Jellybeans in the City

#QuarantineCookbook: Easy Creamy Pesto Chicken

Even while stuck at home because of the quarantine, I’m still a busy working mom. The demands of my job often precludes me from spending too much time in the kitchen.

This means that I rarely get enough time to devote to discovery and exploration of culinary possibilities to expand my family’s menu beyond the usual staples or to make dishes and ingredients from scratch.

This is why I’m so glad that I have a jar of The Saucier Homemade Classic Pesto in my ref.

In case you’re wondering, a saucier, also known as the saute chef, prepares the sauces, stews and the hot hors d’oeuvres as well as sautes food to order.

With The Saucier’s homemade and preservatives-free sauces and dressings in my cooking arsenal, it’s like I have my own saucier right in my kitchen. Coming up with an extraordinary home-cooked meal is so much easier when half the work is already done.

For our dinner last night, I made a new fam favorite: Creamy Pesto Chicken. Check it out!

Ingredients:

Half-kilo of boneless chicken thigh fillets (I prefer chicken thighs to chicken breasts as these tend to be juicier and more flavorful. Fortunately, I can get a pack of boneless filleted thighs at Landers.)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 1/2 tbsp The Saucier Homemade Classic Pesto
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup grated parmesan

Procedure:

Rub the chicken pieces with salt, pepper and pesto sauce.

Prepare the sauce by whisking together the flour, garlic, pesto sauce and evaporated milk. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and mix well.

Heat the olive oil in non-stick pan then fry the chicken pieces for up to five minutes on each side or until thoroughly cooked. Set aside.

In the same pan, cook the cherry tomatoes in medium to high heat for up to a minute or until they begin to soften.

Add the sauce mixture to the skillet and bring to a boil.

Place the cooked chicken back into the pan and cook for up to three minutes until heated through and well-coated by the sauce, then remove from heat.

Serve your Creamy Peato Chickeb with pasta, rice, or in my fam’s case, some sliced Ciabatta and Special Dip from Chef Jessie which really strengthened our meal’s Italian flair.

Once again, my foray into the kitchen has yielded a hit with the fam!

Try this recipe out and let me know how it goes!

For more details or to get your hands on The Saucier’s sauces and dressings, as well as its tasty Mushroom Burger, visit The Saucier on Facebook or call +63 2 76233600, +63 2 79015526 or +63 917 8870125.

Looking for other easy-to-cook dishes to try out while in quarantine? Check out my other kitchen adventures:

New SKY subscribers rewarded with Shopee discounts

Practical rewards await new SKY subscribers with its partnership with online shopping app Shopee—discounts when they buy their essentials in the new normal.

From June 7 to August 7, 2020, new SKY Fiber, SKYcable, or SKYdirect Postpaid plan subscribers who applied via mysky.com.ph can enjoy discounts of up to Php400 on their next purchase of protective gear, cleaning materials, grocery staples and any other item they deem essential in the online shopping platform.

The offer is SKY’s way of helping subscribers deal with the transition to digital platforms necessitated by the pandemic. SKY has always encouraged subscribers to maximize digital channels in managing their accounts and in settling their bills and has continued to make many of its services accessible via digital channels.

All qualified SKY subscribers during the promo period will be able to receive 2 Shopee voucher codes in their registered email within 3-5 days from successful installation. Each code will enable the subscriber to enjoy 10% off their purchase in Shopee, capped at Php200, upon checkout.

Those who are interested in SKY and Shopee’s latest deal can apply for SKY’s services via mysky.com.ph/skyfiber, mysky.com.ph/skycable and mysky.com.ph/skydirect.

For more details about the promo mechanics, visit http://bit.ly/skyshopeepromo.

Promo details and image provided by SKY in a recent press release.

Shopee supports the development of tech talent with Shopee Code League

From June 8 to August 1, tech enthusiasts can broaden their knowledge, upgrade their skills, and increase exposure as they connect with like-minded people across the region in the first-ever regional virtual coding competition.

Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, has launched Shopee Code League, a first of its kind ‘Code from Home’ challenge made available across the region. This initiative offers tech enthusiasts an opportunity to learn and upgrade their skills as the demand for tech talents continues to rise.

