Fisher Farms Rellenong Bangus

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Rellenong Bangus is one of my wife's favorite fish viand, most especially during the holidays. Every year she would try her best to prepare a couple just to satisfy her craving and longing for the taste she remembers from her childhood. This year proved impossible to accomplish that because of her work schedule. Ingredients for making it were not in the list when we went for our last minute shopping last Christmas Eve.



Spotted in the Supermarket

Upon seeing my wife's face suddenly lighting up and her lips forming into a smile, I knew she found something to her liking. I wasn't a bit surprised when I saw her holding a box of Fisher Farms Rellenong Bangus. It would seem that she is not going to miss her favorite viand after all. 

In as much as we have already made initial preparations for 3 viands plus dessert for the celebration, which is more than enough for our family of four and a very few expected guests, we bought 2 boxes of the bangus just in case. That is just in case we get unexpected guests. We hardly find it fitting to serve any guest in our home anything short of a carefully prepared meal, even if we are on a tight budget.


Fisher Farms Rellenong Bangus to the Rescue

The food we prepared for Christmas Eve was more than enough. Our family still had a lot to eat for the whole of Christmas Day. Early this morning, when we got a text message from one of our closest friends that she will be dropping by for lunch with her spouse, I knew exactly what to prepare.

After baking the bangus for about 15 minutes, I garnished it with lettuce salad with boiled eggs and fried french fries. As you can see in the first photo, it turned out just fine. There is also an option to microwave the bangus for 5 minutes or pan fry it for 2 minutes.


We spotted some other products made by Fisher Farms and we expect to be trying them in the near future.

The Christmas Food Basket

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The Christmas Food Basket is  one of the most popular gift choices for the holiday season. This is not surprising as it can be the most practical, creative, and personalized gift that anyone would love to receive. Although it can contain just about anything from food to toiletry products, a Christmas Basket containing the season's food favorites is the most preferred.


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Christmas Food Basket Variations

Traditionally, Christmas food baskets would contain non-perishable items such as fruitcake, jams, wine, cheese,and dried meat. Gift-givers through can choose to give a holiday meal that is expected to be consumed immediately. The choice would depend on the recipient and the timing of the gift-giving.

Create Your Own Christmas Gift Packs

Due to the real demand for practical gift ideas, Suy Sing, the country’s leading one-stop wholesale grocery distribution company is now offering the  “create your own” Christmas grocery gift packs  in three easy steps:

1. First, choose from Suy Sing’s extensive collection of grocery Christmas items which are available at everyday low prices.

2. Next, select the packaging that best fits your needs. Choose from a variety of storage boxes, pails, and eco-friendly grocery bags of different colors & sizes.

3. Lastly, pay for your orders through their easy payment options. What’s more, a minimum P50,000 worth of Christmas gift packs entitles you to free packing, free delivery, and exclusive rewards!




For the utmost convenience of holiday gift giving, Suy Sing also offers  pre-designed Christmas gift packs worth P300, P500, P750 and P1,000 (Carlo Rossi Red Wine, My Everyday Elbow Macaroni, Shanghai Chinese Luncheon Meat, Magnolia Cheezee, Del Monte Spaghetti Sauce, Alaska Crema, Mama Sita’s Oyster Sauce, Mama Sita’s Barbecue Marinade, Primera Light Brandy, Lady’s Choice Mayonnaise, Del Monte Four Seasons Juice, Pik-Nik Shoestring Original).


With Suy Sing’s customizable and ready-to-go Christmas gift packs, shopping for the perfect holiday gifts for corporate clients and friends becomes more convenient and affordable. For gift basket bulk orders, call 706-8822; 706-8835; 706-8840; 706-8846; 706-8857; 706-8871 or visit www.suysing.com.

Jollibee Kids Meal for a Merrier Christmas

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Jollibee just made Christmas a lot merrier for the kids with its newest breakfast and toy offering. My own children had their fill of excitement every time Jollibee came up with new toy treats for its Jollibee Kids Meals during their younger days. So I can truly understand how excited kids are for this treat.


ChocNut Pancakes

Jollibee introduces its newest addition to its breakfast roster - 2 Piece ChocNut Pancakes with regular pineapple juice. If breakfast is something that does not get your child pretty excited, this will surely result to a change of heart. It is offered in the very first ever Jolly Joy Box interactive packaging. Kids will also have 3 toy choices from Jollitown Build and Craft Blocks.


