When it comes to barbecue, Ineng's barbecue would definitely be my choice. You could buy this for around Php 40 per stick.
Ineng's is located in Market Market, Fiesta Market Section, 26th St. Cor. C5 Bonifacio Global City Taguig, MM. Tel. no:889-5410. Just make sure to come early to avoid waiting in line. They also have a new store in Parksquare.
Crepe was said to have originated from Britanny, a region in west France, since they couldn't grow enough wheat to make bread because of poor land. This is why crepe is known as a classic French cuisine. Crepe is a Latin word which means "to shrink" and is considered a thin pancake.
Crepes are usually of two types: sweet crêpes made with wheat flour, and galettes made with buckwheat flour.
Crepes could be eaten at any meal if added with salt. It could be rolled, folded and filled with cheese, tomato, asparagus, ham, eggs, ratatouille, mushrooms, or various meat products.
It could also be served as a dessert. Fillings like ice cream, jam, melted chocolate, dairy or cinammon are added to make a good dessert. Toppings could also be added like sugar, lemon juice, whipped cream or fruits.
A typical French crepe is the Crepe Suzette. This is a crepe with lightly grated orange peel and liqueur, which is subsequently lit using a brandy or cognac. It was interesting to know how this dish was created.
In 1895, an assistant waiter named Henri Charpentier was preparing dessert for the Prince of Wales (King Edward VII) and his friends when accidentally the dish he was preparing caught fire. When he tasted it, he thought that it was the most fascinating, sweet flavors he ever tasted. He called it Crepes Princesse in honor of the prince but the prince requested to change it knowing that a lady is with him at that time. Therefore, the name was changed to Crepe Suzette.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crepe
This is a dessert crepe with whipped cream and strawberry filling and topped with strawberry syrup.
You may follow the basic crepe recipe below:
Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 teaspoon cooking oil
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender. Cover and blend until smooth.
For dinner crepe, add 1/4 teaspoon of salt. For dessert crepes, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 1 teaspoon of sugar instead of salt. You may also add flavors to your crepe by adding 2 tablespoons of chocolate sauce or unsweetened cocoa butter or 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder or 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
Heat a lightly greased 6- or 8-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Pour 2 tablespoons of batter into center of skillet. Lift and tilt skillet to spread batter and coat bottom of pan. Return to heat. Cook for 1 minute or until light brown. Turn with a spatula, and cook second side for 30 seconds.
Slide finished crepes onto paper towels. For filled crepes, spoon filling into center; roll or fold crepe while still in the pan; slide carefully onto plate. Repeat with remaining batter, greasing skillet and stirring batter if needed. Makes about 12 crepes.
There are many varieties of crepes you could make. Whether it is served as a meal or dessert, this is definitely a fun food to eat. Recipes for filling: Bacon and Eggs , Marsala Chicken Crepes, Omelet Crepes and Salmon and Caviar Crepes. Desserts: Caramel Apple Crepes , Pineapple-Orange Crepes and Fruit and Herb Crepes.
The other type of crepe, which is the galette, is made of buckwheat. Galette is frequently garnished with meat, fish, cheese, salad or similar ingredients. One of the most popular varieties is a galette covered with grated gruyère cheese, a slice of ham and an egg, cooked on the galette. In France, this is known as a galette complète (a complete galette). A hot sausage wrapped in a galette (called a galette-saucisse) and eaten like a hot dog is also becoming more and more popular.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galette
For the basic galette recipe, you could follow the same recipe for crepe but instead of using baking powder and all-purpose flour, use buckwheat flour. You could make your own filling by adding tomato, cheese, meat, fish or sausage. Click here for a more detailed recipe.
Galette from Cafe Breton
galette w/ sausage and egg
Galette with sausage and egg. This has a tomato and cheese filling.
Café Breton is best known for their mouth-watering crepes, coffee blends and fresh mix of fruit and milk shakes. A must-try would be the Gallette Super Complete with ham, cheese, eggs, onions, tomato and mushroom. You could also make your very own galette and choose the ingredients you would like to garnish it with or use as a filling.
Cafe Breton is located at Greenbelt 3, 1st Level
Ayala Center Makati City, MM. telephone nos:757-4125, 757-4124. For other branches, you may click here.
Some facts you might want to know.
Lollipops were named after a race horse Lolly Pop. These were first made in New Haven, Connecticut in 1908 by George Smith.
Calzone means 'trousers' in Italian, but in culinary parlence it refers to what is basically a 'pizza turnover', and is a speciality of Naples. Like pizza, a calzone can be made small, as for appetizers, or as large as meal for several people. The fillings are the same as used for pizzas.
