cookies – Jellybeans in the City

More memorable snacktimes with Lemon Square

What was your idea of a fun snacktime when you were growing up?

It can be winding down at home after an afternoon of playing with our friends, where a refreshing drink and a light repast had been lovingly laid out by our moms.

It can also be the highly anticipated recess where we munch on our baons in between classes.

Or, it might be the late-night munchies with a glass of warm milk that we shared with our parents right before bedtime.

These memorable snacking moments stayed in our memories into adulthood, and we looked forward to the days when we can witness our kiddos enjoying similar moments.

The kids nowadays may be feeling down as they’re stuck at home because of the lockdown. How about cheering them up by sharing a bite or two of these tasty home-style baked treats from Lemon Square?

For thirty-five years, Lemon Square has been a part of every Filipino household, serving up real goodness through affordable and nutritious snack cakes. Its products are also much-loved by nanays throughout the country for their affordability, accessibility and nutritional value.

They can even be used to make more elaborate desserts, saving moms precious time and effort in coming up with unique and show-stopping confections.

Lemon Square continues to expand its product line to provide all family members their own favorite treat:

Lemon Square Signature Cupcakes. An assortment of cupcake flavors (including cream caramel, ube and pandan) to tickle the tastebuds!

Buy it at Lazada

Lemon Square Lava Cake. Aside from its Chocolate variant, this moist cake bar with a yummy cream filling also comes in Creamy Bavarian and Quezo con Ube flavors.

Buy it at Lazada

Lemon Square Whatta Tops. There’s a lotta enjoy with Whatta Tops, from Vanilla, Milky Cheese, Mango Graham to Cookies ‘n Cream flavors to add to your faves.

Buy it at Lazada

Lemon Square Inipit. A light snack made of a filling sandwiched (or “inipit”) between two pieces of chiffon cakes which come in Custard, Pastillas, Pandan, Queso, Chocolate and Lemon flavors.

Buy it at Lazada

Lemon Square Choo Choo Cake Bites. A pocket-sized snack you can chew on while on-the-go, which comes in Choco Vanilla and Cheese Milk variants.

Buy it at Lazada

Lemon Square Fun Square. Who knew being square could be so much fun! Well, if you’re a fun-sized Brownie or a Butterscotch piece that can be eaten alone or paired with ice cream or syrup, then you are definitely a Fun Square!

Buy it at Lazada

With all these snack cake variants, the kiddos can enjoy fun and tasty treats after schoolwork or playtime!

So while the kiddos may not be able to roam out of doors, do bring them fun and unforgettable snacktimes at home with the real goodness of Lemon Square.

Check out my Lazada picks to stock up on these snackable goodies and more.

Click here

Disclosure: This post contains affliliate links..

The Jelly List: Desserts for Delivery During Quarantine

How are your sweet cravings, foodies?

Sugar addicts like me are sure to be missing their usual dessert places with many restos and cafes closing shop during the enhanced community quarantine.

If your usual dessert haunts are currently inaccessible, you’ll be happy to know that desserts and baked goodies from these stores are available for delivery.

1. Cookies from Sugar Creations by Alex

“C is for cookie. That’s good enough for me.”

For all you Cookie Monsters out there, mommy Alex whips up crave-worthy cookies like Dark Chocolate, Dark Oatmeal, Classic Chocolate Chip and Smookies.

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

2. Breads from Chloe Creations Bakeshop

Even if you’re working from home, you can still use a coffee break.

Have a few pieces of Ubechizdesal or a slice or two of Banana Loaf to go with your favorite cuppa.

To order, call + 63 915 3196411 or send a message via Instagram or Facebook.

3. Cakes from Carla Kusinera

C’mon… you know there’s always room for dessert! There’s nothing like a sweet treat to cap off a great meal.

So how about a slice of Carla Kusinera’s light and fluffy Creme Brulee Cake or decadent Chocolate Cake?

To order, call +63 917 5638785 or send a message via Instagram or Facebook.

4. Mocha Dalgona Avocado Gelato from What’s Your Flan?

With the summer heat intensifying, what we sometimes need is to cool down with a a frozen treat.

Indulge yourself with a tin of Mocha Dalgona Avocado Gelato (with real Dalgona candies) from What’s Your Flan?!

To order, call +63 916 4978876 or send a message via Instagram or Facebook.

5. Burnt Basque Cheesecake from Sweet Samthings

My birthday-in-quarantine was still a happy one with this lusciously milky and custardy Burnt Basque Cheesecake from Sweet Samthings.

