Gel Jose

Ultimate Christmas Treats – Ben’s Cookies

Looking for a way to spread the holiday cheer?

How about gifting your nears-and-dears with a box of Ben’s Cookies?

From its beginnings in 1983 as a stall in UK’s Oxford Covered Market, Ben’s Cookies have extended its reach to the Philippines when it opened its first store in The Podium Mall in July 2019, followed by branches in SM Mall of Asia and SM Megamall. It brought with its those signature palm-sized pieces of moist and chewy delights made with chunks – not chips – of premium chocolate, unsalted butter, wheat flour, fresh eggs, cane sugar and nuts, all freshly baked everyday.

Ben’s Cookies is the brainchild of cookbook writer and chocoholic Helge Rubinstein who named the business after her son.

With such a history, we can say that each cookie is made with love. Check out some of its cookie creations:

Milk Chocolate Chunk. The chocolate chip cookie may be the grandaddy of all modern cookies but this one may be considered The Godfather because of its heft.

Dark Chocolate Chunk. The Milk Chocolate Chunk’s darker and more sophisticated cousin, perfect for dark chocolate lovers.

White Chocolate Chunk. A more delicate version of the Milk Chocolate Chunk, this is a cookie you reach for if you want a break from the usual.

Double Chocolate and Nut. This baby’s got twice the chocolate goodness, further enhanced by the addition of crunchy walnuts.

Speculoos Cookie. To end all speculation, this cookie brings the spiced and nutty sweetness you crave for.

Other cookie variants include: Double Chocolate Chunk, Triple Chocolate Chunk, White Chocolate Chunk and Macadamia, Orange & Milk Chocolate Chunk, Praline & Milk Chocolate Chunk, Lemon, Cranberry & White Chocolate Chunk, Oatmeal & Raisin, Peanut and Milk Chocolate, and Fruit & Nut.

These cookies are available by the piece at Php90 each, or by the box (Buy 5 and get 2 free at Php450 or Buy 10 and get 5 free at Php900) or by the tin (4 pieces at Php495 or 8 pieces at Php835).

Go ahead and spread some sweetness and good cheer by giving out these yummies to fam and friends.

To get your Ben’s Cookies, drop by any of its stores:

Ground Floor, The Podium, ADB Avenue, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City
Second Floor, Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City
Ground Floor, Main Mall, SM Mall of Asia, Mall of Asia Complex (MOA), Pasay City

You can also call +63 917 5267711 or order online.

Piestang Pinoy from 121 Restaurant

Ooh, we’re right smack in the middle of the holiday season, and I bet you’re missing the experience of going back to the province, getting together with the relatives for the annual family reunion and gorging yourself on regional dishes while joining the merrymaking of the town fiesta, right?

Well, that’s currently not possible, and, somehow, substituting a real clan get-together with a virtual party over Zoom just doesn’t feel the same.

After all, is it a real party if you all can’t partake of the same tasty delicacies?

Well, how about letting the guys at 121 Restaurant whip up a fiesta for you and your folks?

With its Pyestang Pinoy platters, you can relive your festivities virtually with well-loved Pinoy dishes with servings sizeable enough for a big family meal (Pambahay, good for 10 people), an office party (Pambatalyon, good for 20 people) or for a whole clan (Pambarangay, good for 50 people).

Take the Ati-Atihan (Php292 per person), for example. This hearty meal brings the energy of the famous Aklan festival with its inclusions of:

Grilled Liempo.

Lumpiang Shanghai.

Pancit Bihon with Canton.

Biko.

Other Pyestang Pinoy variants include:

The Kadayawan (Php274 per person): Pork Siomai, Bangus Tempura, Pancit Bihon with Canton and Sapin-sapin.
The Higantes (Php335 per person): Lumpiang Shanghai, Pancit Palabok, Marinated Fried Chicken and Biko.
The Sinulog (Php370 per person). Grilled Liempo, Grilled Porkchop, Lumpiang Shanghai and Pork Siomai

Each Pyestang Pinoy Set is served with rice. Free 2-liter Coke provided for orders good for 20 people and more.

If you feel like gifting someone with a scrumptious taste of home, you can send them a Paborito Box (Php459), single servings of Pinoy faves conveniently packaged in one box. Choose from three variants such as:

Luzon: Lumpiang Shanghai, Nachos, Porkchop, one slice of Biko and one piece of Polvoron
Visayas: Pork Siomai, Cheesesticks, Pork BBQ Sticks, two pieces of Polvoron
Mindanao: Lumpiang Shanghai, Empanada, Buffalo Wings, Monggo Soup, one pack of Peanuts and one piece Polvoron

So if you’re hosting your fam’s virtual reunion, you can all be one in merrymaking and feasting on favorite Filipino dishes with 121 Restaurant’s Pyestang Pinoy.

