Southern Living: 2015 December

December 2015 Volume 10 | Issue 4

SEASON’S BEST

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HEALT H

BEAT THE HOLIDAY BLOAT

Homeopathic solutions to avoid the Christmas bulge text PIERRA CALASANZ-LABRADOR illustration REESE LANSANGAN

As sure as fruitcake, food comas, and distant relatives asking you inappropriate questions, you can expect added poundage every holiday season. This year, instead of bracing yourself for the inevitable, it’s time to take charge. Here are some quick and natural tips to outsmart the bloat this Christmas (you’ll have to come up with your own snappy comebacks for those relatives, though): Kickstart your day with lemon water A cup of warm water with the juice of half a lemon first thing in the morning can cleanse your system, battle salt retention, and make you feel lighter in general—and we swear, it’s not just that fresh, sunshiny scent. Tip: it also aids digestion after an especially heavy meal.

steer clear of junk food, soda, refined carbs, and salty stuff (goodbye, preservative-laden canned goods).

Triggers differ from person to person, so try to notice what brings on those icky, bloated feels: gluten, dairy, artificial sweeteners, your favorite Vienna sausage-andpan de sal merienda? As much as possible, stick to fresh, unprocessed, home-cooked options, and chew your food slowly and carefully.

Get moving!

After overindulging at yet another buffet, resist the urge to veg on the couch and instead take a leisurely walk around the neighborhood. Regular physical activity, stretching exercises, yoga, or even a soothing pressurepoint massage helps ease stomach discomfort, gets your Fiber is your friend circulation going, and releases gas when you’re feeling Oats, whole-grain cereal, and fiber-rich fruits lower particularly heavy. cholesterol levels and help move things along when you’re feeling heavy and constipated (just make sure Hydrate to match them with lots of H2O). A psyllium drink It seems counterintuitive to put even more liquid into works, too. your bloated system, but it’s the most practical remedy yet. Your body actually goes into emergency mode and Fresh is best retains water when it feels dehydrated, so the best way It’s hard to monitor what we eat when we’re constantly to normalize your system is to keep it happily hydrated stuffing our faces at Christmas parties or grabbing (sorry, alcohol doesn’t count). Drink at least eight glasses fast food between holiday errands. This season, be a day to flush out toxins, lubricate your joints, and keep more mindful of what you’re putting in your body: bloat at bay.

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BEAUT Y

RAZZLE-DAZZLE

Shiny is the color of the season text GRETIL COLANZE illustration REESE LANSANGAN

The red and green combo sends the message, but lots of sparkle and shine say “happy holidays” the best. In makeup, shining, shimmering, and splendid mean playing up what you already have.

Save the seriousness—not to mention the number of pro-level tools and matte nudes in every shade of the spectrum—required to sculpt, “clown,” and transform the selfie-ready face for another season.

Gilded lids, lips, or tips should never be frosty Embellish your best facial features for maximum impact. Some ideas: a horizontal opaque wash of eyeshadow in metallic gold or shimmering green and blue on the lids, sequined swooshes for brows, a juicy pink or plum lip worn with vinyl-like gloss.

It’s like that first secret swipe of rouge at your mother’s dresser. You don’t need a lot of confidence to pull it off; the confidence will just come to you.

Putting on something shiny and beautiful tends to have that effect.

Dewy skin anchors intensity with its unstudied ease Since you won’t be touching up as much as you usually would, relying on immaculate, porcelain-like skin even at the peak of the holiday rush makes life easier. This is also the look of moisture, which is the essence of wetness, as Zoolander has proclaimed. A dewy complexion also keeps the look on the opposite end of the retro scale.

Blot the forehead but shine a light on the high points of the face Highlighting mimics a lit-from-within glow that a matte finish cannot recreate. Do it to the bridge of your nose, Cupid’s bow, brow bone, and the top of your cheekbones to give a visual lift to your face but without creating edges the way contouring does. A dot on the inner corners of the eyes also brightens the peepers—a necessary remedy for when the frenzy of the season gets to you.

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FIXT URE

DRINK TO THIS

A primer on stemware for the height of entertaining season text PAULINE YSABEL V. MIRANDA illustration SAINTE JAMES TAN

Entertaining at home has been gaining popularity ever since cocooning—that’s staying indoors and engaging in home-based activities—gave rise to hiving, which places more value on interaction and engagement, treating the home no longer solely as a retreat but as a center for activity and connection with friends and family.

Recently, a new term has also been making the rounds: “insperiences,” where normally outdoor experiences are brought inside the home. Home entertaining has now become an activity that not only few, exclusive circles could do and enjoy. Along with it is the consumption of wine in the home. Ask any host and they’re sure to say that you can never have too many drinks—wine included—when you host a party. Some might even go as far as saying it’s okay to run out of food but not out of drinks. Imbibing wine is an easy way to enliven conversations. Its consumption is now an everyday luxury, and with the easing of the so-called “rules” about wine pairing, the drink is also now less intimidating and stiff than it was previously believed to be.

