My milk tea addiction probably won't be going away anytime soon. A couple of months ago, I stumbled upon a promo for large-sized milk tea on sale at P35 (formerly P70). I couldn't pass it up, since milk tea places usually offer pretty decent versions of their "original flavor", despite the sometimes absurd fruit teas they come up with (worst case scenario). Yet again, this deal was brokered by a coupon site.
The excitement of the moment had me buying 6 coupons (using my account and M's) in total. Never mind that, in order to pay for the coupons in cash, we had to ride around in taxis which brought an additional P100+ to the overall expense. --So much for saving a buck.
I read from the terms and conditions for my coupons that the Bon Appetea stand has 2 branches: Ortigas and Parañaque. Ortigas it is, then. Strata 2000 Building to be exact. Thank goodness for another friend, S, who lives very close by. The three of us trekked to said building yesterday afternoon where, on the ground floor to one side of the area, is the food court filled with various stalls.
The Bon Appetea Facebook page boasted of a wide range of flavors that looked very promising. Their bestsellers include Nirvana (Assam black tea and wintermelon) and _____________. Hell, it looked like it could kick Serenitea's butt to the curb. But when we proceeded to give our orders, that's when the trouble started.
S wanted to order the Peach milk tea, but they were out. He settled on the Morrocan Nights (jasmine tea and mint) instead. M wanted the Creme Brulee, but they were all out of caramel anything, which is an ingredient for about half of their milk tea items on the menu. He went for Taro. No dice. Then he settled on________. My turn came and I wanted Creme Brulee or Melange, which were also out. This prompted me to say to the vendor, "Kuya naman eh. Lahat na lang wala." ("Mister, everything's out!") The man looked blank, so I just ordered a Morrocan Nights as well.
Taste-wise, it's okay. Some people don't like mint, as it reminds them of toothpaste. But the combination of jasmine and mint seem to work. It's unique.
"Don't let other people define your worth. "
-Diane Gollon
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Hello, Baked Cheesecake!
Throughout the years, my cousins, Marianne and Elaine, have been my foremost guides to what food with quality should be like. Sure, it feels like it could get over-the-top sometimes, but they have a very straightforward vision of what quality without compromise is.
They used to diss the instant, no-bake cheesecake my parents would buy from the grocery, but with good reason. Since I've tasted real cheesecake, I'm not going back to the gelatin-based kind. In fact, I want to go as far as to experiment with different kinds of cheese. That stemmed from a trip to Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf and a friend's impulse to try the Camembert Cheese Tart with Dark Cherry Filling. From the first bite, my friend Z and I went crazy over it. (Don't think they still serve it. I haven't seen it in a while.)
A couple of months ago, Dad got discount coupons for blueberry cheesecake (his favorite) at a certain dessert shop. The original price of said cheesecake was so expensive! And when we took it home, I was dismayed to find out that it was so obviously the gelatin kind because it melted all over the place. I immediately pointed out that the gelatin cheesecake was highly overpriced, and challenged myself to make a baked cheesecake that would, at least, come closer to being worthy of the insane price.
My recipe source was quite close to home. I basically used what I learned in school to create...
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="560" caption="Good 'ol baked cheesecake."]
[/caption]
The sides are a mess, as I have yet to figure out how to line the pan properly. I would say that it was successful enough on the first try. However, there is room for improvement when it comes to finding the creamier cream cheese. The same goes for the butter I use, for I made the mistake of grabbing the only thing that was there --margarine. Yuck!
What I liked about the recipe, though, was that the outcome was firm enough to hold up on its own. For that alone, I wouldn't mind slow cooking it in a bain marie for over an hour.
I am already plotting my 2nd shot at making this cheesecake. Also, next up for me is the traditional Black Forest Cake... I wonder where I can score some decently priced black cherries.
So here's to 2012 and, soon, more attempts on the dessert front.
They used to diss the instant, no-bake cheesecake my parents would buy from the grocery, but with good reason. Since I've tasted real cheesecake, I'm not going back to the gelatin-based kind. In fact, I want to go as far as to experiment with different kinds of cheese. That stemmed from a trip to Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf and a friend's impulse to try the Camembert Cheese Tart with Dark Cherry Filling. From the first bite, my friend Z and I went crazy over it. (Don't think they still serve it. I haven't seen it in a while.)
A couple of months ago, Dad got discount coupons for blueberry cheesecake (his favorite) at a certain dessert shop. The original price of said cheesecake was so expensive! And when we took it home, I was dismayed to find out that it was so obviously the gelatin kind because it melted all over the place. I immediately pointed out that the gelatin cheesecake was highly overpriced, and challenged myself to make a baked cheesecake that would, at least, come closer to being worthy of the insane price.
