What's On & Expat - Philippines

Experience the French joie de vivre through healthy living and well-being. Discover and savor refreshingly light and healthy choices with the introduction of Cuisine Vitale. As the Philippines celebrates health and wellness month, Sofitel Philippine Plaza takes to the forefront of this campaign not only by being the venue of the Spa Asia Wellness Summit 2007 but also by offering healthy dishes.
  “Cuisine Vitale consists of light and refreshing choices that promote a healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet,” says General Manager Bernd Schneider.
  The culinary team has made intensive research about Cuisine Vitale and meticulously put together a whole range of different dishes that are low calorie (less than 40 calories per serving) cholesterol free (less than 2 mg of cholesterol per serving and 2 grams or less of saturated fat per serving), low cholesterol (20 mg or less of cholesterol per serving and 2 grams or less of saturated fat per serving). The dishes are from the best and freshest ingredients and yet retaining its natural taste in order to bring dining to the next level – towards healthier and nourishing choices. According to Executive Chef Christian Werdenberg, Cuisine Vitale dishes are designed and prepared to retain its intrinsic natural flavors and are

prepared steamed, poached and contain less fat, cream and salt. Herbs, spices and the chefs’ innovative cooking methods bring out the natural flavors of the food, thus giving it an enhanced delightful taste.
  All dishes carrying the Cuisine Vitale label passed through a rigorous nutrient analysis done by a certified dietician. The label serves as a guideline to the guests on how much calories it contains as well as the amount of saturated fats and cholesterol in the dishes.
  Cuisine Vitale will be a permanent fixture at all the different stations of Spiral and will be offered in all the other outlets as well as room service.
  One star ingredient is the Pamora free- range chicken, (originally bred from France and now bred in Abra), is a type of chicken that has fine culinary qualities, richer in antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids and lower in fat than meat from grain- fed animals. (Free range is a method of farming husbandry where the animals are permitted to roam freely instead of being contained in any manner) Pamora is using feeds made of minimum 80 percent of cereals (corn, soya, mineral, vitamins, etc.) without any use of antibiotics, hormones, growth stimulants nor animal byproducts.

I ask that you both humor and excuse my ignorance. Not too long ago, if someone had asked me what Austria’s greatest export is I would’ve said it’s the Von Trapp family singers, and then break into a song and dance number from The Sound of Music.
  The Cheese Club of the Philippines’ “Cheeses of Austria” certainly set me straight. Last October 3 the Manila Polo Club hosted a delectable evening of cheese tasting accompanied with free-flowing wine and tasty cold cuts.
  The cheeses came from Tyrol and Voralberg and are all produced from raw cow’s milk.

Products from Tirol, provided by Hon. Consul Christian Traweger, include the Milder Inntaler, Tiroler Felsenkeller and Kiaser Max. Milder Inntaler is a cheese that acquires its aroma and smooth, creamy texture from special cheese cultures. This cheese has no sour note but is characterized by a well-balanced mildness. Tirol Felsenkeller is made to mature for at least six months in natural cheese cellars. Made of raw cow’s milk, it has a characteristic tangy flavor and smooth texture. Named after Maximilian, one of the most famous Habsburg Emperors, Kaiser Max is considered a delicacy for all cheese connoisseurs. It has a smooth, golden texture made according to an ancient Tyrolean tradition.
  The products from Vorarlberg include Buggelhuber, Most-Pfeffer and Tiroler Speck. Buggelhuber is a semi-hard cheese aged 5-7 months with a clean and mild taste, flavored with aromatic herbs. Most-Pfeffer is a semi-hard cheese with pepper instead of rind, lending it a spicy taste. Tiroler Speck is not cheese but air dried smoked ham with a unique and delicious taste.
  For someone unfamiliar with the different kinds, except maybe for mozzarella and parmesan, cheese is an acquired taste. And it took me all but one night to acquire it.
  It turns out there is more to Austria than, as one song goes, a lonely goat herd on the hill, yodeling. They have awesome cheeses too!

    It’s Family Fun Tricks and Treats at The Renaissance Makati City Hotel (formerly New World Renaissance Hotel) come October 31 to November 4. Have a Halloween holiday with special room packages and up to 20 percent discounts on food, drinks and spa.
 

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     The Pastry Boutique at the Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila offers the Austrian classic dessert Sacher Cake to its sweet-toothed guests for the whole month of October. Pastry chef Johann Dreisger whips up this smooth velvety chocolate coated with dark chocolate and blended with just the right amount of apricot jam..
 

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     Prince Albert Rotisserie at the InterContinental Manila offers coffee lovers and gourmets with a coffee menu that entails tableside preparation with all the refinements and rituals. Café Brulot is a Louisiana drink made by heating rum with sugar, cinnamon, clove-pinned orange

stuck and lemon zest in a copper bowl and then pouring very hot coffee onto the mixture. Other interesting brews are Café Tango and Café Caribeean.
 

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     Baskets of steamed paos fill the tables of Market Cafe at the Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila this October. Indulge in these soft buns filled with either lotus paste, vegetables and sweet pork, egg yolk cream or chicken and sausage. Combine these with a lineup of condiments including Hyatt’s XO Chili Sauce.
 

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       It’s still Oktoberfest mania in Splendido Taal until October 28 as chefs Ed Quimson and Tristan Bayani sizzle up the ala carte menu with Bismark Mackerel, Hunter Schnitzels, Sausage Platter (Hungarian, veal bratwurst, schublig and cheese, wienerli), meatloaf and Boiled Crispy Pork Knuckles served with sauerkraut—perfect pairings for local beers, from pale pilsens, dry and light variants.