Jollitown Build and Craft Blocks

Jollitown Build and Craft Blocks feature Super Shapers, Jolly Stamper, and Fun Tracer—three sets of colorful blocks and pieces that kids can play with to build different structures using their creativity and imagination.



For the Super Shapers, little artists can press a button on the side of the pen tower to reveal the pen tip. They can use this to trace stencil images onto paper. They can also slide their picture in the photo frame slot while the other container can be used as a desk calendar. The two boxes can also be used as an organizer.



With the Jolly Stamper, kid designers can decorate their own Jollitown memo pad using the stamper with two stamp design plates. Pressing a button on top of the tower will also activate a light to reveal Hetty’s image.


Using the Fun Tracer, kids can easily trace Jollibee’s face onto paper by turning on a switch to project an image of everyone’s best friend. They can also display photos at the back slots and use the two main boxes as organizer.



For a bigger and more exciting play time experience, kids can collect and connect all three (3) toy sets to assemble their very own Jollitown house while enjoying the interactive games on the Jolly Joy Box that they have come to love and enjoy.


Collect all three (3) Jollitown Build and Craft Blocks in the first-ever Jolly Joy Box with your favorite Jollibee Kids Meal treats: Jolly Spaghetti (P90), Yumburger (P91), 1-piece Chickenjoy (P117), and the new 2-piece ChocoNut Pancakes (P95) for breakfast. All meals come with a regular pineapple juice. Let kids enjoy a more fun, creative and interactive learning experience this Christmas season with the Jollitown Build and Craft Blocks, available from December 1 to January 31 only!


Why Chicken Works: Fun Chicken Facts

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In most households all over the world, chicken is a favorite food staple. It is not identified with any age group and is generally acceptable to all. Here are some fun facts explaining why chicken works. 



Chicken is in our Past, Present, and Future

Chicken is known to be the first animal to be domesticated. It has proven to be most dependable in the aspect of breeding and providing continuous food supply to man including the eggs produced. Judging from the present consumption of chicken, we can expect chicken to be very much part of our gustatory future.

Nutritional Goldmine

Chicken is a natural source of antioxidants specifically zinc and selenium. It packs in so much nutrients that it is able to provide more than 20% of an adult's nutrient needs. This would include phosporous, niacin (B3), B6, and B12.

Chicken Fits All Flavors

Because of its neutral flavor, chicken works great in just about any recipe. This is true anywhere around the world. Just in case the primary meat ingredient is not available, chicken is always the safest substitute. 

Champion Source of Lean, Low-Fat Protein

Chicken is an excellent source of lean, low-fat protein. This helps the body build and develop muscles. It also aids in weight loss because of its metabolism boosters like selenium, riboflavin, and other B-complex vitamins.

Eating More Chicken Can Make You Happier

Ever wondered why chicken soup seems to uplift body and soul? Wonder not anymore. Chicken contains tryptophan, an amino acid that boosts serotonin levels.  It should be noted that many researchers believe that an imbalance in serotonin levels may influence mood in a way that leads to depression.

Based on the above fun facts, we will understand why chicken works for human food needs, whether it is for a simple meal or a gourmet exploration, and even while we are working hard on those body workouts.

Water as the Best Beverage for Dining

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My wife shared to me a very interesting information which she was told during a dine-out at Marcia Adams Restaurant, right after attending an event. This pertains to water being the best beverage for discovering real food flavor. Come to think of it, that really makes sense.



Here are some of the reasons why:

Water Does Not Mask the Food Flavor

Water, being devoid of additives will reveal what the food really tastes like. I know there are many recommended beverage partners for many food to make the dining experience more pleasurable but if you are after discovering the flavor being offered by any viand, water is the best way to go. 

Water is the Right Appetite Enhancer

In contrast to artificially sweetened beverages, water will not induce increased preference for sweets which can a health-risk when done habitually. It is something that people can take without having to think of dangers of consuming too much of. Going for water leaves enough allowance for indulging in dessert.

