Replace Your Bland Grilled Cheese Sandwich With These Savory Creations

Sandwiches have always been the go-to meal for anyone who just wants a quick bite during the day, and usual favorites include simply putting cheese or peanut butter and jelly in between two slices of bread. While these are tasty to some, we somehow still look for something that’s different and would actually fill our stomachs aside from the mainstream delis we see everywhere.

And then, there’s Alley, a restaurant-café that serves up savory sandwiches and other comfort food items that your hungry soul can indulge in any time of the day.

Inspired by her brother’s trip to Spain, Alley co-owner Bern Tenchavez explains that “of all the restaurants he’s eaten in in Spain, what he liked the most were the ones located in alleys,” which is why the restaurant’s interiors are reminiscent of the country.

Meanwhile, head chef Thirdy Dolatre makes sure that their dishes are made fresh to keep up their home-cooked vibe. Even the potato bread that they use for their sandwiches are freshly baked in their kitchen thanks to Thirdy’s previous stint at Wildflour.

One of their popular creations is the Pattycake, which is a meat lover’s dream. This sandwich boasts of a juicy Angus beef patty, along with crispy onion strings, and melted cheddar cheese, all squeezed between two slices of toasted potato bread. You can bet that this is a fancier version of the classic cheeseburger, and instead of french fries, you get a side dish of baked chicharon with a tangy orange and star anise dip.

Another favorite is Breakfast in Bread, which is pretty self-explanatory as it contains almost all breakfast staples like smoked bacon, fried eggs, cheddar cheese, and strawberry jam. There’s no need to order a big morning platter when you bite into this sandwich.

And while you’re chowing down, you can also order a cup of Breaking Bad, Alley’s signature coffee blend, to wash it down. “[It’s] strong and addictive,” Bern assures. “It’s the first thing you’ll look for in the morning.”

But we beg to disagree because the good food from this homey restaurant will be our first and last thought of the day because of how full we’ll be after each meal.

Alley. The Grove Retail Row, The Grove by Rockwell, 117 E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue, Ugong, Pasig City. (0917) ­808-3270. Open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. For more information, visit their Facebook page.

Source: Renz Nollase for Northern Living, “Ode to Form,” February 2016.



Photo by Patrick Segovia

source: preen.inquirer.net

Fixing media noche? Check food labels

If you’re doing some last-minute grocery shopping for New Year’s Eve, it pays to check food labels meticulously, ensuring that the packaging and seal of the food items are intact and they were are stored in a clean environment.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday offered these tips to merrymakers to avoid stomach troubles and other health problems caused by feasting on compromised or adulterated food products.

“This Christmas and New Year, there is high demand for food products as Filipino families traditionally celebrate through preparation of meals for festivities,” said FDA officer in charge Director General Maria Lourdes Santiago in an advisory.

Basic consumer tips
“Unwary consumers might succumb to unscrupulous food business operators selling compromised, improperly handled and stored, misbranded and adulterated food products,” she warned.

Santiago said the FDA had prepared basic consumer tips on buying food products for the holidays to avoid eating unsafe food.

Earlier, the Department of Health (DOH) said festivities during the holiday season could spawn food poisoning incidents if the food is not handled properly.

The Southeast Asian region, including the Philippines, has the second highest incidence of food-borne illnesses next to Africa, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). It registers 150 million cases and 175,000 deaths annually, it said.

Most of these cases are caused by non-typhoidal salmonella, E. coli and pork tapeworm, said the WHO.

Storage condition

In checking food labels, one must pay attention to the following information: brand and product name, net content or weight, list of ingredients, name of manufacturer/repacker/distributor/

importer, expiry date, lot identification code and nutrition information.

One must also check the food item’s storage condition, especially for those needing storage beyond the normal room temperature, food allergen information (such as nuts, milk and crustaceans) and direction for use.

Tampered label details, like scratched out information and a new expiry date pasted over the original one, should be considered red flags, the FDA warned.

To ensure that food items are still safe for eating, the FDA said soft packaging materials like plastic, foil and aluminum wrap must not have tears or perforations.  Metal bottle caps must be rust-free  while glass bottles should be crack-free.

It advised consumers not to buy canned goods that are dented, bulging and rusting.

“Food products must at all times be sold under optimal hygienic conditions [such that] the probability of cross-contamination from biological, chemical and microbial hazards must be reduced, minimized and eliminated,” the FDA said.



Cross-contamination

Frozen and refrigerated products must be kept frozen or stored in a refrigerator while perishable products should be kept away from non-perishables to prevent cross-contamination, it noted.

Consumers were also advised against buying food sold in a dirty environment or in areas infested by rodents, insects and other pests.

“Consumers are advised to be more vigilant and conscious in buying food products in the market to avoid health and safety issues,” the FDA said.

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

The Sexy Chef delivers Cohen diet food

MANILA, Philippines - The Cohen Diet is a doctor-prescribed diet plan based on an individual’s blood work where the prescribed foods are recommended in certain combinations and quantities. With this diet, it will take a lot of effort to adhere to the food “prescriptions” that are chiefly a combination of recommended lean proteins and vegetables that have to be carefully weighed and calculated.

The Sexy Chef has made it more convenient for dieters to stick to the Cohen diet by preparing all the personalized, preservative-free meals and delivering them right at their doorstep. Now, Cohen clients can simply submit their diet plans and The Sexy Chef team can do the math for them — and deliver healthy and flavorful food.

“We’ve received many calls asking if we can prepare the meals for those who are on Cohen but cannot cook or do not have the time to do this themselves. The Sexy Chef can now take this food prescription, and prepare meals based on the individual’s requirements for a certain period of time, from our 14-day program or longer,” announces chef Barni Alejandro.

One of the Cohen clients who have enjoyed this latest service is beauty titlist and showbiz celebrity Ruffa Gutierrez. As one of the most sought-after TV hosts and actresses who have numerous product endorsements, Ruffa knows how important it is to always keep her figure in perfect shape. Service was so good that her brother, celebrity TV host Raymond Gutierrez, is also enjoying it. On the path to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, Raymond also benefits from this very practical option, where The Sexy Chef efficiently prepares three meals per day based on his food prescriptions, with the standard free delivery service the day before consumption.

The Sexy Chef, a pioneering healthy diet delivery and catering company, can personalize any party menu to suit special needs and tastes, with a wide variety of food choices from appetizers to desserts that include vegetarian and vegan options. The Sexy Chef guarantees that each dish, whether for a specialized diet or simply for a healthy meal, is low in fat and calories, but big on taste.

The Sexy Chef is an OBC 5Star company, a family-owned corporation headed by managing director chef Myrna DeMauro with daughters Rachel Alejandro, VP for marketing, and chef Barni Alejandro, VP for product development.

The Sexy Chef also offers an affordable health bar and a vegetarian menu and the Dine Lite 350 Calorie Meals for healthy meals at the office or at home. For corporate gatherings and other special events, The Sexy Chef can design special menus with its Healthy Catering Services to suit every taste and budget. Call 721-SEXY(7399)/721-8881/0917-SXYCHEF(799-2433)/0917-894-8881,visit www.thesexychef.ph, e-mail info@thesexyhcef.ph or like The Sexy Chef on Facebook.

source: philstar.com