to Clafouti.

But it has yet to catch up with the hype of the cronut, which has been trademarked by Ansel after inspiring long lines, copycats and scalpers, who sell the hybrid pastry for as much as $100.

Manila gets a taste of the crookie

As with the cronut, Wildflour Café + Bakery in Taguig City was quick to spot the crookie trend as it recently came up with its own take on the pastry.

Early this month, Wildflour announced that it is offering crookies at P120 each, the same price as its croissant-donuts.

The relatively new dining spot in Taguig City has been attracting even more customers because of its croissant-donuts, which now come in mixed berry and dulce de leche flavors on top of the usual chocolate and strawberry.


At least three more establishments in Manila have followed suit, each offering its own version of the hybrid pastry.

Such is the popularity of the cronut that Enderun Colleges will be holding a special class on how to make the "it" pastry. Chef Marc Chalopin will conduct a demo on July 27 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at the school's culinary amphitheater for P1,500 per participant.



Meanwhile, Mesclun Bistro at Serendra, also at the Bonifacio Global City, has created an entirely new hybrid, which it calls "croclair," a cross between a croissant and an eclair.

The croclair actually looked like a croissant in terms of its shape, but is covered in chocolate. But like the eclair, it comes with a creamy custard filling.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Downton Abbey-inspired cookbook released

OTTAWA - Sizzling British hit "Downton Abbey" has stolen the hearts of its legions of avid fans, but one viewer hopes the television show will steal its way to their stomachs as well.

Canadian culinary historian Pamela Foster has crafted a cookbook based on the early 20th century British cuisine featured in the show -- though she's given it a modern, and more healthful twist.

So don't expect to find a recipe for kidney souffle in Foster's book, no matter how much Downton's lords and ladies -- and their maids and footmen -- may have enjoyed it.

"Some of the food, people nowadays just wouldn't like it," she said of the dishes that use "parts of animals that most people aren't used to eating anymore."

Foster also reduced the fat content and amended the cooking methods so the recipes could more easily be replicated by today's cooks. And she took out some of the butter to lighten up the rich pastries served with tea "to make them healthier."

"There are some recipes (Scotch eggs or fritters) I wouldn't touch because they're fried," Foster said in a telephone interview from her Toronto-area home.

Foster, whose blog DowntonAbbeyCooks.com chronicles her thoughts on the show with recipes to fit the mood, started the project last year after a marathon viewing of the first season.

"Each episode, I paid close attention to what was being served. Some was just mentioned, and some you saw on camera," Foster said.

The author told AFP she had long been interested in the cuisine of Britain's noble elite, because her husband traces his roots to a family like Downton's Crawleys.

Foster's blog turned into an e-cookbook "Abbey Cooks Entertain" and now, due to its huge popularity, a print version is being considered.

She explained that the cuisine of the Edwardian period was influenced by both French and Indian foods.

"Edward VII loved food, sauces and curries in particular, and people did then as (royal watchers) do now: they did what the king did and his food passions spread," Foster explained.

Many of the recipes are easy even without kitchen staff, she said, because French chef Auguste Escoffier simplified them at the end of the 19th century.

However, she cautioned that Downton's fans probably won't want to eat exactly like the aristocracy did back then.

The English aristocracy, wary of fresh vegetables they believed caused scurvy, ate a lot of meat and fish bathed in French sauces in the upstairs dining rooms, while servants ate mostly vegetables downstairs.

Moreover, "if you were the king, you ate five or six times a day, multiple courses... and then had a midnight snack. To eat like they did, you'd spend all day eating," she said.

Her cookbook includes 220 recipes, including the roast chicken Mrs Patmore dropped on the floor in the first season of the show and the apple charlotte that she refused to make.