The first recorded watermelon harvest took place 5,000 years ago in Egypt. Pictures were found in paintings on the walls of ancient buildings. From there, watermelon spread to other countries by merchant ships. Watermelon's official name is Citrullus lanatus of the botanical family Curcurbitacae and it is a vegetable. It is related to cucumbers, pumpkins and squash.
Pepperoni is America’s favorite pizza topping while squid is Japan's favorite. Australians enjoy shrimp and pineapple, as well as barbeque toppings. The French like fresh cream on their toppings and India prefers pickled ginger to be included in their toppings.
Fruitcake originated in ancient Egypt and was considered an essential food for the afterlife. There are those who think that is the only thing they are good for.
Porter house steak originated in the early 19th century, wherein a 'porter house' was a coach stop where travelers could dine on steak and ale. In the U.S. around 1814, a porter house keeper in New York City began to serve this steak, and it gained widespread popularity. One of Mark Twain's favorite meals was pan fried porterhouse steak with mushrooms and peas.
Peanut butter was developed in 1890 by a St. Louis doctor for his patients with bad teeth. People who become hysterical when peanut butter sticks to the roof of their mouth have 'arachibutyrophobia'. Peanut butter's high protein content draws moisture from your mouth. That's why it sticks to the roof of your mouth.
Pasta and pizza have been the basic Italian food most famously recognized in the world.
One thing I've learned is that Italians choose their sauce and match it to a specific pasta based on its shape and the way it holds the sauce. I've mentioned the types of pasta and the sauces that would greatly match with it from my previous post.
Italians also placed great importance in cooking with passion. They started the idea of courses. Italian meals would start with antipasti or appertizers followed by primi, which is the pasta, risotto or soup dish and always precedes the first meat or fish dish of the meal. The secondi would follow and is joined by vegetable dishes known as contorno. It would end with a dessert or what they call as dolce with sweets like tiramisu or fresh fruit or pastry. Basically, Italian cuisine is a combination of vegetables, grains, fruits, meats, cheeses usually seasoned or cooked in olive oil.
Pizza has also been the favorite since it made bread more interesting to eat and looked more appetizing.
Table manners are also important to Italians. Spoons are never used when eating spaghetti (isn't this obvious?) and elbows are kept off the table. Women are also served first.
Chef d' Angelo is a small Italian restaurant located in Glorietta. I wouldn't brag about this restaurant since I've tasted better pizzas and pastas. The place is also small and tends to be too crowdy and noisy by lunch time. It is always quite difficult for me to sit and enjoy my food whenever I dine here.
However, I would have to say that the pictures below taste good. Their pesto with chicken pasta is a must-try as well.
Chicken
Anyone could make pizza at home. Basic pizza dough making is vey easy and it gives pleasure knowing that you were able to make your own pizza dough.
Pizza Dough
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/4 tsp yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup warm water (120-130 F)
2 tablespoons vegetable/olive oil
In a medium mixing bowl, add warm water and yeast. Make sure that the yeast is still active. Mix well and add the olive oil, i cup flour and salt. Continue mixing until smooth and gradually stir the remaining flour to make a firm dough. Turn out on lightly floured board and knead 2-3 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Set aside and let it rest for 15 minutes or until the dough had risen.
Tip: Keep yeast in a cool place to keep it active. Fridges is a good place to store this.
For the toppings, you could put any of the desired toppings like mushroom, anchovies, sausage or ham. The most classic kind of pizza would be the Margherita.
You could follow the recipe below:
Topping
Directions
Other pizza recipes.
Italian cuisines are meant to be enjoyed so wherever you eat an Italian food, just take time to eat and finish it.
This would be a very familiar term for some of you. When you think of fondue, it is automatically associated with chocolate, marshmallows and fruits. Most probably because this is a popular dessert nowadays. But what I've learned is that there are more flavors of fondues, which are as interesting as the common chocolate fondue.
Fondue (which is pronounced as fahn-doo) originated from Switzerland. The most common among the Swiss is the cheese fondue. Eversince they discovered that melting cheese is edible and it allowed them to survive even with the scarcity of food due to winter, they already tried different ways on making this dish interesting by dipping bread, fruit and potatoes.
Etiquette standards also developed through the years since fondue was considered as a communal dish. It is considered rude for some if a person's lips or tounge touches the end of the fondue fork. As for meat fondues, one is expected to use a dinner fork to remove the meat from the dip. It is also a tradition for the French Swiss to buy a round of drinks should a bread or fruit gets lost in the cheese. Now, the latter would be my favorite if I'm good in keeping the fruit on my fork. Fortunately, we don't practice it here.
