Take heart macaron lovers, Bizu Patisserie celebrates Macaron Day on April 20 by giving a free macaron to every patron.

Visit Bizu branches at Greenbelt 2 Parkside (757-2498), Greenhills Promenade (724-2498), Alabang Town Center (809-2498), St. Luke’s BGC (789-7700) and One Rockwell (478-7755) to get your free macaron.

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.

Bizu requests people to share their photos and videos doing the Bizu Macaron Kiss on Twitter or Facebook.

Check out http://www.bizupatisserie.com, http://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.

The Straits Wine Company will be having its Great Summer Sale starting on March 18, 2013. Get up to 60% off on a wide assortment of wines and get an additional 10% off if you purchase 24 bottles or more.

The Straits Wine Company
2289 UPRC 3, Don Chino Roces Ave. Ext.
Makati 2241

bury me in this dress | Mukhang Pera

Everything in Early Bird Breakfast Club is aesthetically pleasing – the logo, the graphic prints, the pastel color combinations, the table top decor, and the food presentation. All were clearly well thought out. Unfortunately the food falls short for us.

Eggs Benedict

I ordered the Eggs Benedict (P420) which was bigger than most of the eggs benedict I’ve had before but not by much. It’s good for 1 person. I found the hollandaise sauce too tart so I’m guessing there was too much lemon juice to it. For P420, I expected the eggs benedict to be spectacular.

French Toast Fondue

My sister and I decided to get the French Toast Fondue (P210) for dessert. According to the menu, it comes with melted chocolate, maple syrup and cinnamon. It certainly looked pretty when it was served to us but much to our chagrin, there were only a few french toast sticks, we think they only used 2 breads worth. Also, the french toast was overcooked and had a burnt taste. We had to request for a new batch and reminded the staff not to over-toast the bread. The fondue came in little egg shells. They look quaint but it’s a challenge for those with big fingers like me. I accidentally hit the shell of the maple syrup and ended up eating egg shell.

I don’t know if we’ll come back to Early Bird Breakfast Club. I honestly don’t think the food is worth the money but don’t just take my word for it. If you have extra money and want to try this all-day breakfast place, do so and I hope you tell me what you think of it.

Early Bird Breakfast Club
The Fort Strip
Bonifacio Global City

© Dementia Foodista

Just a few of the crowd

Purple Truck of Chef Sau del Rosario

Green Truck of Chef Bruce Lim

Black Truck of Chef Tristan Encarnacion

Red Truck of Chef Florabel Co

Blue Truck of Chef Marvin Agustin

Orange Truck of Chef Robby Goco

The unexpected rain didn’t deter hungry bellies from flocking to the Mall of Asia open grounds for the Manila Food and Wine Festival’s Food Truck Cook Off last Friday. Wet and famished, we watched the celebrity chefs prepping in their food trucks. While the crowd waited, we were entertained by hilarious hosts Ramon Bautista and Tuesday Vargas who also informed us that the proceeds of the event will go to deserving culinary scholars sponsored by Culinary Education Foundation, Inc.

Hosts Tuesday Vargas and Ramon Bautista

The celebrity chefs were called on stage and were each grilled by the hosts as to why they’ll win the cook off. The audience cheered for their favorite chefs as they talked about their best asset (I cheered for Chefs Bruce Lim and Robby Goco).

Finally, it was time for the chefs to man their stations. Chef Sau del Rosario (Purple Truck) prepared three kinds of Chinese dumpling dishes. Chef Bruce Lim (Green Truck) whipped up three variants of chicken wings. Chef Marvin Agustin (Blue Truck) brought the way of zen to three Japanese favorites. Chef Tristan Encarnacion (Black Truck) gave a twist to three Filipino favorites. Chef Florabel Co (Red Truck) brought different worlds together by way of sausages. Chef Robby Goco (Orange Truck) stuck with one dish but promised it will be the best porchetta we’ll ever eat.

I was really ravenous by this time and I impatiently lined up for the first of my two food trucks, Chef’s Bruce Lim’s chicken wings. I chose his Coke-glazed Soy Chicken Wings with Garlic Chips and Sesame Seeds and it was worth the wait. The chicken was tender and the glaze slightly sweet and salty. I wish there were more chicken though.