"I tried to give a flavor of the cuisine," Foster said. "It's nice to give British cuisine a boost in popularity and respect. They were known as the worst cooks in the world, except for the Scots and their broth."

source: abs-cbnnews.com

Italian, American fare served at Napa restaurant

MANILA, Philippines – Model-host Phoemela Baranda checked out the culinary offerings at Napa, an American-Italian restaurant and bar converted from a residential house in Quezon City. Napa’s menu features appetizers such as buffalo wings, cheesy chicken and spinach dip, as well as panizzas and pizzas baked in an Italian fire-wood oven. Entrees include the tenderloin pepper steak and baked salmon.-- Cityscape, January 13, 2013

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Makati Shangri-la Hotel's Superhero Chefs stage a culinary showdown like no other

Savvier than the Top Chefs. Tougher than the Iron Chefs. On any given day, they can save us from hunger. But they’ll do much more than that. They’ll cook up a storm like you’ve never seen before—one chef and one cuisine at a time.

They are the head chefs of one of Manila’s buffet kingdoms, lording it over at the Circles Event Café of the Makati Shangri-la Hotel. From August 6 to September 9, 2012, they shall be known as Superhero Chefs.

And in a gastronomic showdown to end all showdowns, these highly-trained kitchen mavericks, each possessing special culinary powers and skills, are facing off each night to give the hotel’s picky clientele a different dining experience to live for—or to die for.

As a teaser to what the Superhero Chefs will unleash in the banquet halls of the Circles Events Café, they came together last Wednesday for one unforgettable lunch to strut their kitchen prowess.


Each of the chefs’ dishes were judged by two of Manilas’ culinary experts, Lifestyle Asia editor-in-chief Anna Sobrepeñas and Inquirer columnist Micky Fenix, while members of the media were on hand to vote for their favorite chef and dish.

And what a face-off it was as each chef flaunted a sampling of the dishes he would unveil each night of the week.

Monday nights: Persian delights

Called the Master of Persian delights, Superhero Chef Hamed “The Hawk” Ghayedi introduced us to the intimate flavors of the Middle East.

He infused elegance into the humble eggplant in his Kashk-e-Bademjan. The eggplant was smoked, mashed and flavored with dried mint, dill, sautéed garlic, shallots and extra virgin olive oil. On the side was a yogurt dip that matched the deep smoky taste of the eggplant and herbs.

Tuesday nights: Italian artistry

The hotel’s executive chef and undisputed leader of the Justice League of the Circles kitchens, Italian chef Franco “Casanova” Brodini showed not just superb skill but restrained artistry in his Porcini Mushroom Ravioli with Sage and Butter.

While his was a simple dish made with less than five ingredients as most Italian dishes have, it was clean, the butter was cooked delicately, elevating the porcini mushrooms from earthy to downright heavenly.

Wednesday nights: Filipino freshness

Of course, the showdown won’t be complete without a Filipino Superhero Chef. And our very own kitchen hulk, Chef Gene “D’Higante” del Prado, did not disappoint.

He married the cuisines of Visayas and Mindanao with his Blue Marlin Inasal with Pako Salad in Fish and Calamansi Vinaigrette. The fish was fleshy and flaky while the calamansi vinaigrette pushed its flavor to a new level of freshness.

Thursday nights: Bollywood spices

Chef Sovan “Bollywood” Singh promises to spice up Thursday dinners with an array of authentic Indian food.

To tease our imagination, he offered his Chole Kulche with Mint Raita, a pappadam (a thin and crispy cracker) spiced with coriander seeds and an Indian flatbread nestled on a bed of curried chickpeas with mint raita on the side.

Friday nights: Japanese 'dampa'

It was a cinch for Friday’s superhero chef who greeted the diners with a “Magandang hapon…ako, Hapon (Japanese).”

On Fridays, Chef Hino “Seefuda” Yusuke vowed to end your weeknights elegantly with the freshest delights of the seas with a “dampa” style of cooking.

He wowed us with his Volcano dish—bits of sliced fresh Norwegian salmon resting on a dollop of sticky rice, with a delicate tartar sauce. Hints of Japanese chili gave it a kick, and topped with roe and caviar, the dish sang with notes of lofty indulgence.

Saturday nights: Meat fest

Meat lovers will rejoice as high-grade steaks, barbecued and grilled meats take center stage on Saturday evenings with Chef Maran “The Prime” Mariapin.

For the superhero lunch, he surprised us with a very tender Oxtail Assam Pedas with Roti Jala and Pineapple Pickle. It was a modern take on a popular dish in Sabah.