At least, it should be.

While many, for good reason, still adhere to the red-with-red and white-with-white guideline, many enthusiasts and even some professionals, vintners, and restaurants encourage people to experiment pairing different wines with whatever suits their tastes.

Despite the new openness about wine pairings, one thing that remains unchanged is the importance of using the right stemware for different types of wine. Some say you only truly need two types of glasses, while others say it’s better to use a specific glass for each type of drink. The glass material notwithstanding, there are generally four types of wine glasses: red, white, sparkling, and dessert.

Red Red wines have stronger flavors and aromas compared to white wines, and the proper stemware reflects this.

Typically, red wine glasses have fuller, rounder bowls to allow more air to come into contact with the wine.

The larger opening also allows the drinker to better note the wine’s aroma.

Among the red wine glasses, there are still several types such as the Bordeaux glass, designed for heavier red wines like Cabernet and Merlot. This type of glass is taller, which better directs the wine to the back or center of the mouth.

A Burgundy glass, on the other hand, is better suited

for lighter, full-bodied wines like Pinot Noir. Though shorter than Bordeaux glasses, Burgundy glasses have larger bowls to direct the wine to the tip of the tongue where the more delicate flavors can be tasted.

White White wines are lighter and typically served colder than red wines, thus calling for taller glasses with longer stems and bowls smaller than the red varieties.

There are also several types of glasses for white wines of varying maturities. Younger white wines are best served in glasses with slightly larger openings, as these will better direct the wine to the sides of the tongue, emphasizing its fresh, sweet taste. Straighter, taller glasses on the other hand are preferred for more mature whites, as they enhance the wine’s bolder flavors. The Chardonnay glass, with its namesake wine, is a good example.

Sparkling and Dessert Champagne has been a symbol of luxury and celebration for centuries. Wines from the French region of Champagne had originally been offered in tribute to kings by the French aristocrats, until the so-called “méthode champenoise” or the traditional method of producing sparkling wine was introduced. Through this method, blended wine undergoes a second fermentation as it is mixed with yeast and sugar then stored. During this process, carbon dioxide is formed, which is what gives Champagne its “sparkle.”

Champagnes, or sparkling wines, require their own set of glasses. The most common Champagne glass, the flute is tall and slender so as to retain the drink’s carbonation. Its shape also allows the bubbles to be concentrated at the tip of the tongue, while also directing the scent of the sparkling wine faster.

Meanwhile, dessert wines, as the name suggests, are sweet but also have higher alcohol content. These types of wines are served in smaller glasses with narrower bowls, which help direct the wine to the back of the mouth so as to keep the wine’s sweetness from overwhelming the palate.

There are a dozen other types of glasses in varying shapes, forms, and sizes, each designed with a particular drink in mind. Choosing the right stemware may be tedious, but it isn’t just about making a statement. It’s any host’s commitment to make sure their guests are served the right taste.

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CR AF T

HAPPY HOUR

Make these easy marbled clay coasters that are anything but everyday-looking text, stYlinG, and photoGraphY INA AMOR MEJIA

MARBLE COASTERS What you’ll need: Polymer clay (two colors of your choice) Wax paper Rolling pin Hard plastic ruler Small knife with a dull edge Oven (not microwave) Piece of sand paper Felt paper (optional)

Procedure: 1. Take a piece of one color of the clay and a smaller piece of the other color.

2. Form small balls, dots, or thin long loops with the smaller piece and work them into the larger piece, folding and pinching the pieces into each other to mimic a marbled effect.

3. Form the joined pieces of clay into a smooth rounded shape, lay on wax paper, and flatten with a rolling pin to about 1/4 of an inch thick.

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4. Mark the shape of the coaster using the ruler and the dull knife, and then cut out the shape using the knife.

5. Following package instructions, bake the clay in low heat until it hardens.

6. Once cooled, gently sand any rough edges on the coasters.

7. You can also line the bottoms with felt paper in a matching color to protect surfaces.

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FEAT URE

A TRADITIONAL BREAK

Noche Buena is a time for both keeping and veering away from traditions text ANGELA L. VELASCO illustration SHY CABAJAR

Yellow lights are wrapped around holly garlands laid across the walls. The kitchen air is warm with the smell of baked turkey from the oven, and there is a whiff of the sticky sweetness of mixed butter, sugar, and flour. All that’s missing are a few lines from a cheesy Christmas carol, but instead, I hear a few orders from my mother to stir the gravy stock boiling on the stove. The mixer whizzes in the background, putting together the dough for our dessert. In just a few hours, a large turkey will be served alongside gravy that is rich and savory from the bird’s innards, and mashed potatoes so soft you could plunge right into the bowl. The night would end on a sweet yet filling note of apple pie fresh from the oven.