Water Aids in Digestion and Absorption

Diners tend to drink too much while waiting for food to be served as beverage is often served first. It is highly suggested by health practitioners to drink water before eating to aid in digestion. Recommended time is 30 minutes before taking a meal. Drinking water an hour after a meal facilitates absorption of food nutrients.

Hot Star Large Fried Chicken: The Size Factor

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The long queues we observed in several branches of Hot-Star Large Fried Chicken piqued our curiosity enough to want to try it ourselves. We finally did when my eldest daughter came home for a short visit. We found ourselves in the restaurant's Bluebay Walk branch in Pasay City one very hot afternoon, noticing instantly the extraordinarily large chicken pieces the customers are helping themselves to.



Hot Star Large Fried Chicken

Hot Star Large Fried Chicken is said to be the leading chicken shop in Taiwan. It takes pride in its humongous chicken fillet serving comparable to the size of the human face. It started in 1992 as a small kiosk in a Taiwan market but is now offering the same product that made it famous in several other countries including  Hong Kong, Shanghai, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, and the Philippines.



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Like most customers entering a food establishment for the first time, we checked out the food offerings as well as the prices which we found reasonable. The place was filled with customers when we came in but we managed to get a table in a matter of minutes when one group left. Our first question to the person taking our order : What is your best-seller? Her answer: BBQ Large Fried Chicken.




Our Orders

Since we have many children in tow, we decided to play safe and chose the fried chicken. We ordered one of each variant, Original, Crispy, BBQ, and Spicy. We also ordered spaghetti and fries for the younger ones plus the Blue Lemonade for our drinks. 




We were all actually very excited with the size of the chicken we were served as it was already 2 in the afternoon and we all haven't had our lunch. However, we were rather disappointed with the flavor and all the adults in our group felt there was something missing. Because of the large chicken servings, we got to taste a bit of each variant and didn't catch much difference in flavor. Even the unlimited gravy wasn't enough to cover that common observation. The upside is still the size of the chicken.





Our Family's Verdict

In a scale of 1(lowest) to 5 (highest)

Ambiance: 4
Food       : 3
Price       : 4

Food Vending Machine: The Convenience Archetype

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Food vending machines have been in existence for quite some time. Many are familiar with this machine that dispenses food and drinks since they can be seen practically in every busy place or places that have high human traffic. It mainly capitalizes on convenience which people cannot have enough of, given the very hectic lifestyle that dominates today.




Early Vending Machines

The earliest vending machine was known to have been invented by Hero of Alexandria. It is interesting to know that it dispensed a specific amount of holy water upon insertion of a coin on the designated slot. Eventually, coin-operated vending machines dispensed tobacco, newspaper, stamps, and postcards. The first vending machine introduced in the US dispensed something edible - gum. Soon, snack machines became commonplace, dispensing hot and cold beverages, sandwiches, chips, candies, and other food items that can readily be had literally at a drop of a coin.

My generation got used to calling these contraptions as vendo machines. Vendo is actually a name of a large retailer of cold beverage vending machines which just happened to be the major supplier of vending machines internationally. We Filipinos have the tendency to substitute popular brand names to call generic products such as Colgate for toothpaste and Kodak for pictures. Up to this time, I tend to call it a vendo machine.

The Convenience Archetype

The ability of vending machines to answer to the human need for more convenient lifestyle options is the very reason for its longevity in existence. It has reinvented itself many times over in appearance but its main purpose remains the same. Vending machines are expected to stay in offices, schools, and public facilities because there will always be a need for them.

For one, it does not require continuous manual supervision except when refilling content. It has no closing hours like food establishments and can practically serve customers' needs as long as the place where it is located is accessible. Modern vending machines offer much wider product options.



This is my latest favorite buy from the vending machine - the hot Relaxing Cucumber drink. For a price of PHP 10, I get to enjoy a soothing drink that is healthy and with no difficulty at all. This serves my and my wife's craving for cucumber drinks when we are out. At home, we prefer to have cold cucumber shake.

Cocolatto: A Healthy Ice Cream Alternative

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Ice cream is not exactly known as a health food, being associated with having high fat and sugar content. But eating ice cream is certainly one of the simple joys of life we cannot completely do without. Fortunately, there are other options particularly for people who have specific lifestyle and health considerations. Cocolatto is one such option.


