Month: June 2018

Ramen for a Rainy Day at Ramen Kuroda, SM Marikina

The recent bouts of heavy rain and colder weather gave rise to a craving for a bowl of hot, steaming and hearty ramen.  There really is something about slurping on some thick hot broth that drives the rainy day blues away.

During a recent back-to-school shopping trip at SM City Marikina, the fam joined me in giving in to my ramen craving when we decided to have lunch at the newly opened branch of Ramen Kuroda.

The place seems to be a hit as there was a line of people waiting to get in.  To help facilitate faster service, the hostess already facilitated the orders of the waiting patrons so that waiting will be minimal once the diners are seated in the dining area.

This restaurant’s mantra is to “make Real Ramen part of your everyday.”  This is central to its promise to its customers to provide:

  • carefully selected ingredients such as home-made noodles, soup and seasoned garlic oil that provide their distinctive flavor
  • speedy service to satisfy busy people
  • ramen that is affordable enough that you can enjoy it everyday
  • culinary supervision by an expert ramen chef
  • Japanese-quality ramen made accessible to more Filipinos

For the family’s lunch, we ordered:

  •  Ramen Chahan sets that already include ramen, rice and fruits such as:
    • Katsudon (Php380) with Aka Ramen. As Hubby likes spicy food, he ordered the ramen with a spicy bent.
    • Gyoza (Php320) with Shiro Ramen. I ended up splitting the gyoza with my daughter and giving my rice to my son as the ramen was hearty and filling enough, albeit a little bit too garlicky.
    • Karaage (Php360) with Shiro Ramen.  My daughter found the chicken pieces a bit small but she was able to get her fill of the ramen.
  • Tonkatsu (Php240) plus Rice (Php40) for my son.

A post shared by Jellybeans in the City (@beingjellybeans) on We found the meal as a whole filling and affordably priced, and the service staff friendly and accommodating, though a bit overwhelmed at the influx of diners.

Still, we found the resto’s mantra to have its fair share of overpromising. The resto would do well to settle on one or two propositions (such as affordability and fresh ingredients) and build from those, rather than have such lofty goals and be found lacking in some of them.

This branch is located at Ground Floor, SM City Marikina, Marcos Highway, Calumpang, Marikina City. For reservations and other queries, call + 63 2 7772839.

Other branches of Ramen Kuroda are located at:

  • SM FAIRVIEW: Annex 2 Lower Ground Floor Quirino Highway Cor.Regalado Avenue Quezon City
  • TV5: LaunchPad Reliance Corner Sherdian St. Mandaluyong City (Tel: + 63 2 6370220)
  • SM MANILA: 2/F SM Manila Conception Street Corner Arroceros and San Marcelino Streets, Manila (Tel: + 63 2 2438665)
  • CYBER & FASHION MALL EASTWOOD: 3/F Cyber and Fashion Mall Eastwood City Bagumbayan, Quezon City (Tel: + 63 2 5343414)
  • MEZZA RESIDENCES STA MESA: G/F The Strip at Mezza, Aurora Blvd. Araneta Avenue Quezon City (Tel: + 63 2 2417449)
  • VENICE GRAND CANAL MALL: 2/F Venice Grand Canal Mall, McKinley Hill, Upper McKinley Road Taguig City (Tel: + 63 2 5521170)
  • LUCKY CHINA TOWN MALL: 3/F Lucky China Town Mall, Reina Regente corner Dela Reina Streets, Binondo, Manila (Tel: + 63 2 2418157)
  • ASEANA II: Ground Floor Aseana II BRADCO Avenue Aseana City Paranaque City (Tel: + 63 2 8326246)
  • RCBC PLAZA MAKATI: 3/F RCBC PLAZA 6819 Ayala Avenue Makati (Tel: + 63 2 8326216)
  • BF HOMES: #96 Aguirre Avenue, Phase 2 BF Homes Paranaque City (Tel: + 63 2 5536824)

Book Review: The Legend of Sheba – Rise of a Queen by Tosca Lee

The Bible mentions a foreign queen who journeys to Solomon’s court to test him and exchange lavish gifts. In legend, she took home more than just gifts and trade agreements: she took home a baby, a child with Solomon, from whom the line of Ethiopian kings that extends to the 20th century would trace their lineage.

In The Legend of Sheba – Rise of a Queen, Tosca Lee does a great job in sifting through packets of Biblical verse and ancient lore to come up with an exquisite retelling.