To order your Pyestang Pinoy sets or Paborito Box, call +63 2 7577 7557 or +63 917 3296997, email sales@121resto.com or order online.

Payments via cash on delivery, bank transfer or G-Cash QR code are accepted. 121 Restaurant delivers in Makati, Mandaluyong, Pasig, Pasay, San Juan, Taguig, Paranaque, and Quezon City.

Disclosure: Product sample was provided to facilitate a feature story.

The Jelly List: Cookies for Christmas!

Whether for personal enjoyment or for gifting to loved ones, cookies are this season’s ultimate treats. Have your sweet bits of joy from enterprising bakers delivered right to your doorstep!

Christmas is just around the corner, foodies!

Who would have thought that the COVID19- caused craziness would last until the end of the year?

Keep your chins up, though. There’s still hope of better things to come.

In the meantime, give yourself reasons to smile by indulging in sweet bits of decadence: cookies, of course!

From their origins in 7th century Persia, their resurgence in the New World in the 17th century, to their domination of the global dessert scene, cookies have grown to become the sweet indulgence of choice foodies worldwide.

If you’re a cookie lover, you’d be happy to know that you won’t have to travel far or even leave home to get your just desserts. You can simply order from these online bakeshops and have your cookies delivered to you.

1. Sugar Creations by Alex

Satisfy your cookie cravings with these pretty confections, particularly that potent combination of cookie and S’mores in pastry: the smookie!

To order, call +63 988 5447945, or send a message via Instagram or Facebook.

2. Inang Charing Cakes and Pastries

I’ve sung praises for Inang Charing’s Triple-Flavored Cheesecake and Strawberry Shortcake in previous posts. However, it also offers a Salted White Chocolate Caramel Cookie that boasts of complex flavors and textures.

To order, send a message via Instagram or Facebook.

3. MDJ Cookies

Cookies can feel like warm hugs that you can eat. At least, that’s what MDJ Cookies strive to be. Get yourself a Loaded Crinkle and you’ll agree that it comes pretty close!

To order, send a message via Instagram or Facebook.

4. Extra Butter

Sometimes, bigger is better! With a palm-sized cookie from Extra Butter, like its fully loaded Double Chocolate Milk, there’ll be a lot of cookie goodness to go around.

To order, fill up this form.

5. Kica Bites

Fancy a return to the homey goodness of an all-time favorite cookie? Grab a piece of Kica Bites’ Original Chocolate Chip and enjoy the sugary buzz.

To order, fill up this form.

6. Bake Boss

Cookies do help in spreading the joy of the season. Take Bake Boss’ chewy and buttery Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, for example, which is perfect to serve to the little ones along with a glass of milk to elicit a few smiles.

To order, send a message via Instagram.

7. Casa Bakes

Christmas is a season for celebration and your cookies can be part of the cheery mood. Get yourself a monster-sized Birthday Cake Cookie and enjoy the festive combination of white chocolate and colorful sprinkles.

To order, send a message via Instagram.

Given the variety of cookie options available this holiday season, you can easily treat yourself and your loved ones with yummy cookie creations. By ordering from these enterprising bakers, not only will you be sating your cookie cravings, you will also be supporting small businesses and the dreams of their owners.

And that’s a sweet thought, isn’t it?

Happy holidays, foodies!

Photo credit: header image by Jennifer Pallian on Unsplash

Check out my other adventures compiled into Jelly Lists:

Sweet snacktimes with Red Ribbon Bakeshop

Have you ever found yourself craving for cakes and pastries?

Whether paired with your favorite brew during your coffee break time or enjoyed after meals as a dessert, these sweet treats are always a welcome sight.

Thankfully, you don’t have to sweat it out in the kitchen to whip up your favorite baked goodies. You can simply have your cake and pastry choices from Red Ribbon delivered right to your doorstep.

Red Ribbon had its start in Timog, Quezon City in 1979, and over the years, it has grown to having over 450 outlets in the Philippines and thirty stores in the US. Aside from round, square and roll celebration cakes, Red Ribbon also offers a variety of cake slices and pastries for foodies looking for a sweet fix.

And wouldn’t you know it: these desserts come in handy packs that allows you to enjoy more of your sweet faves without have to spend a lot.