The oxtail was fork-tender with an almost melt-in-your-mouth texture and the spiciness was very refined. The pineapple pickle lent the dish an almost dainty sweetness that contrasted well with the manly meaty entrée.

Sunday nights: The final blow

He said they saved the best for last when Makati Shangri-la chose him to cap the week’s showdown. Chef Anthony “The Bruncher” Collar who has been giving us the finest breakfast favorites, indulged us with the final blow.

However soft and light it was, his Orange Cake with Clotted Cream earned plenty of points for the lightness of the cake flavored with morsels of orange. A chocolate feuilletine with the crunch of wafer bits went well with the cake and the homestyle vanilla ice cream.

After everyone had a taste of the superhero dishes, the judging and voting were done. While Ann Sobrepeñas praised each of the dishes, Micky Fenix said that choosing the winning dish was difficult.

Still, in the end, only one superhero chef prevailed—at least for this day.

When the votes were cast and counted, it was the Circles’ Justice League chief, Chef Franco “Casanova” Brodini” who got the most votes with his Porcini Mushroom—and with good reason. The execution of his dish was nothing short of world-class. A mark of his 20 years of culinary experience, honed in kitchens of hotels all over the world.

For those who frequent the Circles Event Café and want something delightfully different from the usual buffet spreads they have, it’s worth it to drop by on the run of the Superhero Chefs showdown at the Makati Shangri-la. You won’t only sample the best that they have to offer but you’ll be in for a surprise treat when you vote for the Superhero Chef of your choice.

Guests who fill out a raffle stub every time they dine here between August 6 and September 9 have a chance to win a lunch or dinner buffet good for 20 persons. –KG, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Ara Mina completes culinary course, whips up dish best served cold for sister Cristine

With nine of her showbiz buddies, next of kin and friends, Ara Mina enrolled in a special cooking class under the tutelage of noted chefs from ISCAHM (International School for Culinary Arts and Hotel Management), Mr. Sean McSavaney (assistant director for culinary arts) and Mr. Manoj de Silva (assistant director for Asian Cuisine).

On Saturday, the group received their certificate of completion of their three-month course on the Fundamentals of Culinary Arts.

“Kahit naman nagkaroon na ako ng restaurant before, gusto ko pa rin talagang matutunan ang pagluluto and, eventually, ang gusto ko namang pasukin eh ang catering business. Para magkasundu-sundo ang mga schedule namin, kumuha kami ng special course. Hindi ko rin naman kasi kakayanin na mag-araw-araw.”

Who are her classmates?

“Ang nayaya ko sa mga friends ko in the business, si Councilor ng Angeles na si Marang (Maricel Morales), si Sunshine (Cruz-Montano) and singer Alynna (Velasquez). Tapos, nandiyan din ang mga friends ko na sina Oselle Punla, Elisa Jocson, Kristine Rodriquez and her boyfriend Piccolo Meneses, my brother Holy King (Reyes) and his wife Rizette. Dati 12 kami, eh. Naging very busy na ‘yung dalawa.”

One seems familiar, a Meneses? Will that explain the presence of the good mayor of Bulacan, Bulacan in their special day-graduation?

“Yes, brother siya ni Mayor Patrick. And sila ng girlfriend niya na si Tin, parehong mahilig magluto. Kaya suporta siya.”

Why did you take up this course? Is this a preparation for larger things to come, like being married and doing the wife bit?

“Mahilig lang talaga ako magluto kahit noon pa. And nung maisip ko naman to enroll nga, para na rin mas marami pa akong klase ng luto na malaman, na ma-enhance ko pa ang alam ko na sa pagluluto pati na ang disiplina sa kusina when preparing your favorite dishes.”

Is there someone special she’s regularly cooking for nowadays?

“Sa family ko. And friends. Sila tumitikim ng mga ginagawa ko. Like aside from the mga dishes na nagagawa ko na, gustong-gusto ko ring mag-bake o kaya gumawa ng mga pastries like my version ng macaroons, cheesecake and more.”