Her Queen of Sheba – Bilquis also known as Makeda – was blessed and burdened with beauty. The death of her mother plunged her into suffering before taking her destiny as queen of her father’s kingdom, at great cost to her heart.

Her refusal to wed echoes a similar scene in the movie Elizabeth (starring Cate Blanchett) which illustrate the challenges faced by powerful women in a man’s world.

Her relationship with Solomon develops over distance and the course of several years. It is important to note that they met and parleyed with each other as equals. She is a queen in her own right, not a treaty wife or a consort. Despite their developing love for each other, they had to separate due to her obligations to her own kingdom and the intrigues within Solomon’s harem.

I find Bilquis very intriguing: she is haunted by her past but bravely forges on for the good of her kingdom.

I recommend The Legend of Sheba – Rise of a Queen to people who, like me, wonder about side characters in lore and history, and want to see their perspective.

Click here to buy this book on Amazon.com.  Its prequel titled Ismeni: An eShort Prelude to The Legend of Sheba is also available as a free e-book.

Other works of Tosca Lee include:

Check out my reviews of other Biblical fiction:

Image by senivpetro on Freepik 

Esther – Royal Beauty by Angela Hunt

Angela Hunt’s Dangerous Beauty series begins with Esther: Royal Beauty. It is the fourth fictional account on the biblical Queen Esther that I have read. The narrative is told from two perspectives: that of Harbonah, one of the eunuchs who served the king of Persia; and that of Hadassah, later called Esther, the beautiful Jewish orphan with a world-changing destiny.

I can’t help but compare this book to another book on Esther: Roseanna M. White’s Jewel of Persia:

  1. Both books portray Esther as growing in maturity and queenly grace. In Esther: Dangerous Beauty, however, Esther is shown to be more shallow, concerned with nice clothes and dreaming of marrying the handsome Persian brother of her friend. She found her way into the Persian royal harem when she was abducted from her Jewish fiance by slave traders seeking to profit from the search for a new queen. Guided by her devout foster father, Mordecai, and the eunuchs she befriended, she wins the heart of the king for a time.
  2. Similar to Jewel of Persia, Queen Vashti is shown to be callous and ruthless woman, capable of unspeakable crimes to achieve her ends.
  3. King Xerxes, unnamed in this novel, is enigmatic. He rarely speaks and, being the sun around which the other characters revolve, his actions are given commentary by Esther and Harbona, and interpreted through their understanding. For me, his character is not fully fleshed out; even his involvement in the infamous affair with his son’s wife was told similar to a shady rumor, not provided with enough motivation.

Esther: Royal Beauty combines the biblical stories with historical accounts (as recorded by Herodotus), and is a good book with which to pass the time. However, I would have liked the King of Kings to be more real.

Click here to buy Esther: Royal Beauty on Amazon.com.

Other books in Angela Hunt’s Dangerous Beauty Series are:

Check out my posts on other Biblical fiction:

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Amy Adams stars in new HBO limited series Sharp Objects premiering July 9

Five-time Academy Award-nominee Amy Adams (“Arrival,” “Nocturnal Animals“) stars in the new TV series Sharp Objects, set to premiere on HBO at 9am on Monday, July 9, taking up the slot left vacant by Westworld.

The eight-episode series is based on the novel of the same name, with Adams playing reporter Camille Preaker who comes back to her hometown to cover the murder of one preteen girl and the abduction of another. Trying to put together a psychological puzzle from her past, she finds herself identifying with the young victims a bit too closely.

Sharp Objects is the first novel of now renowned author Gillian Flynn(“Gone Girl,” “Dark Places“), who also wrote some of the series’ episodes.  She shared “I wrote it nights and weekends and holidays with no real belief it would ever be published, because I felt like I had to bring this girl to life, so it holds a sacred place with me. It’s a strange and thrilling thing, bringing text to screen, allowing it to become a new thing while honoring readers’ interpretations too — it’s fun and a bit scary.

“This was my first novel, yet the last to reach screen — 12 long and often disappointing years. But then Amy came along, and I thought, ‘Oh, that was it! Camille was waiting for Amy to play her.’ And that’s not lofty, writer talk. I really believe Camille needed Amy.”

Emmy, DGA and PGA award-winning director Jean-Marc Vallée (HBO’s “Big Little Lies”; “Dallas Buyers Club,” “Wild”) who helmed the project relays that he was quite taken in by the character Camille saying “I was falling for this character. Never met, never seen, nor heard anyone like this before.