The Cheesy Ensaimada, for example, is a fluffy bread topped with sweet butter, sugar and lots of cheese. You can get it at Php27.50 per piece but it’s also available in packs of four at Php110, eight at Php214.50 and twelve at Php330.

If cakes are more your thing, Red Ribbon brings light and airy confections topped with sweet buttercream. You can get individual slices of these cakes for Php28.60 per piece or in a pack of five assorted flavors which include Choco Cake, Chiffon Cake, Double-Dutch Cake, Ube Marble and Red Velvet for Php115.50.

So if you’re craving for something sweet, head on to your nearest Red Ribbon Bakeshop branch, call #87777, send a message via Facebook, or course your order through GrabFood, LalaFood or FoodPanda.

Download the Grab App to have your Red Ribbon treats delivered right to your doorstep!

Six reasons to smile from Krispy Kreme

Krispy Kreme’s box for its half-dozen donuts says it all: six reasons to smile.

What a welcome respite because for many of us who are still reeling from the effects of the pandemic and the resulting quarantine to our lives, there seems to be not a lot of reasons to break out into a grin.

So, during our recent errand run in Greenhills, Hubby and I picked up a Box of 6 Krispy Kreme’s Original Glazed (OG) donuts (Php225) to bring home some joy for the fam.

While Krispy Kreme offers a multitude of donut variants, the fam would always gravitate towards the OGs. My fam is no exception to the appeal of their simple presentation, soft and fluffy texture and straightforward sweetness.

Whether enjoyed as an after-meal treat or as part of coffee break, Krispy Kreme’s OGs hits the spot!

Taking inspiration from its box, I present to you six reasons to smile from Krispy Kreme (aside from the donuts, themselves). So here are some nuggets from Krispy Kreme’s storied past which might bring a smile to your face.

1. Starting over.

When their general store in Paducah, Kentucky where the original donuts were sold suffered during the Great Depression in 1934, brothers Vernon and Lewis Rudolph and their uncle Ishmael Armstrong moved to Nashville, Tennessee where they focused on selling their donuts under “The Krispy Kreme Doughnut Company.” Can you imagine if they just gave up after their first taste of failure?

2. Get ’em hot!

Rudolph opened his first store in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 1937. While mainly selling his donuts to convenience stores, he also sold hot donuts – fresh from the production line – to customers who came during production time between midnight and 4am. I guess, night owls in those times were lucky indeed!

Well, soon, with a surge in demand, hot donuts were soon on offer throughout the day. In 1992, the first “Hot Doughnuts Now” lights were installed in stores to signal to customers that a fresh batch of donuts are ready to be enjoyed.

3. Donuts for a good cause.

Starting in 1955, schools, clubs and churches ordered donuts by bulk for reselling. Doing so has allowed these organization to raise funds for uniforms, school trips, libraries and more.

Well, helping the local schools get what they need was just one more reason to buy donuts!

4. Switch to automation.

Until 1963, Krispy Kreme donuts were made by hand. That changed when the company switched to automation, enabling its output to grow with the demand.

5. Shaping up.

In 2000, Krispy Kreme broke away from making its usual round donuts by playing around with different shapes. The heart-shaped donuts enjoyed quite a bit of popularity, with orders peaking around Valentine’s Day.

6. Flash your card for perks

If you get a Krispy Kreme OG card, you get a free box of 6 OG donuts after activation. You also get additional perks such as a free free box of 6 OG donuts for every purchase of a dozen OGs, a free box of 3 OGs on your birth month, as well as exclusive invites to Krispy Kreme events and first dibs on item releases, among others.

Well, I hope this list helped in making you smile today. Keep on smiling: we’ll get through all the trials we’ve been facing and better times will come!

To get your box of donuts, call +63 2 88879000, order online or via GrabFood, FoodPanda, LalaFood, OrderMo, Groover and Mangan.

Childhood faves at The Lost Bread, SM North EDSA

There are flavors that you encountered in your childhood that would always bring good memories. These flavors remind you of simpler and carefree days spent with family and friends.

The Lost Bread, the ice cream store that introduced me to the decidedly grown up pleasures of spiked milkshakes, went the the completely opposite route by bringing me back to me childhood with two of its limited-time collaborations:

With Nestle: the Chuckie Soft Serve (Php95 in cone or cup). Remember that chocolatey buddy that powered up recess time? Imagine it as a rich and chocolatey soft-serve ice cream with an extra shot of chocolate goodness!

With Pepsi Cola: the Root Beer Float Soft-Serve (Php95 in cone or cup). Instead of the a dollop of vanilla ice cream floating on a mug of ice-cold root beer, what you get is root beer infused soft-serve ice cream, also with an extra shot of chocolate syrup.

