Whether you're battling party-poopers or making your Christmas list, we had to admit that the star of every Christmas parties is the food. And I know it's not easy to plan out the menu, so whether you're going to take your staff or family out for some festive Christmas dining or setting up one at home but don't have time and the chefy skills to wow your guests, here are some ideas and food packages from some of my favorite restaurants and food purveyors.
You probably have learned in Science grade school about having four basic tastes, two or more decades ago. Remember the "tongue map" which showed the classic taste regions in our palate? Did you know that the common misconception about taste - about the “tongue map” which illustrates the differences in sensitivity across the human tongue for the basic tastes, has already been dispelled?
To recap, we knew about the four tastes, sweet, salty, sour and bitter, fact is, according to scientists, there is a fifth taste, and let me reiterate it's not spicy! Bet you didn't know that, did you?
Technically speaking, we don't actually taste the spiciness in spicy food! Haha! Spiciness, according to a certain research I've read online is in fact a form of PAIN sensation! Surprised?
When we eat spicy food, what we get is basically a combination of the pain and burning sensation our tongue gets, and that my friend is what you call spicy.
I still can't get over my jovial experience at Knorr's event, not only were I able to eat and sit next to Carmina Villaroel, I went home pretty inspired and well stocked with a basketful of treats from the event organizers.
Please refer to my previous post on that.
And you know what, there are so many things I need to be thankful for and one is for having this blog, which have opened a lot more blessings. I'm thankful also for the people who have been inviting me to events and food tastings, people who somehow believed in my writing/blogging abilities
However, I have been missing a lot of opportunities to share my blessings lately, and I could not afford to pass another one. So I'm breaking this silent gratitude and just want to say a BIG THANK YOU!
Thank you so much...
to you who is now reading this post,
to you who have been always re-routed by Google on this site,
to you who have been my silent supporter,
to you who always look forward to my stories,
Here is a quote I live by that really pushed the envelope. It's from Sarah Ban Breathnack (pronounced "Bon Brannock"), the author of SIMPLE ABUNDANCE JOURNAL OF GRATITUDE:
“You simply will not be the same person two months from now after consciously giving thanks each day for the abundance that exists in your life. And you will have set in motion an ancient spiritual law: the more you have and are grateful for, the more will be given you” ~
Don't you just love hearing those words, thank you. It's music to my ears and adds beats to my heart, an enough reward for doing good to others. How about you?
What better way for me to say it enough than with a give-away!
These are just a few of the items I got to go home with after the Knorr event and
I'm sharing them all to you.
One winner will be sent or will get a simple cooking set which includes a non-stick frying pan, cooking utensils, 2 pot holders, a recipe box, and some Knorr products.
To win these, kindly follow the steps in the Rafflecopter link below.
This raffle will run in 6 days only, that's until December 12 at 12 midnight Philippine time. The winner will be announced the following day, December 13, 2014.
God bless and a Merry Christmas from us Gastronomy by Joy.
Growing up with a busy kitchen and a health-conscious mother meant cooking for my own future family, it's not at all obligatory. But it found a way for me to love cooking, baking, and serving healthy plates for my kids and husband. My mom, even though she used to be a housewife when I was little, have also been a busy woman in our community but she would take time to prepare simple dishes for us and sumptuous feasts on most occasions. She even studied crash courses in culinary and review newspaper recipe clippings to hone her kitchen skills and probably earn a few more money.
Now that I'm all-grown up and taking care of two teens in college and two grade-schooler girls, cooking for them have been my comforting joy in the midst of chaotic work environment. My parents did their part all too well for me to have this passion, they were my inspiration.
To say the least, children benefit greatly from the ritual of eating mom-cooked meals together. So much so, here in the our country where mom's cooking have forever reflected motherly love and have shown great effects on rearing successful children.
Every time I go to Shangri La Mall with my kids, they never fail to ask me if they could have at least a cup of Dippin' Dots. My son used to always have it whenever we visit the mall too, he is now 18 years old. Just like Dippin' Dots, 18 seemed to be an age that matters to him and to many.