“I was fascinated by her obsession with words, the way she uses them to define herself, to heal and to harm, and her way of describing the world, her way of talking about herself, her wounds and imperfections. What a unique voice, so raw, so dark, and yet so honest and vulnerable. That is Camille Preaker’s beauty, and Amy Adams.’ I feel grateful and fortunate to have witnessed the spectacular work of an actress who dared to play in the dark, with no safety net.”

The series’ cast of characters are:

Camille Preaker (Amy Adams), a St. Louis newspaper reporter sent on assignment to Wind Gap, her quaint Missouri hometown, to cover the gruesome murder of one preteen girl and the disappearance of another.

Adora Crellin (Patricia Clarkson – the “Maze Runner” series, HBO’s “Six Feet Under“), Camille’s mother and queen of Wind Gap’s high society, who has her serene, picture-perfect life threatened by the unexpected return of her estranged daughter.

Richard Willis (Chris Messina – “The Mindy Project,” HBO’s “The Newsrooom“), a detective brought in from Kansas City to support Wind Gap’s sheriff in the search for the killer of a young girl. He joins forces with Camille to try to solve the mystery.

Amma (Eliza Scanlen – “Home and Away”), Camille’s 15-year-old half-sister, living a double life as a restrained and girlish daughter at home with her parents, and as a brash, impetuous teenager when out with friends.

Jackie (Elizabeth Perkins – “This Is Us,” HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm“), the local gossip and renowned alcoholic. Trashy, fun and larger than life, she knows she’s a “backwoods Barbie” and has a sense of humour about it.

Vickery (Matt Craven – “X-Men,” “Justified“), the frustrated small-town police chief, trying to preserve the reputation of Wind Gap by keeping a lid on the possibility that a serial killer might live among them.

John Keene (Taylor John Smith – “Cruel Intentions,” “American Crime“), moody and sombre since the murder of his 13-year-old sister. His sensitive, temperamental nature raises eyebrows and makes him a prime suspect in the murder investigation.

Meredith (Madison Davenport – “From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series“), the confident and supportive girlfriend of murder suspect John Keene.

Bob Nash (Will Chase – HBO’s “The Deuce“), the hot-tempered father of Ann Nash, Wind Gap’s first murder victim.

Alan Crellin (Henry Czerny – “Quantico,” “When We Rise“), Adora’s attentive, mild-mannered husband, who dotes on her.

Curry (Miguel Sandoval – “Station 19,” “Medium“), Camille’s caring and supportive newspaper editor, who sends her on assignment to her home town.

Young Camille (Sophia Lillis – “It“), a 14-year-old tomboy who is devoted to her younger sister, Marian.

Episodes airing in July include:

Episode #1: “Vanish”

Premieres Monday, July 9 at 9am

Camille Preaker (Amy Adams), a reporter for the St. Louis Chronicle, is sent to her rural hometown of Wind Gap by her editor, Curry (Miguel Sandoval), to file a story about two missing girls, one of whom was found dead and presumed murdered. The assignment, which reunites Camille with her overbearing mother, Adora (Patricia Clarkson), stepfather, Alan Crellin (Henry Czerny), and half-sister, Amma (Eliza Scanlen), brings back traumatic childhood memories, including the death of Camille’s younger sister, Marian (Lulu Wilson), when both were schoolgirls. Tormented by her past and seeking refuge through alcohol, Camille joins Detective Richard Willis (Chris Messina) and Chief of Police Vickery (Matt Craven) in following leads around town that might shed light on the fate of the most recent missing girl.

Episode #2: “Dirt”

Premieres Monday, July 16 at 9am

Camille (Amy Adams) searches for clues at the funeral and wake for Wind Gap’s latest victim, and clashes with her mother (Patricia Clarkson) over Camille’s presence in the town. Richard (Chris Messina) finds a surprising way to arrive at a conclusion about the murderer’s profile. Camille pays a visit to the working-class home of a young boy (Matty Evers) who says he witnessed the abduction, and confronts Chief Vickery (Matt Craven) about why he ignored the boy’s claim.

Episode #3: “Fix”

Premieres Monday, July 23 at 9am

Camille (Amy Adams) relives a recent tragedy as she struggles to piece together the murders in Wind Gap. Richard (Chris Messina) grows frustrated with Chief Vickery’s (Matt Craven) assumptions regarding potential suspects. A defiant Amma (Eliza Scanlen) shows off her wild side to Camille, while Adora (Patricia Clarkson) admonishes Camille for meddling in the investigation and a town in mourning.

