February 2007 Archives

THE BEST OF THE YEAR THAT WAS The countdown begins for the Philippines' best new products launched by restaurants in 2006. By Adolf Aran, Jr. The year 2006 was full of exciting new products for the restaurant business, from quick service or fast food, to casual dining, from bakeshops to fine dining restaurants based in hotels. For consumers like us, we know that new products are what makes us try out new dining places and what makes us keep coming back. Without it, dining out would be a bore and predictable, which could spell either customer delight or zero repeat business for the food business. So, drum roll please, here are the crème de la crème, the best new products of 2006! 1. KFC’s Chicken Barbecue, Chicken Tempura and Orange Chicken. Just when you thought that fried chicken cannot be re-invented anymore, KFC has come up with not one, not two, but three great twists to fried chicken. Pinoy or Japanese, with Java rice or in a Bento meal set, KFC is this year’s winner in innovation. You know that you have raised the bar of innovation when your major competitors flatter you by imitating your recently launched products. 2. What is this Pampanga delicacy called sisig doing in a Greenwich Pizza? What was a very successful product a year ago, the Sisig Pizza was recently re-launched by Greenwich, with its continuing effort to establish itself as the Filipino pizza brand, introducing home-grown concepts such as the Sisig Pizza. Try it and you’ll know why this Kapampangan dish will make you want to have a second serving of pizza. 3. Innovation is a continuing pursuit, at least for the two leading pizza chains. Shakey’s Grand Slam is a four-flavors-in-one 18â€

The Art of Dégustation Chef Sunshine Puey takes the tasting menu to a new level with artfully-created small plates that flatter the eye as much as they please the palate. By Goldweene Quetulio Photos by Rikky Arquiza Her amuse-bouches have become the byword in private functions around the metropolis. Her eye-catching “small platesâ€

Book Reviews By Goldweene Quetulio Food Tour A Culinary Journal by Claude Tayag Published by Anvil Publishing, Inc. The multi-talented Claude Tayag has once again created another masterpiece. But this time, it does not come in the form of a painting, sculpture, or fine piece of furniture. As an accomplished cook and a renowned foodie, Tayag has come up with a book all about his passion for fine food. Food Tour is a compilation of his articles from his regular Thursday column in the Philippine Star. His writing is witty, humorous and always informative. Reading every page makes one feel like one is indeed on a culinary journey with him and his darleng and wife, Mary Anne. From his hometown in Pampanga, home to the country's most sumptuous cuisine, Tayag also describes the various dishes he has eaten and the people he has dined with in different parts of the Philippines like Binondo, Cavite, Ilocos, Baguio, Iloilo and Palawan. In Food Fests, he regales readers with his trips to various festivals and cultural events that highlight our local cuisine. Readers will surely be tempted to plan a trip to the provinces, whether Pampanga, Quezon or Aurora. Tayag also travels beyond our borders to sample exotic gastronomic fare and go on foreign culinary adventures in the chapter, Asia and Beyond. He also shares some of his favorite food finds, the best restaurants, bars, and eateries around the country in Food Joints. Food Musings features his musings on Filipino cuisine and other food-related topics. If the book were not engrossing enough, Tayag fills every chapter with his whimsical illustrations, and as a special treat, many of his favorite recipes too. Find all these in Food Tour, a book that is certainly worth savoring every single page!

Abe: Charmingly Familiar By Chikki Agbayani Photos by Rikky Arquiza Entering Abe invokes the same excitement and comfort that one used to feel every time we, as kids, ran up the porch of our lolo’s house in the province. Just by breathing in the ambience of this inviting space at the heart of Serendra Circle, guests automatically feel at ease, curious and nostalgic at the same time. Larry J. Cruz’s newest addition to his roster of restaurants is a tribute to his extraordinary father, Emilio Aguilar Cruz. Abe, as he was fondly known, was a renowned writer and painter, a recognized intellectual and connoisseur. He was an impassioned man who friends and protégés liked to surround themselves with. And very aptly too, as the word abe means “friendâ€

