Food gifts that express one’s affection
One of the joys of Christmas is being remembered by those you hold dear. Friends who have been out of touch send meaningful tokens for you to know that you’re fondly in their thoughts.
Just a few days ago, I was walking around my kitchen looking for something to eat when suddenly, a bag of food appeared with a card addressed to me from Melani Chua.
There are people whose food choices you trust. Melani is one of them. Her palate is aligned with mine and when she says something is good, that means she has scrutinized it.
I was so thrilled to find a large crab with sotanghon, still warm inside the takeaway container. I was even more ecstatic when I had my first bite. The dish was delicate, the noodles so creamy and flavorful.
The crabs were from Mr. Poon. I recall enjoying Mr. Poon as a child but had completely forgotten about it till I savored their exceptional sotanghon. Theirs is done unlike the regular crab sotanghon we know that’s cooked in a soy sauce-based broth enhanced with aromatics.
Mr. Poon’s is unique and by all means refined. Its creaminess brings a subtlety to the flavor of the crab. It was so good that I simply wanted more with each bite.
Mr. Poon was established in the ’70s by Robert Poon, who majored in architecture. He was also an athlete for the Taiwan National Team. In 1974, though, he opened Mr. Poon Restaurant. Decades hence, his signature dishes like the Creamy Crab Sotanghon, Special Beef, and Special Squid, live on through his daughter Eva who now prepares the secret sauces, like her father used to.
Lorenzo’s Food for the Gods
Growing up, my mom always had Food for the Gods siting on the lazy Susan of our dining table during the holidays. I recall the white box with a big Lorenzo’s Food for the Gods sticker.
Since then the name Lorenzo for me has become synonymous with quality baked goods. This is why I was so happy to know that Lisa Lorenzo Uy has kept the recipe alive. She is the third generation baker of the sinful bars.
Being born to a family of great bakers, it was quite obvious that Lisa would herself add her own creations to their roster of offerings.
Needless to say, her contributions are just as divine as the family’s date bars.
Lorenzo’s Key Lime Pie is simply the best tasting version I’ve tried of late. Fair warning, it is a very rich version of the pie. It is more of an ice cream cake-like pie, with the right balance of sweet and tart.
Another addition is Lisa’s Salted Caramel Pecan Pie that is so luxurious. The best way to describe it is that it’s a hedonistic combination of chocolate bars in one slice of pie.
While Key Lime and Pecan Pies are not for everyone, Lisa has managed to make it delicious enough for nonenthusiasts to give it a second, a third, and even a fourth bite.
Another Christmas care package that was so tasty was Chef Miguel Moreno’s Pianggang Manok, the dish that built chef Miggy’s Palm Grill Restaurant.
The entire concept of Palm Grill was inspired by this dish that represents the chef’s Tausug roots. The chicken is marinated and grilled, then served with a sublime sauce made with palapa, a spice paste of burnt coconut, galangal, turmeric, shallots, and garlic. Each chef has their own secret recipe for pamapa, and Miggy’s is surely one of the best.
What may not be appealing to the eye might just end up to be your next favorite thing to eat. The Pianggang Manok paired with kyuning (turmeric rice), slathered with lots of sauce, is so satisfying. It’s a dish that hits the spot—comforting, savory, slightly sweet, with varied tastes and a distinct depth of flavor.
it is worthy to consider for your next Christmas potluck party. It might very well be your guests’ best discovery of the season.
Pastel de Nata
Chef Kris Edison Tan of Masa Madre never fails to send me his new creations. It is amazing how this young laminated bread whiz creates his offerings.
Chef Kris bakes breads and pastries to release his creativity.
From the curious to the unbelievable, chef Kris reinvented the traditional Pastel de Nata this Christmas. It now comes in Christmas-inspired variants like Puto Bumbong, Bibingka, Tablea, and Hazelnut.
He also produced mini versions of his bestselling croissants. I am a Honey Butter Croissant fan, so I loved it the best. It is beautiful with a cup of coffee. Customer favorites like baby Rocher and Pain au Chocolat now come in bite sizes, too.
The little bite-sized breads are worth waking up to these cool December mornings.
Follow @mrpoonrestaurant on Instagram; @food4thegods_by.lorenzo on Instagram; @palmgrillph; @masamadrebakehouse on Instagram
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