Northern Living: 2016 December

December 2016 Volume 11 | Issue 4

NEW ORDER

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CONT ENTS 05 CRAFT Embellished wrappers

10 COVER STORY The Acuzars are building communities through art and heritage

Cover photo by Joseph Pascual 23 EATS Singaporean hawkers invade Manila

DECEMBER 2016 04 FIXTURE Looking into a fading tradition

26 RECIPE Frozen leche flan

18 FEATURE The changing landscape of MMFF

28 THE GET Cheesy bites from Japan’s capital

20 MARKET Unwrapping sweet and savory gifts

EDITOR’S NOTE Moments in time ’Tis the time to spread love, give thanks, and be merry. This month, we celebrate many things: Christmas, our 13th month pay, a holiday vacation, much-awaited reunions, and, of course, food, among many other practical and impractical things.

But this is also the time to reflect on the year that was, the things we’ve accomplished and the things we should’ve, the crazy turn of events across the globe, and the memories we’ve shared, whether good or bad, with the people we love.

In this issue, we focus on the goodness that this season brings: what matters the most and what to do and give to make our loved ones feel joy. These include a

new breed of Metro Manila Film Festival movies that are about to roll out in cinemas nationwide, a series of different gift-wrapping styles, edible treats that are perfect as gifts, and more.

For our cover story, we sat down with Jam Acuzar and talked about heritage and art as vital players in community-building and their relevance today. She says, “Heritage and art are the easiest and mildest reminders of parts of our history— the things we shouldn’t forget.

Now, we are facing a collective memory loss in our society. Perhaps we should have done more when it comes to exposing our ideas through art and culture.”

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Northern Living is published by Hinge Inquirer Publications. 4F Media Resource Plaza, Mola corner Pasong Tirad Streets, Barangay La Paz, Makati City. Visit www.facebook.com/ northernlivingmagazine now. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter at @nlivingph.

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This magazine was printed responsibly using recycled papers with biodegradable inks.

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W ISH LIST

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NORTHERNliving GROUP PUBLISHER BEA J. LEDESMA MANAGING EDITOR DENISE DANIELLE ALCANTARA EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS KRISTELLE ANN BATCHELOR, OLIVER EMOCLING CREATIVE DIRECTOR NIMU MUALLAM ART DIRECTOR EDRIC DELA ROSA GRAPHIC ARTIST DANICA CONDEZ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER PATRICK SEGOVIA INTERNS RICA SINGH, IANNE VILLANUEVA

The Living team�s holiday wish list

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CONTRIBUTORS WRITERS CHARLIE CARBUNGCO, SAM FERNANDEZ PHOTOGRAPHERS JOSEPH PASCUAL, JILSON SECKLER TIU STYLISTS CHARLIE CARBUNGCO, RIA CASCO, KATHLEEN PEÑAFRANDA HAIR AND MAKEUP BULLET REYES COPY EDITOR SEPTEMBER GRACE MAHINO PROOFREADER PAM BROOKE CASIN EDITORIAL CONSULTANT RIA FRANCISCO-PRIETO

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01 Bea Ledesma, Publisher Amberlyn sugar free chocolates 02 Nimu Muallam, Creative Director Wataru slip-ons by Luis Espiritu 03 Denise Alcantara, Managing Editor Siargao 04 Danica Condez, Graphic Artist The Cinema of Wong Kar Wai book

05 Edric dela Rosa, Art Director Burger Machine franchise 06 Oliver Emocling, Editorial Assistant Vanda Luzonica 07 Kristelle Batchelor, Editorial Assistant Tiffany & Co. necklace

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CAPTURED DIFFERENTLY The tradition of taking family portraits is seeing a tremendous change

TEXT KRISTELLE ANN BATCHELOR ILLUSTRATION DANICA CONDEZ

Seasoned portraitist Sara Black believes that technology has irrevocably molded civilization, with photography as one of its most radical agents. “People now prefer to take their own pictures, even just with their phones, to post them then tag each other online and be connected that way,” she says.

Somehow, the practice of getting family studio portraits taken, especially during the Christmas season, now feels about as quaint as an old, tattered, sepia photograph. In her 13 years as a lensman, Black says she sees less and less families partaking in the tradition because photography has become so accessible.

Photographer and videographer Tammy David agrees. With more user-friendly equipment, people are now more tech-savvy and develop photography skills on their own. Even the once ardent Westerners, who are fond of the traditional family portraits, are veering away from the practice. By the least, they would rather resort to sending e-cards, David says.