A two-month-long program, Shopee Code League is an online coding challenge that includes weekly competitions and digital training workshops open to all students and professionals. Through this initiative, all tech enthusiasts will get equal access to learning opportunities, including the chance to work on real data sets and challenges in the tech industry. Registered participants will also have the opportunity to attend numerous free online training workshops touching on topics including data analytics and data science. Participants will also gain access to talks by industry leaders, including Andrei D. Coronel Ph.D., Chair in the Department of Information Systems & Computer Science. He will be sharing his views on the importance of technology and nurturing the next generation of tech talent.

Martin Yu, Associate Director at Shopee Philippines, said, “We are excited to help tech enthusiasts learn and upgrade their skills from home through the Shopee Code League. Shopee has successfully organized past coding challenges, and we are taking it a step further by bringing tech communities from across the region together for the first time virtually. Shopee Code League aims to help potential tech talents to make a difference in the tech community. We will continue to empower the growth of tech talents and develop a tech ecosystem that will drive the Philippine digital economy forward.”

Registration is open until June 30. For more information about the Shopee Code League,
please visit https://careers.shopee.sg/codeleague/.

Program details and image provided by Shopee in a recent press release.

Shopee sees “Online-First” shift for food products, as Filipinos adapt to the New Normal

Consumers do a larger share of food shopping online, with a 2.5 times increase in users who buy food items on Shopee multiple times a month.

Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, highlights significant changes in the food and grocery market as Filipinos become more “online-first” for food products. In particular, people are doing a larger share of food shopping online, with a 2.5-times increase in users who buy food items multiple times a month on Shopee. Sellers and brands adapt to this “new normal” by offering a wider variety of online food products and using live streaming to assure buyers of quality in real-time.

Ruoshan Tao, Head of Marketing at Shopee Philippines, said, “Social distancing has been a big part of our lives, and we have seen major changes in the way people think about and shop for their daily needs. In particular, buying food and groceries has become ‘online-first’ as consumers view e-commerce as a one-stop channel. Sellers and brands are adapting quickly, with Shopee as a vital platform for them to reach new customers. We see this as long-term evolution, and Shopee will continue to lead this trend in the years ahead.”

Shopee outlines four major trends in the food and grocery market in the Philippines:

1. Consumers become “online-first” for food products

Filipinos see e-commerce as the preferred channel for food and groceries, marked by:

More Filipinos are shopping for food online: Shopee has observed a 2.5-times increase in the number of users who buy food products multiple times a month. This shows that Filipinos are shifting a larger share of food and grocery shopping online to reap the convenience of e-commerce.
People shop for food around the clock: E-commerce is making it more convenient for consumers to shop for food items at any time. As a result, shopping activity stays high throughout the week, peaking on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

2. Food and grocery shopping evolve as people adapt to Covid-19 pandemic

People are also buying a wider variety of food items online, as they make lifestyles changes at different stages of social distancing and the Covid-19 pandemic:

High demand for staple foods and baking supplies in March: The onset of social distancing motivated people to ensure ready food supplies at home, with demand for staple foods and baking supplies increasing by 70 times.
More “offline” food products bought online: Filipinos became more comfortable with buying food and groceries online as social distancing continued. In April, demand for beverages and alcohol grew 8 times on Shopee.
Top products: Caramelized sugar syrup, evaporated milk, and food flavorings for baking.

3. Rural and male consumers among the most active online food shoppers

As buying food products online becomes a norm, Shopee has observed that shopping activity is proliferating among rural and male consumers:

Spike in grocery demand among rural consumers: Consumers outside Metro Manila are also seeing e-commerce as a key channel for food and groceries because of reduced access to physical stores. Shopee’s food shopping activity from areas outside of Metro Manila increased 2.5 times in the past few months.
Men are doing more grocery shopping and cooking: Male food shopping activity increased up to three times from 2019. Men appear to be doing more home cooking and grocery shopping in recent months, with seasoning products and baking ingredients as the most popular among male users on Shopee.

