IF you think Buttered Toast and creamy French Toast are manna from heaven, you definitely must try Toasted Butter Cake. It’s not just buttery with a light, smoky flavor. It also has that rich and delectable caramelized taste to go with its buttery and smoky flavor. Top it with fresh fruits, a dollop of cream and a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and it’s simply magical. So try this Toasted Butter Cake with Fruits ala Mode recipe shared by The Maya Kitchen and have an extra special treat for breakfast, dessert or merienda.
For the butter cake:
1 pack Maya Oven Toaster Butter Cake Mix (200g)
4 Tbsps. butter
2 medium-sized eggs
1/2 cup water
To finish:
butter for toasting
fresh fruits of choice
1 scoop vanilla ice cream or whipped cream
chocolate syrup for drizzling on top
1. First, make butter cake by following package directions. Let cool.
2. Cut into 1-inch thick slices.
3. Pan-toast with butter until brown in the edges.
4. Serve with fresh fruits on the side, then top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream, and drizzle with chocolate syrup.
5. Enjoy!
Pan de Manila’s colorful Christmas paper bags bearing the artwork of ‘JC’ Roxas
WHENEVER you buy bread, pastries and spreads from Pan de Manila, one of the country’s largest and most popular bread chains, you feel like you’re bringing a little Christmas spirit into your home because of its festive Christmas paper bags.
Pan de Manila has started using these 2015 Pinoy Pasko Christmas paper bags, whose design brings across the essence of family and home in the country’s most important holiday celebration. Reflected on the bags and boxes for the season is the artwork of young and dynamic artist Jude Christopher ‘JC’ Roxas. This 23-year-old illustrator and animator from Zamboanga Sibugay found inspiration for his design from family reunions and get-togethers, which are part and parcel of every Filipino celebration, especially Christmas.
“Filipinos love to reconnect and make new connections. Our love to reminisce and to make new memories inspired me in creating the Christmas paper bags this year,” explains JC.
Young artist and illustrator Jude Christopher ‘JC’ Roxas designed the Christmas paper bags of Pan de Manila
For the main artwork, he uses a tree as a prominent symbol because Filipino kids, particularly those who grow up in rural landscapes, play games, rest and eat under the shade of trees. It’s also where idealistic young people sit back, daydream and plan their future.
The vibrant colors and catchy details of the Christmas paper bags showcase some of the Pusong Pinoy traditions that can be seen in communities around the country during Christmastime. They include typical street and home scenes—kids playing with their pet dog, lechon on the dining table, kids opening gifts, mom and lola (grandmother) on rocking chairs bonding with each other, families having fun playing musical instruments together, parols (Christmas lanterns) on the tree, ninong (godfather) hiding from his inaanak (godson)…
And since singing Christmas carols forms part of the Filipino Christmas tradition, Pan de Manila’s Christmas paper bags also bear the words “Himig ng Pasko / ay mas masaya / kung may Pan de Sal at / ang buong pamilya ay sama-sama.” (The hymns of Christmas / are more joyful / if there’s Pan de Sal and / the whole family is together.)
Pan de Manila has consistently promoted Filipino values and traditions.
“Coming home and meeting people to celebrate the blessings of Christmas is the true essence of our Paskong Pinoy since this reminds us of the real meaning of thanksgiving,” says Mari Sebastian, marketing manager of Pan de Manila.
She adds: “Since giving is also part of our tradition, Pan de Manila invites you to give the gift of a ‘Himig ng Pasko’ which will touch the hearts of your loved ones and friends. The holiday paper bag also conveys that the pan de sal inside is warm and best shared cheerfully with everyone.”
Pan de Manila stores are open 24/7 in convenient locations all over Metro Manila, in North and South Luzon, and in Cebu, Iloilo and Bacolod.
Crema Catalana, Red Berries, and Chocolate Hazelnut Wafer Cigar
WHERE can you find the best paella in the world? Why, in Spain, of course! But exactly where in Spain?
Well, it’s in the Principality of Catalonia, where Barcelona is located, and whose cuisine relies heavily on ingredients bountiful along the Mediterranean coast, including fresh vegetables (particularly tomatoes, garlic, aubergine, capsicum and artichoke), wheat products (used to make bread and pasta), Arbequina olive oils, wines, legumes (such as broad beans and chickpeas), hams and sausages, cheese, poultry, lamb, assorted fish varieties (especially sardines, anchovies, tuna and cod fish), and other seafood (such as scampi).
