Part 2!
30 July 2016, Saturday
No rest for the wicked: I got inquiries as to where to get Whispering Angel. Emailed the wonderful people of Premier Wines & Spirits, Inc. (I love working with them, their products are pretty exciting), and got the information… I’ll put it on a blog post on Monday.
Spent the day with Chad… I think we totally needed a weekend together. He has a lot of product launches over the next couple of weeks… A vacation is an absolute must.
I have a secret: People often think that I drink 24/7, but honestly (and especially during the weekends), I avoid alcohol altogether. It gets frighteningly easy for me to get my hands on alcoholic drinks, and I’m trying not to get sick of it or drink to excess.
31 July 2016, Sunday
Did I mention having no rest for the wicked?
I received word today that I needed to speak with Chef Jonas Ng for the Metro Magazine event on Tuesday. No complaints, but I knew I need to beef up the research I did on food and spirits pairing.
Thankfully, I got the confirmation when I was in Rockwell. I passed by Shu Uemura to book a makeup session for the event through EJ Mallorca, one of the best makeup artists in the business.
Harry Potter and a Cognac before I go off to bed!
Got one of the last copies of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child… Here’s to hoping I could actually sit down long enough to read it.
It’s Sunday, so it’s laundry day… Hopefully I could give the dog a bath later and tidy up the condo.
1 August 2016, Monday
Wow. It’s August. Time flies.
Food Pairing (from What to Drink With What You Eat by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen A. Page)
Finalised research on food and spirits pairing and sent it to Chef Jonas.
Here’s what I got: Gin and Bagna Cauda (anchovies and crudités) to play with the dryness of the gin and the saltiness of the anchovies. Chardonnay and Tuna Avocado (because Chardonnay pairs wonderfully with both tuna and avocado). Single Malt with Smoked Salmon Rillette to complement each other’s smoky flavours. Cognac with Boudin Noir as an homage to a classic cognac-Foie Gras pairing.
I spent the morning holed up in my office. Yaya and the plumber had a final showdown. I wrote a play by play on my (personal) Facebook feed… It was hilarious. Needless to say, yaya won, and our toilet is finally working properly.
Tested a food and beverage theory that regional drinks match food from that region (Tteokbokki + Soju = yum!)
Had some time for a proper breakfast (a rarity for me these days) with the last of the pomegranate juice I got from Hong Kong. I had a foot spa in Mich and Myl (their team is amazing), and a Tteokbokki dinner with some Soju. I liked how the extreme spice and touch of tartness paired beautifully with the Soju, but man… It was lethal for my tongue and liver.
Preserving my energy for tomorrow.
2 August 2016, Tuesday
It was one of those really, really busy days.
I got to Le Jardin Manila around 11 am for a meeting with Chef Jonas and sample the cheeses Rustan’s gave him. They were exquisite… I’ve always been partial to creamy, stinky blue cheese and goat cheese (some of which were included in the samples); so I knew I was going to buy some more from Rustan’s Marketplace after the event.
I dropped by the new Poco Deli branch in Fort BGC (behind Rox). I’ve always loved the vibe of their restaurants in Kapitolyo and Ayala Triangle, and the BGC branch was just as cozy. Their artisanal sausages were once again on point, paired well with affordable wines and excellent beer.
The always entertaining Chef Jonas Ng of Chef Next Door (Lifestyle Channel every Wednesday nights!)
I went back to Rustan’s Marketplace in Central Square BGC for the Fête du Fromage event. I got to meet the CEO, Philippe Olivier Deplanck, who regaled us with wonderful stories about Rustan’s direction on their deli (so many exciting things happening!). Chef Jonas was entertaining during his discussion on cheese and wine pairing.
I went to Rockwell, had my makeup done by the fabulous Irene of Shu Uemura, and headed to 8 Rockwell for the Metro event. It was well attended.
Deliciously crisp The Botanist Gin (available in S&R, and in Elbert’s, Curator, Mandalay, Exit Bar, Bondi & Bourke, Blind Pig, Pablo’s, and Hooch)
A few highlights: I fell HARD for The Botanist Gin. Distilled from handpicked juniper berries coming from one specific place in Islay, the gin was deliciously crisp. I went with the evening’s Russian bartender’s suggestion of having it with a slice of lemon and tonic water.
It changed my life.
Bruichladdich (available in S&R, and in Elbert’s, Curator, Mandalay, Exit Bar, Bondi & Bourke, Blind Pig, Pablo’s, and Hooch)
Then, there was the Bruichladdich. First, I couldn’t pronounce it with the same conviction as Chef Jonas did (while he channeled his inner Sean Connery). Apart from that, it was a beautifully complex Islay scotch. See, whenever one talks about Islay, “intense smoke” and “peat” find their way into describing a typical glass… But this one was different. It was “unpeated”, so it still was floral, but with a subtle hint of smoke characteristic of the region’s scotch.
A once in a lifetime opportunity to sample Hublot cheese #nomnoms
There was Hublot (yes, the watches) cheese, which we found out never goes on sale. Jean-Claude Biver, CEO of Hublot, makes about five tonnes of cheese in his farm in the Swiss Alps yearly, but refuses payment. He only gives the cheese to people or restaurants of his choosing. The cheese was elegant, flowery, and as exclusive as Hublot watches.
Brutally exhausted. Tomorrow, I have to map out a schedule for the blog (hopefully I get to follow it this time, eheh), help a friend move into the neighbourhood, and maybe catch up with my friend, Ines.
Phew! That was exhausting.
Speaking of busy, excuse me while I RSVP to a few events I’m looking forward to in a couple of weeks (all of which will be posted on the blog).
Cheers!
