Palitaw Fever
Enough of these best weight loss supplements topics, let’s talk about Palitaw 
I’ve been craving about palitaw since forever and my friends have been tagging me like crazy on their Palitaws on Facebook.
Funny but now I want to start a contest on the best dressed palitaw hahaha 
) The most creative one gets a box of cupcakes from PH Bakehouse. Just kidding!
Emma posted her palitaw from Cavite City, a very different kind of palitaw.
Elay posted her very own palitaw too!
Annie brought palitaw to Tagaytay, all the way from the palengke in Mayon.
Marj brought her 3 for P10 palitaw to Starbucks (hahaha!)
and many, many, many other comments. Funny but they think of me when they see or eat palitaw LOL
No to canned goods, noodles and preserved products
5 years ago I told myself that I will try not to eat preservative-laden foods. I’ve been successful with this aim because I haven’t been eating much canned goods, noodles and food with preservatives such as tocino, longganisa, etc. This is my aim to lessen the risk of certain types of cancers, not including Mesothelioma, which is by the way caused by asbestos exposure.
Food additives to avoid:
- sodium nitrite (In many packaged meats)
- saccharin (“Sweet and Low”)
- caffeine (especially the levels found in energy drinks)
- olestra (In the WOW chips that came out a few years ago)
- acesulfame K (in some of the new diet drinks like Coke Zero)
- artificial coloring (especially Red 3 and 40, Yellow 5 and 6, and Blue 1 and 2, Green 3 and Orange B)
I may not be a vegetable eater now and I must admit that I am still a meat-lover but I know that my avoidance to this certain type of foods does help in preventing cancer.
Starbucks in SM Rosario, yes, you heard it right: SM ROSARIO
I was in SM Rosario last November 30, 2010 to give a talk about blogging to 4th year students of Cavite State University and surprise! surprise! They have Starbucks!
Of course I didn’t waste my time by looking at their modern furniture, instead I grabbed a grande of my ever favorite Peppermint Mocha! It just sucks that there’s no Starbucks near my place – I can have this drink all day and night!
Starbucks Peppermint Mocha: Espresso, steamed milk, mocha sauce and peppermint flavored syrup, topped with sweetened whipped cream and dark chocolate curls.
It’s just sad that this personal favorite is only available during the Christmas season 
The Yucky Chowking Incident and How They Addressed the Issue
Keep It Clean – A restaurant’s cleanliness and sanitation prove to be important in attracting new customers and retaining old ones.
A few days ago while my precious angel was away for a vacay, the hubby and I have had dinner in Chowking, SM Bacoor Branch. We frequently visit this place, because, of course, we love the food and the customer service, too! But one thing we notice though, they have dirty trays and sometimes, dirty utensils.
My usual routine whenever I visit Chowking is:
Request for disposable utensils and our drinks be placed in disposable cups.
WHY?
Because oil in utensils and drinks only means one thing: they were not cleaned thoroughly.
But what happened the other day was really, really yucky.
I saw a few bits of rice and what-nots on my supposed to be clean plate.
I did not blog about it immediately because, first and foremost, I was too shocked that I didn’t get to take photos of the ‘dirty plate’. I handed it out to the waiter saying “Ay ano ba yan, kuya?”. I just asked for a replacement.
The moment I got home, I posted a status on Facebook explaining a bit of the incident: click here
I should have blogged about it then but since I didn’t have any proof to support my claims, I just channeled my experience in Facebook.
But guess what? An angel saw my post and sent my concern directly to the company president of Chowking himself =) So two days later, a staff from their main office called to inform me that:
- They have two dishwashing processes: manual and automatic, using a dishwashing machine so utensils are thoroughly cleaned.
- The plate rack is placed beside the huge rice cooker so it could have been from there.
I am not familiar with the place, so I don’t know if it’s true. I don’t know how their system works or if they have copper sinks to boot. What I just want to see on my next visit aside from clean food and store are clean plates, utensils, and trays.
They are inviting me to visit their store next week so they could show me that they have actually addressed the issue, should I go?
Meet Meik Brammer, Marriott Manila’s New Executive Chef
We got the chance to meet Marriott Manila’s New Executive Chef, Mr. Meik Brammer, a 33 year old native of Beirut, Germany.
Brammer his career breakthrough at the famed Reneissance Zurich Hotel as a demi chef. He took charge in the banquet, outside caterings, and in the lunch buffet in the all-day dining restaurant which gave him the “Associate of the Month” recognition.
Chef Meik’s flamboyant, sociable personality creates a distinctive flair for being flexible as he interacts with the guests. He describes himself as “an outgoing person who would like to interact with guests and delight them in every way possible from a culinary point of view.”