4. Brands and sellers digitalize with Shopee, use new tools to sell food online

Brands and sellers are adapting to the new “online-first” environment through Shopee. They are offering an extensive range of food products and leveraging new tools to sell online:

Offering more choice and variety: Shopee has seen steady growth in the number of brands and sellers offering food products online, creating more buyers’ preference. On Shopee, the array of food products on the platform has doubled from 2019.
Using new tools to sell food online: Brands and sellers use live streaming to sell food products more effectively. In recent months, Shopee Live has become a vital tool for sellers to showcase new items and assure product quality in real-time, driving more views and sales.

Tao closed, “The Covid-19 situation and social distancing measures have created major changes in consumers’ lifestyles, affecting how brands and sellers conduct their businesses. We are committed to helping the Filipinos during this time of need, and we will continue to improve our platform to provide the daily necessities of every consumer, brand, and seller.”

Download Shopee for free through the App Store or Google Play.

About Shopee

Shopee is the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan. It was launched in 7 markets in 2015 to connect consumers, sellers, and businesses in the region.

Shopee offers an easy, secure, and engaging experience that is enjoyed by millions of people daily. It offers a wide product assortment, supported by integrated payments and logistics, as well as popular entertainment features tailored for each market. Shopee is also a key contributor to the region’s digital economy with a firm commitment to helping brands and entrepreneurs succeed in e-commerce.

Shopee is a part of Sea Limited (NYSE:SE), a leading global consumer internet company. In addition to Shopee, Sea’s other core businesses include its digital entertainment arm, Garena, and digital financial services arm, SeaMoney. Sea’s mission is to better the lives of consumers and small businesses with technology.

Singapore electronic producer Xinister teams up with Asian-American rapper Blahza on new single “Break”

Singapore electronic producer Xinister collaborates with Los Angeles based Asian-American rapper Blahza on ‘Break,’ released via Singapore based indie label Umami Records.

The lo-fi rap tune emphasizes the importance of staying humble while grinding and hustling for that big break. Blahza shares, “Rappers nowadays feel like they have to be loud and obnoxious to get on. This song has a similar message, but approaches it in an opposite style. Plus, with the whole COVID-19 thing going on now, I feel hating is at an all-time high. People seem to be so quick to point fingers.”

Known for his intense, high-energy trap/dubstep tracks which have already been featured on Spotify’s Bass Arcade, Beast Mode, Dubstep Don, and Trap Mojito, ‘Break’ is Xinister’s first hip-hop production. “I want to be more versatile and to keep pushing myself out of my comfort zone”, shares Xinister. “With ‘Break’, I was going for a chill COVID-19 stay home vibe. Blahza definitely killed it.”

In the midst of the COVID-19 lockdown, from their homes on opposite sides of the world in Singapore and Los Angeles, both artists went back and forth to write and produce ‘Break’ without ever having met each other in person. Xinister says, “it’s just two guys from different countries, only talking to each other online, yet we connected with each other instantly.”

“It was pure musical chemistry”, adds Blahza.

Xinister has 3 more singles planned for release in 2020, and Blahza will be releasing his LP, Sad Songs For Happy People over the next 12 months.

Listen to ‘Break’ by Xinister and Blahza everywhere at this link.

About Blahza

Los-Angeles based Asian-American hip hop artist and producer Blahza’s makes music with a larger than life sound about his afflictions, aspirations, and accomplishments, inspired by the American counterculture of the late 1960s and music from the early 2000s.

Blahza recorded, mixed and mastered Blueface’s record ‘Next Big Thing’ in 2018. In 2019, Blahza opened for Members Only at the first stop of their album tour, and released his EP ‘Bloom’.

Born and raised in Van Nuys, of Puerto Rican and Chinese parents, Blahza grew up surrounded by music and diversity. He fell in love with rap music and especially how it bridged different cultures.

Blahza is currently working on his full-length debut album ‘Sad Songs For Happy People’ slated for release later this year.

About Xinister

Singapore electronic producer Xinister is known for his intense, high energy trap/dubstep tracks which have already been featured on Spotify’s Bass Arcade, Beast Mode, Dubstep Don, and Trap Mojito.

With more than a million Spotify streams, Xinister’s music has also been featured on Russian football club FC Zenit Saint Petersburg’s YouTube channel totalling more than 4 million views.

