Mama Sita’s dips and marinades

We used the cashew vinegar to make our Batangas adobo, and it gave the dish a richer consistency and unique flavor.

Our latest discovery among Mama Sita’s bottled dips and marinades is the vinegar made from kasuy (cashew). It comes in 11.83-ounce bottles and has a richer consistency as it is a blend of juice of the fruit and cane sugar, the latter perfect to temper the sour taste.

We used the cashew vinegar to make our Batangas adobo, and it gave the dish a richer consistency and unique flavor. Incidentally, at Puregold in Alabang, pork liempo is tagged at P250 kilo while pork liver goes for P130 a kilo. The latter we used to thicken the sauce of our adobo.

Mama Sita’s line of dips and marinades is quite extensive. There are choices of vinegars – sinamak, spiced with red chili, fresh onion, garlic, ginger, and black pepper; toyo and calamansi with cane sugar and lemon juice which we find ideal to marinate beef steak the Tagalog way, and is also a good dip for daing and other fried food; the spiced tuba vinegar inspired by its original from Iligan city made from coconut nectar with herbs and spices; another sukang tuba from the floral sap of coconuts; and the traditional sukang Iloco. The Bacolod inasal seasoning of lemongrass, ginger and spices is ideal to marinade chicken or pork.   

The maker of Gardenia bread has added a new variant to their loaf collection – black forest. This is one loaf that does not actually need any filling. It is laced with creamy chocolate. It can be taken as is, toasted. Perfect with one’s favorite beverage.

A visit to S & R in Alabang yielded some good Christmas food and gift items. Premium meat and fowl are now in their coolers and freezers so  homemakers can plan their tablefare or gifts for the coming holidays. Most are on discounted prices. The Meltique beef selection was tempting. It includes the karubi cut, packed at 750 gms each at P1,159.95; ribeye, for P1,299.95 a kilo; and the strip loin for P1,159 a pack of 1.5 kgs.

Under the brand Simple Ideas is the St. Louis style pork spareribs for P699.95 a pack of two pounds. And yes, Butterball turkeys are available, the whole bird selling at P1,339.95 per and turkey breast at P599.95.

Boneless leg of ham is selling at P599.95 a kilo. For seafood fanciers, there is the pre-cooked scampi at P1,199.95 a box of two pounds.

There is an abundance of sweets and cakes, including the new pumpkin pie for P299.85 each, a variety of Christmas rings at P349.95 per. Do your Christmas shopping, especially for food, early.

At Metro Supermarket there is a tiangge-type group of food stalls before one enters the main selling area. We noted an array of longganiza, including those from Batangas, Cagayan de Oro and Cebu. Japanese sushi and sashimi can be bought from P145 a pack. At a farther end is the Cebu lechon, flown in specially for the store. It sells at P595 a kilo.

At Shopwise in Alabang, we found a spin-off of the Zubochon from Cebu. This one is labelled Bellychon, done, as its name suggests, with pork belly. It sells for P650 a kilo and comes with liver sauce.

From the manufacturers of Planet Magic Cupcake Makers comes the Smart Planet Mini Donut Maker, which bakes donuts instead of frying them. It produces donuts in five to six minutes. It costs P1,500 a unit, including shipping. Orders can be made through [email protected].  

Enjoy Sunday with your family!

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