These are the sights and sounds I look forward to every Christmas. But last year, I found myself in a situation that broke from tradition. After sorting through the pre-Christmas work rush, I realized I had no family to celebrate Noche Buena with. My parents were both in the States and my sister had hospital duty until Christmas morning. Thankfully, a good friend of mine was willing to adopt me into her family for the holidays. I would be spending my Christmas Noche Buena in another home, feasting

on food that is part of another family’s tradition. I know I didn’t have much to complain about, but the thrill of Christmas comes from that return to tradition; amid the twists and turns of the past year, you still have the consistency and stability of family rituals and feasts to come home to.

As a creature of habit, I welcomed the yearly certainty of my family’s turkey spread. But the break from tradition also welcomed me back to the Filipino’s diverse influences when it comes to food: pancit, lumpia, lasagna, lechon, fried chicken, slow-cooked beef, decadent Oreo cheesecake cupcakes. Despite spending the season in the sleepy suburbs, I could taste a sense of the provincial fiesta in my plate. There was that return to how Filipinos mix and match different cuisines according to our palate and incorporate these into one decadent, personalized feast.

Traditions may be the foundation of our favorite memories, but present changes allow for a richer story through the years. Much like our developing culinary landscape, the Noche Buena will have elements that draw from the familiarity of homecooked cuisine while including favorites introduced from personal tastes.

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EXPERIENCE A ONE-OF-A-KIND LIFESTYLE IN THE HEART OF THE CITY.

SACRED HEART ST., SAN ANTONIO, MAKATI CITY

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FEAT URE

JAPPY GONZALEZ Retail Managing Director photoGraphY PATRICK DIOKNO

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FEAT URE

PATRICK TY Fashion Buyer

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FEAT URE

SANJ LICAROS Lifestyle Accessory Hunter photoGraphY PATRICK SEGOVIA

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FEAT URE

CHRISTMAS PRODUCE

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Homemade pastries make for the sweetest presents photoGraphY GABBY CANTERO

1. Banana choco loaf, The Bald Baker, www.thebaldbakerph.com, 0917-5116370.

2. Customized cake, Naked Cakes, 0917-6245584, nakedesserts@gmail.com.

3. Le petit gateau du crepes mignon, Dessert Du Jour, 405-2580, 0917-8116272, 0917-8036272 4. Customized cake, Naked Cakes, 0917-6245584, nakedesserts@gmail.com.

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FEAT URE

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ChristMas deCor KISH

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1. Choco crinkle and calamansi, Bundt & Brulee, 0905-2700785, bundtandbrulee@gmail.com.

2. Compost cookie and black sesame matchallow, The Bald Baker.

3. Classic choco chip and s’mores, The Bearded Baker, Power Plant Mall and Legazpi Sunday Market, 0917-9002724.

4. Salted caramel, The Bald Baker.

5. Red velvet monster cookie, The Bearded Baker, Power Plant Mall and Legazpi Sunday Market, 0917-9002724.

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COV ER STORY

FESTIVE FLOURISH

Tracie Anglo Dizon and Lucille Dizon create fantastical tableaus that usher in the special holiday mood text DEVI DE VEYRA photoGraphY WILLIAM ONG

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COV ER STORY

Cake stands, teddy bear by Seletti, available at A11. T ’nalak table runner and covered panel with embroidery and handpainted details, both by Danielle & Sachrijara.

Carved wooden birds by Chrysara.

Reindeer ceramic vase, black goblets, from A11. Vases from Nat Clave.

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COV ER STORY

GLOBAL GLAM

A playful mix of exotic elements set the stage for dinner

As creative director of A2A Safaris, Tracie Anglo Dizon has extensively traveled the world. The intrepid globetrotter brings the exotic vibe of her sojourns to the table, which, when mixed with contemporary pieces, come together as a fun and whimsical whole.

An antique narra table serves as the stage where the lady of the house arranged the carefully chosen objects from various origins. Dizon’s unerring eye is evident in the tasteful mix spread out with meticulous attention.

A T’nalak table runner provides the focal point where a centerpiece wire sculpture by Mars Bugaoan takes place of pride. The carved wooden birds watch over ceramic reindeer vases, while delicate coasters hand-beaded by the Maasai tribe in Kenya echo the vibrant colors of tropical flowers in clear glass vases.

Dizon’s vibrant assemblage sets the upbeat mood with intriguing pieces that please the eye and invite spirited conversations—perfect ingredients for a special and memorable repast.

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COV ER STORY

SPARKLING SPECTACLE

When both naturalist and maximalist urges meet, the effects are startlingly unique Jeweler Lucille Dizon combines native touches with the high-voltage allure of gems for a startling arrangement designed to dazzle and beguile. The limited edition collection was created by her sister-in-law Ginny Dizon and consists of dining accoutrements such as napkin rings, salt-and-pepper shakers, bowls, and trays.

For her tablescape, Dizon sticks to a palette of neutrals against which she staged the striking pieces.