She concedes that her newly acquired culinary skills would be a big help in the romance department. But taking the course these past three months served as a stress-buster more than anything else.

“Siguro kasama na rin sa paghahanda ko ito na maging mahusay ako sa pagluluto. Pero all those three months, parang naging therapy na rin sa akin ito. Dahil sa pinagdaanan ko, medyo naka-bawas naman ito sa stress level ko,” she says.

Unfazed — that’s her current state of mind. So, no matter how many times and so many versions her sister Cristine Reyes delivers her apology in a bid to make Ara withdraw her libel case, Ara seems not to care a bit. She even participated in the blind item game with the hosts of “Juicy” on Saturday.

Now, people are asking who this B.I. (bad influence) in her sister Cristine’s life she was referring to.

“Hindi ko na kailangang lagyan ng pangalan. Madali namang malaman at makilala. Kasi, nakikita naman. Obvious naman. Matagal ko na namang pansin ‘yun. Ako naman kasi, madaling bumasa ng tao, eh.

“Siguro, ito naman ang namana ko sa mommy ko. Basta may sinabi siya sa isang tao, alam mo at matutuklasan mong totoo. Ang sa akin lang, sana mind your own business na lang. No, hindi ko na kailangang mag-effort na kausapin pa ito. Wala naman akong kailangang i-prove sa kanya,” she says.

Has her mom met the new man in her life, whom she prefers to stay away from the limeligh, at least for the meantime?

“Oo. Kasi, dito lang walang sinabing kung anu-ano ang mommy, eh. Very vocal siya kasi, sa una pa lang niya ma-meet ang manliligaw ko halimbawa. Walang tigil ‘yun pag may nakikita o nase-sense siya. Na hindi kayo magtatagal niyan. And tama naman siya lagi.

“Dito sa ngayon, walang gano’n. The first time na wala akong narinig from her. Si Mommy, mamnghuhula ‘ata, eh. Ako naman, hindi nag-e-expect. Kasi ayoko ring ma-frustrate pa in the end. Parang sa kapatid ko. ‘Di ba naging sobra ang expectation ko sa kanya? Kaya, ngayon, we’re just enjoying muna life as it comes. ‘Di naman nagmamadali.”

But why is she so quiet about it now?

“Dati, naging napaka-open ko naman about my relationship. Non-showbiz din naman ‘yun. Sa akin, kung ano na lang ang makita ninyo sa akin. Mag-talk ako or hindi, at one point, makikita rin naman ninyo kung ano ang mga nangyayari sa akin.”

If there’s one dish or recipe you would want to give to your sister Cristine, what would it be?

“Something sweet. Siguro, cheesecake. Para naman mapalitan ng pagiging sweet siya. Para bumalik din siya sa katinuan. Lahat ng matatamis. ‘yun ang ihahain ko sa kanya.”

A dish best served cold? Is that it?

“Ayoko na nga siya pag-aksayahan ng panahon, eh. Alam ko, she’s in London now. After ng mga TV guest appearances niya na ang topic pa rin eh ‘yung apology sa akin. Kung sincere siya talaga, after nitong mga guesting niya na idinadaan niya sa media, ang dali ng gagawin niya at alam niya.

“Dahil pwede siyang makagawa ng way to talk to me. Pinuntahan na lang sana niya ako. Pero, hindi naman siya gumagawa talaga ng way. Kung ano ‘yung sabihin sa kanya, ‘yun lang siya. Ako na nga ang nasaktan dito, ‘di ba? Kaya may demanda ‘di ba? Para malaman ng tao kung ano ang puno’t bunga nito. Nag-file ako. Hindi nga ako nagsasalita. Kung ano lang kailangang malaman sa akin ng mga tao, dun lang ako. Basta ako, masaya now.”

She doesn’t miss Cristine at all?

“Alam niya kung hanggang saan ko siya minamahal bilang kapatid. Kung hindi niya naa-appreciate ‘yun, marami rin namang nagmamahal sa akin at nagpi-fill ng void na ipinagkakait niyang makita o mai-share with me. Like I said, ayoko na mag-expect. Gusto ko lang matuto siya sa lahat ng ito.”

source: interaksyon.com