‘Break’ is Xinister’s first hip hop track and will not be his last as he continues to develop his versatility with several more releases planned across genres the rest of this year.

About Umami Records

Umami Records is a Singapore-based indie record label founded in 2013. Much like the “5th taste” reputation of its namesake, the label strongly believes in discovering new, interesting sounds that run underground and away from the mainstream. The label’s tight-knit, curated roster thus far has included releases from Linying, The Steve McQueens, brb., Evanturetime, CampFire, Martin Baltser, Phoria, Oriental Cravings, and more.

Image and details provided by Umami Records in a recent press release.

Listen to Twenty-Nine Eleven’s take on 6cyclemind’s “I”

Filipino pop-rock outfit Twenty-Nine Eleven has finally released their remake of 6cyclemind’s “I,” off the upcoming Sige I-Cover Mo Lang Project.

The song serves as the second single of the online compilation, produced by 6cyclemind and their management Soupstar Music, and released by Sony Music Philippines.

The aforementioned tribute record aims to introduce the band’s legacy as reliable hitmakers that continue to define an entire generation’s collective consciousness.

A captivating take

Twenty-Nine Eleven’s version of the alt-rock classic was handpicked as one of the three winners of the Sige I-Cover Mo Lang Project—an initiative that encouraged fans to submit covers of their favorite songs from 6cyclemind’s catalog.

Their captivating take stands out with its earnest simplicity and delicate arrangements, giving the song a refreshing spin while maintaining the original’s timelessness and emotional appeal.

According to Fony Alfonso, the lead vocalist of the five-piece band, the song is already great on its own. “However, in order to make it sound like us, we wanted to rearrange the song and add more of our personality to it. As with all of the songs that we’ve done before, we experimented with it until we got the right ‘feel’ that we wanted to express as a band.”

An inspiration to young musicians

The independent band considers 6cyclemind as one of their inspirations. “After spending time with the members of 6cyclemind, we were able to understand that it wasn’t only their music style that made them successful, but also their perseverance in pursuing their career and passion,” guitarist Alexandre Abesamis shares. “As they’ve told us back then, there were a lot of other better and more skilled bands than them, but what made them stand out is that they never stopped playing.”

Currently, Twenty-Nine Eleven is working on new material and experimenting with various sounds and techniques culled from their individual music influences. Drummer Jerell Co adds, “Ever since high school, we were subjected to various styles and genres of music from the most dramatic love songs to the heaviest rock songs. That alone has developed the kind of music we could make now.”

Twenty-Nine Eleven’s rendition of “I” is now available on various music streaming and download platforms worldwide.

Image and song details provided by Sony Music Philippines in a recent press release.

Benjamin Kheng and Ben&Ben grill each other on Instagram live show, B.B.Q.

After their much buzzed TikTok collaboration which attracted an audience of more than 3 million, Singapore-based alt pop artist Benjamin Kheng and award-winning Filipino band Ben&Ben will be blessing the regional social media feeds once again with their follow-up collaboration on Instagram Live on June 23 at 10 pm.

The nine-piece collective behind hits such as “Lifetime,” “Pagtingin” and “Doors” will be joining Benjamin Kheng’s IG Live show, B.B.Q.—short for Ben’s Burning Questions.
Known for its hilarious banters and challenges, B.B.Q. encourages celebrity guests to pass 10 challenges with varying levels of difficulty.

If the participants surmount the test, they will be given a chance to “grill” Benjamin through a burning question or a flaming dare. The online show airs live on Benjamin Kheng’s Instagram every week.

Benjamin Kheng releases solo debut EP

Following his previous singles “Wicked,” “Find Me,” and “Lovers Forever,” the Singaporean multimedia star has just released his highly anticipated EP, A Sea That Never Stops.

The 6-track EP features three new tracks ‘Shiny’, ‘Already Home’, and ‘Make Do’ in addition to his previous singles.

A Sea That Never Stops focuses on fresh music – with each song embracing nuanced stories paired with novel production, yet heavily drawing upon Benjamin’s musical influences of gospel, rock, and musical theater. It fully encompasses Benjamin’s creative range and lends promise to his future musical endeavors.