Plates rest on mats made of native weaves; the linen is Filipiñana-accented with a gold-plated napkin ring encrusted with crystals and semi-precious stones. The carved wooden bowls are garlanded with strings of fresh-water pearls and other gem stones from which hang baroque pearls. Even the salt-and-pepper shakers are dressed to the nines with tear drop-shaped turquoise hanging from its sides.

The tantalizing tableau’s curated mix of humble and luxe elements make an intriguing tablescape that will surely be the subject of fond recollections way after dinner’s end.

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COV ER STORY

“My sister-in-law Ginny Dizon designed the collection, which was inspired by our country’s riches such as the banig weaves, wood, and mother-of-pearls, among other things. For the tablescape, I chose to juxtapose the use of geometric, beaten metal to make it contemporary and give it a unique touch.”

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Wooden bowls with garlands of fresh-water and baroque pearls with semi-precious stones; carved and painted salt-andpepper shakers with turquoise and facetted aquamarine trims; hammered silver gold-plated napkin rings with rutilated quartz and citrine from Jul B. Dizon jewelry.

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SPACE

LIVING WITH HISTORY

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FEAT URE

Ino Manalo’s interest in heritage runs deeper than mere fascination; he is currently the executive director of the National Archives.

Curious pieces of history form this culture scholar’s house text LEX CELERA illustration JILSON SECKLER TIU

The Wilson Compound in Pasay is currently a domicile for the creative, a community of homes of prominent artists, writers, and designers. The houses in the compound were built during the American colonial period, having wide windows, high ceilings, and a lack of interior hallways—ideal for the tropical weather.

While most of the structures have been renovated to fit a more modern look, one particular house, the one belonging to Ino Manalo, has embraced its provenance instead, the owner filling it with curious objects from his travels.

The two-story home is indelibly tied to his involvement with heritage protection, housing a gradually growing stockpile of historical moments. Part of this is Manalo’s own personal history: a collection of knickknacks, which took years to build, are on display, including discoveries from travels, thrift shops, and even from his previous homes in Angono, Rizal and Pakil, Laguna. The rest is comprised of pieces from a wider narrative. Philippine craft items redesigned for a

contemporary setting abound, such as woven mats and baskets, objects from Manalo’s old home furnishing store Tahanan, which closed more than a decade ago.

After living in another ancestral home in Baclayon, Bohol, Manalo took to repairing the old house while spending time in another dwelling in Makati. Then the house in Bohol got damaged by the devastating 2013 earthquake while the one in Makati served him an eviction notice. Manalo, heartbroken and short on time, found a home in the Wilson Compound, an airy and fertile redeemer in the condensed heart of the city.

There’s a certain curiosity in the mise en scene of objects inside the home, how they come with their own histories yet make narrative sense when placed side by side. In Manalo’s abode, the past is not synonymous with decay and abandon. Rather, the house and the items living within it are repositories of memory, of stories that find new beginnings in old places, inherently Filipino, and capturing the idyllic and the vagabond at the same time.

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Between the two ceramic owls is a wall that, through forced perspective, hides a stairwell leading to the ground floor.

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SPACE

Clockwise from top: Manalo’s house in Baclayon used native materials for construction: stone, wood, and bamboo; Oil paintings and local antiques share the same space in Manalo’s Pasay house; Folk art from Bohol— santos enshrined in their urnas— add color to the Baclayon house’s dining room.

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“It’s giving importance to the past to make it useful for the present that makes me want to live in places like this.

Your country must be represented in your home.”

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ST YLE

MYSTERIES OF JANE She pays pale homage to the season in hushed, sweetly-hued separates stYlinG EDLENE CABRAL photoGraphY CENON NORIAL III

Dress, P2,995, Miss Selfridge, Greenbelt 3.

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ST YLE

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ST YLE

Long-sleeved top, P999, Sfera, SM Makati.

Skirt, P2,995, Topshop, Power Plant Mall.

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Dress, P2,995, Miss Selfridge, Greenbelt 3.

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ST YLE

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ST YLE Trench coat, P2,985, Forever 21, SM Mall of Asia.

Cowl neck top, P2,395, Topshop, Power Plant Mall.

Skirt, P2,995, Miss Selfridge, Greenbelt 3.

Bralette, P590, Beetroot, Beetroot.ph

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ST YLE

Dress, P2,395, Dorothy Perkins, SM Mall of Asia.

MaKeup CHUCHIE LEDESMA Hair BULLET REYES Model EVE OF ELITE MANILA shot on loCation PRINT TOWN, LAGUNA

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ST YLE

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ST YLE

Turtleneck top, P1,690, River Island, SM Aura Premier.

Skirt, P990, Forever 21, SM Mall of Asia.

