Chefs on Parade 2013: Healthy Lifestyle 3-course set menu entry of St Therese MTC College Iloilo City

A week before the actual competition, I got a message from Chef Miner del Mundo inviting me for a culminating activity at the showroom of St Therese MTC College at La Fiesta Hotel. It turns out to be another food tasting session as they were preparing for a big national competition (that took place just this weekend). It was for Chefs on Parade 2013 - the biggest culinary competition and the longest running in Asia, held at SMX Convention Centre at the SM Mall of Asia.

As for this set - Healthy Lifestyle Menu, the appetizer Chef Miner made was steamed roulade of free range chicken stuffed with roasted pepper and mushrooms. It had some herb smear, cauliflower - tartufata veloute, rosemary-tomato on the sides.

It also had a pear-celery-pine nuts and micro-greens salad to whet the appetite even more. Indeed the pear and celery combination gave the appetizer some refreshing hints.

The main course consists of Norwegian Salmon and pan grilled Arctic scallops. Most conspicuous was the carrot and orange broth which also made into a foam for added presentation. Adding level to the presentation was the potato and corn napoleon on tortilla tuille with orange-onion chutney and srping vegetables on the sides. It looked like a gastronomic garden waiting to be devoured. And the salmon was perfect!

Dessert was a trio - cinnamon banana brulee pudding, glutinous rice skewer on palm sugar caramel sauce and marinated fruits.

The glutinous rice skewer is like fried ibos with a caramel sauce dip - so Pinoy yet ith sophistication. As this is the Healthy Lifestyle Set, palm sugar was used.

The marinated fruits cup was an ice breaker so to speak in the dessert. As Chef Miner explains, this is to bring out the sweetness of the main dessert at the same time provide a refreshing texture and flavour to the dessert trio.

Finally the cinnamon banana brulee pudding was my favorite. No other words but delectable. I think I finished this serving - the marinated fruits gave me the right appetite for this one.

Mama's Kitchen and Sinamay House in Arevalo

A stones throw away from the plaza of La Villa de Arevalo is an ancestral house where one can find not only good pasalubong items but also a look into the past of the district. Known as the Sinamay House , this well preserved ancestral house is an attraction not only in the outside but also what it houses inside. A collection of what the past like is housed in the two storey edifice which also acts like a museum of sorts. Sinamay is simply known as abaca by most and, here, a variety of products made from this fiber can be found. I remember watching a feature on tv wherein the owner proudly showed a framed letter signed by the late Princess of Wales, Diana, showing her appreciation of the handkerchief she was given as a gift coming from this very shop. But the attraction I am most familiar with are the chewies and crunchies made by Mama's Kitchen. Attractively packed in boxes showing their current flavours and variety, this is among the better...

An American Adventure Buffet at Days Hotel Iloilo

I just came from a meeting for an upcoming event dubbed as "America in 3D" and when I arrived at The Promenade at Days Hotel Iloilo, it was like "America in 3D" all over again. But it was delicacies, drinks and desserts that time for it was the launching of their newest dinner buffet called American Adventure. As it promises guests to embark on a culinary journey of the flavours of America, guests will surely the taste of America with it's line up appetizers, salads, delicacies, main course and desserts. I kicked off my journey with a bowl of the clam chowder which was just as good as the one I had a few days earlier at The Venue . It was rich and flavourful, so good that sometime during the course of the buffet I had anotherone. There was a beautiful display of Oyster Rockefeller which turned out to be delectable that I got one each time I stood up and take another round. A play on Las Vegas, I assume, were these chicken nuggets they call Gold Nuggets. Indeed t...

Ultimate Ilonggo Favorite: KBL Kadyos, Baboy, Langka

K.B.L. or Kadyos, Baboy, Langka is the ultimate favorite dish of most Ilonggos. It is also one of the most missed native dishes as kadyos and the souring ingredient, batwan , are hard to find when outside of the Ilonggo region. Basically, it is boiled/stewed pork dish owing its "deliciousness" to the combination of the soft and tender pork, the tamed sourness of batwan and the malinamnam na sabaw . One of the "secrets" of the malinamnamn na sabaw , is the fact that the pork, whether just the plain meat or pata (hocks) are first grilled or broiled. This gives the broth a rather smoky taste that makes it more appetizing.. Learn how to make the Ilonggo dish KBL (Kadyos, Baboy, at Langka) with the recipe below. Ingredients 1 kilo Pata (pork hocks) or pork cubes, GRILLED and sliced into bite size pieces 1 unripe Jack fruit, cubed 2 cups pigeon pea (kadyos) 6-8 pieces batwan fruit (or tamarind powder) 1 piece por...

An Ilonggo favorite - Valenciana

Found in almost all occasions like fiesta, birthdays, reunions and others, Ilonggos really love valenciana because most if not all have grown accustomed of having it in special gatherings at home. A complete " go, grow and glow " dish because it has the carbohydrates, protein and vitamins and minerals in just one spoonful, Valenciana is really an " occasional dish ". Here's the recipe for Valenciana

100% Pinoy: Flavors of Iloilo

I remember watching this episode years ago around 12mn on GMA 7. It was truly a gastronomic delight even at that time since I was still in Manila and it sort of satisfied my cravings for Ilonggo delicacies. Here's a snippet from that episode that eventually inspired my blog name. This page requires a higher version browser From 100% Pinoy GMA NEWS Pista ng mga pagkain Kilala ang Iloilo dahil sa Dinagyang Festival na talaga namang dinarayo rito tuwing Enero. Sa Dinagyang – na nangangahulugang "kasiyahan" – makikita ang iba't ibang palabas at parada. Syempre hindi mawawala rito ang pista ng mga pagkain kung saan kilala rin ang Iloilo. Dinayo ni Raffy Tima ang pistang ito ng pagkain at inumin para makisaya sa taunang pagdiriwang ng Dinagyang. La Paz batchoy Kapag sinabing Iloilo, kakambal na nito ang La Paz Batchoy. Kapag sinabing La Paz Batchoy, agad na pumapasok sa isip ang Deco's – ang sinasabing original na gumagawa ng La Paz Batchoy. Ito raw ay pagmama...

FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

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