She recalls that, as a kid, relatives who were based in the States would send Christmas cards with family photos included where everyone in the picture wore matching sweaters or their Sunday’s best. These days, even David’s own family no longer conforms. She says they would just rely on the camera’s self-timer function and simply print the photos. Reminiscing the good old days, David recalls, “when I was younger, family portraits were important so I have something to show for assignments in school. I like looking back at how my family used to spend Christmas together even when I was an angsty, unattractive teenager. Christmas portraits are always good for remembrance.”

But she says there are still a few families that deviate. Professionally-taken holiday portraits haven’t become obsolete, thanks in part to the Kardashians who ostentatiously persist with the tradition. Fans await their annual Kardashian Kristmas Kard, which they’ve been releasing since the late �80s and serves as a visual marker for how the clan grew through the years.

“I still know some people who prefer the oldfashioned studio setting,” David says. “I see more well-done images now in different social platforms like Instagram and Facebook. There are still a handful who hire professionals or go to mall studios to have their portraits taken, with the parents still framing the prints and putting them atop the piano.”

In hindsight, David says traditions seem to have changed on the surface level but their essence stays.

“Enough with the white shirt, blue jeans, and barefoot look, but if families are happy to see themselves portrayed that way, or in complete formal wear with hats, then great. [The bottom line is,] Christmas portraits are always good for remembrance.”

Photographer Janine Uy, who specializes in newborn, family, and boudoir shoots, also says family portraits are still popular especially during the -ber months. Working behind the camera, she sees the importance of this tradition. “I wish all families make it a point to have their photographs taken. Photographs are forever, and you will want to have something to look back on years from now— something to show how your family has grown and changed through the years.”

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OUT OF THE BOX Dress up your gifts with festive details

TEXT AND STYLING KATHLEEN PEÑARANDA OF KNOTSANDPANS.COM PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA

GARDEN LEAVES WREATH Sprigs of garden leaves Wire Scissors Round wire base (optional) 1. Prepare at least 5 sprigs of garden leaves, each about 4 inches long. For a bigger wreath, you’ll need at least 10.

2. Bundle up the sprigs and use wire to keep them in place.

3. If you’re using a round base, attach the bundled sprigs to the base with wire until the whole circumference of the base is covered. If you’re working without a base, shape the bundled sprigs into a circle with wire.

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CR AF T POMPOMS 6-inch-long string of yarn A roll of yarn Scissors A piece of cardboard 1. Loop the yarn around the cardboard 30 times; for a bigger, fuller pompom, use a longer piece of cardboard and loop yarn around it 50 times. Trim off the end.

2. Tie the 6-inch-long string of yarn around the looped yarn.

3. Slide off the cardboard. Tighten the knot to create a ball. Flip the ball and make a knot out of the two ends of yarn. Leave the ends hanging.

4. Snip off all the loops around the ball.

5. Trim the pompom, cutting off errant threads and loose ends. The closer you get towards the center, the denser the pompom will be.

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TASSELS 3-inch string of yarn 6-inch string of yarn A roll of yarn Scissors A piece of cardboard 1. Loop the yarn around the cardboard 30 times; for a bigger tassel, use a longer piece of cardboard and loop yarn around it at least 50 times. Trim off the end.

2. Thread the 6-inch string of yarn through one end of yarn-covered cardboard and make a knot. This will be the top portion of the tassel.

3. Slip off the cardboard. To create the tassel fringe, snip off the loops of the other end of the yarn.

4. Wrap the 3-inch string of yarn around the bundled top portion of the tassel. Make a knot to secure it and snip away the excess threads.

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COV ER STORY

NEW OLD SPACES Vest, Sune, www.shopsune.com.

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COV ER STORY

Making and preserving memories are vocations of a lifetime for the Azucars TEXT DENISE DANIELLE ALCANTARA PHOTOGRAPHY JOSEPH PASCUAL

“You think of simpler times when you don’t have the luxury of time anymore.”

José Acuzar, owner and founder of New San Jose Builders, Inc. and Las Casas de Filipinas de Acuzar, had raised his three girls in the grasslands by the beach, in a modest box of a house in Balanga, Bataan.