Now that Dippin' Dots will be on it's 18th year of giving out 2,000 bits of happiness in a cup, they have thrown in more surprises and treats for their customer.
You may want to save the date- December 7, 2014 is their 18th anniversary celebration and all of their Facebook and Instagram followers can avail of the new prepacks at 1996 original price of just PhP 47.
For people on-the-go but still love to eat ice cream, there's the new Dippin' Dots Prepacks. It's so easy and convenient, just rip open, eat and enjoy the same creamy delicious taste! Available for a limited time only starting on December 8, 2014 in Bubble Gum, Cotton Candy, Banana Split and Chocolate flavors, for Php 100.
Here's the catch:
To be able to avail of these, just bring your smartphone/tablet/laptop or a screenshot to any of our stores and show the crew that you have LIKED both their Facebook page (Dippin' Dots Philippines) and FOLLOWED their Instagram account - @dippindotsph.
Pay Php 47 for the new Dippin' Dots prepack.
Wait, I'm not done!
Aside from the 1996 anniversary price rollback on December 7, 2014, Dippin' Dots invites you to join an exciting giveaway wherein you can be one of eighteen lucky winners of 18 cups of Dippin' Dots!
Mechanics:
1. Post a photo of you enjoying Dippin' Dots on Facebook or Instagra.
2. Write why you love Dippin' Dots. Caption should include #DippinDotsPH.
3. Tag 3 friends and @dippindotsph.
This giveaway ends on December 21, 2014. Winners will be announced on December 24, 2014 at Dippin' Dots accounts.
Dippin' Dots branches:
1/F Activity Center, Fairview Terraces, 3/F CitiWalk 2 Bldg. B, Eastwood, 2/F V-Mall Greenhills, Ashcreek Ccenter, 1/F & 5/F Shangri-La, 3/F The Podium, G/F Frontera Verde (Tiendesitas), 4/F Market Market, 2/F Glorietta 2, 2/F Glorietta 3, 2/F Main Mall, Mall Of Asia, 2/F Alabang Town Center, Shell SLEX Northbound (near Mamplasan Exit).
Anyone knows Flo of the internet game Diner Dash? If you were like me who was nuts about it, many would surely rise to the occasion and would think really hard whether to pursue managing a restaurant. Diner Dash is basically a frantic customer service game, in that it's about being efficient while handling several tasks at once.
In the game, customers queue up, you seat them, take their order, and give it to the kitchen staff to cook. Once the food is ready, you take it over to the customers and they eat it. Then you take their cheques, gather their tables, and pop their dishes in the dish bin to be cleaned.
The real difficulty is keeping customers happy. As with any restaurant, diners will only wait for so long to be served before becoming miffed. When there's only one of you, and you're looking after several tables at once, following the routine detailed above becomes tricky.
A beach venue within the metro...yep, it's possible, we do have one of the busiest bay right smack in front of the biggest mall, SM Mall of Asia.
Hats off to SM for setting up yet another destination for outdoor sports and lifestyle events. Sands at SM by the BAY was launched last October 29, and partnered with top brands such as Roxy, Mikasa, Quicksilver, Oceana, The Lab Gastropub, and The RoadHouse Manila Bay. Guests on the said event came in with their summer outfits.
How do you picture yourself on a perfect island escape from the urban daily grind?
It would have been marvelous, donning your new bikini or board shorts, lying down on the white sand facing a stunning azure beach view, while deciding what to have for lunch or what type of tea to have in the afternoon?
Oops, that would have been my thoughts...I guess, wherever I go, food is always on mind, though there’s nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it’s sent away, there are far more ways to enjoy life on the beach, most especially at Bluewater Sumilon Island.
Aside from wading in the crystal clear waters of Sumilon Island and running after the golden hours to get shots of the sunrise and sunset, I and some of my new found media friends have feasted on all the felicitous offerings of The Pavilion.
I must say that after visiting Bohol last October, it is moving to become the must-go destination in the Philippines. With this being said, Bohol is said to launch new and exciting tourist destinations with rock bottom prices for airfares, hotels and resorts during a travel fair to be held in Glorietta Mall on Dec. 8-10.