To order, call +63 917 6183443 or send a message via Instagram or Facebook.

6. Apple Pie from Yellowbakerbug

Want a taste of home-style apple pie? I know I did last Mother’s Day!

That smell of cinnamon that wafted from the crumbly and sweetly spiced pastry from Yellowbakerbug got me and the fam salivating! Its crisp apple slices and buttery crumb topping make it a perfect dessert for my Mother’s Day meal.

To order, send a message via Instagram or Facebook.

Now you know who to call to sate your sweet cravings during quarantine!

Thanks to Harvard of AlwaysHungryPH for sharing the goodies from Chloe Creations Bakeshop, Karla Kusinera and What’s Your Flan?

Check out my other adventures compiled into Jelly Lists:

For the kids at heart – Scout’s Honor, Ayala Malls Vertis North

Every once in a while, even responsible and serious adults need to let loose their inner child.

Well, guess what: you can do exactly that the camp-themed Scout’s Honor branch in Ayala Malls Vertis North.

Designed to be a place where kids can hang out and enjoy their favorite food, it can also be a place for adults to give in to their playful side.

Together with my officemates, I set out to allow my inner child free rein over lunch at Scout’s Honor.

There, we munched on kid- and kid-at-heart-friendly fare which included:

Crackers, while waiting for our order.

Campfire Potatoes (Ph135). Handcut fries deep-fried to a crisp golden-brown topped with bacon bits and doused with cheese sauce.

Crispy Calamari and Chips (Php165). Crispy battered squid rings flavored with oregano and fennel and served with freshly crisped potato chips.

Scout’s Honor Cheeseburger (Php160 + Php75 for drink and fries). Scout’s Signature beef patty topped with melted cheese sauce between buttery toasted buns.

Tapsilog (Php245). Sukiyaki-cut USDA Beef tapa served with garlic rice, two sunny side up eggs, atchara and spiced vinegar.

Burger Silog (Php235). An all-beef burger steak in savory gravy served with garlic rice, two sunny side up eggs, atchara and spiced vinegar.

1 Bite 2 Bite (Php80/10 pieces). Mini-bite size milk chocolate chip cookies that we divided among ourselves.

I love how Scout’s Honor totally gets a kid’s predilection for melted cheese sauce, and of course, cookies!

And since two of us unlocked our Zomato Gold provileges here, we got two of these dishes for free!

Zomato Gold provides members with 1+1 (Buy 1 Get 1) deals on food or 2+2 (Buy 2 Get 2) deals on drinks for dining in at partner restaurants. All you have to do is sign up for a Zomato Gold membership here. Use the code JELLYB to get 45% off the membership fee.

Want to have some of that kiddie joy right at home?

During the enhanced community quarantine, two of Scout’s Honor’s branches are open from 11am to 7pm Tuesdays to Sundays with a special menu for takeout, delivery via GrabFood and FoodPanda or pickup via Grab Assistant or Lalamove Purchase Service:

Uptown Bonifacio: To order, call +63 917 631 0765 or +63 2 79467374
Santolan Town Plaza: To order, call +63 917 7061607 or +63 2 77288902

This Scout’s Honor branch is located at Level 1, Ayala Malls Vertis North, Bagong Pag-Asa, Quezon City with store hours from 8am to 10pm daily. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 79406480 or +63 917 7021404.

Other branches are located at:

Estancia Mall, Capitol Commons, Oranbo, Pasig
Uptown Place Mall, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Santolan Town Plaza, Little Baguio, San Juan
SM City North EDSA, Bago Bantay, Quezon City
SM City Fairview, Novaliches, Quezon City
Century City Mall, Poblacion, Makati
Robinsons Place Manila, Ermita, Manila

Check out my blog posts on breakfast/brunch joints around the metro:

Sweets to the sweet from Inang Charing

Everyone who knows me is probably already familiar with my sweet tooth.

I’ve always had a strong affinity for desserts: cakes, cookies and creams. My belief is that there’s always room for dessert. In fact, the dessert at the end is what I usually look forward during meal time.

And the sweet treats from Inang Charing’s are definitely worth the anticipation.

Former BPO employee Mylene Capili had a love for sweets and a skill for baking. Dreaming of having her own cafe someday, she studied Hotel and Restaurant Management in college.

When she was gifted with an oven, her passion for baking was rekindled.

