A Merry Whirl of Flavors

What could be a grander presentation of wines and spirits than to lay them all out in a big "buffet" in a five-star hotel, like the Mandarin? What could be a better way to put into focus the merits of North American cuisine than to have an Ambassador and a media mogul host cocktails in a plush restaurant in a high-rise building? What could be more engaging than the pioneer of organic food discoursing on fresh herbs and free range chickens? And what could be more enticing than serving pan fried seabass on risotto, exquisitely done in olive oil?

Filipinos have gradually adopted the habit of complementing their meals with wine, basically white for fish and chicken and the more robust reds for meat. At the recently held Grand Wine Experience 2001 mounted by the Philippine Wine Merchants with over 250 wines from the finest vineyards and chateaux of ten countries, the cosmopolitan group sipped, rolled and slowly swallowed the best of the so-called "noble reds", savored the lightness and delicate aromas of the elegant dry whites plus the fruity sweet wines. Lest prices intimidate you, check out supermarkets like Rustans’, ShopWise, Marks and Spencer, Makati Supermarket, etc. for wines from France to South Africa in a range that starts from less than P200 a bottle.

It was at the 9501 Restaurant on the 14th Floor of the new abs-cbn Media Communications Center that our friend Myrna served us a unique adobo dip sometime ago. It was so good we were not embarrassed to scrape the plate with our bread. More recently, she teamed up with The Peninsula’s Canadian chef for the "Flavors of Canada" hosted by Ambassador Robert Collette and abs-cbn. The event marked the start of a week-long event that focused on Canadian ingredients, most of which are available in the local markets such as salmon (Chinook, Chum, Coho and Sockeye), the generally meatier (less fat and bone) Canadian beef from Alberta and the prime beef from Les Viandes Premieres of Montreal. Not to forget other treasures from the sea like Atlantic lobsters.

Canada is also proud of its pasta derived from durum wheat and wild berries made into sweets with pure maple syrup, something Canada boasts about that is supposed to have no equal. Of the Canadian wines, the Reisling was particularly good that day. Gourmet Canadian food stuff can be sourced from Europa Delicatessen and Butcher Shop while the wines are sold at Asian Imex Enterprises, Inc.

The next culinary excursion we had was at the Grapevine Organic Cafe in Makati where pioneer cheese maker Jacqueline and winning chef Anne have combined talents in The Swiss-Pinoy kitchen. Consider these–honey mustard pechay ensaladas, seared tuna pomelo and arugula salad, pesto-rubbed tender chicken, Petit Ricotta cheesecake. Great! Browsing around the store-cum-restaurant, you can fill up your baskets with their breads (P55), Swiss Quark (P87) which makes very good salad dressing mixed with mustard, Dagupeña bangus (pioneered by Anne’s family in Dagupan, Pangasinan) at P97 a pack. They also sell Boursin cheese with imported herbs, and puff pastry dough.

Last but not least was the Mediterranean Getaway Dining Club II at the newest trendy place, The Toque! on Lazcano Street off Tomas Morato in Quezon City. The cuisine introduced is one which we might want to adopt–the fusion of techniques and flavors of California and the Mediterranean, producing new creations that are healthy and flavorful. The group is pushing Italian brands such as Federici for pasta, Doña Elena for sardines, anchovies, olives and capers and Pietro Corecelli’s variety of olive oils, including those infused with lemon, fruits and herbs. You can find these brands in your favorite supermarkets.

From the recipes we were handed, we got curious about one ingredient–demi glace. The group was quick to send us an e-mail on what demi glace is. It is actually broth in thicker consistency, made by simmering (from 5 to 6 hours) meat bones, chicken and even fish with vegetables. It is different from the usual gravy one makes with flour as thickening agent, in that the gelatin and plant fiber extracted from the long cooking process produces a rich and smooth texture. Try this when you have the time.