Ina’s chocolate bundt rum cake with caramel sauce. P350 for a box of six and P650 for a box of 12. This is delicious. Call 0922-7133465 for orders.
Toasted yema. From Hizon’s. I know they have been around forever, and that they are famous for their ensaymada, but it was only when they finally opened an almost secret little nook tucked at the Promenade this year that I got to feast on a cascade of other such treats, the toasted yema being the star as far as my sweet tooth knows.
Saltine. Products thoughtfully and passionately concocted by CIA-trained chef Tippi Tambunting, best-sellers include patties in seven flavors (spinach, mushroom, oxtail, pork belly, chicken, tuna, and chorizo) which make such great gifts because an assortment of flavors can be had in one box, and can be easily stored in the freezer and heated in the oven toaster as needed. They also have the best lemon squares in town (comes in a sugar-free version, too!), absolutely delicious toffee cookies, bread pudding and enganyo de bobo. All treats come in classy packaging, too. If you are not in the mood for sweets, they have the best pasta sauce (featuring juicy tomatoes that have been slow roasted) and salad dressing. Call 843-8970 to 71, 0918-8118088, 0919-8958603 for orders.
Carina. Why, oh why, did I meet Carina just recently? Another CIA-trained chef, Carina Guevarra first fed me and Kris Aquino (we were together when we first met) what perhaps was the most fulfilling tuna sandwich I’ve ever had. There also was a delicious salad that I devoured to the last bite. For Christmas, her specials include traditional garlic roasted prime rib, juicy herb-stuffed turkey, and rosemary roasted boneless leg of lamb – all of which are served with trimmings. Call or text 0920-9065650.
Kitchen Herbs. If you have been to the Saturday morning Ayala Alabang Weekend Market along Narra St. at Ayala Alabang Village, chances are you’ve met Jejo and Pinky and their lovely herbs. If not, you can always visit their garden in Sta. Rosa, Laguna and/or contact them at 0917-8108293 and (049) 541-2154. They have a wide range of freshly cut, chemical-free culinary herbs such as holy basil, Thai basil, lemon basil, cilantro, culantro (a.k.a. ngo ngai, Mexican cilantro), galangal, kinchai, lemon grass, mint, and pandan. They also have arugula, sweet basil, basil fin vert, fresh bay leaf, chives, dill, fennel, marjoram, Italian oregano, lemon mint, spearmint, rosemary, sage, tarragon, and thyme.
Pinakurat Vinegar. After I first tried it, I vowed that my kitchen would never, ever be without it. I take pinakurat vinegar with everything, from fish, meat and Chippy to practically everything else in between (except dessert). It gives a kick to my meals and when you try it, you will know why. The Manila depot for this gem of a product is at 262 Amapola St., Palm Village, Guadalupe Viejo, Makati City. You may also call 899-3494 for orders.
Marisa’s truffles. Dark Belgian chocolate truffles lovingly and painstakingly homemade. You can choose from a box of four, six, nine, 12 or 16, with prices from P120 to P450. The boxes come in different colors as well, held together with a satin ribbon and inside the truffles sit prettily on liners with such designs as floral vines, circles or zebra stripes. These are delicious, a festive treat for an even more festive season. Call or text 0920-9608390 for orders, or you can e-mail her at ferrer.marisa@gmail.com
Arya. Wonderful Persian cuisine at The Promenade. They have great food, yes, but so, too, do they have lovely dessert. Try their rich and decadently delicious fig orange cake. Perfect with tea and on just about any day when you want to celebrate the joy of life and appetites. Call 727-5062; you must place your order for this sweet treat three to five days in advance.
Dulce Lin mango torte. Always a welcome sight at the meal table, this sweetheart of a dessert is refreshing – crispy and chewy at the same time with just the right amount of sweetness thrown in. A nine-inch pie goes for P480 while the 12-inch size sells for P750. Call 374-2165 to 67 for orders, although it is so famous that it is always readily available.
Krispy Kreme. You may have to wait in line, good-naturedly grumble a bit too for having to do so, but with donuts this good why shouldn’t you? My top picks are the honey-glazed (glazes me with such sweet happiness, I tell you) and the New York cheesecake. Available at Serendra, the mere sight of a Krispy Kreme box (with its famous logo set against the white background speckled with tiny green dots) is enough to set my heart aflutter.
Floring’s. For get-togethers which are de riguer this season, make mealtime one less thing to worry about by ordering Floring’s famous barbecue – tender, juicy, with the Pinoy taste we so love. Priced at P33 for a stick that is very siksik. Contact numbers are 709-0223 and 440-4292.
