ISLAND FLAVORS | Bloggers Day Out
Tuesday, 21 August 2007 | By Mike | Category: Blab, Musings, Et Al, General
|
W |
hile doing my regular website’s cpanel checks a few weeks ago, I almost deleted a number of messages that were not automatically forwarded by the POP service to my other email that catches all mail coming through my website.
One of them was an email from Carina Villanoz of Scribble Works and was about an invitation to appear in their program called ISLAND FLAVORS on ABC Channel 5 hosted by Chef Gigi Angkaw. I was one of three Filipino food bloggers they invited to be part of the show along with Lori Baltazar of Dessert Comes First and Anton Diaz of Our Awesome Planet.
The episode which aired last Sunday, 12 August 2007, was called BLOGGERS DAY OUT and featured the three bloggers’ favourite restaurants in both the high and low-end categories.
ISLAND FLAVORS, now on its 5th year (the longest running in this genre) on air is a program produced by Scribble Works and shown on ABC Channel 5 every Sunday from 9:30am to 10:00am, is a culinary and educational travel program which allows viewers gastronomic experience through delectable recipes and appetizing treats of the show host, Chef Gigi Angkaw. Interesting nooks and crannies in the
Philippines and overseas serve as exciting backdrops for each episode.
Chef Gigi who comes from a Kapampangan family completed her Professional Chef’s Program from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in
Napa Valley ,California and attended her Food Communication and Food Styling Course at the CIA inHyde Park ,New York . She is the Culinary Directress of Century Canning Corporation and acts as corporate in-house Food Stylist for Century Canning, Pacific Meat Co., Columbus Seafood Co., Snow Mountain Dairy and Yoshinova. Chef Gigi is also a Star Awardee as Best Female Host.
After submitting my list of Top 5’s (high and low-end restos), the shoot was scheduled. And since El Cirkulo was on top of my list, I had my spot taped there one Friday afternoon four weeks ago.
Above: Island Flavors’ production crew prepping up the venue for the shoot: Cris Sevilla (Director) with cameraman, and Carina Villanoz, writer and researcher for the program.
Michelle, my ever-supportive kikay ‘adoptive’ sister and PIC (partner-in-crime) joined me in an ‘alalay’ capacity. Mark whom we call Papi Flay (after Bobby Flay) of the orfanage, joined the shoot and was reunited with former Boston University schoolmate - no other than Chef J Gamboa himself. We were at Cirkulo earlier than the shooting call time for a lunch arranged for and prepared by the brother and sister tandem of Chef J and Malou Gamboa.
Let’s have a look at the most delectable spread that Chef J Gamboa and his team prepared for the shoot . . .
Selection of Cirkulo Tapas: Gambas Al Ajillo, Baby Prawns in Olive Oil with Garlic and Chili (above left); and Chrorizo Frito, Pan-fried Spanish Sausages with Caramelized Onions and Peppers (above right).
Salad Caesare (above left); and Roasted French Duck Breast in Confit of Duck with wilted Romaine, Roasted Vegetables, Cranberry Compote, and Red Wine Sauce (above right).
Oven Roasted Russian Sea Bass with Pearl Pasta, Pancetta and Clam Broth, and Garlic Butter (above left); and Slow Roasted Beef Belly, Garlic and Black Pepper crusted Beef Belly with Portabella Mushrooms and Balsamic Shallots (above right).
Paella Marinera (above left); and the heavenly, melt-in-your-mouth Slow Roasted Lamb Short Ribs with garlic, pepper, and sea salt .
Hojaldres, Spinach and Blue Cheese Filled Phyllo Triangles (above left); and Chef Buddy Trinidad’s (Park Avenue Desserts) creation of Baked Brie, now on offer at El Cirkulo.
Baked Alaska and Caramelized Banana Split. Need I say more . . . ?
Thanks to Chef Gigi Angkaw, Cris Sevilla, and Carina Villanoz of Island Flavors; and to Chef J Gamboa and Malou Gamboa of El Cirkulo.
Welcome home, Mike! How was your Kathmandu sojourn? I heard you flew to Bohol right after arriving from Nepal! How cool is that?!!! :-)
The food in Cirkulo really great! Two thumbs up for them!
Oh my goodness! What a spread!
Parang gone are the days of eating luxuriously. Gone are the days of eating regularly pa nga ata. Huhuhu! Puede ba kayong mag-shoot dito sa you-know-where? :-)
Hey, PaulN!
Thanks! I am back indeed . . . there’s so much to process though after these two marathon trips . . . I hope to post about them here soon . . . :-)
Karen!
You’re back blog-hopping! Hahaha! I think you should slow down or take some time off and eat regularly . . . Hehehe
hi mike, npnood ko ng episode n yan…d place looks great n would love to try it sometime. pero alin p nga po b ung ibang ksma s top 5 favorites nyo…..kip it up. ngyn meron n kong mga lugar n pwedeng puntahan dyan s pinas….
I’m a tfc subscriber residing in Medina city,Saudi Arabia. I’m a mother of 5 and married to a saudi nat’l. Anyhow, I’m a fan of chef Gigi Angkaw’s Island Flavors show. I’m so excited when I watched the episode about food bloggers. It gave me an idea in which site will educate, help and inspire me as full time mom. Thank you so much and from now on I will be one of your frequent visitor in your wonderful blog. More power!
krysteine,
Thanks for dropping by . . . My top 5 high-end restos are:
1. El Cirkulo (Pasay Road, Makati)
2. Lemuria (Horseshoe Village, Quezon City)
3. Massimo’s (Tagaytay)
4. Florabel (The Podium)
5. Sonya’s Secret Garden (Tagaytay) This one is not in the People Asia article.
While the top 5 low-end are:
1. Som’s (Rockwell area in Makati)
2. Binalot (Greenbelt 1 or other branches)
3. Wai Ying (Benavidez Street in Binondo)
4. La Mien (Benavidez Street in Binondo)
5. Ken Afford (near Ateneo & Miriam in QC)
I hope you’ll have time to try them out when you come back home for vacation . . . :-)
———————————————————
haydee,
I am glad that to know that my site and others are indeed very helpful to your being a full-time mom . . . :-) I hope everything’s well with you in KSA . . .