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FEAT URE

SWEET INTENTIONS

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SPECIAL FEAT URE

LEAD A HASSLE-FREE LIFESTYLE Enjoy all kinds of access to your financial needs

Last November 8, an assembly of 250 smart and pretty Megan Young lookalikes dressed in blue armed with placards simultaneously raided Bonifacio High Street, Greenhills Promenade, SM City Cebu, Abreeza Malls, and Glorietta and demanded freedom from banking hassles.

Today’s technology-driven world demands quick results, additional conveniences, and better developments. Whether you’re a home-based entrepreneur, a working mother, a get-go millennial, or an updated techie, it’s crucial for your financial needs and resources to be readily accessible wherever you are and whatever you are up to. Unfortunately some banks still put customers through long lines, offline ATMS, unstable connections, and prolonged phone calls with customer service. If you are still experiencing these difficulties and annoyances with your bank, then it’s

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time to switch. Thankfully Security Bank has removed such nuisances with its All Access Account, a bank account that goes beyond providing people with a checkbook, passbook and ATM card.

Unlike other bank accounts, the All Access Account no longer puts you through the usual stresses of banking errands. A minimum deposit of PHP 5,000 is all you need to free yourself from the inconvenience of inter-branch transaction fees, complicated mobile banking apps, and hard-toremember app passwords. Sending money is made possible even to someone without a bank account, all they need is a mobile number. Avoid the preregistration process and withdraw anywhere abroad care of the ATM card.The built-in MasterCard Debit facility also lets you use the ATM to shop online and at any international destination.

Security Bank is giving you a chance to experience Banking Freedom as they are raffling off 25 All Access Accounts with a PHP 25,000 balance. To avail of this luck, one has to visit any Security Bank branch, hear what they have to say about the account, and drop a signed business card in any designated drop box.

The 25 winners will have every financial convenience through a passbook, checkbook, and an Everyday ATM Debit MasterCard in just one account, plus all other perks that come with it. Individuals have until December 8, 2015 to avail of the promo.

Visit https://www.securitybank.com/freedom for more details.

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FEAT URE

Flourless Chocolate Cookies

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FEAT URE

Indulge in the many reincarnations of good ol’ cocoa that go beyond the cup text DENISE DANIELLE ALCANTARA stYlinG and photoGraphY JACLYN GARCIA AND JAYDEE DE JESUS OF TEN THOUSANDTH SPOON

As soon as the –ber months come rolling in, bright lights, laboriously decorated trees, and well-wrapped gifts spring up. The change in season also means getting extra indulgent on cool evenings, a comforting cup of hot cocoa in one hand and a good book in the other. But there are other ways to enjoy the rich, deliciously sweet, and slightly bitter delight that nature’s own dark concoction brings.

Flourless Chocolate Cookies Have you been naughty or nice this year? Instead of leaving a plate of chocolate chip cookies and a glass of milk for Santa, bake him something new after centuries of his eating the same old thing every Christmas Eve. INGREDIENTS: Semi-sweet chocolate chips, powedered sugar, cocoa powder, walnuts, almonds, salt, egg whites, vanilla extract.

PREP: Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Whisk the egg whites until white and foamy. Fold in the vanilla extract and add the dry ingredients.

from heat and fold in the yolks. Put the bowl back over boiling water and cook for about 5 minutes.

Roughly chop the biscuits, raisins, walnuts, and almonds and pour them into the bowl of melted dark chocolate. Mix cocoa powder and cold milk in a small pot and bring to boil until mixture thickens.

Pour on top of the dark chocolate mixture then cover with plastic wrap. Set in the refrigerator for 45 minutes until firm. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on the counter and place the mixture on it. Form into a log and wrap as tightly as you can. Chill in refrigerator overnight.

Brigadeiro A common no-bake Brazilian delicacy that is served at any occasion, this snack can also double as a gift idea with just some colorful sprinkles atop it and packaged in a box.

INGREDIENTS: Condensed milk, cocoa powder, unsalted butter, pure vanilla.

PREP: Mix condensed milk, cocoa powder, and softened butter together. Cook in a non-stick pan for around 8 to10 minutes or until it thickens.

Cocoa-dusted Almonds Remove from heat and mix in the vanilla extract.

Warm up a party with a different take on your regular Spread on a greased plate and cool. Roll into balls snack mix appetizer. and dust with cocoa powder.

INGREDIENTS: Raw whole almonds, vanilla, brown sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder.

Mini Chocolate Banana Bundt Cakes PREP: Mix the vanilla, brown sugar, and almonds The distinctive ring-shaped dessert usually piques the in a bowl. Spread on a parchment-lined baking interest of any sweet tooth. To make it special and sheet and bake for 10 minutes. After baking, put personal, you may change up the flavors of the glaze. in a bowl and add cocoa powder. Toss until all the INGREDIENTS: Very ripe bananas, melted butter, almonds are well-coated. brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, semiChocolate Salami sweet chocolate chips, powdered sugar, milk.