Reflecting wholeheartedly on the significance of the EP title, Benjamin says, “Time has a way of teaching us how to say goodbye to things and people we’re not ready to – it just happens. Things simply end, people simply die, and we’re dragged on with time. We’re saying hello to new chapters before we’ve closed old ones. I guess I started writing these songs at the biting point of saying goodbye to the old and hello to the new, and I slowly began accepting the fact that I was part of a sea of waves that would eventually crash, disappear and go back into the ocean.”

Ben&Ben’s “Lifetime” amasses more than 5 million hits in a week

The critically acclaimed group is breaking records once again with the release of their new single, “Lifetime.” The folk-pop ballad has amassed more than 5 million streams on Spotify and YouTube combined, giving listeners a taste of their introspective songwriting in a time that needs comforting words and hope.

Ben&Ben premiered the hit song on TikTok Live! last June 13. It’s their first live performance together in one place after the lockdown period.

Benjamin Kheng’s solo debut EP, A Sea That Never Stops!and Ben&Ben’s latest single, “Lifetime” are both available on all digital and streaming platforms worldwide via Sony Music.

Image and details provided by Sony Music in a recent press release.

Entire second season of The Twilight Zone premieres June 25 exclusively on HBO GO

Executive produced By Jordan Peele and Simon Kinberg, the modern re-imagining of the classic TV series stars Morena Baccarin, Topher Grace, Tony Hale, Christopher Meloni, Jimmi Simpson and more.

Get ready to enter another dimension when season two of The Twilight Zone premieres exclusively on HBO GO on 25 June. All 10 episodes of the anthology series will be available at launch, same time as the U.S. In addition, now you can stream or download the first season of The Twilight Zone (2019) on HBO GO.

Executive produced by Oscar-winner Jordan Peele (“Get Out”, HBO’s “Lovecraft Country”) and Oscar-nominee Simon Kinberg (“Sherlock Holmes”, “The Martian”), this modern re-imagining of the classic TV series continues the legacy of socially conscious storytelling. The series’ second season uses introspection and self-exploration to usher viewers into a dimension filled with endless possibilities.

Peele returns as the host, joining a stellar guest cast, including Morena Baccarin, Kylie Bunbury, Jenna Elfman, Ethan Embry, Sky Ferreira, Tavi Gevinson, Topher Grace, Tony Hale, Gillian Jacobs, David Krumholtz, Thomas Lennon, Sophia Macy, Natalie Martinez, Joel McHale, Christopher Meloni, Gretchen Mol, Paula Newsome, Billy Porter, Jimmi Simpson, Jurnee Smollett, Daniel Sunjata, Damon Wayans Jr. and more.

In no particular order, episode titles include:

“8”
Starring Primetime Emmy-nominee Joel McHale (“Community”, “Stargirl”) and Brandon Jay McLaren (“Falling Skies”, “UnREAL”). Written by Primetime Emmy-nominee Glen Morgan (“Final Destination”, “The X Files”). Directed by Justin Benson (“The Endless”, “Synchronic”) and Aaron Moorhead (“The Endless”, “Synchronic”).

“A Small Town”
Starring Damon Wayans Jr. (“How To Be Single”, “Let’s Be Cops”), David Krumholtz (“The Deuce”, “The Plot Against America”), Natalie Martinez (“Reminiscence”, “The I-Land”), and Paula Newsome (“Barry”, “Pretty Little Liars”). Written by Steven Barnes (“The Twilight Zone” (1986), “Baywatch” series) and Tananarive Due (“From Cape Town With Love”, “Danger Word”). Directed by Alonso Alvarez-Barreda.

“Try, Try”
Starring Topher Grace (“Blackkklansman”, “Spider-Man 3”) and Kylie Bunbury (“Game Night”, “When They See Us”). Written by Primetime Emmy-Nominee Alex Rubens (“Keanu”, “Key And Peele”). Directed by Jennifer McGowan (“Rust Creek”, “Touch”).

“You Might Also Like”
Starring Gretchen Mol (“Boardwalk Empire”, “Perry Mason”) and Greta Lee (“Girls”, “High Maintenance”). Written and directed by Osgood Perkins (“Gretel & Hansel”, “I Am The Pretty Thing That Lives In The House”).

