CAKES for 2013 Graduates at Café 1771



Congratulations and Happy Graduation!

Celebrate one of the sweetest moments of you life with decadent cakes from Café 1771 located at 1771 El Pueblo, ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City. Available in 2-inch round sizes good for 2 persons, this petite cakes is perfect for gift or when you want a cake dessert that tastes good as it looks.

If you think a dessert will signify your well-deserved congratulations,  give these Rose Noire (P250 net), Evasion (P270 net), Gianduja Truffle Mousse (P250 net), and the sugar-free coffee pie (P220 net) mini cakes as a surprise, guaranteed to communicate your love and best wishes! For advance orders, call 631-7340.


What's New in Manang's Chicken: Bigger Garlic Pork, Red Velvet Sundae and Fresh Side Dishes



I was hearing a lot of buzz about this restaurant's special soy garlic chicken flavor since last year in Mercato Centrale but I never had a chance to try it. My teeth finally sank to the sweet, salty, crispy and juicy chicken when I was invited to try Manangs Chicken's new offerings last month at their branch in SM North Edsa. My culinary verdict? Manang's Chicken is not just another boring fried chicken with gravy but a double deep fried chicken with Manang's secret soy garlic sauce that offers true Filipino flavor.




Manang's Chicken, consistent to their commitment to offer yummy but affordable food re-launched their Garlic Pork bigger and crunchier  rice meal for the meat lover like me. Big pork chop deep fried until crisp with special nuts and garlic toppings was served with vinegar dipping sauce and ample amount of steamed rice. At Php 109.00 net inclusive of iced tea or lemonade, it is perfect for student and yuppies like us who are always on a tight budget.  

Manang's Chicken also added fresh side dishes on their menu such as coleslaw, buttered corn and macaroni salad that are great pairs to the Garlic Pork or Manang's famous fried chicken. A new spicy  ketchup dip for their potato chips was also launched but I dared not to try because I am not a fan of a spicy food. The potato chips though are real good with the classic dip of garlic mayo.

Manang's Red Velvet Sundae made of freshly baked red velvet cake and creamy smooth vanilla ice cream topped with candy sprinkles signed our dinner with right amount of sweetness.



Invitation from The Maya Kitchen: Learn Spanish Cuisine from Chef Miguel Angel de Alba



The Maya Kitchen invites y'all to join guest Chef Miguel Angel de Alba of the iconic Alba Restaurante Español as he shares the unique Spanish cuisine that they have become known for on March 23, Saturday, 9am-1pm at The Maya Kitchen Culinary Center located at 8F  Liberty Building, 835 A. Arnaiz Avenue (Pasay Road), Makati City with numbers 8921185 / 892-5011 local 108 / Mobile No. +63947 835 2290.

The son of the respected Chef Don Anastacio de Alba Miguel will demonstrate Jamon con Mangga y Arugula (Homemade Spanish Cured Ham with Mango and Arugula Leaves); Croquetas de Bacalao (Salted Codfish Croquettes);  Fabada Asturiana (White Beans with Chorizo, Jamon and Black Sausage); Lapu-lapu en Salsa Verde (Lapu-lapu Fillet in Light Green Sauce); Paella de Cordero (Lamb Paella) and Tarta de Limon con Quezo (Lemon Ricotta Squares).

Make your summer vacation a delicious one!

The Omelet Project: Seven Extraordinary Mornings



As promised, this year will gonna be different - I've decided to focus more on cooking than restaurant reviews because its more uplifting  and econoomical. Somehow, a theraphy for every stress I've encountered along my way. I love the designing part not the actual cooking though, lol! So here's the Omelet series I kept bragging about for a year. I called it Extraordinary Mornings, a compilation of my morning stories some were real and some were made of fiction. I love my morning stories. I think, my creative writing skills went up to a brand new level. Excerpts were reposted on each picture. Please click on the links if you want to read the full story and or check out the recipes. 



