A taste of indulgence

Get one before they’re gone!

The bestselling two-layer cheesecake from Hokkaido, Japan is now in Manila for a quick pop-up.

LeTAO is celebrated around the globe for its delicate and velvety cheesecakes. Its products are concocted with the combination of the historical charm of the old port city of Otaru in Hokkaido and the contemporary image of the brand in mind.

During its launch in Manila, guests sampled this indulgent cheesecake at Chef Jessie in Rockwell, Makati City.

LeTAO is also popular for its Double Fromage Cheesecake that has two layers: the upper layer is creamy, smooth no-bake cheesecake; and the lower layer is rich, tasty baked cheesecake. It melts like snow in the mouth with a rich milky taste!

Double Fromage is a cheesecake that represents LeTAO, focusing on high-quality ingredients and modern manufacturing processes of using fresh cream, wheat and eggs from Hokkaido.

The company’s patissiers are always in a continuous pursuit to make their cheesecake better for their customers, even using mascarpone from the Lombardy region in North Italy by Ambrosi. In making this top-of-the-line mascarpone, trials were repeated over and over, skills were improved to enhance the velvet texture and milky taste even more.

LeTAO also created a recipe and freezing technology that allows it to offer its products around the world. This recipe took three years of testing so the company can finally freeze Double Fromage while keeping its great taste even after thawing.   Personally, I like mine both thawed and frozen!

The Double Fromage Cheesecake is the sole product available for this special pop-up, which will only be at Greenbelt 5 and Uptown Mall BGC until March. Watch out for the LeTAO store opening in Manila in October.

(For reservations, call Joanne at 0916-5683362. Visit LeTAO on Facebook and @letao_ph on Instagram.)

Sumptuous Lunar feast

Bring in the luck and feast on sumptuous meals at the award-winning China Blue by Jereme Leung at Conrad Manila.

Until Feb. 2, enjoy the specially prepared Lunar New Year set menu treasures by chef Eng Yew Khorr and his culinary team.

Conrad Manila general manager Harald Feurstein said, “Chinese New Year is another great time to celebrate family togetherness and great partnerships. We are sincerely grateful to all our guests for their support and for helping us write the story of Conrad Manila that we have written for the past six months. We hope that 2017 brings in the loud crow of the rooster for an extraordinary year for all. Kung Hei Fat Choi!”

Warm the heart and the stomach with steamed seafood and mushroom Money bag in dry scallop sauce as part of the Chinese New Year Hot and Cold Combination Platter for good luck and to welcome “money in the bag.”

Give your palate a good start with braised abalone, dried oysters and sea cucumber with seasonal vegetables for success for business and financial prosperity. Relish mouthwatering stir-fried lobster with golden broth XO sauce. Lobster in Chinese is the “King of the Sea” for wealth, happiness and prosperity.

Don’t forget to check out the delightful takeaway goodies for family, friends and associates.

There is lauriat-style set menu, which is good for 10 persons. A special a la carte menu is also available.

(For reservations and inquiries, call 683-3915 or e-mail [email protected].)

Hope for lupus

With the aim of raising awareness for lupus and supporting patients and their families, Democratic Independent Workers Association (DIWA) party-list Rep. Emmeline Aglipay-Villar launched Hope For Lupus Foundation at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Lupus is an autoimmune disease wherein the immune system attacks healthy cells and tissues.

An advocate for the importance of early detection and treatment of the disease, Emmeline said that this is a cause close to her heart because she was diagnosed with lupus in 2007. “My personal experience is a testament to how early detection could have been prevented major damage of kidneys and blood vessels,” she shared.

Emmeline emphasized that the awareness of lupus and its symptoms will allow patients to seek proper treatment at the earlier stages, avert major organ damage and save more lives.

The foundation’s launch featured an exhibit titled Lupus Warriors and a musical titled Mabining Mandirigma by Nicanor Tiongson in partnership with the University of the Philippines-PGH’s Rheumatology department.

Mabining Mandirigma is a steam-punk dance musical depicting the life of the revolutionary Apolinario Mabini. All proceeds from the show will be given to the Bridging Lupus Fund for the benefit of indigent lupus patients in PGH.

Together with co-founders Lila Shahani, Melanie Cuevas, who both have lupus; rheumatologists Dr. Paulo Lorenzo and Dr. Ging Racaza; Sidney Salazar and Nadine Bernardino, Emmeline hopes that with the foundation, they would be able to establish a lupus-free Philippines.

‘Cabinet of Curiosities’

Longtime friends  and members of Assumption High School batch ‘68 started a tradition of creating a pop-up shop five years ago at Makati Garden Club even before the Maria Luisa Garden Cafe was opened. They held it on the site where the restaurant is now.

The group of Jenny Paradies, Evelyn Forbes, Madlen Faustmann, Tessa Tayag, Sylvia Singson and Cherry Salazar sold things that they had accumulated through their travels.

The experience of selling for the first time was a lot of fun and was quite successful for them so they decided to do it again. This time, however, they would use their profits for a cause.  Their classmates from the Assumption High School batch ‘68 had earlier formed a charity whose purpose was to give scholarships to deserving  poor students. They decided to join forces and donate their profits to the scholarship program.

The charity currently has 14 scholars in the field of Education, Physics, Accountancy, Engineering, Business Management, and more. Two scholars are taking up post-graduate studies (Molecular Medicine and Juris Doctor). This year, they have included Grade 10 and 11 students. The charity finances the scholars’ tuition, transportation allowance, accommodations and  school supplies.

The group of friends now invite people to browse in their “Cabinet of Curiosities” with stunning items sourced locally and around the world — European antiques and contemporary furnishings, antiquarian Filipiniana prints, vintage silver and glassware, and much more.

(Check out this pop-up shop at the Makati Garden Club from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 2 to 4 at Recoletos St., near EDSA corner Ayala Avenue, Makati City.)

(Follow me on Instagram @pepperteehankee.)