Coke-glazed Soy Chicken Wings with Garlic Chips and Sesame Seeds

My last food truck, Chef Robby Goco’s was a longer wait. While I was waiting, I can’t help but hear the raves of those who were already eating his Porchetta Sandwich (Roast Pork Sandwich with Onion Marmalade and Arugula). The sandwiches coming from his truck were huge and I was excited to try it. When I finally had mine, the first, second, third and so on bites were exquisite. The raves were right. The porchetta was very tender and slightly salty but flavorful. The caramelized onion and arugula highlighted the pork by their contrast. The sandwich is good enough for two people but I doggy bagged my leftover and ate it when I got home. I hope Chef Goco will make his porchetta sandwich easily available.

The crowd in front of the Orange Truck

While I was munching on my Porchetta Sandwich, I faintly heard my name being called over the P.A. System. The announcer said I should head to the Green Truck to get my prize. I was puzzled because I don’t remember there being a raffle for the event but I headed to the Green Truck nonetheless and true enough, Chef Bruce Lim gave me a Masflex Ceramic Sauce Pan. What a lucky day!

my prize!

I didn’t stay long because I was tired and I just came from sickness. I don’t know who won the Cook Off but I hope it was either Chef Goco or Chef Lim.

The number of people who braved the rain and came to the event proved to me that there are so many foodies in the Philippines. Filipinos certainly know how to appreciate good food. The amount of talent of celebrity and emerging chefs in our country is astounding. Isn’t it almost weekly that we hear new restaurants opening? Perhaps we are indeed witnessing a culinary revolution!

Artisinal Ice Cream Class

My second Manila Food and Wine Festival experience was educational. I took a short class in Artisinal Ice Cream-Making by Chef Anne Anastacio at CCA Podium. She demonstrated how to make Green Tea Ice Cream, Cheddar Cheese Ice Cream and Strawberry Sorbet. (If you want me to post the recipes, just let me know).

Chef Anne Anastacio

I love artisinal ice cream and I used to consume a lot. A tub once a week made me balloon so I stopped.

Unlike commercial ice cream, artisinal ice creams use rich ingredients so they are higher in calories. However, their texture is silkier and the flavor is fuller.

HR students from Iloilo

I want to make ice cream at home especially Salted Caramel. It’s possible to make ice cream without a machine but it will be a challenge. Maybe I’ll invest in a small machine just for home use.

Green Tea Ice Cream

Cheddar Cheese Ice Cream

Strawberry Sorbet

My favorite among the ice creams that day is the Cheddar Cheese. Well I like cheddar cheese so I’m biased.

Me and Chef Anne

Alba’s

I spent my final MFWF event alone. I consider it as dating myself. I had a buffet lunch at one of my favorite Spanish restaurants in Manila, Alba.

I love Alba’s buffet. It’s not expensive but the quality and selection of food is good. There’s a number of appetizers like pates, chorizo, and croquettas.  For main entree there’s paella valenciana, cochinillo, lengua, and other Spanish dishes. Then for dessert there is assorted fruit selections, leche flan, gypsy’s arm cake, and my favorite canonigo. It was sweltering outside but the cool interiors of the Tomas Morato, QC branch provided a nice respite from the heat. I enjoyed every morsel of what I ate.

Alba’s Buffet

I want to thank the organizers of Manila Food and Wine Festival for giving me all these delightful foodie experience. I hope to be a part of it again next year!

click to enlarge

Wine aficionados, stock up on discounted French and Italian wines from the vaults of Sommelier Selection!

With discounts up to 60% on a selection of 100 French & Italian wines, the GWS 2013 is the perfect occasion for you to discover new wines, stock up your favorites or simply get your hands on incredible deals.

The sale will be from February 23 to March 9, 2013, Mondays to Saturdays at 9 AM to 6 PM.

Download their catalog and price list here.

Contact Aiza Ramos-Oco at 0917.501.1395,  840.4211,  or email her at retail.mysommelier@icloud.com.

Joyce Gabriel
Michiko Aranzaso
Theodosia Musni

The Philippine culinary scene is in the midst of a revolution. Avid foodies like me are aware of that the scene has long surpassed home coming. In fact, and has gone above and beyond the national level and is about to take on the global food scene soon. Manila Food & Wine Festival will be offer us a sneak peak of this revolution starting on February 22, 2013 at the SM Mall of Asia Grounds, Block 12.

