Razon's Special Halo-halo

Halo-halo is a typical Filipino dessert composed of shaved ice, milk, leche plan (creme brulee), sweetened fruits, beans, nata de coco and usually topped with ice cream. It doesn't just taste sweet, but what attracts you most is it's colors from its ingredients with red, yellow, green, and brown.

Razon's special Halo halo is almost devoid of any color. It has lesser ingredients unlike a typical halo halo. Should I say Chowking's? This kapampangan dessert only contains finely ( I said finely) shaved ice, sweetened bananas, leche plan (on top), I think macapuno, and milk. That's it! It is blended into perfection and tastes not boringly sweet. Its ice is undeniably as soft and as pure as the driven snow. It's so simple and i'm still wondering how come this simple dessert with lesser ingredients and not having a rainbow color tastes so BAM!

I would say you don't have to wait for summer!











My spoon is ready.

What makes it special also is their Pancit Luglug. I like the baby shrimp on it.

Believe me you must try it!

.....at the trade fair

If you have a business and you want you want to promote it easily worldwide, Simple, you have to join a trade fair. Our company has been joining trade fairs for so many years. This time it is being held here in the Philippines. It is called IFEX or International Food Exhibition. It was being organized by DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) with some partners like CITEM and Dept of Agriculture. The venue was in SMX in Mall of Asia. I've heard about the place where big events like concerts, fashion shows, and conventions were being held. Now I've got a chance to see what's in it. The trade fair was really awesome. I've seen big company's here as well as their products. Just to capture buyer's attention, seller's have to make their products really presentable as well as ours.

Here are the photos of the events:





My bosses with a buyer from China. I think they are one of the youngest manufacturers
and exporters. At the age of 29 and 30 they're already running their own company.

Aside from the escalator of Shangri-La mall at EDSA, I think this is one of the longest

escalators I have rode.

It's about 9:00 a.m. and people are starting to drag at the trade fair.

I think I have talked to 5 Chinese nationalities and 4 from Malaysia. They've made me

really exhausted. I wish I could speak what Chinese and Malaysians does. It's like I start learning how to talk.

Chosen photos are the best shot by Lito Sy. Does it look delicious?



I love the taste of HERO Sausages. I took some 4 sausages a day in 3 days of stayin'. I
will always look for this sausage.

It looks scary. This sea creature is being called in our province as "butbutan".

And I was so amazed that they preserved this to display

Wish I could have a wine cellar with colorful lambanog. LOL

It scared me. What if these honey bees come out from this aquarium?

Banana Chips from Mindoro. We don't have to compete with them, coz they're selling it

locally.

I am into appetizers. I like pickles and atchara.

I love to look at this always. It's so green and healthy.

Cagayan de Oro Ham.

Philippine Escargot

I grew up in our farm in Mindoro where exotic foods are just hanging around. And I am really familiar with some exotic foods our farm could have and what my grandfather can provide, 'coz our place is far from the town proper for us to buy food stuffs everytime I salivate from the foods a child usually eat. Aside from the typical foods like bananas or camote a rural area has, what I really miss is my favorite ginataang kuhol (escargot or brown snails) by my grandma. Everytime I am going to visit Kamayan in Glorietta with my office mates, I always zeroed in on a plate of ginataang kuhol. I've got to have several pieces of toothpick 'coz I always break it as I find myself really excited picking out what is inside the brown shell.

Ahh, for me not to set schedule to go to Kamayan or Cabalen anymore. I've looked for the recipe so I can do it at home and I will share it with you.

Ingredients:

2-3 cups of brown snails (kuhol)

1 garlic head

1 tbsp. ginger

3 pcs. siling labuyo (or bird’s eye pepper)

2 cups of gata or coconut milk (2 coconuts are equivalent to 2 cups of gata)

pinch of salt

Procedure:

1. Soak kuhol in water for 2-3 hours.

2. After, wash and drain well.

3. Break tail-end of snails (simply by tapping with the handle of a knife).

4. Wash again and drain then set aside.

5. In a pan, sauté garlic and ginger, add a little patis or fish sauce.

6. Pour coconut milk and bring to a boil.

7. Let simmer for about 15 minutes then add the snails.

8. Season with salt.

9. Add in the pepper last and leave for 10 more minutes.

10. Serve hot with white rice.

** Optional: Add chopped spring onions for some color.

One of my cravings.....................

I was young then and in the not-too-long-to forget days, I remember us hunting for fresh mango fruits from somebody's mango trees whether a neighbor or a rice field away. I was always armed with a sling shot or tirador made by my playmate's Dad (Mang Dado). Since chilhood, green mango will always be one of my cravings. My shirt will turn into a bag full of "manggang kinalabaw" for me to carry all those ill-gotten mangoes, LOL!

Just try to get a munch and keep a big smile!

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