“In front of the river, where the swimming pool is, was where the house used to be,” points out Jam, one of his daughters. She goes on to describe how the vast land is, where over 40 heritage houses were resituated and rebuilt; how small the river used to be before her father carved out a lake that is now central to all the heritage houses; how there were more stars visible then; and how quiet the evenings were.

Las Casas de Filipinas de Acuzar was the Azucar patriarch’s brainchild. As his architecture business thrived, José began upgrading his own house and started a collection of antiques. “He filled a house with his antiques, from old floors to old doors, then he realized, ‘Why collect parts of the house when I can buy the whole house?’” Jam recounts. That’s when he thought of moving old homes to one

location, bayanihan-style, but instead of nipa huts being carried by men on their backs from one barrio to another, he moved Spanish colonial structures and even a traditional Maranao house across provinces and bodies of water. As he was in the business of construction and real estate, José went the more inventive, bordering-on-crazy route of dismantling an entire house, numbering each and every part, transporting them to Bataan, and then rebuilding the house for restoration.

“These houses could no longer withstand the pollution in the city. A lot of them were being abandoned. They have no use anymore and were being inhabited by illegal settlers,” says Jam, who is also very much involved in her dad’s passion project.

With a major in Art History and Economics, she came home after finishing her studies and doing several jobs abroad to help in the family business and with Las Casas.

She has a supplementary vision of her own for Las Casas, though. Aside from creating all the materials and crafts for the restoration and recreation of

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some of the structures’ details in-house, she’s also through art or visual culture. I strongly believe that’s incorporating art into the mix. “My dream was how culture is built and how communities gather basically to provide a space for contemporary art around a common interest and eventually embody in a heritage-inspired location,” she says. Thus, the the visual culture,” she says fervently. “Art preserves old meets the new: while contemporary art is more a message or a memory that cannot be immortalized symbolic, heritage houses reflect the day and age they through historical records, documentation, or were built. archiving alone. It’s important The first house relocated to that we treat it this way rather and restored at Las Casas is the than just putting it in our private Escuela de Belles Artes or Casa spaces.” Jam has also organized a Quiapo, which housed the first residency program for both local U.P. School of Fine Arts and was “My dream was basically and international artists. Closely the former mansion of Filipino working with curator Diana intellectual and painter Rafael Campbell Betancourt in polishing to provide a space for Enriquez y Villanueva; he would the program, she has invited contemporary art in a international artists to produce hold workshops here with his peers José Rizal, Juan Luna, and heritage-inspired location.” work that can be exhibited in Las Félix Hidalgo. The house was Casas or in her new venture in also the inspiration behind the Makati, The Outpost.

Belles Artes Projects, which Jam With the goal of disseminating founded in the belief that the first art among a wider audience and step in introducing contemporary cutting across different sectors art to a community is through an exhibition. of society, The Outpost at the Karrivin Alley in Consequently, she invited artists Alfredo Esquillo Jr., Makati will serve as a community center, providing Renato Habulan, and Geraldine Javier to showcase the youth uninhibited access. “Even if you’ve their works inside the historic space. “The best way to studied art history, contemporary art remains a communicate ideas and philosophies were always done completely different language. You can’t simply

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NORTHERNliving

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“Now, we are facing collective memory loss in our society; perhaps we should have done more with exposing our ideas through art and culture.”

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COV ER STORY The Acuzars built workshops in situ to restore, recreate, and constantly renovate the houses.

study it; you have to go to exhibitions and see the works for yourself.”

With The Outpost’s doors set to open in January of 2017, Jam intends to bring the works of Bataan craftsmen to the metro, as well as contemporary art from both local and foreign artists and books from different institutions, museums, and galleries all over the world.

“The whole point is to get people to understand that art should be viewed and experienced and talked about. It’s not something you walk in and out of and then say, ‘it’s cool!’ or simply take photos.”

With bigger plans ahead and more opportunities related to heritage conservation and art falling onto the Azucars’ laps, both father and daughter are always in motion, hopping from meeting to meeting, controlling the quality of every aspect of the business, and thinking of ways to improve their current vision. Looking back to

when she was younger, Jam reflects on how much the times have changed. “One of the most special memories I have was when we would swim in the beach at night.

Back then, no one was there, except for people from local towns. We would all just float in the water, watch the stars, and feel the soft waves. Now, it’s completely different; I can’t even get quiet time with my dad.” She admits, however, “I don’t think [I’d] want anything back, but it’s nice to hold on to those memories.”