The event will feature several special culinary classes by famous Filipino chefs. The event’s highlight will be the Celebrity Chef Food Truck Cook-Off where six chefs will face off for our votes. I will be rooting for Chefs Robby Goco and Bruce Lim!

click to enlarge

Join me and other foodies as we cheer the revolutionaries! In fact, to encourage more you to go there with me, I’ll be giving away the following to three lucky winners:

• 2 winners will receive Manila Food & Wine Festival Shirts
• 1 winner will receive one Food Truck Face Off Pass

Comment below why you want to go the the MFWF event and your thoughts on the current culinary revolution in the Philippines. I will choose the winner on Wednesday (Feb. 20) and I will choose three of the best answers. Please include your full name and email address. This is open to Metro Manila residents only.

Manila Food & Wine Festival is organized by the Culinary Education Foundation, Inc. (under Center for Culinary Arts, Manila). To know more about the event and how to buy tickets to it, please visit http://www.mfwf.ph/

Doc Boy showing the consistency of the halaya

Ingredients

• 3 kilos ripe mango
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 pcs calamansi
• dumpling wrappers
• 1 scoop vanilla ice cream
• chocolate sauce

Procedure

Mash the ripe mango flesh. Cook the mashed mango in a pan, mixing constantly until the liquid portion evaporates. Add the brown sugar and the juice of the calamansi. Keep on stirring until the mixture is dry.

Take a tablespoon of the halaya and wrap in dumpling wrappers. Repeat several times. Then fry the dumplings until crispy. Plate them and add a scoop of ice cream. Decorate with chocolate sauce.

Halayang Mangga

Doc Boy talks about Bringhe

Bringhe cooked in banana leaves

Ingredients

• 10 grams chopped garlic
• 20 grams chopped onions
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 2 tbsp raisins
• 2 tbsp green peas
• 10 grams sliced red pepper
• 10 grams sliced green pepper
• 2 tbsp patis
• 1 cup cooked pork adobo
• 1 cup cooked chicken adobo
• 1 cup pangalawang gata
• 2 cups malagkit rice (soaked in water for 30 minutes)
• 1 cup kakang gata
• 1 tbsp oil with atsuete
• banana leaves

Procedure

Saute garlic and onion in oil until brownish in color. Add raisins, green peas, sliced red and green bell pepper, and patis and sauté further. Add the pork and chicken adobo followed by coconut milk. Once mixture begins to gently boil, add the malagkit rice and mix with all the other ingredients in the pan. Allow some of the coconut milk to evaporate gently while mixing. In a separate pan, line with banana leaves then mold the rice on this container and let it cook in slow heat until the base and the top turns brown and slightly burnt (tutong).

Bringhe

Doc Boy preparing the ingredients for the Lengua Estofada

Ingredients

• 2 kilos Ox tongue

Set A

• 1/4 cup seasoning
• 1/3 cup calamansi juice

Set B

• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1 piece onion, sliced
• 150 grams carrots, sliced
• 20 grams garlic
• 20 grams celery
• 1 cube beef seasoning
• 1/2 tsp black peppercorn
• 1/4 can tomato paste

Set C

• 5 grams chopped garlic
• 10 grams chopped onion
• 1 tbsp tomato sauce/Mother sauce
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp green olives
• 1 tbsp black olives
• 1 tbsp capers

Procedure

Prepare Ox tongue: marinate ox tongue overnight in SET A ingredients, then fry to brown the surface.

Boil the Ox tongue in its marinade (SET A) and add water to cover the surface of the meat. Add the ingredients in SET B. Boil until meat is tender. Let it cool and slice the meat.

Saute the sliced, cooked Ox tongue in SET C ingredients.

Lengua Estofada

Doc Boy cooking Pinoy Ratatoy

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 10 grams chopped garlic
• 5 grams chopped onion
• 30 grams “tuyo” flakes
• 1 tbsp zucchini
• 5 pcs fresh tomatoes, chopped
• 3 tbsp wansoy, chopped
• 1/4 tsp Tabasco
• sliced eggplant, fresh

Procedure

Saute garlic, onion, and tuyo flakes in olive oil. Add the zucchini, tomatoes, and wansoy. Season with Tabasco. Fry sliced eggplant and mix with the cooked Ratatoy.

Pinoy Ratatoy