My recipe source was quite close to home. I basically used what I learned in school to create...
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="560" caption="Good 'ol baked cheesecake."]
[/caption]The sides are a mess, as I have yet to figure out how to line the pan properly. I would say that it was successful enough on the first try. However, there is room for improvement when it comes to finding the creamier cream cheese. The same goes for the butter I use, for I made the mistake of grabbing the only thing that was there --margarine. Yuck!
What I liked about the recipe, though, was that the outcome was firm enough to hold up on its own. For that alone, I wouldn't mind slow cooking it in a bain marie for over an hour.
I am already plotting my 2nd shot at making this cheesecake. Also, next up for me is the traditional Black Forest Cake... I wonder where I can score some decently priced black cherries.
So here's to 2012 and, soon, more attempts on the dessert front.
This is Canton! part 2
*See the 1st part of the series here.
**Entries in this series are going to be photo-heavy...
Continuation of Day 1: Out and About
In any foreign country I've been, it's always fun to walk off in some random direction and see what the street vendors are selling. My parents found a man on the sidewalk with kamote (sweet potato) on a previous trip and started buying like crazy. They would bring it home for pasalubong to our equally appreciative relatives back in Manila.
I understand what they're going on about. The kamote is prepared in a very straightforward manner: roasted in a big, covered container. They don't season it or anything. But the outcome is very tender and sweet, a lot like rustic mashed potatoes.
A word of warning though: Be wary of the way goods like these are priced. Some vendors use a different set of scales (like the one the man is tinkering with on the photo below) and they move about quickly. That and the language barrier can create some confusion on the total bill.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="576" caption="Sweet Potato Man"]
[/caption]
One of my favorite street foods in Canton are the lamb skewers (estimated price at RMB3-4/Php20+). They come in long or short bamboo skewers and very slightly resemble the appearance of our own isaw. (Note: The tastes of isaw and lamb bbq are two entirely separate things.) I first tried it in Tianjin and fell in love with the very tasty, slightly crispy morsels. The meat is seasoned with a spice powder that I've wondered about for such a long time. Upon my close inspection, I successfully identified cumin as a crucial component to the fantastic taste.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="420" caption="Lamb Barbecue Stand"]
[/caption]
Next stop was Shangxia Jiu. It's similar to Korea's Myeong Dong in that it is a stretch of street devoted to all manners of shops. You can easily spend the entire afternoon exploring all the retailers, and it is a delight for foodies because every couple of steps will lead you to a food vendor.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Shangxia Jiu"]
[/caption]
On the bangketa (sidewalk) shopping front, we found lots of salesmen (like the one in the photo below) peddling dried fruits and nuts from a kariton (cart). There's apricots, red/white raisins, walnuts, almonds, etc. The vendors give free taste of the product and I have to say that they are nice and fresh, and the prices are good. I don't use legumes so much in baking because it's much more expensive to get them in Manila. Needless to say, we started hoarding almonds, raisins, and dried kiwis.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Bangketa Vendors"]
[/caption]
Have I mentioned that Guangzhou is a haven for exotic foods? Some of the best-tasting Chinese food in the world come from the Cantonese. I've seen my fair share of scorpions impaled on barbecue sticks, but have been too afraid to try. And even though one might not be an extremist foodie, there is always something to eat for even the not-so-adventurous.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="One of the Many Food Shops: A store that sells various parts of chicken."]
[/caption]
For example, dinner comprised of "the old favorites". These are dishes that can be found at any tea house or Chinese restaurant back home. We ate here... (Sorry, I don't have the English translation for the name of this resto.)
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Roasted Pork (Asado)"]
[/caption]
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="560" caption="Shrimp that came with..."]
[/caption]
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="...a baby Shrimp with claws!"]
[/caption]
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Fried Rice"]
[/caption]
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Beef Ho Fan"]
[/caption]
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="and Fish on a Bed of Broccoli"]
[/caption]
Everything was good and high quality. I cannot stress enough that all the food I ate on this trip was fresh and executed very well by the cooks. It doesn't even matter if it's from a restaurant or street food.
But I have to mention that restaurants in China have a tendency of serving rice later on into the meal. As in, all the viands have already been laid out and you are still waiting on the rice. So you either request that the rice come out first, or you have to wait for it before you start eating.
