Five days to Christmas

Surely this will be one chaotic week, traffic will be at its worst, stores will be very crowded, the cost of everything would have gone up and you might just feel like you’re running around like headless chickens. If you are still caught in the shopping and preparation frenzy, do not panic – everything will be sorted out.

On our last visit to SM Makati, we noted how organized they have been in sorting out packages to be gift-wrapped. They have designated counters for a specific number of gifts – those for one to three items and those with four or more to claim. This way, the waiting time is cut short. 

Likewise, we have good news for SM grocery shoppers. They have listened to customer feedback and are now tagging their fresh produce and seafood by the kilo, happily abandoning their old system.

At South Supermarket we miss the friendly Babee, but are pleased that the lady who replaced her, Susan, is just as competent. This is where you can get locally produced quezo de bola for only P215 each. Good buy, really.

Rustan’s in Makati stands out with an efficient staff, led by Boy and Claire, who remember shoppers even after a long absence. There’s an elegance about the place, a welcoming warmth. This year their Christmas promo is targeted at children who definitely are the happiest and most carefree at Christmas time. One can’t escape noticing the group of wide-eyed stuffed animals with prominently big heads. They are indeed called The Big Headz, a lion, tiger, monkey, zebra, and elephant. A shopper can have any one of them (or all) depending on the amount of purchases made, or they can be bought outright. What parent can resist bringing home any of these to their young boys and girls. Our one-year little girl’s eyes lit up and she immediately cuddled hers, cooing and truly brimming with happiness.

What else does Rustan’s supermarket have for those in need of last-minute gifts? We suggest they check the Le Gourmet Deli. Food items can be put together to form a Christmas basket. We thought the Pamplona chorizo could be a good substitute for El Rey, which has become scarce. Italian salami and other imported meats are available. They’ve got sun-dried tomatoes (either with oil or dry) at P79.20 and P76.80 a pack. Calamata olives – plain and with feta cheese – are also available in the Deli. Check their gift baskets as well.

We recently had a rich hot tsokolate with some precious grains, called duman, at Butchie’s Recipes, a spin-off restaurant from the La Moderna Bakery in Pampanga. Duman is called the “Green Gold,” grown in specially-selected rice paddies in Pampanga, harvested during the cool months, at early dawn.

The restaurant-cum-deli has a lot of pang-regalo items, some packed in Christmas sinamay and ribbons. They start from P95 per to P440. We know of a lot who miss this type of real locally baked products. Butchie’s has brought them to Metro Manila. These include the masa podrida, sampaguita, San Nicolas and gorgoria biscuits. Outside of these, the inventory includes empanaditas, yema, puto seco, oatmeal cookies and turrones.

Our friend Claude Tayag supplies the store with his selection of sauces. The non-food selection is composed of products from the Eva Charity Foundation (ECF) which issues authenticity certificates. They are mostly made from Pinatubo ash, such as salt and pepper shakers and coffee mugs.

We have a friend who is a volunteer consumer protection advocate who has given us valuable tips on where and to whom we should address our concerns. She has had some success stories to tell. We are now in the midst of gathering data, names, offices, numbers, etc., and when complete, will be published in this column for the information of consumers.

Meantime, a blessed Christmas to you all!

E-mail comments and questions to: [email protected].