This dark chocolate dessert may take a cylindrical form PREP: Mash bananas and mix in the melted like a salami, but don’t mistake this as a meaty treat. butter, egg, brown sugar, and vanilla. Sift allAdd rum for that additional kick. purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and INGREDIENTS: Dark chocolate, butter, egg yolks, cocoa powder over the banana mixture. Stir in the cocoa powder, biscuits, raisins, chopped almonds, chocolate chips. Pour into greased mini bundt tins walnuts, milk. and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Prepare the glaze PREP: Completely melt dark chocolate and butter by mixing together powdered sugar and water until in a heatproof bowl over boiling water. Remove the desired consistency is achieved.

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Cocoa-dusted Almonds

Brigadeiro

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Mini Chocolate Banana Bundt Cakes

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Chocolate Salami

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M ARKET

THE BEST IN WRAP

When the wrapper matters as much as the gift text and stYlinG JENNIFER LAGDAMEO photoGraphY PATRICK SEGOVIA

1. Lup candle holder in solid brass, P1789, Hay, Cura V, Power Plant Mall.

2. Black sinamay roll, P45 (per yard) or P430 (per roll), The Wrap Shop, Power Plant Mall.

3. Marbled storage box, P400, Heima LRI building.

4. Gold ribbon and gold “berries,” P55, The Wrap Shop, Power Plant Mall.

5. Honeycomb candles, P150 (set of two), Ritual.

6. “Maligayang Pasko” gift cards, P5 (per piece), Ritual.

7. Piña tray in gold, P950, Aranaz, Power Plant Mall.

8. White long diamond and pink large diamond, Studio Magee by Liliana Manahan, P595 each, AC+632, Greenbelt 5.

9. Cheers gift tag, P80 (assorted pack of four), Wrapology, 0917-78072706.

10. TADECO hand-printed wrapping paper in assorted prints and colors, P120 (per sheet), Bungalow 300.

11. “Toile de Jouy” gift wrapper, P200 (set of 4), Kish, 233 N. Garcia St., Bel-Air, Makati City.

12. Palm print and malachite print gift wrapper, P45 each, Aranaz Tu, Power Plant Mall.

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EATS Even with his Coca, Slappy Cakes, Genki Sushi, and Mango Tree franchises, this is one of Teng’s most creative restaurants yet.

A HINT OF SPICE

Cocina Peruvia stirs the appetites of local diners with exotic dishes and a variety of spices text LOREN DIMAANO photoGraphY JILSON SECKLER TIU

There is a fine line between Filipino diners that indulge in familiar tastes and those that risk new flavors. Both concepts attract the curious eater yet both also fall prey to the dangers of sticking to a specific menu. Cocina Peruvia is one of the local food industry players that are able to marry both, plating authentic Peruvian dishes with an influence of recognizable Filipino ingredients. Within its bright blue and orange walls, a feast of two worlds mix in a brave cuisine.

Head chef Him Uy de Baron playfully teases diners’ tongues with Peruvian spices and peppers such as aji amarillo. He has also mastered an authentic Peruvian menu, creating appetizers of ceviches with a contrast of flavors; a bite of the Japanese-inspired Ceviche Nikkei has salmon and jackfish bathed in leche de tigre, coconut milk, and lemon. The Pollo Saltado is served to those who are looking to satisfy their craving for a true Peruvian chicken dish.

But despite living up to expectations, there is one lacking dish that owner Eric Teng himself prefers not to be included: the cuy. Even with the quest to preserve the authenticity of the Peruvian menu and dishes, Teng prefers to avoid offending those who have guinea pigs as pets. But the rest of the menu

does not disappoint. For diners with adventurous appetites, Cocina Peruvia offers the Anticucho de Corazon de Vaca, which initially looks like simple barbecue before its texture and meaty taste reveal that it is actually cow heart. With no pungent, unwanted aftertaste, the platter is sure to be the highlight of the Peruvian experience.

There is a place in the menu for hesitant eaters looking for the familiar: their Adobo Peruvia, with traditional pork belly and onions. Even with thinner slices compared to the traditional chunks of chicken or beef parts and presented in a different manner, the taste offers the same comfort. The Arroz con Mariscos, a Peruvian take on the classic paella, is a savory mixture of rice, shrimp, mussels, squid, and, for a kick of spice, aji amarillo. Cap it off on a sweet high note and indulge in the Galera de Chocolate.

The chocolate’s sweetness is not overpowering, presenting a creamy and tamed dessert perfect for any sweet tooth. The menu’s got a whole list of choices that will astound you with how the most uncanny elements can create a new appreciation of taste with the lingering comfort of familiarity. Cocina Peruvia exists to introduce Peruvian dishes in the friendliest way possible.

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“Cocina Peruvia offers the Anticucho de Corazon de Vaca, which initially looks like simple barbecue before its texture and meaty taste reveal that it is actually cow heart.”

Clockwise from top: Owner Eric Teng and head chef Him Uy De Baron;The interiors play with shades of orange, blue, and green; Ceviche Mixto, Ceviche Nikkei, and Ceviche Pescado.