Episode #4: “Ripe”

Premieres Monday, July 30 at 9am

Camille (Amy Adams) agrees to show Richard (Chris Messina) some of Wind Gap’s crime scenes, though the tour opens up old wounds.  Alan (Henry Czerny) confronts Adora (Patricia Clarkson) about her sharing confidences with Chief Vickery (Matt Craven), who is concerned about the Crellins hosting the annual “Calhoun Day” attended by Wind Gap’s youth. Fired from his job at Preaker Farms, John (Taylor John Smith) shares off-the-record revelations with Camille that raise fresh concerns for her.

New Sharp Objects episodes will air Mondays on HBO (SKYcable ch 54 SD and 168 HD in Metro Manila) at 9am with same day primetime encore at 10pm.  New episodes will also be available for streaming within the same day on HBO Go, HBO’s online streaming service exclusively available in the Philippines to SKY subscribers.

HBO Go not available in your area? Watch Sharp Objects on HBO on Amazon Prime.  Sign up for a free 7-day trial.

Series and episode details provided by HBO in a recent press release.

Disclosure: I work for SKY and part of my job is promoting its products and services, especially the content it provides to its subscribers. I consider being able to share my love for TV shows and movies and the experience of watching and talking about them with like-minded people some of the biggest perks of my job.

Check out my other posts on HBO shows adapted from novels:

You can also purchase the novel that the series is based on, Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects, at Amazon.com.

Love books and reading? Try Kindle Unlimited on Amazon. Get your first month FREE.

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Book Review: Jewel of Persia by Roseanna M. White

Roseanna M. White’s Jewel of Persia sheds light on the hidden life of one of the Bible’s most enigmatic women: Queen Esther. Unlike most books about the events that make up the origins of the Jewish holiday Purim which focused solely on Esther and her journey from Jewish orphan to Queen of Persia, Jewel of Persia, ties Esther’s life with that of her childhood friend Kasia. Also, the competition to be Xerxes’ queen is not portrayed as a series of abductions with girls taken unwillingly into the harem. Rather, it was a contract willingly entered into by the potential brides.

I find Jewel of Persia quite gripping, particular when you consider that:
1. Esther was not portrayed as the love of Xerxes’ life. Rather, it was Kasia whose chance encounter with the king sealed her fate to become his most-loved concubine. Kasia’s love for the king was big enough to forgive his many failings as a ruler and as a man, and even to welcome Esther to the harem and help her fulfill her own destiny.

2. Kasia and Esther’s faith is central to the story. It sustains them through the many trials: such as the trials Kasia faced as an outsider in the harem and Esther’s heartbreak over a childhood love. Their personal relationship with God is contrasted heavily against the religion practiced by her enemies.

3. The book also has lighter moments. A running gag is of Xerxes (as in the Bible) offering cities up to half his kingdom at different instances to the people he favors but being met with requests for something else. By the third time this happens, he wonders why no one seems to want his cities.

Jewel of Persia is a compelling sample of biblical fiction.  Check it out on Amazon.com.

Roseanna M. White’s other biblical fiction works include:

Check out my other blog posts on my favorite books:

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Unli Samgyeopsal at Korean Palace, Baguio

Similar to the phenomenon in Manila, Korean restaurants have sprouted across Baguio City, spurred no doubt by the growing appreciation for the gastronomic pleasures brought by Korean cuisine.

On our second night in the City of Pines, the fam braved the cold and drizzles and made the drive to this Korean restaurant which is quite near the apartelle where we were staying.

The resto has grown considerably since our last visit three years ago. The eating area and the parking space have been expanded. Still the place was already quite packed with the dinner crowd by the time we made our way there at 6pm.

At Php399/head, our group was able to eat out fill of samgyeopsal (grilled pork belly), woosamgyup (thin beef brisket slices), pajeon (vegetable pancakes) and all sorts of side dishes. (We did have to do our own grilling, though.)

The staff were polite and accommodating but due to the sheer volume of diners, refill requests did take some time.

By the way, if you ever had that desire to have that photo opp while dressed up in traditional Korean, this place can accommodate you. You can borrow the costumes on display for picture taking purposes.

Korean Palace is located at No 38 South Drive, Baguio City. For inquiries, call + 63 74 4467557.

For tips on surviving an eat-all-you-can setup, view my blog post here.

Why not try your hand at cooking Korean food at home?  Check out these recipe books on Amazon.com!

