July 2007 Archives

There's something extra special about Roshan Samtani's cookies. Larger and thicker than normal, her cookies are never dry, always chewy inside, with just the right crunch on the outside. They are all wonderfully rich and, admittedly, quite decadent. The Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies are a chocolate lover's dream cookie, while the Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Walnut Cookies are moist, buttery, and with a nutty texture. Her Ghirardelli Chocolate Chip Cookies are just as yummy (and ashe insists on only using Ghiradelli chocolate chips). For true chocolate connoisseurs, Roshan can also make Super Premium Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Valhrona chocolate no less! Roshan Samtani may seem like your typical home baker, creating specialty cakes, desserts and cookies to order out of her small apartment kitchen and her two household ovens. But her humble "housewifely" ways hide a serious baker who can discuss mixing techniques, alkaline levels and gluten content as well as any seasoned professional, thanks to her constant and meticulous research. Roshan's goodies certainly do not come cheap, and in all candor, Roshan admits, "I don't do this to sell, I just want to make them a certain way." And that "certain way" is an uncompromising approach to the absolute best. Once she perfects a recipe, she uses only her chosen brands, no substitutes allowed. For example, she uses an extra-premium brand of vanilla extract from the United States for one particular cookie recipe. So, if she runs out of that particular brand, she will not accept any orders for that cookie. Roshan does not make any shortcuts or use any substitutes, which probably accounts for her higher=than-market prices, but as many of her loyal fans attest, once one tastes her goodies, price becomes no object! Aside from her cookies, Roshan also bakes fudge brownies, food for the gods, chocolate cupcakes, biscotti, scones, banana bread, and gorgeous trifles, which are all excellent. Her pies and cakes are also a must try. Roshan bakes not to sell or make a profit, but rather, out of sheer love and passion for the craft. Did you ever think cookies could make the world a happier place? With Roshan's cookies, we actually belive it can!

Cheesecake Melliza can be said to have begun in two ways: from an MBA paper bearing the same project name and from a barkada-choir's disappointing experiences with desserts they ordered every so often after their practice. Melvyn Isidro, part of the barkada-choir and one of the founders of Cheesecake Melliza, used to complain about the poor quality of cheesecakes that his friends would order. He suddenly had an inspiration: to use the cheesecake recipe of his mother, named Melliza, and come up with a dessert place offering top quality cheesecakes at a friendly price. With four branches around Metro Manila and 21 cheesecake flavors to choose from, Cheesecake Melliza is proud of its success. From the classic Blueberry Cheesecake to the most eclectic Peanut Butter Banana, Cheesecake Melliza is steadily setting the standards for cheesecake in our country. Cheesecakes at Melliza's use graham crackers as a crust, while the cheesecake layer is dense, rich and sweetened just right. We tried seven flavorsâ€

Bacteria or toxins produced by bacteria are often the cause of foodborne ailments. Some examples are: Salmonella It is often found in raw eggs and poultry. Symptoms include stomach pain, diarrhea, chills, nausea, vomiting and fever. Salmonella can be prevented by cooking eggs to at least 63 degrees Centigrade and poultry at 74 degrees Centigrade or higher. Use pasteurized egg products if possible. Staphylococcus aureus Carried in the hands, face, and nose of most healthy people, this bacteria itself is not harmful. It is the toxin that the bacteria produces, when allowed to grow in food, that causes illness in people. The poison is very powerful and cannot be destroyed by cooking or freezing. To prevent intoxication by this bacteria, keep hot foods hot (57°C or higher) and cold foods cold (5°C or lower). E. coli It is found on the surfaces of beef, sometimes fish and in non-pasteurized fruit and vegetable juices. One can control this type of bacteria by cooking ground meat to a minimum of 68°C for at least 15 seconds.

Whether you’re an American or whether you’re a true Filipino who’s looking for those Pinoy dishes in the States, you’ll surely love to know that there are some restaurants in the US which could give you the pleasure of letting you experience just what you have been craving for. You can try out Bistro Luneta which serves some of the best Filipino dishes ever invented. Here you can find bangus maki, seared black cod cooked in tamarind soup, as well as mushroom afritada. There’s Kuya’s Asian Cuisine, where you’ll find some traditional Pinoy food that you may have not tasted since your stay in the US. Another restaurant you may want to try out is Patio Filipino. Here you can simply feast on Filipino dishes which have that certain Spanish touch, like tapas and paella Valencia and kare-kare. At Poleng Lounge, you can experience not only the usual Filipino dishes but also street foods like lumpiang Shanghai, and very crispy chicken wings. Filipino dishes are just some of what you can find on Pres a Vi’s menu, which includes a selection of Italian, French, Latin American and Spanish cuisine. This can be a good place to go to if you are with a friend who’s not quite so sure if he can take in something cooked Pinoy-style. [Via MercuryNews.com]