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EATS Diners looking for the ultimate Peruvian experience may order its famous Pollo Saltado.

Cocina Peruvia. Bonifacio One Technology Tower, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. 955-9975.

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EATS Unit 27 offers its take on sizzling gambas, served with bits of Lucban longganisa.

UNIT OF MEASURE

Here, every corner and every flavor is familiar in its best definition text ROMEO MORAN photoGraphY PATRICK SEGOVIA

Unit 27 is a home. Unit 27 is home.

Of course, nobody lives in the restaurant on the corner of 5th and 25th in BGC. It’s only a simulacrum of the idea of home, what the owners would want you to believe. If it feels like home, it’s because they’ve made the atmosphere warm and inviting, from the soft glow of the lights to the shelves of books that anyone can read in comfy chairs. If it tastes like it, it’s because the place is the newest entry in a rising trend of establishments offering comfort food.

“It’s all comfort food. It’s all Western comfort food,” says chef Francis Tolentino, one of the partners in the Game Changers Company, the outfit behind establishments such as Unit 27 and the Lake District in Tagaytay. “We believe in comfort. Nowadays, as you can see, there are a lot of concepts. There are a lot of restaurants here—French, Italian, Japanese, Thai—but for us, comfort food is something you will always look forward to, something you can eat every day.”

By its very nature, the concept of comfort food defies categorization, and we cannot solely rely on that signifier when we describe Unit 27’s menu. If you’re craving American and/or Filipino brunch food, if that is what you’re thinking of when you say “comfort food,” then Unit 27 should be the first thing on your mind.

They want to be the first thing on your mind.

Unit 27 specializes in all-day brunch, a collection of super-sized entrees: a Filipino-themed continental breakfast starring bagnet, heaping slabs of doublesmoked Aussie barbeque bacon and egg, a monstrous Chef’s tuna sandwich, a sizzling plate of savory gambas, baked salmon sitting atop a mountain of mashed potatoes, just to name a few.

The idea of comfort food is that in your indulgence, you become lost in the food before you, and it’s a formula they’ve nailed. Each dish is a bounty of familiar flavors; you wouldn’t want to stop eating it, but eventually you’ll be full and satisfied. “Technically, it’s breakfast and lunch, so it’s going to be huge servings,” remarks Tolentino.

The bar and café is also a vast loft spanning three high floors. The first two floors comprise the café part while the third floor is an almost entirely new world: it’s a bar/events space called the Unit 27 House Party. As with any house, this is the corner where people drink, unwind, and let loose.

However different the feel of each floor may be, the entire place is still tied together by a pervading sense of home; that’s the intention, after all. “That’s why we always say, welcome home,” says Tolentino. “Because we want you to feel that this is your second home.” All that’s missing, then, is a place to sleep and shower.

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EATS Clockwise from top: Baked Salmon; Unit 27 serves all-day brunch, familiar, comforting flavors that conjure up memories of home; The restaurant’s Continental breakfast, starring an unusual entrÊe, the bagnet.

Unit 27 Apartment Bar+Cafe. Icon Plaza, 5th Ave. cor. 25th St., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City. 894-1692. 0998-5569129.

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EATS Adaäm and Yves offers a spread of the Pink Floyd, Faux Gras, and How to Say No paired with a sip of the Williamsburg.

EARTHLY TEMPTATIONS

At Adaäm and Yves, going organic is the original virtue text RENZ NOLLASE photoGraphY JILSON SECKLER TIU

Entering Adaäm and Yves, one would wonder if this space that speaks of Berlin or Scandinavia is truly home to a humble bowl of porridge and not the expected cut of prime wagyu steak. In a twist that delights the tongue, they serve both, capped off with organic wine from Europe.

For its name and industrial decor, an allusion to Eden and its first dwellers, owner Sean Go explains that the guiding principle is a return to the beginning and to the basics. It departs, however, from the path to earthly paradise with the absence of rustic elements typical to the organic movement.

Despite the air of mystery affected by metal chains that tether stools to the high ceiling or the slow spiraling motion of brass light fixtures in the center of black velvet booths, Adaäm and Yves serves up comfort cuisine that’s familiar to one’s palate—familiar yet also elevated, not by fancy culinary undertakings but by their humble organic ingredients.

The usual white rice porridge, for example, pales in comparison to the Pink Floyd, an arroz caldo

made special by the organic pink rice that bursts with sweetness and is delicious on its own even after the gingery chicken broth dissolves on the tongue. Their Faux Gras, free-range chicken liver pâté, is a delicious start to any meal, the small drops of raspberry jam providing refreshing contrast to the bitter mineral taste of liver. The How to Say No, homemade organic chicken tocino with black garlic fried rice and eggs, lives up to its name as the first to go from the dishes served. It’s delightful to find shreds of crispy atsara underneath the hydroponic greens that go well with the garlicky, sweet piece of meat.

