Which Sandwich?

My mom and I got hungry upon arriving at Greenhills and we wanted to have a snack which was not too heavy. We saw Milky Way at V-mall and we discovered that they were also offering a variety of sandwiches and other snacks.

Milky Way became known during the 1950s and is known for their Pinoy delicacies such as Dinuguan, Tokwa't Baboy, Laing etc. They also have bottled and packed items which you can bring home and which you can give as pasalubongs to balikbayans.

I ordered the Shrimp Hawaiian Sandwich (mainly because I love shrimp). It came in 4 slices which made it more convenient to eat. I liked the dressing and the plump shrimps inside. The pineapple chunks gave it a little tangy taste. (sorry for the blurry 2nd pic). My mom ordered Chicken Asparagus (3rd pic) which was really tasty and you can taste the freshness of the ingredients. Both orders were P 99.00 per plastic tray (w/ 4 triple-decker slices) and it was indeed a filling merienda. We each finished three slices and brought our last slices home. It's definitely a perfect snack that everyone should try.

 I'll be back to try their pancit luglog and their halo-halo which I heard are their other bestsellers. =)

  

Mystery of M&Ms

I've always loved M&Ms in yellow (with peanuts) since I was a kid. I remembered how I would always pick the red one and use it as lipstick. =P One day when I was eating my last mini bag of M&Ms, it hit me that I didn't know what M & M stands for. Thanks to the internet, I got my answer.


M & M comes from the initials of 2 men who introduced these brightly colored candies in 1941:
Forrest E. Mars, Sr. and Bruce Murrie


Visit this site to get to know how famous brands got their names:
http://news.yahoo.com/who-knew/m-m-s-history-how-did-they-and-other-brands-get-their-names-27964742.html - - ENJOY! =)

Chateau Hestia

One cloudy Saturday morning, my friends and I decided to unwind and go to Tagaytay. One of our friends suggested a place called “Chateau Hestia”. I’ve never heard of this place even though I’ve been to Tagaytay a dozen times. Since my goal for this year is to try new things, we decided to give it a go. Thanks to my friend’s map, we were able to find the place. The place is actually hidden and quite far from the main road. If you’re not too observant you would miss the small yellow sign along the highway. After a couple of turns, the main antique gate welcomed us.  

Upon arriving, you won't see the entire place as it is covered with trees and plants. But the trail going to the restaurant was enchanting, giving you a sense that you are directed to a secret garden. Since my friend already made a reservation, we were immediately directed to our table.

  

I was scanning the whole place and I loved everything about it. It felt like we were just inside an old art house as the place was filled with antique furniture and art work.

   

                     We were served with their free appetizers and I noticed how cute their plates were.

 

Since we were clueless on what to order, one of my friends decided to get the Set Menu while each one of us tried their bestsellers. Here is what we ordered:

      1.       My order: Hestia Burger (Herbed Foccacia bread filled with infused beef patties stuffed with mozzarella cheese) and fresh dalandan juice. This is more of a sandwich than a burger. I loved the foccacia bread and the burger is quite different (not the usual pure beef pattie). It was really tasty and it was filled with the right amount of veggies. I loved the fries on the side as well but there were only a few. My dalandan juice was perfect. Fresh and cold =)

    2. Osso Buco Milanese (traditional dish from Italy of beef shank slowly simmered in rich tomato sauce served with mashed potato and mixed buttered vegetables). [Trivia: Osso buco in Italian means bone with a hole] As for this plate, I think the bone was not included. This is one of their best-sellers. The meat was really soft and the sauce was really tasty. The mashed potato didn’t have much flavor but it was balanced out by the rich flavor of the sauce.

       3.       Salmon Pasta (Pasta served with white sauce, Scandinavian salmon and capers garnished with fresh dill).I love salmon, having it with cream was a little unusual but it was a nice substitute for the usual bacon. My friend also had a glass of wine ( just for P125)  to go with this and she liked it.

4.       Crusted Salmon (Lemon-peppered crusted fillet of salmon with smoked paprika sauce served with mashed potato and buttered vegetables). Ideal diet-friendly meal. The salmon was perfectly cooked and the mashed potato will suffice as rice.

        5.       Pasta di Mare (A combination of scallops and prawns in perfectly-simmered pomodoro sauce). I usually order Pasta di Mare but I decided not to order it for myself since I wanted to try something new. Good thing my friend ordered it and I got some. However, I think it lacked herbs. The noodles were unusually thick making it too heavy for a single person. I loved the prawns.

 6.       Set Meal: I only had pictures of the Hestia Green Salad with Passion Fruit vinaigrette, Austrian Roast Pork and Mousse Au Chocolat. The most unusual part of this meal is the Austrian Roast Pork. The salad was really fresh. I’m neither a food critic nor a chef but I think the "Austrian Pork" is their version of the Austrian Schweinsbraten. Surrounding the pork is I think bread dumplings called “Semmelknodel”. ( I had to research on what it’s called). At first I thought those were mashed potatoes but I immediately recognized the taste of bread. It was quite good and I found it interesting. The dessert will be loved by chocolate-lovers. As for me, only a teaspoon sealed it. =)

After our meal, we got a a little surprise. Free lemoncello shots!!! (basically lemon + pure alcohol)

CHEERS!

 

Since we were all so full after our scrumptious meal, we decided to take a small tour of the place.

 

   Inside the restaurant, there was more to see:

Art works, vintage items, wine shop and their deli =)

   

All in all, it was a good dining experience. The cozy environment, good food, cold weather, the smell of fresh air and the company of good friends made the trip enjoyable. It could be a little bit pricey for some but I think it's reasonable enough for a European inspired gourmet food. Will definitely go back with my family. =)

To view the Chateau Hestia's full menu, visit their website:

http://www.chateauhestia.com/

I'm going nuts! =P

During office hours, I usually crave food to munch while waiting for the clock to strike 12 (break). Usually I would grab chips but it makes me lose my appetite for lunch. Good thing my friend bought me a can of almonds. At first I thought it would just be one of our to-go-to-salty-snack but I was surprised that it’s good for the health.
From my research, I learned that almonds help people feel full due to its fiber and protein content. It’s also loaded with phosphorus, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin E. It’s good for the brain and for the heart and it prevents diabetes, constipation and cancer. I never thought almonds would have such good effects!  I usually enjoy almonds inside Hershey’s or inside Kisses chocolates, but the raw almonds are quite good. It’s a good mid-day snack to keep around your desk.
Tip: You would enjoy it better if you toast it for a few minutes to give it a little crunch. =)
Warning: Since almonds contain oxalates, this is not good for people with kidney or gallbladder problems.

See this link to get to know the pros and cons of eating almonds:

http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/seed-and-nut/health-benefits-of-almonds.html

Pilot

[Discov = Discovery ; Graph (Graphos) - written = written discoveries]
Most of us get up every day doing the same things over and over again. But along that routine are little surprises that we never expected to see, to learn or to experience. These little discoveries could open doors for new wisdom and for new beginnings. These may entail simple things that the world already knows or some things that you’re about to know. Join me in my quest to explore the hidden wonders in our everyday lives.

 "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes" - Marcel Proust (French novelist and author)