There are many fondue styles . The most popular as I mentioned is the Dessert Fondue. This started in 1970 wherein chocolate fondue became the favorite dip for fruits and tangerines. Broth or bouillon fondue is a simple vegetable broth or bouillon, where potatoes and other vegetables are cooked in a simmering pot of broth. Fonduta is an Italian dish made with Fonduta cheese and egg yolks. Raclette is the cheese from Switzerland made from cow's milk and is served tableside. It has a slightly nutty flavor. The dish is served as a meal with boiled potatoes, bread and pickles.
Other types of fondues are the Fondue Bourguignonne , Bagna Cauda and KaasDoop .
The traditional fondue pot is called caquelon or caclon and is made of heavy earthenware, ceramic or enameled iron to provide even distribution of heat.
For a cheese fondue recipe, I found one that I think is very easy to make.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons cornstarch or potato flour
1/4 cup kirsch (cherry brandy)
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 cups dry, white wine
12 ounces shredded Emmentaler cheese
12 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Combine the cornstarch and kirsch. Set aside. Slice the garlic in half lengthwise and rub the cut side over the inside of a medium, heavy saucepan. Discard the garlic. Pour the wine into the saucepan and bring it to a boil over a medium-high heat. Immediately reduce the heat to low. Add the cheese to the wine by handfuls and stir slowly until the cheese is just melted. (Stirring in a figure-8 or zigzag motion prevents the cheese from clumping.) Stir in the cornstarch mixture, pepper, and nutmeg. Simmer for two or three minutes until it begins to thicken, but do not let it boil. Transfer to a warmed ceramic fondue pot and serve immediately. Keep warm over a very low flame.
This original/traditional cheese fondue recipe is still best served with the original dipper; serve with 2 to 3 loaves of crusty French bread, cut into 1” cubes. Serves 6.
Variations:
After seasoning the saucepan with garlic, sauté either 2 cloves of garlic or 2 shallots, finely chopped, in 1 tablespoon of butter and proceed with the recipe.
Chocolate fondue (anyone could make this, it's so easy!)
Ingredients:
12 ounces good quality semi-sweet chocolate
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons Grand Marnier or Amaretto liqueur (optional)
Bite sized pieces of fruit or cake
Directions:
Combine the chocolate and heavy cream in a medium heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Stirring constantly, cook for about two minutes, or until melted and smooth. Add the vanilla and liqueur. Serve with the fruit and cake.
This recipe is for 2 minutes and serves 6.
For other recipes, you may click here.
Bon Appetit!
Chocolate is considered as one of the most popular food and drink in the world. This wonderful flavor has been discovered 2,000 years ago from the pods of a cacao tree. This means that chocolate existed way before civilization started. It was made as a frothy drink, with different seasonings such as chili peppers, cornmeal and other ingredients to make it spicy. I wonder how it tasted since sugar was not yet famous during that time. But it must have suited the taste of people back then since it became famous from Mexico, Central America, Europe and later on to the whole world.
People just love to indulge on these sweet delicacies. Some think chocolate acts as an aphrodisiac, though there is no proof for this belief. The explanation most common for this is the chemical substance (phenethylamine) present in chocolates which gives the feeling of intimacy and mild sexual desire. Perhaps this is why it is being given as a gift during courtship. Others would eat chocolate to feel happy. It is said that eating these sweets produce serotonin in the brain, which gives the feeling of pleasure.
From a frothy drink, its flavor was developed through new recipes and technology as well. Today, chocolate is available in different types.
Unsweetened chocolate. This is also know as the bitter chocolate and is usually used in baking.
Dark chocolate. Chocolate without milk as an additive.
Milk chocolate. Chocolate milk powder or condensed milk added.
Semisweet chocolate. Dark chocolate with high sugar content.
Bittersweet chocolate. Unsweetened chocolate, in which sugar, cocoa butter, lecithin and vanilla has been added.
Couverture. Term use for chocolates rich in cocoa butter.
White chocolate. Confection based on cocoa butter w/o the cocoa solids.
Nowadays, because of chocolate's popularity and being one of the richest flavor in the world, many brands are being introduced and advertised. Anyone who would like to get enough dosage of their favorite chocolate could get it anywhere. Chocolates in the form of candies, bars, cookies, cakes, ice cream and drinks are available in stores. Restaurants also serve this as desserts.
The first restaurant in Manila that serves chocolate as their specialty is Max Brenner, which is also known as "The Chocolate Bar". As you would see in their menu if you visit them, they serve variety of foods with chocolate or made from it. You'll be confused on what to order because of so many choices.
