PUBLISHING DATE: NOVEMBER 18, 2014
(Original Submission)
HOLIDAY 2014: POTLUCK PURCHASES
Don’t be the friend who brings a stale mocha roll from your village panaderia, that nobody touches at a get-together, just because you don’t have time to cook. We get it, you’re busy, and we’re here to help. Here’s a list of potluck purchases you’ll love so much, you’d want to throw a party right now just to try them all.
EATS:
MR. D’s ARTISANAL SUNDRIES
The interwebs may have one less acerbic food writer since Jeremy Slagle, a.k.a. Mr. Delicious, hasn’t really been updating his blog. Despite no longer reading what concept or authenticity is lacking in what, we see what the French-trained American chef is rallying for in the food he makes for Mr. D’s Artisanal Sundries. Classically cured and smoked meats for the holidays? Why, yes please!
Juice Tip-off: Skip the steak and lechon this Christmas and go for Mr. D’s Philippine Wagyu Corned Beef (PHP 1,350/kg). The KitaYama beef is cured for a week and simmered for six hours. Mmmm…
CHEF THEO’S KARE-KARE
Explained to those foreign to our culinary heritage, they grimace in disgust when they hear about your favorite dish of oxtail and tripe stewed in peanut butter. But they fail to understand the classic preparation that goes with it. Chef Theo Zaragoza brings back the art of making Kare-Kare he learned from his mother: roasting and browning rice and peanuts, grinding them by hand, and simmering the beef parts for hours. It made me a convert, that’s for sure.
Juice Tip-off: Chef Theo delivers! Choose from oxtail or seafood Kare-Kare made with three kinds of nuts. PHP 3,500 for 12 people. Order three days in advance.
Chili Asylum's Super Veggie Chili
CHILI ASYLUM
If your idea of Christmas spice is limited to gingerbread houses or peppermint candies, then it’s best to stay at the kiddie table and let the adults handle the heat. Be a man and try not to care about your sweaty socks, runny nose, and dripping makeup; add a kick to your holiday feast with Chili Asylum’s spicy concoctions.
Juice Tip-off: Start of with Chili Asylum’s by the kilo Graveyard Chili (traditional beefy chili con carne), Super Veggie Chili (vegetables, beans, and garbanzos), or White Chili (chili con chicken with corn and white beans) to get the party going.
Alfie Petri and his gorgeous porchetta sandwich
Photo by Leslie of ShootFirstEatLater.com / CC BY
Alfredo Petri probably knew he was onto something when he opened a stall in Robinson’s Galleria and received rave reviews within days. The half-Filipino-half-Italian Londoner served authentic Italian porchetta, mozzarella, calzone, arancini, and parmigiana in his stall and included these and more in his new restaurant’s menu in Tiendesitas.
Juice Tip-off: We’re eyeing a slab of Alfredo’s porchetta for the holidays! As of writing, he’s finishing up the details of his restaurant in Tiendesitas but said that he’s open to receiving large orders. He’s accommodating with requests and swiftly answers inquiries via text.
STEPONE MANILA
Come Christmas season, weight watchers face two options: Do I shed the pounds now to make room for holiday calories? Or do I just bust my ass off come January? (Unless you’re a masochist and you prefer to abstain from glorious Christmas goodies like it’s penitence for gluttony.) Skip the brouhaha and just order from StepOne Manila, will you? The diet delivery service’s is so good, you’ll forget you’re restricting calories.
Juice Tip-off: StepOne Manila offers dishes good for 15 people with the following rates: PHP 650/head for three premium dishes, PHP 635/head for two premium dishes and one regular dish, and PHP 620/head for one premium dish and two regular dishes.
SWEETS:
Look at that beauty! 64 square inches of chocolate, cheesecake, and mango bits!