Why Go for Cocolatto

Cocolatto fits all diets. Whether you are a practicing vegan, diabetic, or your body is unable to tolerate dairy, gluten, lactose, or soy, this ice cream allows you to enjoy without the guilt. The main ingredient is coconut.

Coconut sugar is used as a sweetener while coconut cream substitutes for milk. Cocolatto is dairy-free, gluten-free, and soy-free. It does not use any animal product or by-product. Each finished product is carefully handcrafted instead of using machines.

Delectable Flavors

I had a chance to taste the Naked Coconut flavor during one of the events I attended recently. Upon checking the Cocolatto website, I found out that there are 3 other flavors available namely Chocolate Cake, Om-My-Kulf, and Macaroon Macarena. This ice cream is available in selected outlets in Metro Manila.





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Coconut Graham Balls

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My family is so so fond of sweets that it is necessary to have any dessert ready after every meal. The good thing is that we are able to appreciate food even in its simplest form. One of our easy favorites is the Coconut Graham Balls. It is so easy to make that any member of the family responsible enough to safely work in the kitchen can do it.



Ingredients:

1 pack crushed graham

1 can condensed milk 

dessicated coconut


Procedure:

1. Mix crushed graham crackers with condensed milk.

2. Get about a spoonful or more of the mixture (depending on preferred size) and form into balls.

3. Roll in desiccated coconut. Chill.


Variations:

1. Colorful sprinkles which is especially attractive to children can be used instead of desiccated coconut.

2. Marshmallow can be rolled in the graham mixture for a marshmallow-filled graham ball then coated with melted chocolate.

3. Nuts can be added to the graham mixture for added texture and flavor then coated with powdered sugar.


Without the need for any cooking and with only at least three ingredients, the family can get to enjoy this at any time. 

Kellogg's Corn Flakes with Heritage Tins

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If there is one thing that is always included in our family's grocery list, it would be corn flakes. Together with milk, it is our preferred starter for the day. That is why I was especially excited in seeing the Kellogg's Corn Flakes being sold in the supermarket with free Heritage Tins.



The designs of the Heritage Tins bring back memories of old. Though obviously depicting American culture, it stirred in me memories of my father who would bring home imported goods when he had extra money, including the small boxes of Kellogg's cereals that usually come packed in tens. During that time, these goods were not widely available like now and having them is always a special treat. It is only when I grew up that I realized that those treats came with a sacrifice on his part.




I would probably try to complete this special collection, depending on the availability. One down, three more to go. It is very difficult to resist such beautifully-designed tin containers especially when it comes for free with food that I regularly buy anyway.


Jollibee Chicken Joy: Surprise in a Picnic Basket

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Last Sunday, Mother's Day, I received a very nice surprise in the form of a picnic basket containing one of the most favorite food of Filipino families today - Jollibee Chicken Joy. It was such a timely gift not only because it was a special day for moms like me but also because I was not really up to the effort of going out to eat. Coming home from work feeling tired and sleepy, delicious food delivered at our doorstep is really such a blessing.



What Makes Jollibee Chicken Joy Popular?

I never cease to wonder at the multiple number of ways fried chicken can be produced. I have yet to taste truly identical ones coming from two different establishments or home cooks for that matter. Jollibee Chicken Joy is said to be popular among Filipino families because of its taste that caters to our flavor preference. Its especially crispy skin scores a lot of points for Filipino fast food consumers as well. The westernized flavor offered by close competitors apparently is not as appealing to the masses who comprise the bulk of Jollibee customers.



The Picnic Basket Idea

The Jollibee Chicken Joy that came in a picnic basket gave me an idea as to how our family can enjoy our meals in a different way. It would be very ideal to have a picnic in our clubhouse grounds or even right at our own garden for a change. Since summer is not yet over, it's not too late.



The Story of Cooking the Khichdi

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Ever since I was a young boy, I have always been curious about everything. I love to discover new things. Whenever I come across something that I have no idea of, I tend to look them up quickly and read through all the information I can get my hands on. 

