It was nice to see chef Miko Aspiras, who splits his time between Manila and Sydney. I caught him briefly at his Gelato by Chef Miko at SM Aura Premier. This gelato shop opened last year but this was my first visit there.
For some, creating food is science. For others, it is skill. For Miko, it is both. Gelato-making requires precision and he builds on this for authenticity as he is inherently imaginative by nature. He can combine precision and innovation, transforming gelato-making into an art. Though “gelato” means “ice cream” in Italian, they are not the same. Both creamy frozen treats contain milk, cream, and sugar, but different amounts of milk fat. Gelato is denser, ice cream is milkier. Real gelato uses more milk and less cream than ice cream and generally doesn’t use egg yolks, a common ingredient in ice cream.
Miko expresses his narrative through the unique flavors he creates. Gelato by Chef Miko draws inspiration from the familiar tastes with twists exclusively that make the flavors he creates his own. He reinvents and introduces new classic flavors every Filipino will surely love.
His February flavors include Cielo and Pink Peppercorn, caramelized white chocolate by CMV Txokolat with hints of pink pepper; Ketchup Mayo, egg-custard gelato swirled with ketchup and Japanese mayonnaise; his Valentine special Reddest Red Velvet, cream cheese and strawberry gelato and chunks of French macarons; and his Chinese New Year special Lemon Marinade Swirled gelato, topped with crispy chicken skin and a fortune cookie!
All flavors were interesting, but I really loved the Ketchup Mayo and the Cielo and Pink Peppercorn. It certainly was a good revelation that I could eat a piece of crunchy chicken skin with lemon ice cream!
These flavors are only available for this month but there are so many other flavors to choose from, including my picks like Fiore di Latte, Bukidnon cow’s milk with cream and vanilla; Salted Muscovado Caramel with Molasses and sea salt; Ube Basque Burnt Cheesecake with baked Spanish cheesecake and ube halaya (purple yam); and Palawan Honey Chili with wild honey and labuyo sili. Do try a childhood Filipino favorite, Skramble, made with Valrhona Strawberry Inspiration with chocolate sauce and mallows. Miko uses milk from Bukidnon for most of the gelato he makes.
Watch out for new branches of Gelato by Chef Miko opening soon in Greenhills Shopping Center, Estancia Mall, and Joel’s Place in Rockwell!
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Check out @gelatobychefmiko on Instagram and Gelato by Chef Miko on Facebook.
‘Miss Saigon’ extends Manila run until May 12
This is another restaging of the Broadway classic that is close to the hearts of Filipinos. I have watched this musical over 10 times and can’t wait to watch it again!
Due to the demand from the Filipino audience, GMG Productions announced the final extension dates of Cameron Mackintosh’s globally acclaimed new production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s Miss Saigon in Manila. The production will now run until May 12, 2024 at The Theatre at Solaire.
GMG Productions’ CEO Carlos Candal said, “We’re beyond thrilled with the excitement and enthusiasm that the Filipino audience has for Miss Saigon that we’ve now made the decision to extend the production for one more final week. We’re eager to welcome more people to be able to experience the classic production.”
The Miss Saigon Asian Tour is led by Abigail Adriano as Kim, Seann Miley Moore as the Engineer, Nigel Huckle as Chris, Laurence Mossman as Thuy, Kiara Dario as Gigi, Sarah Morrison as Ellen, and Lewis Francis as John. More Filipinos also join the cast, as Manila auditions were held for the role of Tam, Kim’s son, last January. Local children Anderson Bonita, Keone Buenaluz, Dylan De Ocampo, Enzo Isaac, and Cassidy Lorenzana were chosen to portray the character.
Miss Saigon has music by Schönberg with lyrics by Richard Maltby Jr. and Boublil, adapted from original French lyrics by Boublil with additional lyrics by Michael Mahler. The new production is directed by Laurence Connor with musical staging by Bob Avian and additional choreography by Geoffrey Garratt.
New and final Miss Saigon show dates have been released and are now available exclusively through TicketWorld. Miss Saigon will land at The Theatre at Solaire on March 23 and will close on May 12, 2024.
The Asian Tour of Miss Saigon is produced by GWB Entertainment. The Manila season is produced by GMG Productions, co-presented by Union Bank of the Philippines, with Philippine Airlines as the Official Airline Partner.
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Visit www.gmg-productions.com. The Theatre at Solaire is located at 1 Asean Avenue, Entertainment City, Tambo, Paranaque City.
Follow me on Instagram @pepperteehankee.