Mahogany and angels

A surprise trip (provided by thoughtful siblings) to Tagaytay brought us once again to the Mahogany fresh meat and produce market. The drive was pleasant, with no weekend traffic. This is where foodstuff is supposed to be much cheaper than anywhere else. Indeed they are, but after buying some meat cuts, we met a lady later in the week who gave us some disturbing thoughts about our purchase. But that’s another story… so there we were, amid the noisy sando-clad men carving carcasses, making all sorts of comments as they do hard sell. Besieged by so many young boys and girls (hardly in their teens) begging as they peddle matamis na mani, espasol (3 packs for P100), freshly pounded pinipig (P20 for approximately three cups), sayote by the basket (P20 for ten pieces). If one is weak of resolve, she/he would succumb or be nearly suffocated by their persistence. They never disappear, they follow through the whole length and breath of the market, which comprises three separate structures. The meat section in one, the fresh harvest in another and the carinderias in the third.

The meat–one needs to be very keen, as they don’t cut like they do in the city. Of course the bulalo is obvious, just as the tenderloin is, and upon their insistence we bought a half kilo of what they referred to as sirloin.. It turned out tough when we cooked it. Except for the tenderloin (P320 a kilo) all cuts are sold at P160 and they can even go as low as P150. The same with ox tongue, untrimmed. Now, with regard the comment of that lady, there’s talk that what they sell is not always genuine beef from cows but from carabao. Therefore there is need to have a suki who has been recommended by someone reliable.

The fruits and vegetables — perhaps because this is Tagaytay you take their word that they are all ‘bagong ani’ (newly harvested) . They appeared so, specially the variety of lettuce (P80 a kilo), salad tomatoes, so red and firm and so sweetly delicious, at P80 for the nearly ripe and P60 for the fully ripened, the smaller ones sell at P25. Upo at P15 per, native onions at P30 a bunch of about half a kilo, chico at 140. When buying do this from the side that does not face the meat shops, because prices are a bit higher there, such as watermelon at P100 but only P80 on the other end.

From Mahogany we drove to the Flowerside Farms, a Pick ’n Pay place in the Midlands, after the Highlands. Since this involves organic farming, prices are a bit high, like lettuce at P104 and tomatoes at P115 and P106, depending on the size. What was amazing was our discovery about how the cabbage turns into a head. When mature, it grows up to the size of an upturned umbrella with the leaves spread out, like a giant rose. Then each leaf folds in to eventually form a head.

The angels are in the heart and mind of a young wife and mother called Joy Lim, a 29-year-old entrepreneur so inspired by her supportive husband that she expanded from The Angel’s Kitchen as a small deli in the old Greenbelt 1 to the full-service pleasant restaurant located on Connecticut Street in Greenhills. Her angels, her inspiration, have expanded to three; the eldest, OC, 10 years old, already works with her when out of school. The diner’s cheery and welcoming ambiance is so conducive to a quiet meal. She has a wide menu that ranges from fusion to the traditional, most of which she concocted. No, she did not go to cooking school; gut feel is what guides her and she does well indeed.

Some of The Angel’s Kitchen’s offerings are the innovative Healthy Salads served with her original dressing (among the best being Japanese Fusion and Kesong Puti from P195, which is good for two); homemade pizzas oozing with cheese and loaded with a variety of toppings (P205); pasta with succulent sauces; Osso Bucco, tender beef with bulalo cooked in wine and served with big broccoli flowers. The desserts are huge, rather sinful, but very tempting, one would be hard pressed to resist.

At the start of a meal, a variety of house tea is served from a unique glass teapot with a tube in the center where the tea leaves are placed. It rests on top of a glass warmer and the tea is served in demi glass cups. This can come with a sampler trio of melba toast and dips–chicken pistachio pate, Portobello cheese and spinach pesto cheese. The tea pot set is being sold to interested customers (P1,450) and her sauces, dips plus cookies are also on sale. Check this one out, you’ll not regret it.

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