After our meal, we rushed to the pier for the Pearl River Cruise. This is a must-do for first-timers in Canton. You get to go on a scenic tour of the city at night and see a series of bridges lit with different colored lights. The experience is so serene.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="View from the Ship's Deck"]
[/caption]
The cruise also offers a buffet, but we got on the last trip for the evening. By then, they only served tea.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="560" caption="City Lights"]
[/caption]
Halfway through the ride, we got up on the roof deck to take pictures with the view as the backdrop.
Then it was time to go back to sign out for the night.
To be continued and...
**Entries in this series are going to be photo-heavy...
Continuation of Day 1: Out and About
In any foreign country I've been, it's always fun to walk off in some random direction and see what the street vendors are selling. My parents found a man on the sidewalk with kamote (sweet potato) on a previous trip and started buying like crazy. They would bring it home for pasalubong to our equally appreciative relatives back in Manila.
I understand what they're going on about. The kamote is prepared in a very straightforward manner: roasted in a big, covered container. They don't season it or anything. But the outcome is very tender and sweet, a lot like rustic mashed potatoes.
A word of warning though: Be wary of the way goods like these are priced. Some vendors use a different set of scales (like the one the man is tinkering with on the photo below) and they move about quickly. That and the language barrier can create some confusion on the total bill.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="576" caption="Sweet Potato Man"]
[/caption]One of my favorite street foods in Canton are the lamb skewers (estimated price at RMB3-4/Php20+). They come in long or short bamboo skewers and very slightly resemble the appearance of our own isaw. (Note: The tastes of isaw and lamb bbq are two entirely separate things.) I first tried it in Tianjin and fell in love with the very tasty, slightly crispy morsels. The meat is seasoned with a spice powder that I've wondered about for such a long time. Upon my close inspection, I successfully identified cumin as a crucial component to the fantastic taste.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="420" caption="Lamb Barbecue Stand"]
[/caption]Next stop was Shangxia Jiu. It's similar to Korea's Myeong Dong in that it is a stretch of street devoted to all manners of shops. You can easily spend the entire afternoon exploring all the retailers, and it is a delight for foodies because every couple of steps will lead you to a food vendor.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Shangxia Jiu"]
[/caption]On the bangketa (sidewalk) shopping front, we found lots of salesmen (like the one in the photo below) peddling dried fruits and nuts from a kariton (cart). There's apricots, red/white raisins, walnuts, almonds, etc. The vendors give free taste of the product and I have to say that they are nice and fresh, and the prices are good. I don't use legumes so much in baking because it's much more expensive to get them in Manila. Needless to say, we started hoarding almonds, raisins, and dried kiwis.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Bangketa Vendors"]
[/caption]Have I mentioned that Guangzhou is a haven for exotic foods? Some of the best-tasting Chinese food in the world come from the Cantonese. I've seen my fair share of scorpions impaled on barbecue sticks, but have been too afraid to try. And even though one might not be an extremist foodie, there is always something to eat for even the not-so-adventurous.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="One of the Many Food Shops: A store that sells various parts of chicken."]
[/caption]For example, dinner comprised of "the old favorites". These are dishes that can be found at any tea house or Chinese restaurant back home. We ate here... (Sorry, I don't have the English translation for the name of this resto.)
We had:
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Roasted Pork (Asado)"]
[/caption][caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="560" caption="Shrimp that came with..."]
[/caption][caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="...a baby Shrimp with claws!"]
[/caption][caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Fried Rice"]
[/caption][caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Beef Ho Fan"]
[/caption][caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="and Fish on a Bed of Broccoli"]
[/caption]Everything was good and high quality. I cannot stress enough that all the food I ate on this trip was fresh and executed very well by the cooks. It doesn't even matter if it's from a restaurant or street food.
But I have to mention that restaurants in China have a tendency of serving rice later on into the meal. As in, all the viands have already been laid out and you are still waiting on the rice. So you either request that the rice come out first, or you have to wait for it before you start eating.
After our meal, we rushed to the pier for the Pearl River Cruise. This is a must-do for first-timers in Canton. You get to go on a scenic tour of the city at night and see a series of bridges lit with different colored lights. The experience is so serene.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="View from the Ship's Deck"]
[/caption]The cruise also offers a buffet, but we got on the last trip for the evening. By then, they only served tea.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="560" caption="City Lights"]
[/caption]Halfway through the ride, we got up on the roof deck to take pictures with the view as the backdrop.
Then it was time to go back to sign out for the night.
To be continued and...
Happy New Year!
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