One of my favorite is their chocolate fondue. It includes two types of melted chocolate (dark and white chocolate) for dipping. You would be given a plate with sliced fruits (apple and banana), whole strawberry, pieces of brownies, cheese , marshmallows and lady finger. Peanuts and coconut shreds were also served.
Fondue was derived from the French word "fondre" which means melt.
The first chocolate fondue was made with Swiss Toblerone chocolate and became a companion to Swiss cheese fondue.
Max Brenner also serves breakfast and burgers. One of their specialty is Suckao, which they described as the injection of thick hot chocolate served in a cup with a metallic straw and a candle underneath. Another is Chocolate Splenda based souffle cake. Other must-try's are their Choctails, Alcohol Chocolate Aphrodisiacs, and Chocishakes. These are selection of chocolate beverages made from white chocolate and non-fat milk, blended with ice and laced with a shot of espresso.
Very cozy interior
Cute boxes for their chocolates
What triggered my curiosity and fascination is the choclate machine they have inside the store. It led me to think that this is where all the white and dark chocolates are coming from since the machines are connected to a pipe, which lead to the bar where they are preparing the drinks and the food.
machine for the dark chocolate
machine for the white chocolate
Orders would cost around Php 300-400. If you would like to order the fondue, it would be at Php 350 which is good for 2 persons. All fees are not inclusive of taxes. It might be a little expensive but if you are a chocolate addict, then this would definitely be the place to go.
Max Brenner is located at GF Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Makati City (tel. no.: 728-8801). You may visit their website at http://www.maxbrenner.com/ once they finish constructing it. For gifts, you may go to http://www.maxbrenner.com.au/maxgifts/ . Prices would be in US Dollars.
Thailand is not only known for its skycrapers, historical temples and beaches. Their food is also known worldwide. Whether the food is chilli-hot or having a distinctive flavor, people just couldn't get enough of the blending spices and taste brought about by their food.
The traditional Thai meal includes soup (with minced pork),steamed dish, fried dish, hot salad, and a variety of sauces where the food is dipped. Desserts would then follow in the form of sweet delicacies or fresh fruits. The meal should have harmony of tastes and textures. There should be a spicy and non spicy food served to have balance.
Me and my friend tried one of the restaurants that served Thai cuisines. The place is called Blue Ginger located at the 3/f Greenbelt 3 near the cinemas.
The atmosphere is very bright and pleasant in my opinion with it's orange interior.
We ordered Tom Yam and the taste met our expectation. You just need to add condiments like fish sauce with chillies and it would blend very well with the sour taste.
To make a great Tom Yam, one must have a good stock. First, you would need to choose the meat or cuts of your choice. Then, add boiling water to crushed peppercorns, salt, garlic, shallots, coriander roots and the meat. After prolonged boiling and simmering , you have the basic stock of common Thai soups. Additional galanga, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, crushed fresh chillies, fish sauce and lime juice create the basic stock for a Tom Yam.
You could make your own Tom Yam or check this other recipe.
Another food we tried was their Barbeque Spareribs. Grilled spareribs served with dips (soy sauce and the other one is a combination of peanut oil and another ingredient I couldn't make out.)
We were able to try their Thai Iced Tea and all I can say is that anyone could make this at home. It is a combination of cold tea and milk.
The restaurant is not that bad. I would recommend this to people who would like to have a taste of Thai cuisine for a more affordable price.
Of course, if you would like to try an authentic Thai food, you could go to People's Palace which is also located at Greenbelt.
For people who are going to Thailand, specifically Bangkok, you may try out these restaurants. Food might be a little pricey but it woud be worth it. Just remember that there is VAT of 7% added to restaurant bills in Bangkok and this is usually added to the bill at the end. In addition, many restaurants also add a service charge of around 10%. Where this is not added, visitors should tip around 10%.
If you prefer to try other cuisines you may click here for reference.
However, if you are a fastfood person and would miss burgers and chickens while in Bangkok,fastfood chains like McDonalds, Burger King and KFC have clean stores all around the city.
Also, don't be afraid to try the street foods in Bangkok. It would cost you about 30-50 BAHT a meal. For the carts that you see on the street, you might want to indulge on a snack with pork balls on the street, sweet coconut custard, thai iced tea or coffee or noodles. This might cause you around 5-20 BAHT.
It seems that Thai foods are available in most part of Bangkok. All you have to do is find the right place and know the food you would like to eat. But I'm sure they all taste the same, after all you are in Bangkok.
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