Perfect Pairings
December 15, 2018
The best things in life come in pairs: an engaging book on a languorous weekend, a bar of brownie or butterscotch topped with a luscious helping of sundae, a breathtaking view with the people you value the most, or a cup of caffeinated sip and a slice of intricately layered cake. Life’s wonders indeed become extra special when in twos (It takes two to tango, right?). Such good pairings come in handy now, thanks to cake and pastry shops that also serve coffee or tea that greatly complement each spectacle on the table. Sharmaine’s Cakes and Pastries definitely knows how to harness its delectable baked offerings and its cravings-quenching refreshments.
It is certainly a glee to every sweet tooth, like me, to welcome a shop that does not just boast a visually pleasing ambiance, but morsels that are all right dainty as well. As a self-proclaimed sucker for saccharine and coffee finds, I like my desserts well-balanced, that is, each ingredient should work in harmony with the others, rather than an overpowering one which tends to distract the diner or to become sated with the extreme sweetness (In Filipino, we call it “umay”).
Sharmaine’s Cakes and Pastries got the perfect balance of all the ingredients that it tries to put together, may it be from fruits, the frosting, or the base. The cakes that we tried were not too sweet, yet, not to a point of insipidness. Added to that is the freshness of each baked good. These, in turn, work well like a seamless combo, with its variety of coffees, blended drinks, teas, and refreshments. Available on its menu are espresso, cappuccino, caramel macchiato, Spanish latte, Belgian hot chocolate, shakes and smoothies, hot teas, iced teas, lemonades, among others.
Blueberry Cheesecake. A scrumptious symphony of graham cracker crumbs on the base, a dominating layer of cream cheese that is light in the mouth, and a topping of blueberry spread, giving a tangy hint on the treat.
Carrot Cheesecake. Instead of graham cracker crumbs as base, a carrot cake is used to elaborate a subtle approach on a classic confection. Meanwhile, the softly delish cream cheese layer is topped with nuts.
Dark Chocolate Cake. Alternating layers of sumptuous dark chocolate ganache and fluffy and moist chocolate cake. Surely, a hit to every avid customers that frequent the place.
Spanish Latte. Their best-selling combination of strong espresso and textured hot milk.
Hazelnut Mocha Latte. A sweet concoction of a delighting hazelnut, a tad of mocha, and the robust coffee.
Matcha. The bittersweet goodness of matcha tea powder and warm milk blended to perfection.
Perfect pairings bring out happiness in every slice and in every sip. A sweet tooth’s glee is never the same without the impeccable interaction of a treat’s inextricable features. Experience perfect pairings at Sharmaine’s Cakes and Pastries, located at Antonio Luna Street, Cagayan de Oro.
The Fat Chef Inside
December 14, 2018
A unique feature of Filipino food is its penchant towards gathering, fellowship, and interactions. Salu-salo or getting together for food is a conspicuous element we share with our Asian neighbors which may be rooted from traditional mores on filial piety. Indeed, food is best served and enjoyed with the people you mostly treasure. Confabbing about life and experiences while satisfying one's appetites are surely amicable ways of how Filipino food does not just fill one’s stomach but also one’s heart. Last Wednesday, I was able to have sneak peak of the menu of The Fat Chef Restaurant before its soft opening on December 15. It is a concept restaurant that provides comfort meals that are apt to one’s budget and palate.
The concept of the restaurant is imbued from the owners’ family tradition of Sunday ingatherings over food. Thus, the menu reprises a flair of home-away-from-home nostalgia. Most of the dishes they came up with are personal recipes they usually serve in the said get-togethers. Hence, aside from the sumptuous Filipino food choices, an emphasis on wallowing in lofty dining experiences with chums and kin is promoted. It intends to satisfy its customers with cuisines that are right in one’s budget, yet, still lavish in taste.
What I Got for Dinner?
Bulad Bruschetta. The classic Italian antipasto of grilled bread, topped with sautéed tomatoes in olive oil, delivered with a local twist through incorporating flakes of bulad or dried fish.
Talong Kinilaw sa Gata. Refreshing salad comprising of grilled eggplant, onions, and tomatoes filled in creamy and rich coconut milk.
Steak Rice and Egg Rice. Stir-fried rice bowls seasoned with garlic and spring onions. The steak rice is mixed with finely chopped beef steaks while the egg rice is topped with either sunny side-up, over easy, soft scrambled, scrambled, or boiled of your own choice.
Bulalo with Beef Tendon Soup. Perfectly tender beef shank and tendon, while being heartily simmered in a flavorful broth with sweet corn and Chinese cabbage.
Truffle Pasta. Spaghetti noodles cooked al dente and served in white sauce with an earthy and smoky aroma infused from shiitake and truffle oils.
Sizzling Sinigang. A modern twist of the household favorite beef dish served in a sizzling pan. The tender beef is smothered in a tart sinigang gravy sided with string beans, tomatoes, and onions.
Chicken Inasal sa Gata. The succulent grilled two-piece half-chicken bathed in a plush coconut cream and annatto oil. The creaminess of coconut complemented well with the smokiness of the chicken.
Pinakbet sa Gata. The Ilocano cuisine made up of steamed string beans, okra, eggplant, tomato, and onions, and shrimps on a sauce made of rich coconut cream and savory puréed calabaza squash, in lieu of a bagoong or alamang.
Mango Suman Float. A palatable deconstructed offshoot of two Filipino staples, mango float and suman or rice cakes. The glutinous rice is laden with a all-purpose cream and condensed milk filling and garnished with cubed mangoes and grahams crackers.
Pour-over Coffee. Ethiopian or Colombian beans prepared through a V60 manual brewing method, wherein the beans are subject to three phases of wetting, dissolution, and diffusion. The manner of pouring and water temperature are also considered to extract the finest flavors.
Family and barkada gatherings are never complete without victuals to chow down. And, if you are for a relaxing and cozy place while satisfying your appetite with cuisines hat are right in one’s budget, yet, still lavish in taste, then the Fat Chef Restaurant got it all covered for you. They will have their soft opening on December 15, at 5 pm. They are situated at Antonio Luna Street, Cagayan de Oro.
Sailing Through the Gigantes
December 12, 2018
An enchanting retreat on the northern part of Iloilo, the Gigantes Islands is a chain of ten postcard-perfect islands and islets. The islands are known for their captivating rock formations which surround their respective topographies, almost comparable to the scenic features of Coron, Palawan. Reaching the place was an adventure on its own, taking up almost three hours of land travel from Iloilo City to the port of Carles and more than an hour of boat ride to the first island stop. Known to be dwelt upon by mystic creatures, the Gigantes Islands will allure anyone who visits as each island has its own charms to be reckoned with.
Rebels in Black and Gold
December 1, 2018
Blogging has been my creative outlet for the past year. I delight myself in telling stories through inditing compositions and through capturing moments and pieces which titillate the writer and content creator in me. And, if you have been following me since my first entries, I have been dedicated in searching and in producing contents on my own. I do it because of mere passion and fecundity. Ergo, in order to hone my craft, I signed up to become a member of the premiere blogging group in my city, the CDO Bloggers Network (CBN). It has been three months since my first event with them and it is with great pleasure to be part of their 10th year anniversary.
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