Executive Brammer’s assignment in different hotel properties in Asia, Middle East, and Europe brings a distinct culinary mastery in the international market. He subsequently joined JW Marriott properties in Kuwait, China, and Thailand where he acquired unrelenting creativity and precision in the kitchen which landed him the position of Executive Chef at Hua Hin Marriott Resort Spa in 2006. At the same time, his exposure in a variety of cultures and cuisines has gained invaluable knowledge in both classical and modern techniques throughout his gastronomic journey.
Fuelled by his love for eating and cooking, the young chef also likes to travel a lot. With Chef Meik’s larger than life personality, he looks forward injecting it throughout the hotel’s dining experience. He adds, “Marriott Hotel Manila’s signature fun, high-quality dining experience in a welcoming setting has surely won the hearts and palates of many guests.”
Marriott Hotel Manila general manager Richard Saul says, “We ensure that we hire top-of-the-line talent. In the increasingly competitive gastronomical scene, we understand that our sophisticated clientele expect only the best. Chef Meik’s leadership in the culinary team ensures that we present our guests with distinctive and superior dining offering in the finest Marriott tradition.”
Given the chance to choose the job I want, I’d gladly accept any culinary or pastry positions than any corporate offers such as finance jobs. Jobs in the kitchen are more fun, IMHO. 
Chef Meik showed us how to make his famous lobster soup and his mom’s favorite meal, the German pancakes.
Chef Meik and his magic trick
German pancakes with ice cream!
Post Birthday Celebration
Today, someone VERY close to us celebrated his birthday. It was a simple birthday celebration but of course we were all happy What’s important to us is celebrating birthdays together with loved ones.
We’ve had the following dishes on our table:
- Chicken Kebabs – A low fat recipe featuring chunks of chicken breast marinated in spicy yogurt, threaded on to skewers and grilled.
- Grilled Liempo – Marinated pork belly and grilled to perfection!
- Grilled Tuna – Grilled marinated tuna meat.
- Cupcakes – of course, where else but from PH Bakehouse!
- Fruit Salad – for me, mom makes the best fruit salad
Now, my problem is how to remove all these toxins from my body BWAHAHAHA! I’m now thinking of checking some hydroxycut reviews, to guide me at least LOL
My Oreo Cheesecake Bars
I was looking for a dessert that isn’t too sweet so I thought “why not make a dessert that’s creamy, minty and chocolatey?” I’m afraid that the desserts I’m baking will lead me to wearing plus size lingerie in a few month’s time – NO!
But who cares di ba? Desserts are L♥ve.
So everyone, without further adieu, here’s my addition to PH Bakehouse’s Bars Galore: my Oreo Cheesecake Bars!
Squares of luscious dark chocolate brownie topped with creamy cream cheese filling.
The cookie base is made from Blueberry Ice Cream flavored Oreo leaving a minty aftertaste after each bite.
Cut into 2″x2″
P400/box of 12
Food Trip Friday: Fondant Overload
Hubby and I just finished our very first fondant order. Ms. Aaliyah requested for “Casino Themed” cupcakes hence the suits, dice, mahjong and dominoes toppers.
The base of both cake and cupcakes are chocolate with vanilla buttercream filling and marshmallow fondant toppers.
I would say that “not bad for a first timer” and gives my hubby 2 thumbs up for a job well done! We handcrafted the toppers together so I could say that all were made with love, love, love and more love
The bad part with having a business like this? Sugar Overload!
I don’t like seeing myself sick, more so with an IV or pulse oximeter so “no”, I’ll stop eating fondant now hehe
This is my entry for this week’s Food Trip Friday. Got a food photo to share? Join now!
Food Trip Friday: Native Bibingka from Visayas
Just imagine my excitement when I discovered that one of the desserts in our Loboc River Buffet was my favorite Bibingka from Visayas!
The bibingka from Visayas and Mindanao is different from the ones I’ve tasted in Luzon. I guess it’s because it doesn’t use flour but galapong and buko juice. Some even use mild tuba (fermented cocunut juice) which makes it even tastier.
This is my entry for this week’s Food Trip Friday. Got some food to share? Join now!
I’ll be selling cupcakes in Cavite: in need of clients :)
I’m thinking of ways on how to augment our family income. Now that I am going freelance, my being a mommy is worried again. Unlike before that I get a fixed weekly salary, now I have to juggle from one task to another to make both ends meet. I have to think of bills, dues, mortgages, etc. etc.
What I have in mind is to monetize baking and build a home-based cupcake business. I’ve been baking cupcakes and bars for friends and I already have equipments though I know that I still have to add more pans, tips, and more. All I need to purchase now are the ingredients and the packaging churvaness.
I already laid out some plans and found out that the business is really feasible. Included in the plan are my cupcake flavors (they’re delicious, promise. I’d be needing herbal phentermine because I’d sure gain weight in this business!), topper designs, meet-up location, shipping options, website plans, etc.
Here’s are the photos of cupcakes I made for a friend:
bare cupcakes
i love this set!
cupcake in dome
So what I need now is a client for my first order haha. Would you like to be the one?