F&B World pays homage to culinary star Sylvia Reynoso Gala who has gained success, not only as an exemplary culinary teacher, but as a true inspiration to her children, Morella and Ernest, who are following in her culinary footsteps. A love for good food. A practical approach to cooking. And a passion and commitment for teaching. These three ingredients make up the successful recipe for the creation, and continued success, of the Sylvia Reynoso Gala Culinary Arts Studio since 1970. The candid, energetic tour de force behind this legendary school is Sylvia Reynoso Gala herself who, for the past four decades (and counting), has woken up each day, ready to teach her no-fail yet delicious recipes to countless students. But this recipe for success is not complete without Gala’s two greatest creations, daughter Morella and son Ernest, who now share teaching duties with their mother. Both claim their mother never pushed them to enter the culinary field, but one way or the other, the constant exposure to the kitchen from such an early age influenced them in their choice of career. With their mother as their first teacher, both were more than well equipped to excel in their culinary studies abroad. Elder sister Morella graduated as class valedictorian from the prestigious IHMES International Hotel School in the United Kingdom. She took further culinary studies at the world-class Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School in London. Since then, Morella has kept a busy schedule shuttling between Metro Manila where she teaches at her mother’s school, and Baguio City where she also conducts cooking and baking classes. Younger brother Ernest’s culinary career is just as impressive. He gained his Bachelor’s degree from the College of St. Benilde School of Hotel Restaurant and Institute Management. He further honed his culinary skills at the Thai Cooking School in the Oriental Hotel Bangkok, and the Town Gas Culinary Center and Oriental Culinary Institute in Hong Kong. Most recently, he steeped himself in European culinary techniques at the Italian Institute for Advanced Culinary and Pastry Arts in Calabria, Italy, and at the Ecole Ritz Escoffier and Ecole Lenôtre Patisserie in Paris, France, culminating with a stint at the famous Le Moulin de Mougins Restaurant in Cannes, France. Currently, he is the Culinary Director at the Culinary Arts Studio, and has a regular food column in the Philippine Star. Morella and Ernest may have learned a lot abroad, but they continue to subscribe to their mother’s no-nonsense and practical approach to the culinary arts. Sylvia Reynoso Gala declares that if a recipe is too complicated, she would rather find a way to simplify the procedure so that her students can replicate it at home. And the Gala family never holds back when it comes to sharing recipes, secrets and even suppliers. Mother and children are truly committed to their students. Sylvia is proud that they never cancel the classes that they advertise, even if only a handful signs up. Sylvia recalls, with a laugh, that during the height of the EDSA Revolution in 1986, five students showed up for class. So, with tanks rolling just a few kilometers away, and despite her obvious nerves, Sylvia went ahead and conducted the class for her students. Now that’s true commitment! Sylvia Reynoso Gala is indeed immensely proud to have her children by her side, helping keep her school ever young and in touch with new culinary trends here and abroad. But her children are also just as proud to have a mother like Sylvia Reynoso Gala who continues to inspire them to work hard and excel in their careers and in their lives. RECIPES: A Feast for Mom Celebrate every day like Mother’s Day with these favorite seafood recipes from Sylvia, Morella, and Ernest Reynoso Gala Crab Salad Ingredients: ¼ kilo iceberg lettuce (or your favorite variant) ¼ kilo salad tomatoes ¼ kilo cucumber 4 hard boiled eggs 16 pcs kani (crab meat) For the dressing: 1 cup all-purpose cream 2 tbsp corn syrup 2 tbsp onion 2 tbsp minced celery 1 tsp salt ½ tsp pepper Procedure: 1. Wash the iceberg lettuce. Separate leaves from the core with hands, shake to dry. Refrigerate covered with cling. 2. Wash, wipe, and slice the salad tomatoes into ¼ inch thick rings. 3. Wash the cucumbers and make decorative strips on skin, slice into ¼ inch thick rings. 4. Peel the hard boiled eggs and slice into rings. 5. Remove plastic of the kani. Slice each into 2. (Kani is available in the frozen seafood section of most supermarkets.) 6. For the dressing, mix the cream, corn syrup, onion, and celery. Add salt and pepper. Serve on the side with salad. Stuffed Shrimps Ingredients: 1 kilo pork caul/ pork leaf lard (uto sensal) 1 tsp white lihia (white wood lye – available in the market and supermarkets beside the vegetables) 1 tbsp rock salt ½ kilo medium-sized shrimps (24 pcs) 1 tsp fine salt ½ tsp pepper 1 tbsp sesame oil For the stuffing: ½ kilo ground pork or ground chicken ¼ cup chopped violet onions (shallots) ¼ cup spring onions ¼ cup singkamas (turnips) Chinese or Japanese mushrooms cornstarch 1 tsp fine salt 1 tsp sesame oil ½ tsp pepper ½ tsp 5 spice powder (Ngo-Hiong) 2 pcs egg yolks For the dressing: 1 ½ cups cornstarch 2 egg whites slightly beaten ¼ tsp baking soda Procedure: 1. Wash the pork caul and soak with enough water to cover. 2. Add lihia. It whitens and removes the smell from the pork caul. 3. Add rock salt. Leave for 15 minutes. Wash well. 4. Peel the shrimps, except one segment of tail. Slit at the back but not through, butterfly fashion. 5. Season with fine salt, pepper, and sesame oil. 6. For the stuffing, mix together ground pork or ground chicken, violet onions, spring onions and singkamas, mushrooms, cornstarch, fine salt, sesame oil, pepper, 5 spice powder, and egg yolks in a medium-sized bowl then divide into 24 balls. 7. For dressing the stuffed shrimps, add cornstarch, egg whites, and baking soda to give it “flakes.â€