One day, my English teacher shared with us this Indian Folklore entitled Cooking The Khichdi - the story goes like this:

It was winter. The ponds were all frozen.  At the court, King Akbar asked Birbal, "Tell me Birbal, will a man do anything for money? Birbal relied, "Yes". The Emperor ordered him to prove it.  The next day Birbal came to the court along with a poor Brahmin who merely had a penny left with him.  His family was starving.  Birbal told the King that the Brahmin was ready to do anything for the sake of money.   The King ordered the Brahmin to be inside the frozen pond all through the night without any attire if he need the money.  The poor Brahmin had no choice.  The whole night he was inside the pond, shivering.  He returned to the durbar the next day to receive his reward.  The King asked "Tell me, Oh poor Brahmin!  How could you withstand the extreme temperature all through the night?"  The innocent Brahmin replied " I could see a faintly glowing light a kilometer away and I withstood with that ray of light"  Akbar refused to pay the Brahmin his reward saying that he got warmth from the light and withstood the cold and that was cheating.  The poor Brahmin could not argue with him so he returned home disappointed and bare-handed.  Birbal tried to explain to the King but the King was in no mood to listed to him. Thereafter, Birbal stopped coming to the durbar and sent a messenger to the King saying that he would come to the court only after cooking his khichdi.  As Birbal did not turn up even after 5 days, the King himself went to Birbal's house to see what he was doing.  Birbal had lit the fire and kept the pot of uncooked khichdi one meter away from it. King Akbar questioned him, "How will the khichdi get cooked with the fire one meter away?  What is wrong with you Birbal?" Birbal, cooking the khichdi, replied "Oh my great King of Hindustan! When it was possible for person to receive warmth from a light that was a kilometer away, then it is possible for this khichdi, which is just a meter away from the source of heat, to get cooked."  Akbar understood his mistake.  He called the poor Brahmin and rewarded him 2000 gold coins. 

This lesson of ours got me curious of what a khichdi is.  Was it delicious that a King would know of such a dish?  Searching the ever reliable Internet, I learned that khichdi is a traditional comfort food of India.


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Khichdi is a popular dish in South Asia.  It is a simple food which has rice as the main ingredient.  It is very light, nutritious and easily digestible. Vegetables may be added like potatoes, lentils, green peas, cauliflower, cabbage or broccoli.  To add flavor in it, turmeric, salt or pepper may be added. Flakes of fish, chicken or ground pork may be added to satisfy one's craving.   

I asked my dad to try cooking the khichdi.  He said soon, as he was cooking something similar - Arroz Caldo, a staple Filipino food made out of rice with bits of chicken.  I'll be posting about that later. 

A First Try of J.Co Donuts

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I know J.Co Donuts has been here in the Philippines for several years now but this is my first try at tasting it. Blame it on the very few times my family and I had the chance to go out for the two previous years or so. We barely went out or ate out. Although I am not complaining since  my family enjoyed eating together at home most of the time, the child in me wanted to try out the many food items being advertised.



It is a good thing that we are having more chances to go out and enjoy these days. In one of our family's simple day out, our parents allowed my brother and I to buy any food we want to bring home. We both decided to go into a J.Co Donut Store and came out with this box of 6 donuts.

I asked the lady in the store what she can recommend. She quickly pointed to the Cheezy Rich which she says is their bestseller. So I said yes to this ensaymada-looking donut and chose the Caviar Strawberry and the Why Nut. My brother chose the Green Tease, Sugar Ice, and Crunchy Crunchy. There were actually many more to choose from but we will probably get to try them next time. 

Verdict: Really delicious!

See the other flavors here:


Babanoks: Baka, Baboy at Manok

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Our family was already feeling hunger pangs even before the Recognition Day in my children's school was over. Like most other Filipino families who love to celebrate with good food after, we were already thinking of where to eat. My family was looking for something different, filling, and informal. Then I remembered Babanoks.



Babanoks

Babanoks Restaurant is an unimposing and informal eating place located at Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay Road, Puting Kahoy, Silang Cavite. Because it is practically open in front and at the two sides, it is very airy and cool with the natural breeze of the place used to its advantage. In case you are wondering what the name means, it stands for Baka, Baboy, and Manok, thus the perplexing mascot shown above.



Source: Babanoks Facebook Page

This is not the first time I ate at Babanoks since I came here before with my office-mates after work. I thought my husband and son who are both voracious rice eaters  would appreciate the Babanoks special which came with a generous amount of rice. So we agreed to go here right after the school activity.