The gentleness of the early morning breeze whispered to me like an old fairy godmother, "wake up, dear". I refused and stay in my bed for a little while and felt the extended wintry weather that I love. It was a bright morning chilled by the whistle of cold breeze... and that gave me enough reason to make this day worth waking for. (Full post here)



I got up and brewed his coffee blend. The aroma that usually persuades him to wake up fills the air in but he decided to miss breakfast and the sweet conversation of our mornings. I sipped my coffee and puffed Marlboro green while listening to our song playing on the radio.I made iced coffee just the way he like it, prepared breakfast and wrote a note saying: "Wait for me to go back home tonight ...and turn me on". ( Full post here)




Ahh, I love solitary mornings like this. It is the finest moment of the day...  It’s a perfect time to reflect and think about feelings and seize a brand new moment of a new day full of all possibilities, promises and essences. I opened my kitchen curtain and caught a glimpse of the bright morning star gleaming back at me against the black sky …it was breathtaking. The few spectacular moments of the early morning were the splendid change of colors as the sun rises while the glitters of the night slowly fading away. ( Full post here )



The moment I cupped my hands to catch the multi-colored dragonfly resting upon the petals of vibrant wildflower were drops of morning dew still linger on its leaves was refreshingly breathtaking.  There were tiny drops covering the dragonfly's body that appears to by crystallized by the morning dew. The tiny droplets of water increased the dragonfly’s beauty and revealed the full details of bright orange, red, green and blue. It’s like an insignia or a jeweled brooch. I was amazed of how the simplest creature that we often take for granted is a holder of such an extreme beauty. ( Full post here



The calm of the landscape and chilly rolling of the air is a gift to an early riser like me. I watched as the sun peeked,  climbed above the horizon and burned away the mist to reveal the true colors of Manila back to its normal hues after the mist was cleared. Sunshine and trails of clouds adorned the sky, it was a beautiful and magical change. ( Full post here )  



What I made was a good scented set of breakfast because aroma never fails to make me feel good. There is nothing like the smell of brewed coffee, melting butter in a pan, or the zesty smell of citrus to put a smile on my face.  These are the sweet fragrances of my mornings. Such wonderful smells simply make me feel better, banish my depression, and uplift my spirit. Somehow, it reminds me of some good old memories. ( Full post here



I was half awake lurking for nothing in bed until something sweet touched my face - the first hint of morning light. My eyes slowly opened and I can’t help but smile for the first time as I watched a ray of morning light slowly moved in my bed. Ahh, I had a long and well rested night, its time for me to get up.. ( Full post here )  



Morning Scent: Mushroom Omelet with Baked Norwegian Salmon Side Dish



I felt a little bit depressed and down on something when I wake up earlier today. In the calmness of the dawn that I used to love, I took a moment of assessment of what it was and figured out it’s the sensibility that's missing. Then, I heard  of the sounds of distant traffic, telling me it's time to get up...

I have to make a sensible breakfast, I thought. Something that would stimulate my senses… something that could awaken my sensibilities.

What I made was a good scented set of breakfast because aroma never fails to make me feel good. There is nothing like the smell of brewed coffee, melting butter in a pan, or the zesty smell of citrus to put a smile on my face.  These are the sweet fragrances of my mornings. Such wonderful smells simply make me feel better, banish my depression, and uplift my spirit. Somehow, it reminds me of some good old memories.

The influence of how I felt when I first smelled my full meal breakfast was so powerful. Here, join me in restoring my sensibility with mushroom omelet and baked Norwegian Salmon side dish.





Ingredients:
Canned Mushrooms
2 fresh eggs
2 tablespoon butter
2-3 tbsp LADY'S CHOICE Mayonnaise
Salt
white pepper
4 cloves garlic, chopped into small bits
Small onions, chopped

For the side dish: (I'll share both recipes on my upcoming posts)
250 grams Norweigian Salmon, baked
Tartar Sauce




Preparation

Melt butter in a pan over medium low heat, sauté garlic and onion until onion has softened. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5-8 minutes (until it is well set but not too dry). Season with salt and pepper then set aside.

In a bowl, whisk eggs lightly. Add LADY'S CHOICE Mayonnaise, salt, and pepper together till foamy. Sauté onions, garlic and butter in a skillet. Pour over the egg mixture and cook over medium heat; as the eggs set, lift edges and let the uncooked portion flow underneath. Place on a plate put the cooked mushrooms on top and fold. Serve with baked salmon and toasted bread.