“Ovation”
Starring Jurnee Smollett-Bell (“Birds of Prey”, “Lovecraft Country”), Tawny Newsome (“Space Force”, “Lower Decks”), Sky Ferreira (“Baby Driver”, “Twin Peaks”), Primetime Emmy-nominee Paul F. Tompkins (“Room 104”, “Curb Your Enthusiasm”), and Thomas Lennon (“Night at the Museum” franchise, “Friends”). Written by Emily C. Chang (“The Vampire Diaries”, “Total Recall”) and Sara Amini (“Misery Loves Company”, “UNmatchable”). Directed by Ana Lily Amirpour (“Castle Rock”, “Legion”).

“Downtime”
Starring Primetime Emmy-nominee Morena Baccarin (“The Deadpool” franchise, “Gotham”), Colman Domingo (“Euphoria”, “Lucifer”) and Tony Hale (“Veep”, “Toy Story 4”). Written by Jordan Peele. Directed by JD Dillard (“The Outsider”, “Two Sentence Horror Stories”).

“The Who of You”
Starring Ethan Embry (“Blindspotting”, “Grace and Frankie”), Daniel Sunjata (“Sex and the City”, “Manifest”), and Golden Globe-nominee Billy Porter (“Pose”, “Like a Boss”). Written by Win Rosenfeld (“BlacKKKlansman”, “The Last O.G.”). Directed by Primetime Emmy-winner Peter Atencio (“Keanu”, “Whiskey Cavalier”).

“A Human Face”
Starring Golden Globe-winner Jenna Elfman (“Fear the Walking Dead”, “Two And A Half Men”), Primetime Emmy-nominee Chris Meloni (“The Handmaid’s Tale”, “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”), and Tavi Gevinson (“Person to Person”, “Enough Said”). Written by Alex Rubens. Directed by Christina Choe (“Queen Sugar”, “Nancy”).

“Among The Untrodden”
Introducing Abbie Hern and Sophia Macy. Written by Primetime Emmy-nominee Heather Anne Campbell (“Miracle Workers”, “Corporate”). Directed by Tayarisha Poe (“Two Sentence Horror Stories”, “Selah and the Spades”).

“Meet in the Middle”
Starring Primetime Emmy-nominee Jimmi Simpson (“Westworld”, “Person Of Interest”) and Gillian Jacobs (“Girls”, “Community”). Written by Emily C. Chang and Sara Amini. Directed by Primetime Emmy-winner Mathias Herndl (“The Order”, “Motive”).

The original The Twilight Zone series premiered on 2 October 1959 on CBS. It took viewers to another dimension – a dimension not only of sight and sound, but of mind. The show became a worldwide phenomenon that sent fans on a journey into a wondrous land of imagination, and it continues to be an inspiration for pushing the boundaries of storytelling. As an innovator of genre programming, The Twilight Zone explored humanity’s hopes, despairs, prides and prejudices in metaphoric ways to introduce audiences to tales of morality and present perspectives that are underserved in conventional television.

HBO Original Series as well as live channels are also available for streaming to SKYcable subscribers on HBO GO for as low as Php99/month. To subscribe, call your local SKY office or fill up this form.

Subscribe to SKY Fiber will also get their first three months’ access to HBO GO courtesy of SKY Fiber. More details on this promo here.

Show details and images 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.

Two seasons of Doom Patrol to premiere exclusively on HBO GO

What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stranger. The entire first season and first three episodes of the second season of the HBO Max Original series Doom Patrol, which reimagines one of DC’s strangest groups of super heroes, will be available exclusively on HBO GO from Saturday, 27 June. A new episode of the second season will be released weekly every Friday.

Each member of the Doom Patrol suffered a horrible accident that gave them superhuman abilities, but also left them scarred and disfigured. Traumatised and downtrodden, the team comprises of Robotman aka Cliff Steele (played by Brendan Fraser – “Crash”, “The Mummy”, “Gods and Monsters”), Negative Man aka Larry Trainor (played by Matt Bomer – “White Collar”, “American Horror Story”, “The Normal Heart”), Elasti-Woman aka Rita Farr (played by April Bowlby – “Two and a Half Men”, “How I Met Your Mother”) Crazy Jane (played by Diane Guerrero – “Orange is the New Black”) and Cyborg aka Victor Stone (played by Joivan Wade – “The First Purge”, “Doctor Who”).
Part support group, part Super Hero team, the Doom Patrol is a band of superpowered freaks who fight for a world that wants nothing to do with them. They come together to investigate the weirdest phenomena in existence under the leadership of modern-day mad scientist Niles Caulder aka The Chief (played by Timothy Dalton – “The Living Daylights”, “Licence to Kill”).