Wagyu burger patties. It is wonderful to have a stack of them in the freezer; you never know when you will have company. I am not much of a burger person, really, but I am totally sold on this one. No extenders here; each patty is a robust testament to beefy, meaty goodness. I do not know how you enjoy your burger, but here in the house after thawing, we simply fry it, plunk it in between two slabs of bread trimmed with fat slices of juicy tomato. Before the first bite we dress it up with a mayonnaise and mustard combo and occasionally, a dash of Lea & Perrins, too. Call Junie at 0906-4911270. They also have delicious rib eye, so tender it will melt in your mouth.
Florabel. For your noche buena feast, Florabel offers slow roasted US Angus rib eye with double baked potatoes with truffle cream sauce at P2,500 per kilo. Available whole cakes include sugar-free decadence chocolate cake P900; low-fat ricotta cheesecake, P1,200; almond chocolate cake (tastes like sans rival), P1,000; yema-filled chocolate cake with caramel sauce, P990; and walnut brittle cake, P1,000. Call 667-3220 and 638-7527 for orders.
Galileo. They have the best hot chocolate in town! Get a box or tin of their famous Cioco Delice, perfect for a rainy day, the Christmas season, every day. They have a great deli – choose from a variety of cheeses and cold cuts, Baci chocolates, panetone, Molinari coffee. They even have the traditional stove-top espresso makers. Located at No. 80 Calbayog St. corner Malinao, Mandaluyong, call 532-0482 or 534-4633.
Oysters from Spoon. The freshest and best oysters in town – fat, juicy, truly yummy. Call 929-9965.
Cosmo Bread. Try her fresh mango cake (refreshing) and her ginger chip biscotti (more chocolate-y, actually, with ginger bits thrown in as a delicious afterthought). Call Elaine at 0922-4874565.
Margaret’s torta espanol. Still unrivaled, the first and original is always the best. Light, spongy, and buttery Christmas will not be complete without this. Call 0918-9082576 for orders.
Ulcing’s lechon. Still the best in town, and a true-blue Cebu original, the taste is always consistently perfect. Call 810-6408 or call/text Tessie at 0919-4595591.
Le Canard D’or. Paris has never been this close. Farah’s foie gras, with its velvety, wonderfully indulgent taste boasts of nothing less than superior quality fattened duck livers especially flown in from Perigord, France. For orders call Farah Tolentino Ylagan at 722-4234 or 0918-9264671. Place orders a week in advance.
Delize. Jill Sandique, the woman behind Delize, is known for her Pavlova, Concorde, and she is also the sans rival queen, with no less than three specialties from her kitchen pistachio sans rival, cashew sans rival, and macadamia sans rival. For orders, call 721-7022.
French coconut pie. From Carmel. Slippery, sensuous, delicious, there is no other quite like it. Her carrot cake is the ultimate as far as carrot cakes go and she also makes great pineapple upside down cake, very similar to how Richard’s Lola Lydia used to make it. Tita Carmel is also well-loved for her bottled tuyo, caviar Pinoy, and daing flakes. Call 911-3443 or 0917-6220083 for orders.
Polly’s. Best known for her legendary chocolate cake, and her delicious bread pudding with the Spanish cream sauce. Call 824-7612 for orders.
Lydia’s chicken relleno. A treat that can be happily enjoyed the whole year through, call 0917-4405106 for orders. Still the best chicken relleno I have tasted.
Salted eggs. From Doc Larry Buenaflor. The salted eggs he makes always taste consistently good, naglalangis as those in the know always say, and that apparently sets apart a good salted egg from a mediocre one. Call 0916-7990787 for orders.
Bellini’s. For orange cake topped with grated candied orange rind. Even after a full meal, I will always have room for Bellini’s orange cake. Call 913-2550 for orders.
Conti’s chicken pie. Rivaled only by Conti’s tuna pie. Anyone should be happy to get a box of this.
Pawsitively purrfect. She still makes the best Irish fruitcake (P700) and now she offers Irish fruitcake cookies (P300 for 300 grams). A must-try is her pumpkin pie (P350) which also happens to be my daughter’s favorite. Her food for the gods sells at P425 for a box of 24 pieces and you can buy her apple walnut either in a bundt (P600), a loaf (P375) or muffins (P600 for 18 pieces). Call or text Cynthia at 0916-3115900.