Want to try some recipes today? There’s no need to leave home to shop for ingredients.  With Honestbee, just order your groceries online and you’ll get them delivered right at your doorstep at your preferred time. Use this referral link and get Php500 off for a minimum spend of Php2,500.  You can download the Honestbee app on iTunes or Google Play.

If you’re in the US and an Amazon Prime member, sign up for a free trial of Amazon Fresh to get your groceries delivered to you.

Baguio’s famous pasalubong: Good Shepherd Ube Jam

Aside from the walis tambo, coffee alamid and Baguio Country Club’s raisin bread, the ube (purple yam) jam from the Good Shepherd Convent tops the list of pasalubong (souvenirs) from the City of Pines that you can bring home to family and friends.

The Good Shepherd Convent manages the Mountain Maid Training Center. It is a social enterprise borne out of the need to sustain the convent’s mission of the sisters which is “bringing about fullness of life with care and compassion, by enabling the economically challenged, deserving youth from the six tribes of the Cordilleras to live in dignity and integrity” through a regular income from product sales.

Today, the training center produces a number of food products that are recognized for their quality with the famous ube jam comprising half of their total sales. Proceeds of the sales of these products support the college education of 370 working students from the convent’s adopted communities.

Fortunately, the Good Shepherd Convent is just a 5 to 10-minute walk from Summerlin Appartelle, where we lodged during our stay in Baguio. Hubby and I made our way there while the kids were resting.

Our stash of Good Shepherd Convent goodies included:

  • An 850g bottle of Ube Jam – of course! – (Php350)
  • Two 440g bottles of Ube Jam (Php210 each)
  • A 12oz bottle of Peanut Butter (Php185)
  • Two jars of Lengua Cookies (Php175 each)
  • A 280g jar of Chocolate Crinkles (Php175)
  • Two 320g jars of Snowball Cookies (Php200 each)
  • Two jars of Caramel Alfajor (P200 each)

Here are some reminders to make the most of your visit:

  • Bring your own reusable shopping bags. Baguio City has an ongoing ordinance that prohibits the use of plastic bags and styrofoam. You can buy ecobags at the counter for as low as Php20 per bag but if you have a huge collection of ecobags at home (like I do!), you might want to bring those instead.
  • To save time, write down your orders on a slip of paper (there are some provided) before you line up at the counter. The prices of the available products are featured in one of the store windows.
  • Check out the view. The convent has a lookout point where you can see the vista of houses lining the mountainside. The lookout point houses a gallery that documents the history of the convent, a mural of Jesus, the Good Shepherd and a statue of Our Lady of the Good Shepherd.

The Good Shepherd Convent is located at No. 15 Gibraltar Road, Baguio City. For inquiries, call + 63 74 4241109.

Breakfast at BenCab Museum’s Cafe Sabel

Part of the family’s Baguio vacay itinerary is a visit to the BenCab Museum. After hearing rave reviews about the place from friends for so long, and having an art geek for a daughter, I was glad to finally step foot in it.

Well, the 30-minute travel and all the walking around that we did took its toll on me and I got so hungry. The fam then decided to take our breakfast at Cafe Isabel, located at BenCab Museum’s lowest level.

Similar to the museum’s upper levels, Cafe Sabel offers fantastic views of the mountainside. It also leads to an organic farm and garden that, sadly, we weren’t able to explore due to the rain. The farm supplies fresh and organic ingredients for the cafe’s food offerings.

Our food orders were:

  • Basil Pesto (Php200). The pasta has a fresh flavor and is adequate as a snack. You might want to add to your order if you’re really hungry (like we were!)
  • Bagnet Rice (Php350). The crispy bagnet with melt-in-your-mouth fat went so well with the mountain red rice and chili eggplant salsa. After seeing me finish off my plate, hubby ordered his own.
  • Carbonara (Php200). A bit on the saucy side but good, nonetheless.
  • Strawberry Shake (Php120). It still has a bit of natural tartness from the fresh strawberries but my little boy loved it.
  • Hot Caramel Coffee (Php150). It was a good pick-me-upper and helped energize me for the rest of the tour.

Hopefully, I get to visit the cafe again in the near future to try out its hot choco!

Cafe Sabel follows the same hours as the museum: 9am to 6pm Tuesdays to Sundays (closed on Mondays, Christmas and New Year’s Day).

For more info on BenCab Museum, click here.

An array of brick oven-baked Neapolitan pizza at Amare la Cucina in Baguio

Pizza Napoletana, better known as Neapolitan Pizza, originated from Naples, Italy, hence the name. Its preparation involves fresh ingredients: basic flatbread dough, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, olive oil and fresh basil. It is normally sized at 10-12 inches, making it closer to a personal pizza.