Even with the world now hyper-connected, forgetting the past seems too easy. More than ever, heritage and art are substantive means for remembering.

“They are the easiest and mildest reminders of parts of our history—the things we shouldn’t forget. Now, we are facing collective memory loss in our society; perhaps we should have done more with exposing our ideas through art and culture.”

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To know more about this product visit Sharp’s official website www.sharp.ph and Facebook page, Sharp Philippines.

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FEAT URE

NOW SHOWING

PHOTO BY DANIEL GARCIA / AFP

The Metro Manila Film Festival makes a bid to recapture some of its lost glory—but is it too little, too late?

TEXT OLIVER EMOCLING

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“We can never go back to what was before. We can only move forward and design a new paradigm for the next generation of moviegoers.”

Aside from the flickering lights, the carols, the bibingka and puto bumbong, the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is a hallmark of the most festive part of the year for Filipinos. It starts with the Parade of the Stars, often celebrated either on Dec. 23rd or on Christmas Eve, with floats from participating films joining. Then on Christmas Day, people line up at the cinemas, ready to spend their aguinaldo on the movies. “It used to be a tradition,” says director Jose Javier Reyes, one of the most awarded directors in the history of MMFF. “But somehow, the novelty of that tradition was replaced by too many controversies and too many questions about choices and awards.”

Established by former Manila mayor Antonio Villegas in 1966, MMFF, then known as the Manila Film Festival intended to uplift the Filipino film industry. Recently, however, the festival has favored the films’ commercial viability over their form and content. “It became a tiangge rather than a film festival. Producers saw the festival as an opportunity to use tried, tested, beaten, even silly templates, just as long as they delivered box office results,” says Reyes.

“I think the anomaly [rose] when people still expected MMFF to be a showcase of brilliantly-made films but were instead served with the most expensive commercial extravaganzas and an assortment of franchise titles.”

The festival is changing this year. For one, it has accepted only finished films as entries; in previous years, the only requirement was a finished screenplay. There will also be no consideration given to box office gains when it comes to the Best Picture award, with this year’s criteria centered on technical excellence and powerful storytelling. Executive committee member Moira Lang also attests that the rules are strictly-implemented this year. “We never saw the list of entries. It’s kept from everyone. It’s held close to her chest by the executive director Atty. Rochelle Ona,” she says, clarifying that the executive committee’s duty is to oversee the implementation of rules.

This year’s MMFF is comprised of two sections: the main competition and the short film competition. Short film entries will be shown before the screening of fulllength ones instead of having a separate program, which was done in previous years. The New Wave section, introduced in 2010 to attract independent filmmakers, was also abolished. “We wanted to do away with the stereotyping and the boxing in and marginalizing of smaller producers because labels have been perpetuated

for so long,” explains Lang, noting that “mainstream” simply refers to the audience. This year, what remains in MMFF are, simply, films.

“It’s great that it’s so democratized, that folks like us get to make films outside the support of the usual studio system,” director Avid Liongoren, who entered his animated film Saving Sally into this year’s festival, wrote in an e-mail. However, independent filmmakers still face challenges. “The entrance fee is more expensive than what it costs to submit an entry to Cannes, Berlin, or any premiere festival in the world,” says director Baby Ruth Villarama, who entered her documentary Sunday Beauty Queen in the competition. Lang agrees with Villarama. The amusement taxes culled from MMFF go to beneficiaries from the movie industry. However, in the recent years, the expenses of the festival were also defrayed from the taxes. For this year, Lang says that the amusement taxes will all go now to the beneficiaries while the entry fee will cover the expenses of the festival.

Lang also acknowledges further challenges the eight films would still encounter during the festival run. For one, previous MMFF installments had seen films getting pulled out from cinemas even just on the second day. “Not all films are blockbusters or were made in the blockbuster mode.

Some may become sleeper hits, some may become even bigger than those marketed as blockbusters.” She believes that films should stay in cinemas for at least two weeks to see how they fare in the box office. “We have to find a happy middle ground with commercial theaters where every film will be given the chance to be screened,” she continues, hoping that there will finally be sustainability for producers through MMFF. “It’s not just the festival that has changed. The conditions may be different from before, but all of us also changed.”

Recent memories of MMFF may be bleak, but Reyes points out, “it was in the MMFF that you had classics like Celso Ad Castillo’s Burlesk Queen, Eddie Romero’s Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon?, Mike de Leon’s Kisapmata, Lino Brocka’s Insiang, and so many others.”

