So I didn’t get to go to last year’s ManilArt, but I was able to go back in 2011. As usual, I took lots of photos which were since long forgotten in some folder in my hard drive. I stumbled across them while I was looking for a particular image folder. Anyway, here they are now. And since there is a lot to post, I’ll be posting them by batches.
Here’s the first batch. I’ll be posting the rest of the batches soon. Continue Reading
@ The Hello Kitty Meet & Greet
SM City North Edsa teamed up with Sanrio last Christmas to celebrate the season by decorating areas in the mall’s complex with all things Hello Kitty. The sky garden was lined with Hello Kitty lamp posts and there were banners on the entryways, as well as inbetween the escalator hand rails. There were activities such as a fashion show that showcased the latest Hello Kitty clothing designs available at the department store; face painting; meet and greet with Hello Kitty; as well as exhibits of private collections of Hello Kitty items and the Christmas village in The Block. Continue Reading
Chef Jessie Sincioco
On January 26, Saturday, 9am-1pm, The Maya Kitchen presents well known chef and restaurateur Chef Jessie Sincioco, as she shares her recipes for light, healthy yet delicious dishes to usher in the New Year. She is an honest to goodness ‘discovery’ of The Maya Kitchen. Josefina Cruz Sincioco, then a novice baker, won the grand prize in the baking category of the Great Maya Cookfest way back in 1983. She credits this as the start of her career in the kitchen.
Her 3-month training at the Hotel Inter-Continental Manila after the competition turned into a full time job with the property. She was sent to train abroad, joined local and international competitions and in 1990, she became the first Filipina Pastry Chef in the history of the hotel.
The chef who, at first, did not have a liking for the smell of the kitchen found initial fame when she, along with expatriate partners, turned the restaurant Le Souffle into a fine dining mecca.
Chef Jessie is now President and CEO of JCS Gastronomie Inc. that operates fine dining restaurants Chef Jessie Rockwell Club and Top of the Citi by Chef Jessie. She is also a co-author of KULINARYA, a Guidebook to Philippine Cuisine.
Dedicated, hard working, feisty and in the end all talent, this is what Chef Jessie Sincioco is all about.
Other courses for January include: TINAPAYAN Go Negosyo Workshop, January 12, Saturday, 10am-3pm; COFFEE 101, January 12 Saturday, 1-6pm; EXPRESS COOKING, January 19, Saturday, 9am-1pm; BEST OF MAYA BAKING RECIPES, January 19, Saturday, 1-5pm; and BAKING SECRET OF COFFEE & TEA CAKES, January 26, Saturday, 9am-2pm.
Certificate courses with hands-on include: BASIC CULINARY (Weekdays) January 8-11/22-25, Tuesday-Friday; (Weekends) February 2, 9, 16 and 23, Saturday, 9-3PM; BARISTA: January 12, 19 and 26, Saturday, 1-6 PM, 120 hours with On the Job Training (OJT); CATERING: January 16-18, Wednesday-Friday, 10am-4pm. FUNDAMENTALS OF BAKERY PRODUCTION, January 15-18/January 29-Febuary 1, Tuesday-Friday, 10am-3pm; CAKE DECORATING (Basics & Advanced): January 31-February 2, Thursday-Saturday, 10AM-4pm.
For more information on other courses offerings, log on to www.themayakitchen.com or e-mail contactus@themayakitchen.com or visit The Maya Kitchen Culinary Center every Tuesday to Saturday at 8F Liberty Building, 835 A. Arnaiz Avenue (Pasay Road), Makati City or call 8921185 / 892-5011 local 108 / Mobile No. +63947 835 2290.
This holiday season, Bizu Patisserie borrows inspiration from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite as it transforms itself into the magical Land of the Sweets.Each branch is festooned with toy soldiers, dolls, candles, flowers and even the Sugarplum Fairy and her Cavalier. And just like in the beloved masterpiece, Bizu abounds with sweet creations both wonderful and unique.
Panettone
Bizu creates its very own Panettone, the classic sweet Italian Christmas bread with candied orange peels, plump raisins and red cherries. Colomba Petit, is another classic Italian bread with candied orange peels soaked in orange liquer. There is a snowman shaped Macaron de Paris with a new and intriguing flavor called Speculoos. The macaron is filled with ginger butter creme ganache.