During our weekend getaway in the City of Pines, the fam met up with relatives at Amare La Cucina. Its claim to fame is its wood fire brick oven Neapolitan-style pizza made with fresh dough.

Its name translates to “love the kitchen” – the same passion for food and experimentation that drove owner Edmark Bustos to open his own restaurant which is now the default destination for extraordinarily good pizza in Baguio.

Our group consisted of two families with kids ages 5 to 18 years so finding dinner choices that will satisfy everyone was a challenge. Fortunately, Hubby, with the help of his cousin, chose a winning menu:

Beef Carpaccio (Php300).  Thinly sliced raw Beef Tenderloin with extra virgin olive, finished with shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano and salt and pepper. This was more for the adults in the group. It went particularly well with the beer that the dads in the group ordered.

Mozzarella Dip. Melted seasoned mozzarella cheese served in heated pans where you can dip thin slices of flatbread. This was very enjoyable for the kids, especially my little boy who loves cheese.

Chicken Skewers (Php350). Grilled chicken pieces served with a tangy sauce. This served as our main protein for the meal.

Margherita Pizza (Php325). Pizza made with plum tomatoes, mozzarella, extra virgin olive oil and basil.

Tre Formaggi (Php440). Pizza made plum tomatoes topped with herbs and three types of cheeses – mozzarella, cheddar and parmigiano reggiano.

White Pizza (Php405). Pizza made with mozzarella, bacon, garlic, extra virgin olive oil and a dash of oregano.

Foie Gras (Php595). Pizza made with mozarella, basil, white truffle oil and foie gras (duck liver).

Mint Iced Tea (Php85). Refreshing blend iced team infused with fresh mint.

After dinner, we stopped by the all-women art exhibit we chanced upon earlier, and admired the artworks by local contemporary female artists.

Amare La Cucina is located at EGI Albergo Hotel, No 1 Villamor Drive, Brgy. Lualhati, Baguio City. For reservations, call + 63 916 3321522.

For Manilans who want to sample its offerings without leaving the metro, the resto opened a branch located at 91 East Capito Drive, Brgy. Kapitolyo, Pasig City. For reservations, call + 63 929 8237313.

Trivia: Did you know that until the 1700s, pizzas were not topped with tomatoes? When tomatoes first arrived in Italy, they were mainly grown and used as ornaments. They were also thought to be toxic until Italian peasants started putting them on top of their flatbreads.

To learn more about Italian cuisine, check out these books on Amazon.com!

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Recipe: Lava Cake in Less than 5 Minutes

I got myself a pair of Hershey’s Lava Cake Makers from Gourdo’s a couple of months back.

These nifty plastic mugs enable you to make mug cakes using your microwave oven. They even come with lids so you can have your mug cakes on the go.

Imagine the possibilities:

  • Whenever you have craving for sweets, you can easily whip up a dessert
  • You can teach your kids how to make their own sweet snacks in a fun, fast and easy way
  • You can have something to serve to unexpected guests in a matter of minutes

The packages come with 2 lava cake recipe options: one using the cake mix from Hershey’s and one from scratch. Since I have the ingredients readily available, I decided to make the lava cakes from scratch. I wrote down the recipe as I thought I might lose the hardcopy (and I did!). This recipe yields 2 yummy mug cakes, great for sharing!

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tbsp cocoa
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Procedure:

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together vegetable oil, milk and vanilla. Add the flour, sugar and cocoa and whisk to combine.
  2. To make 1 lava cake: place 1/8 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips at the bottom of the mug, then pour in 1/4 of the batter to cover the chocolate chips. Place another 1/8 cup of chocolate chips then cover them with 1/4 of the batter.
  3. Microwave on HIGH for 90 secs or until cake is fluffy.
  4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to make the second mug cake.

Enjoy the lava cakes while they’re still warm! You can add a few dollops of vanilla ice cream as an extra treat.

If you have trouble finding the Hersheys Lava Cake Makers in local stores, you can order them from Amazon.com.

Want to try this recipe today? There’s no need to leave home to shop for ingredients.  With Honestbee, just order your groceries online and you’ll get them delivered right at your doorstep at your preferred time. Use this referral link and get Php500 off for a minimum spend of Php2,500.  You can download the Honestbee app on iTunes or Google Play.

If you’re in the US and an Amazon Prime member, sign up for a free trial of Amazon Fresh to get your groceries delivered to you.