These were better memories of the festival and perhaps, there is no way to bring it back to its former glory. “We can never go back to what was before. We can only move forward and design a new paradigm for the next generation of moviegoers,” says Villarama. Would all these changes suffice to replace the rather tragic image of MMFF? The answer will be seen in cinemas this Christmas.

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M ARKET

MERRY TREATS Let our animal friends deliver these presents to your table PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA

1. Sea salt toasted brazo, P225, Joy San Gabriel-Young, 0917-5278837.

2. Belgian chocolate chunk cookies, P1,000 (box of 12 assorted cookies), Homemade by Roshan, 0917-8336286.

3. Macadamia salted caramel cookies, P650 (can of 10), Tochi Cookies, 0917-8010038.

4. White chocolate spiced blondies, P160 (jar of 8), Cake Tree, Unit 203 PT Square, 85 P. Tuazon, Cubao, Quezon City.

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1. Maple and miso and bagoong and calamansi vinaigrettes, P250 each, Salata, The Green Company, G/F Ace Plaza Hotel and Suites, Pasig City.

2. Seasoned tomato sauce, Italian-style tomato sauce, and carrot and tomato salsa, P1,495 (set of 3), The Butchery, 56 Scout Tobias cor.

Scout Gandia St., Brgy. Laging Handa, Quezon City.

3. Spice kit, P595 (set of 6) The Butchery, 56 Scout Tobias cor.

Scout Gandia St., Brgy. Laging Handa, Quezon City.

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1. Carrot cake, P2,300, Wildflour, The Podium.

2. Chocolate caramel cake, P1,100, Cake Tree, Unit 203 PT Square, 85 P. Tuazon St., Cubao, Quezon City.

3. Potato almond crunch cake, P650, Becky’s Kitchen, 1061 P. Ocampo cor. Bautista St., Malate, Manila.

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M ARKET

1. Milk, P110 (with P100 deposit for the bottle), Pinkie’s Farm, 0918-9999555.

2. Caviar, white wine, and onion; fruit and nut; sun dried tomato, basil and roasted garlic; and balsamic and apricot flavored butters, P200 each, 0906-3301292.

3. Cheese, P1,400 (platter of 5 assorted cheese), Casa Del Formaggio, 0927-3775248.

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Makansutra houses hawker stalls reminiscent of the authentic center in Singapore.

EATS

FLAVOR CENTRAL

A hawker’s hub brings Singapore’s rich gastronomic history to Manila TEXT KRISTELLE ANN BATCHELOR PHOTOGRAPHY JILSON SECKLER TIU

It would be inaccurate to say that Makansutra simply serves Singaporean food. “It’s heritage food,” says JJ Yulo, one of the eight partners behind the fairly big space in Mandaluyong that serves Indian, Malay, Peranakan, and Singaporean cuisines.

Open since September, Makansutra is a prototype of its distinguished namesake from The Lion City that houses a chain of hawker food stalls and overlooks one of Singapore’s quintessential icons, the Marina Bay Sands.

Yulo describes the hawker culture of Singapore as “onedish entrepreneurship,” rooting from indigent families who make a living by selling heirloom recipes. “You make one dish and it’s so good, everyone would want to eat it.” Makansutra is the brainchild of K.F. Seetoh, deemed the godfather of Singapore’s street food culture.

He had long planned to branch out in Manila, where the restaurant scene is robust.

Different pungent aromas permeate Makansutra’s food court. Singapore-English terms like lepak (relaxing), shiok (delicious), and bojio (“Didn’t invite me?”) are painted on the chairs, complementing the colorful murals on the wall. They quickly transport a diner to Singapore, but touches of Filipino culture are also evident with a kalesa art installation present and a ceiling made of galvanized iron sheets.

Beyond the interiors, Yulo says Makasuntra aims to promote food that can easily be integrated to our local culture—food that would not challenge the consumers,

rather, evoke familiar flavors. Here, people are encouraged to get seats first, choose their preferred dish from any of the stalls, and watch hawkers “perform” for their culinary pleasure. Open-mindedness is integral for a diner to maximize the hawker dining experience. “It’s the best tool to explore this place. If you’re with several people, the better. You can put everything on the table and taste everything,” Yulo says.