Speculoos
Rouge
Rouge is a French gateaux of raspberry mousse cake with a crème brûlée surprise. Noël Dark Chocolate Fruitcake is a Valrhona chocolate pecan and dark cherry cake with pate-a-glacier and the Noël Fruit and Carrot Cake is a fruit and walnut cake with browned butter cream cheese. Gaspard is a Christmas chocolate ornament ball on top of a classic financier cake. Inside, when cracked, is a medley of flavors – hazelnut praline mousse with passion fruit and orange cremeux.
Gaspard
Noël Dark Chocolate Fruitcake
Noël Fruit and Carrot Cake
Deck your holiday table with show-stopping centerpieces. Melchor Croquembouche is a white and dark Belgian chocolate-covered cream puff tower while the Macaron de Paris Pyramid is a structural art-piece to hold 40 pieces of your favorite Macaron flavors.
Macaron de Paris Pyramid
In a rush and need a hassle free Christmas? Let Bizu do the cooking! Browse through their Party Tray Menu as they serve a wide variety of exciting canapés to tasty terrines, fresh organic salads and tempting entrées. Take your pick from Bizu’s moist Yuletide Pork Crown Roast with apples, chestnut and sausages stuffing, Melt-in-your-mouth 10-Hour Roast US Beef Belly and a plump, golden brown Turkey served with pan gravy, cranberry sauce and chestnut stuffing.
By the way, Bizu Patisserie recently opened a new branch at One Rockwell Tower, Rockwell Drive Makati City (478-7755). Other Bizu branches are located in Greenbelt 2 Parkside (757-2498), Greenhills Promenade (724-2498), Alabang Town Center (809-2498) and St. Luke’s BGC (789-7700). You can also email bizumarketing@gmail.com or check out www.bizupatisserie.com or Facebook Fanpage www.facebook.com/ilovebizu Twitter: @BizuPh
There is nothing like a Filipino Christmas overflowing with mouthwatering food shared among family and friends. Guest Chef, Dr. Efren ‘Boy’ Vazquez of Café Juanita fame brings his own brand of the traditional Christmas table to The Maya Kitchen on December 8, Saturday, 9am to 1pm.
The self-described ‘kusinero’ will show off his unique and utterly delicious spin of traditional Filipino Christmas dishes such as Rellenong Manok, Lengua Estofado, Baked Fresh Salmon with Mayo-Sigang Dressing, Bringhe, Pinoy Ratatoy and Halayang Mangga Tart and Pinsec.
The retired doctor has singlehandedly created a culinary sensation with his Café Juanita franchise located at West Capitol Drive, Barangay Kapitolyo, Pasig. His penchant and passion for cooking he got from his family which hails from San Isidro, Nueva Ecija. Recipes passed on from his mother and grandmother are either served in their original glory or are updated to the modern times.
He is not keen, though, on super fancy plating. He does not want his diners feeling guilty for ‘destroying’ a perfect plate. For the good doctor-chef, food, especially Filipino food, should look and taste so appetizing you would want to grab and taste it. Deconstruction and fusion are also not exactly his style. He believes that the essence of the food should always be maintained. A little dressing up is allowed, though. You would find the sitaw in his kare-kare tied into a knot. His dinuguan would have thin green mango strips on top with the requisite puto on the side.
Aside from the excellent food that Café Juanita serves, the place is so well known for its décor which is actually a hodge podge of antique furniture, light fixtures, china, statues, altar pieces and endless knick-knacks.
While some describe the look as eclectic, Dr. Vazquez unabashedly brands it as his take on the Moulin Rouge style ‘bordello.’ His culinary foray does not stop at Café Juanita. A few steps away is another intricately decorated place, the carinderia/turo-turo Kainan Au Gusto serving affordable and well-loved Filipino dishes. He also opened a Japanese restaurant called Haru located next door to the café. All three has consistently gotten praise among critics and the general public.
For more information on other course offerings, log on to www.themayakitchen.com or e-mail contactus@themayakitchen.com or visit The Maya Kitchen Culinary Center every Tuesday to Saturday at 8F Liberty Building, 835 A. Arnaiz Avenue (Pasay Road), Makati City or call 8921185 / 892-5011 local 108 / Mobile No. +63947 835 2290.