For the people behind this organic bistro—owners Go and Leslie Tan together with Chef Oni Castillo—it all boils down to promoting an organic and sustainable way of eating. Go concludes, “[Whether] the place looks fancy, hip, or cool, when you eat here, you’ll be happy. We want diners to experience something they’ll remember and will help them put organic food into their diet, to make them feel that it’s not just one trend that everyone is trying to follow.”

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EATS Clockwise from left: Metal elements complement a rustic design; Bitter-sweet Faux Gras; Chef Oni and the team.

Ada채m & Yves Organic Bistro, G/F Icon Plaza, 25th St. Corner 6th Ave., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City. 801-6048. www.adaamandyves.com.

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EATS The John Dee Super Gold 160 Day Grain-Fed Black Angus T-Bone is best paired with a serving of creamy Mashed PotatoesGarlic Chips. All good for sharing.

ALL BETS OFF

A meal at Ruby Jack’s Steakhouse and Bar is always a winning deal text DENISE DANIELLE ALCANTARA photoGraphY PATRICK SEGOVIA

Decks of cards shuffling, slot machines ringing, and brave gamblers jeering—these are what you usually expect when you walk into the golden gates of the City of Dreams. Beyond the grand glass revolving door, the casino seems to be the only establishment inside the building.

But turn right and you will find a lengthier-thanusual escalator leading to a hallway filled with a diverse selection of restaurants. One of the newest kids on this golden block is Ruby Jack’s Steakhouse and Bar. Exposed to cause every carnivore’s mouth to water, huge cuts of raw meat are casually hung at the restaurant’s frontage, ranging from wagyu to Australian and U.S. beef. In addition to this visual theatric, a peek into the restaurant will reveal head chef Eric Turgeon grilling slabs of meat to perfection.

Start off a meal here with a refreshing platter of Boutique Tomatoes: a row of sweet tomatoes from

Fukkoka, Japan topped with Gorgonzola cheese and shaved onions. Curiosity may have dragged you to eat their steak but you can also opt to order a rack of slow-cooked premium lamb, twice-cooked kurobuta pork chop, or a plate full of the freshest fish, lobster, and scallops. Then, end your meal satisfactorily with a Japanese-style Baked Cheesecake, baked three times to achieve a molten lava cake-like consistency.

Prior to its opening, Ruby Jack restaurant manager Thiago Harada had flown in all the way from Tokyo to train the staff and ensure top-notch quality service in the new franchise. He talks about bringing in a wide selection of premium wines and points at a crate filled with six bottles of them. “This box is worth around two million pesos.” He isn’t joking, by the way; excellent quality is the restaurant’s top priority. Whether you win the jackpot at the downstairs casino or not, it’s easy to find a reason to head up here and celebrate.

Ruby Jack’s Steakhouse and Bar. Upper Ground Floor, City of Dreams, Aseana Blvd. cor. Roxas Blvd., Parañaque City. 801-8888. www.facebook.com/rubyjacksmanila.

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EATS Clockwise from left: Strawberry jelly with coconutlychee sorbet; A collection of fine wine and spirits from across the globe; Head chef Eric Turgeon butchers the huge cuts of beef into serving sizes.

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RECIPE

IN THE PITS

Start things off with this festive and easy appetizer text and stYlinG CHARLIE CARBUNGCO photoGraphY PATRICK SEGOVIA

PRUNES WITH ROQUEFORT, RAISINS, AND PINE NUTS INGREDIENTS

100 g Roquefort cheese 25 g pine nuts 1/4 cup raisins 1 tbsp. sweet sherry 4 tbsp. single cream 12 ready-to-eat prunes

PREPARATION 1. Crumble cheese in a bowl. Add pine nuts, raisins, sherry, and cream.

Mix to a paste.

2. Remove pits from prunes and stuff with cheese paste.

3. Close prunes and secure with a cocktail stick.

4. Chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.

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T HE GET

WINNER, WINNER, CHICKEN DINNER

An accompaniment to your Sunday roast text BEA J. LEDESMA

There’s wisdom to the technique behind that pedestrian dish Beer Can Chicken, often employed at tailgating events and rustic family barbecues. The chicken is perched on the beer can of choice, submerged inside the cavity, serving as foundation to keep the chicken erect, the steamy amber liquid basting from within. The result is actually far from pedestrian and should be attempted at least once—whether over a charcoal grill or an indoor oven.

For more hirsute culinary pursuits, this French chicken roaster

by Malle W. Trousseau does the same. Plop the chicken on the cone, allowing heat to circulate around the chicken to develop crisp skin. Toss some vegetables (the trifecta: carrots, onions, and celery) around the fowl, pour some of your favorite ale, and leave in the oven for about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the size of your protein. Voila! The fancier yet fuss-free beer can chicken.

Available at Kish, 233 N. Garcia St., Bel-Air, Makati City. 896-8366.

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