FOOD SAFETY SOS! How to keep food safe during emergencies, natural disasters, power outages and floods. By Rommel Gerodias After the devastating typhoon Milenyo that ruined Manila and nearby provinces, a lot of restaurants and small food facilities were victimized by the ensuing floods and power outages. I received several inquiries about whether their food supply would still be safe after such incidents. In the event of emergencies, the United States Department of Agriculture published the following Frequently Asked Questions and some explanations to help both foodservice professionals and homemakers. Frequently Asked Questions: Q. Flood waters covered our food stored on shelves and in cabinets. What can I keep and what should I throw out? A. Do not eat any food that may have come into contact with flood water. Discard any food that is not in a waterproof container if there is any chance that it has come into contact with flood water. Food containers that are not waterproof include those with screw-caps, snap lids, pull tops, and crimped caps. Also, discard cardboard juice/milk/baby formula boxes and home canned foods if they have come in contact with flood water, because they cannot be effectively cleaned and sanitized. Inspect canned foods and discard any food in damaged cans. Can damage is shown by swelling, leakage, punctures, holes, fractures, extensive deep rusting, or crushing/denting severe enough to prevent normal stacking or opening with a manual, wheel-type can opener. Steps to Salvage All-Metal Cans and Retort Pouches Undamaged, commercially prepared foods in all-metal cans and retort pouches (for example, flexible, shelf-stable juice or seafood pouches) can be saved if you do the following: Remove the labels, if they are the removable kind, since they can harbor dirt and bacteria. Thoroughly wash the cans or retort pouches with soap and water, using hot water if it is available. Brush or wipe away any dirt or silt. Rinse the cans or retort pouches with water that is safe for drinking, if available, since dirt or residual soap will reduce the effectiveness of chlorine sanitation. Then, sanitize them by immersion in one of the two following ways: Place in water and allow the water to come to a boil and continue boiling for 2 minutes, or Place in a freshly made solution consisting of 1 tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of drinking water (or the cleanest, clearest water available) for 15 minutes. Air-dry cans or retort pouches for a minimum of 1 hour before opening or storing. If the labels were removable, then re-label your cans or retort pouches, including the expiration date (if available), with a marker. Food in reconditioned cans or retort pouches should be used as soon as possible, thereafter. Any concentrated baby formula in reconditioned, all-metal containers must be diluted with clean, drinking water. Q. How should I clean my pots, pans, dishes, and utensils? A. Thoroughly wash metal pans, ceramic dishes, and utensils (including can openers) with soap and water, using hot water if available. Rinse and then sanitize them by boiling in clean water or immersing them for 15 minutes in a solution of 1 tablespoon of chlorine sanitizer per gallon of drinking water (or the cleanest, clearest water available). This gives you around 100-200 ppm available chlorine to sanitize you pots, pans, dishes and utensils. Q. How should I clean my countertops? A. Thoroughly wash countertops with soap and water, using hot water if available. Rinse and then sanitize them by applying a solution of 1 tablespoon of chlorine sanitizer per gallon of drinking water (or the cleanest, clearest water available). Allow to air-dry. Q. My home was flooded and I am worried about the safety of the drinking water. What should I do? A. Use bottled water that has not been exposed to flood waters if it is available. If you don't have bottled water, you should boil water to make sure it is safe. Boiling water will kill most types of disease-causing organisms that may be present. If the water is cloudy, filter it through clean cloths or allow it to settle, and draw off the clear water for boiling. Boil the water for one minute, let it cool, and store it in clean containers with covers. If you can't boil water, you can disinfect it using household bleach. Bleach will kill some, but not all, types of disease-causing organisms that may be in the water. If the water is cloudy, filter it through clean cloths or allow it to settle, and draw off the clear water for disinfection. Add 1/8 teaspoon (or 8 drops) of regular, unscented, liquid household bleach for each gallon of water, stir it well and let it stand for 30 minutes before you use it. Store disinfected water in clean containers with covers.