CRUMBSLIST PASTRY DEPOT
Crumbs List Pastry Depot has been on our list of favorite desserts since it opened last September. The depot curates some of the best pastries from home bakers in the Katipunan area, and we’ve been in love with Sugar Babies Desserts Unlimited’s Mango Chocolate Cheesecake! What’s even better? The cheesecake now comes in a party size: 64 square inches of pure delight (PHP 1,400; solo size at PHP 170).
Juice Tip-off: There’s more to love in Crumbs List! Also try Sweet Bite by Bianca’s Oreo Nutella Brownie Cups, Krazylicious’ Cake Truffles, and Oh! Goodies’ Pili Tots.
How a Boodle Feast looks like. YUM.
SCOUT’S HONOR
I seriously want to meet Chef Miko Aspiras to shake his hand and pick his brain on his pastry venture Scout’s Honor. Highlighting the perfect milk-and-cookie pair may seem trivial, but what he does with the simple concept is outstanding. They offer Foie Gras Cookie, Cookie Inception (Oreo, double chocolate fudge, chocolate chip), Thin Mints, Matcha Sesame (green tea, black sesame, white chocolate), and many more (PHP 95 each)! The milk flavors are equally awesome, like the Horlicks, Cherry Chocolate, or the Charcoal Bamboo. Where have you been all my life, Chef Miko?!!
Juice Tip-off: Bring a box of six (PHP 570) or 12 (PHP 1,140) cookies plus a liter of craft milk (PHP 400) to your next potluck party! You can also visit Scout’s Honor at Hole In The Wall and make your own cookie (vegan or sugar-free dough with toppings like bacon and pastillas!) or book a Boodle Feast for 12 people (PHP 1,800 for 15 cookies and 4 different milk flavors to try). Notice how much exclamation marks I've used in this entry? 'Cause it's the COOLEST. COOKIE. SHOP. EVER.
Chef Nikko's Sans Rival Chips
NIKKO’S BAKING STUDIO
Nikko’s Baking Studio is where Chef Nikko Buendia hatches her pastry ideas and brings them to life. The culinary school, café, and bakeshop rolled into one is so inviting, you’d want to spend your Christmas party here! If you can’t, bring her bestsellers Sans Rival Chips, Kouign Amann, and Baklava to your get-together. Trust us, they won’t disappoint.
Juice Tip-off: The deconstructed Sans Rival Chips are meringue chips served with butter cream (Small – PHP 360, Medium – PHP 560, Large – PHP 960). Kouign Amann comes in box of six (PHP 560) or 12 (PHP 1,120). You can also order 32 triangles (PHP 1,380) or 64 triangles (PHP 2,680) of the Baklava.
DELICIELO ARTISANAL BREADS & VEGAN DESSERTS
If you intend to skip dessert after the gluttony that is Christmas, which really is a month long binge fest, you’ll think twice with Delicielo’s vegan cupcakes. Delicielo uses organic, nutritious, and earth friendly ingredients for their pastries and breads. You might as well feed your body something good if you plan to have seconds (says the "health buff" who succumbed to stuffing her mouth with Maltesers as she types this. True story.)
Juice Tip-off: Try their newest flavors Malunggay (with dark Belgian chocolate frosting) and Pumpkin-Cinnamon (with vanilla buttercream icing) cupcakes for a quasi-guiltless dessert experience. PHP 75 per piece, PHP 300 per box of four.
BROWN BUTTER DESSERTS
I love sharing something different to the table during get-togethers, and Brown Butter Desserts is the perfect example. The dessert company’s line may seem a bit pricey but for good reason. From the simplistic but elegant design, the distinct layers, to the clever ingredients, their desserts are conversation pieces in the form of food.
Juice Tip-off: Try their bestsellers, the Popcorn Surprise (64 square inches of popcorn cream, pecan, soft butter toffee, sponge, rice crispy, and caramel glaze for PHP 2,000), Chocolate Five Textures (64 square inches of chocolate sponge, chocolate crumble, chocolate crisps, chocolate mousse, and chocolate ganache for PHP 1,800), and Mango Black Sesame (9-inch round chiffon, mango, and black sesame Chantilly cream for PHP 1,600).