Chicken Rice and Laksa are the immediate favorites, but Yulo hopes these “gateway dishes” could also lure people to try other options once they get the hang of their flavors. One of the more unconventional items on the menu is Bao Ji Xiang’s Fried Paper-Wrapped Chicken Noodles. The crispy yet cellophane-like wrapper of the chicken is meant to be removed to release its juices and can either be sucked directly or squeezed onto the noodles. Pair it with Curry Furry’s Roti Prata, a flatbread akin to a pancake that is grilled and then dipped in either condensed milk or curry. With the raging salted egg fad, Hong Kong Street Old Chun Kee’s Salted Egg Prawns is another must-try. The prawns are drenched in salted egg yolk, basted with curry leaves extract, and deep-fried to crunchy perfection.

“It wasn’t much of a gamble to introduce Singaporean food culture to the market,” Yulo says. Despite less prominence compared to, say, the Chinese or Japanese food that we all grew up with, Makasuntra’s burst of flavors can still pique even the most meticulous palate.”

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EATS

Clockwise from top left: Peanut Butter Kaya Toast with Milo Dinosaur from Sweets, Sips, and Snacks; Laksa from Donald and Lily Laksa; Braised Donburi Noodles from Gooba Hia, Chicken Satay from Alhambra Padang Satay, and Claypot Chicken Rice from Geylang Chicken Rice

Makansutra, 2/F, Building A, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City. www.makansutra.com.

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November 2016 Volume 11 | Issue 03

NIGHT WATCH

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A COMMUNITY MEDIA SOLUTIONS COMPANY

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Have your free copies right at your doorstep!

For inquiries, call 403.88.25 local 302 or visit go.hip.ph/subscribe

NO VEMBER - DEC EMBER 2016

LAU R E N R E I D

s ug a r SC O UT MAG .P H

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F R EE MAG AZ INE!

ISSUE NO. 23

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RECIPE

CARAMEL POPS

Enjoy a classic creamy dessert as a frozen treat TEXT AND STYLING CHARLIE CARBUNGCO PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA

LECHE FLAN POPSICLES INGREDIENTS For the custard

3 egg yolks 1 cup milk 2 tbsp. cornstarch 1/2 cup condensed milk 1 cup all-purpose cream 1tsp. vanilla extract For the salted caramel

1/4 cup of water 2 tsp. gelatin powder 1/3 tsp. salt 3/4 cup sugar 2 tbsp. water 1/4 cup cream 1 tbsp. butter

PROCEDURE

1. Mix the egg yolk, milk, and cornstarch in a medium-sized pot until it becomes smooth or lump-free. Keep mixing at medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Remove from the heat and continue mixing until it becomes smooth and thick. Set aside and let it cool for 5 minutes.

Transfer the mixture into a popsicle mold using a cup.

2. In a small pot, combine water, gelatin, and salt. Mix well. Bring to boil and set aside.

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3. In a medium wide pot, mix sugar and water in medium heat.

Continue mixing until the mixture turns into golden brown caramel.

Add cream and butter. Switch off the heat and add the gelatin.

4. Mix the caramel with the custard and scoop it into the popsicle molder. Place in the freezer for around 12 hours.

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T HE GET

FROST BITES

A Japanese dessert shop makes a case for why sweet dreams are made of cheese TEXT SAM FERNANDEZ

Next to chocolate, milk and cheese have always been favored comfort foods, from children sneaking into the kitchen for a midnight snack to harried urbanites taking furtive bites of biscuits inside Japan’s train stations. Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory, a dessert souvenir shop that has ignited a craze across the Japanese capital, reached Manila in a month ago and all stocks were wiped out in under a week. They have recently replenished stocks and are likely to land on local holiday tableaus alongside glasses of wine.

Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory boasts unlikely combinations. Their Salt and Camembert cookie finds the

balance between salty and saccharine with its Hokkaido milk, French Guerande salt, Camembert cheese, and white chocolate filling. Their Honey and Gorgonzola variant packs chocolate cream with Gorgonzola cheese, all sandwiched between biscuits tinged with Spanish rosemary honey. Their cheesecake, meanwhile, has gained devoted followers with its light cheese and milk, made with dairy from France and Hokkaido, temptingly layered with crepe.

Filipino kids may have found their new comfort food obsessions, and even adults who swear by a holiday diet can sneak in a bite when no one’s looking.

Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory. Fashion Hall, SM Megamall. www.facebook.com/tokyomilkcheesefactoryph.

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