To see what's in store for you when you intend to plan a Bohol tour, you might want to check my blog about my recent tour at my father's beloved hometown. Below is the link.
Bohol provincial governor Edgar Chatto said the province will also formally launch its new branding “Behold...BOHOL,” which positions the province as a destination that exudes a sense of awe in every visitor.
The three-day event is the first time ever that tourism sector in Bohol comes together in a massive campaign to entice tourists to visit. It is part of the Bohol Tourism Action Plan developed through the collaboration of the United States Agency for International Development through its Advancing Philippine Competitiveness Project (USAID-COMPETE), the Department of Tourism (DOT), the United Nations-World Tourism Organization (UN-WTO), and the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) as well as local tourism stakeholders.
Meanwhile, the new branding “Behold...BOHOL” was developed with the help of CNN’s branding expert Anita Mendiratta. Bohol is the first province that benefited from an outreach program of CNN.
AirAsia, the leading budget airline in the Asian region, is the exclusive airline partner for the campaign and will offer seat sale. The airline that has been awarded the Skytrax’s World’s Best Low Cost Carrier for six consecutive years is also committed to offer year-round low fares for flights between Manila - Tagbilaran (Bohol) and Manila – Cebu.
At least 50% discount in accommodation, tours and other travel essentials in Bohol will be offered during the three-day travel fair. Boholano products will likewise be on sale.
The travel fair will open in a grand program featuring the world-famous Loboc Children’s Choir. The chorale group will have a nightly concert during the three-day event.
Bohol province is dubbed as the eco-cultural tourism capital with its fascinating Chocolate Hills, pristine and white sand beaches in Panglao and Anda. It is also home to the well-loved Tarsier, considered the smallest and oldest primate in the world.
“We want to develop Bohol as the tourism superpower and a top holiday destination in the Philippines,” said Bohol governor Edgar Chatto.
He said the launch of the 'Behold... BOHOL' aims to promote the province as a complete tourist destination because every town has a unique tourist attraction to offer to visitors.
Aside from the iconic destinations, the province is surrounded by caves, tranquil rivers, fascinating water falls, marine sanctuaries, mangroves and diving sites.
Chatto said Bohol is now promoting the powdery white sand beaches of Anda, as the next tourist destination. Road and infrastructure access to Anda are underway through the convergence program of Department of Tourism and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) that seeks to connect airports to tourist destinations.
Anda is a must visit in Bohol for its unique and wider coastlines making it a perfect destination both for relaxing walk on the beach or water sports activities.
The town is also home to the Lamanok Mystical Island and is fast becoming a popular destinations. Lamanok can be reached within a two-hour drive from the capital, Tagbilaran. The island has a rich lush mangrove protecting the community from flooding, pollution and water surge. It hosts some mystical caves where ancient Boholanons bury their loved ones in jars.
Governor Chatto said Bohol is also home to Asia's largest mangrove forest called Banacon located north of the municipality of Getafe. It has a total of 425 hectares with only 15 hectares dry land and the rest are extensive mangrove plantation.
In a press statement, the Governor credited the strong support and cooperation of tourism stakeholders in Bohol in promoting the new tourist destinations of the province.
“The strong partnership between the local government and the private tourism stakeholders, a well equipped manpower with innate hospitality as well as the rich natural, cultural and historical attractions of Bohol are the three main factors why we are confident to become a tourism superpower,” said Chatto.
AirAsia, the Filipino Low Cost Carrier is fully supporting the ‘Behold...BOHOL’ campaign by offering its lowest possible rates for tourists visiting Bohol.
AirAsia, the world’s best low cost airline flies three times daily to Bohol.
The holistic growth for learners is a crucial factor in realizing the need to raise the standards of our public schools to cope up with the curriculum standards for K-12 schools in the Philippines. This was one of the basic priorities DepEd had been putting effort into filling up that need. As the curriculum had been upgraded and now is being implemented aptly, the development of facilities to answer this need is utmost important.
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