Our Food Orders


Babanoks Special

Chorizo and Egg


Lechon Kawali

The two men in the family chose the Babanoks Special, as expected, while my daughter chose the chorizo and I opted to try the lechon kawali. My children requested for pork barbecue as well although I failed to take a picture as we were already eating when it came. We all had sago gulaman for some coolness and sweetness.


Our Family's Verdict

In a scale of 1(lowest) to 5 (highest)

Ambiance: 4
Food       : 4
Price       : 4

Restaurant Info:

Address: Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay Road, Puting Kahoy, Silang Cavite

Hours: 
Mon - Thu:
9:00 am - 10:00 pm
Fri:
9:00 am - 11:00 pm
Sat:
8:00 am - 11:00 pm
Sun:
8:00 am - 10:00 pm

Cuisine: Filipino

What's in a Milo Drink?

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Have you ever wondered what's in a Milo drink?   I did and so I searched for the answer. Here is what I got.


It turns out that Milo has 3 basic ingredients responsible for its chocomaltee taste - cocoa, malted barley, and milk. 

Cocoa

Cocoa, also known to many as chocolate, is considered by many as a health miracle due to the various health benefits it provides to human beings. What makes it very acceptable is its pleasurable taste. It is a very good source of magnesium and phosporous.

Malted Barley

Milo is actually a result of evaporating the water content from a thick opaque syrup obtained from malted barley. The soft solid that is produced are then broken up into the granular form which regular drinkers are very familiar with. 

Milk

Being an energy drink, the inclusion of milk does not come as a surprise at all. Milk is known to be a complete food so there is no doubt with regards to the nutritional value it provides. It also lends its creamy taste to complete the Milo recipe.

Interesting Trivia

Milo was developed by an Australian industrial chemist and inventor. It was introduced in 1934 at the Sydney Royal Easter Show. It got its name from Milo of Crotona, an athlete from Ancient Greece, known for his extraordinary strength. The Actigen-E found in every Milo drink is actually Nestle's trademarked name for the vitamins and minerals incorporated in the product. 

Crispy Bangus Belly with Lettuce Salad

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With the Lenten season upon us, it is usual for for many families to opt for fish dishes since abstinence from meat is highly recommended. Most faithful often forget though that this "sacrifice" has to go hand in hand with simplicity otherwise it is actually indulgence. Instead of going for the pricey fishes with elaborate presentation, why not consider going simple as in Crispy Bangus Belly with Lettuce Salad?




It is actually very easy to prepare right at your own home. You will just need the following:


frozen bangus belly
1 egg
bread crumbs
lettuce
cheese
honey mustard salad dressing


Procedure:

1. Thaw bangus belly and slice into desired sizes. You can always choose to use fresh             bangus belly lightly seasoned with salt, ground peper, and calamansi.

2. Dip in beaten egg flavored with salt and ground pepper and coat with bread crumbs.

3. Fry each piece until it attains desired crispiness and drain excess oil by placing on wire     rack.

4. Slice lettuce and cheese.

5. Arrange sliced lettuce, cheese, and drizzle with honey mustard sauce.

6. Place crispy bangus belly on top.

7. Enjoy!

Krispy Kreme: 1000 Shops Equal 1000 Doughnuts

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February 24, 2015 promises to be a very special day not only for Krispy Kreme but also for its loyal customers as well. The day marks the opening of Krispy Kreme's 1000th shop which is located at Kansas City, USA. The festive celebration will offer 1,000 free Original Glazed doughnuts to customers at every participating branch in the US and other locations around the world including the Philippines.




1000 Shops Equal 1000 Doughnuts

No purchase is necessary for customers to avail of a free doughnut. The first 1000 customers to visit the participating branches will get 1 free Original Glazed doughnut each. One doughnut per customer only to share the joy with as many people as possible. 


Here are the participating stores in the Philippines:




Customers can also get a free drink upsize. What you need to do is to get "spotted" with your favorite Original Glazed doughnut and pre-register at a participating store. Don't forget to tag @krispykremeph, use the hashtag #KrispyKremeAt1000  and make your photos public. Just show up at the branch on February 24 with your snapshot to get your free drink upsize.  