Catalan cuisine is often mistaken as the usual Spanish food, but it has flavors all its own, and so, to introduce Catalan cuisine to diners in Manila, Marco Polo Ortigas decided to feature La Catalana, which showcases the flavors of Catalan cuisine as prepared by Executive Chef Lluis Cantons Pessarodona. Cucina, the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant, shall be dedicating an action station for Catalan cuisine on November 21, 22, 28 and 29 and December 5 and 6, for both lunch and dinner. For La Catalana, Chef Lluis will be preparing a number of Catalan favorites, accompanied by, of course, the best paella in town, Paella Mixta with Carabineros and Scampi, a gastronomic creation by Chef Lluis inspired by his childhood and the paella that his own dad used to make.
Marco Polo Ortigas general manager Frank Reichenbach, publicist Johnny Litton, and F&B director Mirko di Giorgio
In a media preview that Marco Polo Ortigas’ general manager Frank Reichenbach, food and beverage director Mirko di Giorgio and director of marketing communications Judith Los Baños recently hosted, Chef Lluis drew up an impressive menu of Catalan favorites, highlighted by on-the-spot cooking of a giant Paella Mixta with Carabineros and Scampi, then finished with a breath-taking dessert that tasted as good as it looked.
Iberico Ham with Tomato on Bread
The sit-down lunch began with Iberico Ham with Tomato on Bread, an interactive appetizer which you enjoy by taking the sliced tomato, rubbing it on the toasted bread, sprinkling it with salt and olive oil, topping it with the thinly sliced Iberico ham, and, with all the passion you can muster, biting into it. The flavors are fresh, simple and clean.
Seafood Escabeche, Manila Clams, Tiger Prawn, Mussels, Sardines, Olive Coulis, Chantarelles, with Deep-fried Sardine Bone Chips
This was followed by Seafood Escabeche, Manila Clams, Tiger Prawns, Mussels, Sardines, Olive Coulis, Chantarelles with Deep-fried Sardine Bone Chips. It’s a deconstructed platter of all the delightful bite-sized tapas that you partake of one by one. Chef Lluis himself went around to add the finishing touch to the platter, which was the Deep-fried Sardine Bone Chip, which, according to him, has to be cooked in very hot oil for only a very short period so that the bone becomes crunchy and does not turn hard.
Broad Bean Soup with Kilawing Mahi-mahi
The soup, Broad Bean Cream Soup with Kilawing Mahi-Mahi, Caramelized Onion and Extra Virgin Olive Oil, combined Catalan and Filipino flavors. The soup is basically Catalan, but Chef Lluis added slices of Kilawing Mahi-Mahi into it because it’s his favorite Filipino food. The sourness of the kilawin and the bite of the fresh fish complemented the soup.
Piquillo Peppers Stuffed with Cod Fish Brandada, Pil-pil Sauce and Artichokes on a White Asparagus Bed
Following it was Piquillo Peppers Stuffed with Cod Fish Brandada, Pil-Pil Sauce and Artichokes on a White Asparagus Bed—a proud showcase of all the bountiful ingredients in Catalonia.
Then Chef Lluis got to work on his Paella Mixta with Carabineros and Scampi. Before everyone, he cooked the paella step by step, starting with huge scampi which he had flown in directly from Spain specifically for the media preview. He wanted everyone to have a taste of the fresh seafood that Catalonia boasts of. Besides being huge, the scampi had a natural sweetness perfect for the paella.
Chef Lluis Cantons Pessarodona cooking his signature ‘Paella Mixta with Carabineros and Scampi’ while ‘Flavors of Life’ and other media friends looked on
Fresh seafood, meat and sausages used by Chef Lluis Cantons Pessarodona for his paella
Marco Polo Ortigas’ executive chef Lluis Cantons Pessarodona, F&B director Mirko di Giorgio and general manager Frank Reichenbach give the giant paella a thumbs-up
Chef Lluis combined it with prawns, mussels, squid, chicken, spareribs, and Butifarra sausages from Barcelona. The resulting dish, when done, was loaded, flavorful and heavenly. And because he made a big paellera of it, Chef Lluis had everyone served a generous portion of paella complete with all its heavenly ingredients, including a huge scampi from Barcelona.