These imaginative takes on childhood faves simply show the infinite possibilities that the Lost Bread can bring to ice cream lovers.

The last time I was able to enjoy some ice cream time at The Lost Bread was in that halcyon period before the quarantine. While some of its outlets have ceased operations have ceased operations since then, its branches in SM Megamall, Evia Lifestyle Center, Robinsons Manila, SM Marilao, Vista Mall Malolos and SM Dasmarinas are still open.

It also delivers its ice cream by the pint via its delivery website – order.thelostbread.com.

#SarapKasamaAngPamilya, thanks to Jollibee delivery

There are plenty of reasons why our home-grown fast-food chain Jollibee remains unbeaten by international giants that set up operations here.

For many Pinoys, the tastes and textures from this unassuming restaurant chain that they enjoyed and grew up with continue to hold pride of place in their hearts and palates. From its ice cream sundaes that parents treat their toddlers to, the uniquely Pinoy-style spaghetti that graces birthday celebrations, to the crispy and juicy fried chicken that teenagers on their first dates enjoy, Jollibee has been serving up tasty and affordable fast-food well-suited to Pinoy tastebuds through the years.

The quarantines brought about by the pandemic may have curtailed the busy mealtimes at Jollibee branches frequented by friends and family, but fortunately, they can still enjoying their fast food faves by ordering for delivery.

That’s what I did one lazy Sunday afternoon as the fam was enjoying our individual pursuits: myself binge-watching on Netflix, Hubby monitoring the news on the US elections and the kids cooped up in their rooms. When the delivery arrived, we all came together to grab a bite and catch up.

I treated myself to my favorite snack – a Cheesy Classic Jolly Hotdog Value Meal (Php83). The Cheesy Classic Jolly Hotdog consists of a juicy and meaty sausage encased in a hotdog bun, topped with special dressing, grated cheese and tomato ketchup. While other iterations of the Jolly Hotdog have been launched over the years, I remain loyal to this original version. The value meal comes with regular Coke and regular fries.

For Hubby, I got an Amazing Aloha Yumburger with Drink (Php109). Considering the man does not like mixing sweets with savory, I’m amazed that this burger made with Jollibee’s Yumburger beef patty topped with a pineapple slice, crispy bacon strips and melted cheese encased in a burger bun would appeal to him.

For the kiddos, I got Peach Mango (Php98 for a three-piece Pies-to-Go set) and two pieces of Buko Pie (Php33/piece). These pocket pies are made with fruit filling encased in puff pastry then deep-fried until the crust turns crispy and golden brown.

For a few precious moments that afternoon, the whole fam took a break and got together to share a bite. #SarapKasamaAngPamilya, indeed!

To have your Jollibee favorites delivered right to your doorstep, call #87000 on your mobile, visit jollibeedelivery.com, or course your orders through GrabFood, FoodPanda or LalaFood.

Download the Grab App and get a discount on your first food order when you use my code: GRABJELLYBEANS.

Use this link to download the FoodPanda app and get Php100 off your first order.

Download the LalaFood App and get a free delivery coupon when you use my code: BEINGJMR53.

Sarap ka-pares from Pares Retiro

What can I say?

After I realized I could just have my fam’s faves from Pares Retiro delivered to my home, I just can’t get enough of it.

Truth be told: I haven’t eaten at a Pares Retiro outlet yet. All my encounters with its much-vaunted pares offerings were all through delivery: the first one was at work when my officemate and I ordered from the Pares Retiro branch in Tomas Morato via LalaFood, and the succeeding ones after the pandemic hit when its offerings became available in our neck of the woods via GrabFood’s Long Distance Delivery.

In fact, our orders don’t really stray from our tried and tested favorites:

Classic Pares Meal (Php223). Pairing slow-braised, tender beef pares with garlic fried rice is surely a stroke of genius. The result is a delicious dynamic between sweet and savory that we Pinoys go crazy over.

Pares Tendon Meal (Php217). What will make the classic pares dish made even more irresistible? Well, the addition of melt-in-your-mouth pieces of litid, that’s what! Those chunks of imported US beef tendon just adds flavor and texture to the dish.

It’s a rare occasion when my entire family all wholeheartedly agree on the merits of a particular dish or restaurant, but Pares Retiro’s Classic Pares and Pares Tendon Meals have more than earned that distinction.

Now, if only they will open a branch nearer to our home so I won’t have to pay as much for delivery!