Hurry and get your free doughnut!

Valentine's Day at Max's Restaurant

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Valentine's Day always bring expectations that something special ought to happen. Whether among families, friends, or lovers, the day of love as well as the days that come before and after call for a celebration. What celebration is complete without food? 

Max's Restaurant is offering something special from February 13-15, 2015. With a minimum spend of PHP 1500, diners get to receive a box of yummy choco and caramel bites from Max's Corner Bakery, all for free.

But Max's extends the celebration far beyond these 3 days.



Meal For Two

Max's sets the romantic mood with its Meal For Two , an intimate meal perfect for couples who want to celebrate Valentine's Day enjoying their favorite classic dishes from Max's. Priced at PHP 529, it provides as much as PHP 191 savings and will be available until February 28, 2015.

The meal includes:

* regular half serving of Max's Sarap to the Bones Fried Chicken
* sizzling tofu OR adobong kangkong
* steaming white rice
* 2 glasses of iced tea OR any Pepsi softdrink
* delicious buko pandan

Max's Valentine Treats



Love Letter Cookies and Love Birds Cookies


White Chocolate Butter Cake 

For this year's Valentine's season, Max's makes available sweet and fun Valentine treats including Love Letter Cookies, Love Birds Cookies, and melt-in-your-mouth White Chocolate Butter Cake. 

Surprise your loved ones with any of these Max's delightful Valentine treats, available anywhere in the Philippines for the whole month of February.  These are available for dine-in, take-out and delivery. Create your most memorable Valentine's Day celebration yet by visiting your favorite Max's branch.

Log on to www.maxschicken.com or visit www.facebook.com/maxsrestaurant to know more about their coolest offerings.



The Adobo Road Cookbook Review

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Adobo is so identified with Filipinos that it is almost always expected to be part of any welcome treat especially for foreign visitors. This instant association is probably one of the reasons why Marvin Gapultos, the author of The Adobo Road Cookbook chose to name it as such. This book promised to be a Filipino food journey and after reading through it, I understood why.



The Author's Personal Journey to Loving Filipino Food

What makes this cookbook particularly interesting is that it is written by a Filipino who grew up in the American ways. He tells stories of how he used to protest loudly as a kid when served with food like adobo, pinakbet, or sinigang, only to find himself missing them when he was off to college, able to have his fill of pizza, burritos, and hamburgers. The resolve to finally learn how to cook came when he got married.

He married a non-Filipino who he admits is a great cook. Still, he found himself craving for Filipino food thus the weekly trek to his parents' home just to satisfy his cravings. He realized soon enough that it would be better to learn to cook Filipino food on his own. Learning came though his mom, his grandmother, and aunties who turned out to have a treasure of recipes under their care. 

Marvin Gapultos documented his culinary trials and tribulations through his blog Burnt Lumpia in reference to his propensity to have at least one burnt spring roll when cooking a batch during his novice days. With experience comes confidence and so he opened The Manila Machine, a gourmet Filipino food truck serving people in Southern California. The Adobo Road Cookbook seeks to spark greater interest in Filipino food and culture.

The Adobo Road Cookbook

This cookbook does not go straight to recipes but rather provides the basics that will prepare an aspiring cook of Filipino food. Recommendations for the most useful tools to have as well as ingredients to have for a Filipino pantry are given. Even before the first chapter of recipes begin, recipes for basic condiments, sauces, and dips are presented to serve as foundation for all the cooking that is expected to follow.

In spite of its title, The Adobo Road Cookbook is not all about adobo. It has at least one chapter dedicated to the art of adobo but the rest of the chapters feature appetizers; vegetables and salads; soups, noodles, and rice; main dishes; Filipino finger food and cocktails; as well as desserts and sweet snacks. The recipes are provided in an easy-to-understand manner that will not intimidate even those who are trying them for the first time.

It is very evident in the way that the cookbook was written that the author is very much aware that he is catering to a wide audience in terms of nationality and ethnicity. He does not presume that anything is automatically understood and goes to great lengths to explain a terminology or a cooking method at every opportunity. He even shares his own twists to traditional Filipino recipes and that lends a more personal touch to this cookbook. 

I highly recommend this cookbook to everyone who may like to try their hand at Filipino cooking.