Ending the meal on a sweet note was Crèma Catalana, Red Berries and Chocolate Hazelnut Wafer Cigar. It was a beautiful and colorful piece of art and, like Chef Lluis’ other dishes, was an interplay of delicious elements—all delightful bites on their own as much as they complement each other.
Marco Polo Ortigas’ Cucina is open daily for lunch from 12:00 to 2:30 p.m. and for dinner from 6:00 to 10:30 p.m. Buffet price starts at Php1,500 per person, with children aged 7 to 12 charged half the price while children aged 6 and below get to eat for free. For inquiries and reservations, call 720-7720.
(Marco Polo Ortigas is located at Meralco Ave. and Sapphire St., Ortigas Center, Pasig City.)
CAN you believe it? We’re actually approaching the month of December, and the season of Christmas has officially started with all the holiday décor in the shopping malls and the Christmas promos and treats that restaurants are now offering.
To welcome the holidays, McDonald’s has come up with its own line of deliciously festive yuletide desserts to give everyone more reasons to love Christmastime. It’s a season of swirls in McDonald’s stores with the new McDonald’s Holiday Desserts.
Kit Kat McFlurry with Caramel Crispies
For those who love the classic McFlurry, McDonald’s offers two new variants for the season for Php50 each. The choices are Kit Kat McFlurry with Choco Bits, which has chocolate vanilla bits drizzled all over creamy soft serve ice cream; and Kit Kat McFlurry with Caramel Crisps, which has rich caramel sauce showered all over creamy soft serve ice cream. Both are, of course, topped with a Kit Kat wafer stick.
Hazelnut Brownie Sundae
For fans of McDonald’s Sundae, the fast-food chain’s holiday offer is the new Hazelnut Brownie Sundae, a delightful sundae treat with a generous swirl of hazelnut-brownie sauce, available at Php32.
Peanut Butter McDip
For an even more affordable sweet treat, there’s Peanut Butter McDip, a delicious vanilla soft serve ice cream glazed with peanut butter-flavored dip on a wafer cone, available at Php15.
McCafe Coffee Float
Rounding off McDonald’s holiday treats is the McCafe Coffee Float, which is made of McDonald’s signature Premium Roast Coffee brewed from 100% Arabica Beans, topped with vanilla soft serve and drizzled with chocolate syrup.
These McDonald’s Holiday Desserts offerings are available at all McDonald’s stores nationwide for a limited time only. They are also available at McDonald’s Desserts Centers, which are present in over 300 locations to satisfy everyone’s sweet cravings.
DON Papa Rum, a single island, small batch premium rum that people have been raving about since it was introduced three years ago, is good enough to drink neat or on the rocks. But you can also enjoy it in various ways in the form of cocktail drinks. One of them is The Clover, which is one of the cocktail drinks specially designed by master mixologists Kathryn Eckstein-Cornista and Matthias Cadeac D’Arbaud using Don Papa Rum.
The Clover was the featured cocktail drink during the launch of the Don Papa Rum Art Competition held at The BonBon Club in Makati City last Wednesday, November 11, 2015. I’d like to share with you the recipe, just in case you want to try mixing some cocktail drinks at home for family and friends to enjoy.
The Clover is a European-inspired sweet fruit cocktail reminiscent of the Roaring 1920s, says Matthias.
THE CLOVER
5 ml. Don Papa Rum
4 pcs. fresh strawberries
1 ml. Cacao Liqueur
1 drop vanilla extract
1 drop calamansi juice
1/2 egg white
1 pc. fresh strawberry for garnish
1. In a shaker, crush 4 pcs. strawberries.
2. Add Cacao Liqueur, vanilla extract and calamansi juice, then the egg white.
3. Add Don Papa Rum, then shake with ice until shaker sweats.
4. Pour into a cocktail glass and garnish with fresh strawberry. Serve.
IF you think Buttered Toast and creamy French Toast are manna from heaven, you definitely must try Toasted Butter Cake. It’s not just buttery with a light, smoky flavor. It also has that rich and delectable caramelized taste to go with its buttery and smoky flavor. Top it with fresh fruits, a dollop of cream and a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and it’s simply magical. So try this Toasted Butter Cake with Fruits ala Mode recipe shared by The Maya Kitchen and have an extra special treat for breakfast, dessert or merienda.