This Pares Retiro branch is located at SM Hypermarket, EDSA Corner Main Avenue, Cubao, Quezon City, open daily from 9am to 6pm. Pares Retiro delivers via GrabFood, LalaFood and via Pares Retiro’s website.

Chinese food feast delivery from Yang Chow

Did you know that Chinese food has three key flavors? These are sweet, sour, salty, bitter and spicy.

The combination and degree of intensity of these flavors have brought forth one of the most varied of the world’s cuisines. As you hop from one region to the next, you will see variations in the dishes they produce: Sichuan, for example, is famous for its numbingly spicy food while Hong Kong leans towards the sweet-salty dynamic. It just goes to show that one of the world’s richest cultures can produce a very diverse culinary heritage.

Those are some of the flavors that came into play when I decided to give the fam a break for our usual ulam fare and order in a Chinese feast from a nearby branch of Chinese restaurant chain Yang Chow.

Our delightful repast included:

Yang Chow Fried Rice (Php298 for large). Pre-cooked rice is stir-fried in a wok along with chopped char siu, scallions, veggies and scrambled egg. I wouldn’t dare order a Chinese meal without this staple. The kiddos would surely revolt!

Beef Steak Chinese Style (Php398). Tender beef slices stir-fried and doused in a savory sauce. A new fave for my daughter #ExhibitA!

Lemon Chicken (Php278). Another staple Chinese dish with crispy pieces of chicken served in a tangy lemon sauce. A Chinese food meal won’t be complete for my son #ExhibitB without it!

Brocolli Flower with Oyster Sauce (Php218). Crisp and lightly blanched brocolli flowers served with and oyster-flavored sauce and topped with toasted garlic flakes. It’s the healthy part of the meal our meal and counter-balances the rich flavors of our other orders.

I’m glad to know that every time the fam tires of our go-to ulam dishes, we can just have an exotic Chinese feast delivered to us.

This Yang Chow branch is located at Industria Mall, Indusria Street, Bagumbayan, Libis, Quezon City, open daily from 10am to 6.30pm. To order for delivery, call +63 2 79009907 or +63 915 4470765 or course your order via GrabFood or FoodPanda.

Download the Grab App and get a discount on your first food order when you use my code: GRABJELLYBEANS.

Use this link to download the FoodPanda app and get Php100 off your first order.

Check out my reviews of other Asian restaurants:

Tapa Box delivery from Tapa King

Sometimes, the stars align and everyone in the family agrees that they just had a good meal.

This Sunday, after running morning errands and lunchtime looming just a short hour away, neither Hubby nor I were in the mood to handle the stress of meal prep and cooking.

Well, I thought to myself, this looks like a job for my food delivery apps!

So off I went, tap-tap-tapping on my phone, looking for food that I can have delivered for the fam’s Sunday lunch. My criteria is that the meal should appeal to the fam’s collective taste in food, not be something we recently ate (for variety), and should cost below Php1,000, delivery fee included (because payday is still a few days away!).

Lo and behold, the solution to my dilemma was at my doorstep less than an hour later.

The fam’s meal consisted of five sets of Tapa King Classic.

Tapa King started as a hole-in-the-wall business in 1987 in Makati CBD. Today, it’s a chain of restaurants with presence, not just in the Philippines but also in Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. Despite recently undergoing a brand refresh and store makeover, it remains true to its original intent: to serve homestyle Pinoy comfort food – tapa.

Tapa is basically marinated beef, stir-fried in oil and, when served with fried egg and garlic fried rice, forms the iconic tapsilog (tapa–sinangag–itlog).

The Tapa King Classic is the formerly known as Tapa King (yes, there were also a Tapa Queen and a Tapa Prince). It is tapa cooked the traditional way, seasoned with spices that bring out the beef’s natural flavors. With fried egg and garlic fried rice included in the order, it is a deliciously satisfying meal.

You can have it as a solo meal at Php169.

Or you can choose to have all the meals in the 4-in-1 Box (Php678) be all Tapa King Classics. You even get solo bottles of Pepsi to go with your meal.

In our case, I opted for both so the whole fam – myself, hubby, the kiddos and yaya – can all enjoy our own Tapa King Classic. Thanks to a a GrabFood free delivery promo, my total bill came in at just Php847.

Thanks to Tapa King, I escaped lunchtime stress. Now, on to worrying about dinner…

This Tapa King branch is located at G/F L&Y Plaza E. Rodriguez Ave. Brgy. Ugong, Pasig City, open daily from 6am to 8pm for dine-in, takeout and delivery. For inquiries, reservations or orders, call +63 2 82916254 or +63 915 0611117, or course your food delivery via GrabFood or FoodPanda.