Abe: Charmingly familiar Entering Abe invokes the same excitement and comfort that we 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 ambiance of this iniviting 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 impassioned man with whom friends and protégés liked to surround themselves. And very aptly too, as the word abe means “friendâ€

Like all abstract things, nostalgia can't be bottled or bought, but it can be had with a couple of cupcakes from Cupcakes by Sonja, located at the classy Serendra strip at Bonifacio Global City. Inspired by New York's Magnolia Bakery (popularized by Sex in the City's Carrie Bradshaw), Cupcakes stays true to Sonja Ocampo's vision of taking people back to an era when being on time for meetings and beating deadlines at work were secondary to spending a leisurely evening with the family. It's that warm, fuzzy nostalgia that Cupcakes exudes the minute you set foot inside the quaint store. More than a dozen varieties of cupcakes line the glass display case, while the smell of pastries baking wafts from the small kitchen (which, according to Sonja, is open 24 hours a day). The sight of the cupcakes themselves is already a treatâ€

Euromonitor International has come out with its list of the Top Ten Global Food Trends for 2007. The report cites, "unprecedented levels of consumer interest in the market for celebrity chefs and dieting demonstrates a consumer desire for healthier, better food, which is all part of the global consumer trend towards wellness. But when will this desire become reality?" Perhaps that reality is already happening, based on this global research firm's best bets for top consumer trends this year. Wellness foods. Organic foods, foods with lower salt, less fat, more grains and fibers, functional or nutritionally enhanced foods like green tea drinks with ginger and caffeine or even vitamin-enhanced beer. New world foods. New cuisines like Peruvian, exotic fruits like açai berry, and new uses for coconut and fruits. Ethical/environmental eating. "Fair Trade" and "sustainable" foods that espouse environmentally sound farming practices. Ethnicity. Ethnic flavors, most notably Vietnamese, Hispanic, and South American cuisines. Water. Flavored, enhanced, oxygenated water products; water bars, water menus, water sommeliers, and even water-and-food pairings. Specialties. Ordinary ingredients that become special due to their health benefits, like the recent craze for specialty salts. Portion control. Small plates like Spanish tapas and Greek mezze, calorie-controlled packaged foods. The constant diet. Personalized diets based on body types, metabolisms, lifestyles and tastes. Provenance. Foods that come from known sources, a consumer reaction to the recent spate of food safety scandals. Traditional values. Retro eating that evokes a sense of tradition and the past. For more enticing samplers of tastes, trends and industry tidbits from here and abroad, check out F&B World and Baking Press.

By CJ Juntereal Dimsum n' Dumplings: In an industry that feeds on fads as much as it does on the familiarity of institutions, Dimsum n’ Dumplings is over fifteen years old and still growing. Andrew Masigan started the business in 1991, straight out of college, when he realized that the salary he was earning at a Japanese finance company was not enough. “I had limited resources,â€

Angelina’s Philippine Cuisine is a good place to let your palates taste the scrumptious delight that is quite unusual in Filipino dishes. This is a restaurant which has opened just recently along Minnesota Drive in Anchorage, Alaska.

The food at Angelina’s are served hot and totally delightful. You would be given choices on how much food you would be served on your individual plates. If you want one entrée, two, or three, it would be up to you. That would be $6.99 for the single dish, $8.49 for those with two, and $10.49 for a plate with three entrées. Each order comes with steamed rice or garlic fried rice as well as a drink. You can also shell out that extra 50 cents to have pancit instead of the usual rice.

If you choose to eat here everyday, your taste buds need not be wary of what they serve. You see, the selections for entrées change every day. You would also be given quite a huge array of dessertsâ€

F&B World Magazine focuses on businesses scaled to carts and kiosks. A must-read for entrepreneurs, business and culinary students and future F&B managers, F&B World Magazine's July-August issue is now available in newsstands for P125. F&B World is the Philippines' only trade magazine for the foodservice industry, read by F&B professionals, entrepreneurs and aspiring culinary students around the country. We profile several businesses modeled on the scale of carts and kiosks―from Dimsum n’ Dumplings and Waffle Time to Kiss King of Balls and Soy Yummy―as a resource for those wanting to go into the lucrative and challenging field of food entrepreneurship. We are also privileged with a firsthand account of our Philippine team of top chefs returning from a prestigious culinary competition in Hong Kong bearing significant honors, gold medals and no less than the “Best of the Bestâ€