In Season 1, following the mysterious disappearance of The Chief, these reluctant heroes find themselves in a place they never expected to be and are called to action by Vic Stone aka Cyborg, who proposes a mission that is hard to refuse. Season 1 also stars Alan Tudyk (“Powerless”, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Suburgatory”) as Mr. Nobody.

In Season 2, following the defeat of Mr. Nobody, the Doom Patrol now find themselves mini-sized and stranded on Cliff’s toy race car track. Here they begin to deal with their feelings of betrayal with Niles Caulder aka The Chief, while confronting their own personal baggage. As each member faces the challenge of growing beyond their own past traumatic experiences, they must come together to embrace and protect the newest member of the family, Dorothy Spinner (recurring guest star Abigail Shapiro), Caulder’s daughter, whose powers remain a mysterious but real threat to bringing on the end of the world.

Doom Patrol is produced by Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television. The series is developed by Jeremy Carver (“Supernatural”, “Frequency”, “Being Human”) and executive produced by Carver, Geoff Johns (“Suicide Squad”, “Aquaman”, “Wonder Woman”, “Justice League”), Greg Berlanti (“Arrow”, “Titans”, “The Flash”, “Supergirl”, “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow”), Sarah Schechter (“Supergirl”, “Riverdale”, “Blindspot”) and Chris Dingess (“Agent Carter”, “Eastwick”, “Kevin (Probably) Saves the World”). The series is based on characters created for DC by Arnold Drake, Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani.

Subscribe to SKY Fiber will also get their first three months’ access to HBO GO courtesy of SKY Fiber. More details on this promo here.

Show details and images provided by HBO in a recent press release.

WWF-Philippines holds webinar on Food Safety in The New Normal

As part of its celebration of June as the National Safety Month, WWF-Philippines, the local arm of the World Wide Fund, held the Panda Talk Food Safety: Everyone’s Business, a timely topic as the country transitions to The New Normal.

Panda Talks are WWF-Philippines’ free livestreaming educational events which aim to equip the public with information on conservation in line with the organization’s initiatives.

With many Filipinos going into buying foodstuffs online and home-based food selling, there is a need to establish food safety and food waste management practices.

Host Janine Gutierrez, WWF-Philippines’ National Youth Ambassador, and speaker Melody Melo-Rijk, WWF-Philippines’ Project Manager for the Sustainable Diner Project, discussed ways in which consumers and home-based food businesses can practice food safety in a COVID-19 world.

“Food safety is actually a shared responsibility between the food businesses and the dining public,” shares Melo-Rijk. “We all have a stake in making sure that our food is safe, nutritious and healthy to eat.”

Since COVID-19 is transmitted from human-to-human, physical distancing has become the norm. Although there is no evidence that food of animal origin can transmit the disease, preventing food contamination will reduce foodborne illness and the likelihood that novel diseases such as COVID-19 will emerge.

With these in mind, Melo-Rijk shared best practices to ensure food safety for both consumers and food businesses.

Food Safety at Home. The home has emerged as the safest place to be as it is an environment that can be easily controlled by the consumer. Steps to further safeguard household members from disease include:

Practice personal hygiene at all times. Washing hands from nails to elbows for twenty seconds will help to remove physical dirt and reduce microbes. Daily and thorough bathing of each household member will also prevent contamination and disease transfer. It is also important to be mindful of your water usage so turn off your faucet while still soaping your hands.
Clean and sanitize. Cleaning is the removal of visible physical dirt from surfaces while sanitizing involves the use of anti-bacterial agents to eliminate invisible micro-organisms. It is important to sanitize (between 60% to 85% FDA-approved sanitizing solutions are best) after cleaning to help reduce all possible contaminants.
Separate raw and cooked food. Raw food contains more micro-organisms than cooked food so these should be kept apart to avoid cross-contamination. This also involves the utensils use to handle food during preparation: ideally, a separate set of knives and chopping boards should be assigned for raw and cooked food; if this is too costly, food preparers can just make sure to clean and sanitize each tool prior to shifting from raw food to cooked food and vice versa.
Cook and store food properly. The key to cooking and storing food is temperature. Microorganisms grow best between the 5 deg and 60 deg Celsius (or 40 deg to 130 deg Fahrenheit). Food should be stored below 5 deg Celsius to slow the growth of microorganism and cooked above 60 deg Celsius to eliminate them.
Consume fresh food and clean water from safe sources. Avoid overstocking food to assure their freshness upon consumption. Be sure to check expiry dates of packaged food and the state of fresh produce regularly.

Food Safety in Businesses. The Department of Tourism (DOT) has already released guidelines for restaurants and food businesses to follow to ensure the safety of the dining public in accordance with the measures set by the US Food and Drug Administration (US-FDA). These include:

Employees must be clean and healthy. Food business employees must be free from COVID-19 and other diseases. Therefore, they must always practice stringent personal hygiene, wear appropriate personal protection equipment (PPEs) such as gloves, hairnets, face masks and shields, work clothes and protective covers for shoes. They should undergo regular temperature checks and immediately report any symptoms to their employers. Diners must also be required to wear face masks, undergo temperature checks, step onto sanitizing mats and provide contact details for contract tracing.
Clean and sanitize. All surfaces in the dining and food preparation area (including utensils and equipment) must always be cleaned and sanitized. Ingredients should, of course, be meticulously cleaned.
Maintain physical distancing at all times. The standard of 2 meters (6 feet) must be practiced by employees and diners alike, supported by floor markers or signs. Self-service setups (wherein diners will proceed to different areas) and displays of food items (which will encourage diners to gather in certain areas) must be avoided.
Ensure protocols for delivery and pickup. Measures to ensure minimal physical contact should be implemented. For example, the use of cash or credit cards that involves physical objects changing hands should be avoided, and instead be replaced by cashless payment options like G-Cash and Paymaya which allow consumers to pay for their orders remotely using their mobile phones. Food delivery apps like GrabFood and FoodPanda have also released guidelines for contactless delivery which include designating a surface outside the home for the rider to drop off the order and pick up payment.

With these measures in place, the spread of diseases can hopefully be controlled and curtailed.

Minimizing Food Waste

Even in The New Normal, sustainability should still be a priority concern with food waste comprising 80% of the country’s solid waste. The Sustainable Diner Project is WWF-Philippines’ initiative that aims to lessen food wastage and contribute to the improvement of the implementation of sustainable consumption and production processes in the food service sector. From studies and talks done by the organization with stakeholders in the food industry, the project has provided steps that consumers and food business can follow to minimize food waste. These include:

Plan ahead. Check your refrigerator, pantry and other food storage areas and plan your menu before going out to buy food.
Check labels and expiry dates.
Ensure proper storage and preparation of food. Ensure that food storage equipment such as refrigerators and chillers are functioning properly. The designated food storage area should be a cool and dry place, free from rodents and pests. Make sure that the food you store is properly sealed to avoid attracting rodents.
Only buy products you can reasonably consume. Avoid overbuying food, especially perishables. WWF-Philippines also encourages consumers to buy “ugly” fruits and vegetables which are impertfect-looking produce due to discolorations or shape but are perfectly fine when peeled.
Be creative with your next meal. Being stuck at home has unleashed the hidden talent in cooking that many of us have. Try to maximize the existing ingredients in your pantry and even leftovers when preparing your next meal.

The Panda Talk Food Safety: Everyone’s Business may be viewed on Facebook.

About WWF-Philippines

WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with over 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

WWF-Philippines has been successfully implementing various conservation projects to help protect some of the most biologically-significant ecosystems in Asia since its establishment as the 26th national organization of the WWF network in 1997.

Check out my other posts on conservation:

Header photo created by prostooleh – www.freepik.com

Food photo created by freepik – www.freepik.com