Her first foray into the baking business began in 2013 under the name Dress Up Brownies, with her lucky BPO coworkers as her first customers. They were the first to get a taste her revel bars and brownies. In a burst of inspiration, Mylene and her partner offered dressed-up brownies, bars custom-decorated similar to cupcakes according to their customers’ request.

Her drive for both her job and her side business was challenged a year later when her grandmother, who raised her and her siblings, passed away. She resigned from her job to focus on Dress Up Brownies but her grief over her grandmother’s passing contributed to her business going on hiatus for two years.

A big order for her mini chocolate chip cookies for her sister’s high school reunion in 2018 spurred her to revive her business.

Wanting to pay tribute to her beloved grandmother, she rebranded her business, adopting the name her grandmother was called by neighbors when she was growing up: Inang Charing.

Thus, Inang Charing’s Cakes and Pastries came into being.

With her grandmother serving as her inspiration, she was motivated to create more baked goods for people to love.

Today, she operates Inang Charing’s Cakes and Pastries with her partner, Bem, who oversees sales, marketing and procurement of ingredients, while she handles the baking and pricing of the finished products.

They expanded their product line from brownies, revel bars and custom pastries to include cookies, cakes and cheesecakes, some of which I was able to sample.

The Triple-Flavored Cheesecake (Php785) presents three mouth-watering toppings on a three-inch tall cheesecake. The cheesecake itself is rich and compact, mildly sweet with a smooth and creamy mouthfeel. Its toppings of Mango, Blueberry and Nutella add different dimensions to the dessert. Also available are single-flavor (Php735) and double-flavor (Php755) variants.

The Chocolate Truffle Liquor Cake (Php265), on the other hand, is a decadent 5-inch diameter confection of layers upon layers of chocolate goodness. A moist chocolate cake flavored with chocolate liquor serves as the base layer covered by a thick and creamy ganache and a generous sprinkling with cocoa powder.

Lastly, the Salted White Chocolate Almond Cookies (Php50/pc) are delightful treats with complex flavors and textures owing to the white chocolate chips and toasted almonds scattered on top of moist and chewy cookies.

So if you’re looking for a showstopping cake for your party or just want to stock up on desserts to give your meals a wonderful ending, check out Inang Charing’s Cakes and Pastries.

Many thanks to Mylene for these scrumptious sweets.

To get your hands on these and more from Inang Charing’s, course your orders through its Facebook page or Instagram account with a three-day lead time and pay via BPI bank deposit a day before the delivery.

Disclosure: Product samples were provided to enable an honest review.

Check out my blog posts on other small enterprises and startups in the food business:

Noche Buena-inspired meal sets at Press by Fully Booked, Powerplant Mall

This goes out to certified bookworms like me: imagine that you’re in your happy place ( a book shop, of course!), surrounded by shelves full of tomes waiting to be read and loved, the smell of book paper all around you.

Suddenly, you start to get really hungry.

Oh, just when you were so enjoying browsing through the books and picking out those you want to bring home with you!

What to do?

If you’re at the Fully Booked branch in Powerplant Mall, you won’t need to leave the book shop to ease your hunger. You can have a meal right there at the cafe situated at the corner called Press by Fully Booked.

Here, you can enjoy classic comfort food such as:

Mushroom Soup (Php160). Creamy soup made with bits of shiitake mushroom and Italian sausage.

Classic Caesar Salad (Php250). Fresh romaine lettuce, grilled chicken slices, grated parmesan cheese and bacon bits tossed in traditional Ceasar dressing.

Aglio Olio (Php200). Al dente pasta lightly sauteed in minced garlic and olive oil.

Carbonara (Php250). Al dente pasta cooked with special bechamel sauce topped with bacon bits.

Just in time for the Christmas Season, Press by Fully Booked launched Holiday Meal Sets inspired by dishes found in a Filipino Noche Buena table. These sets are good for three to four people so a group of friends or a family can share and enjoy them.

These sets include:

Arroz Valenciana. A Filipino dish made with glutinous rice, chorizo, shrimp, bell peppers, hard-boiled egg and spices.

Homestyle Fried Chicken. Deep-fried chicken marinated in buttermilk.

Lechon Belly. Slab of pork belly rolled in seasonings then slow-roasted in the oven to achieve a tender and moist meat and a crispy and flavorful skin.

Press Iced Tea (Php100). The house blend iced tea.

Set A (Php999) includes Arroz Valenciana, Homestyle Fried Chicken and Press Iced Tea while Set B (Php1,499) includes the items in Set A plus Lechon Belly.

The Christmas Season is also about gatherings and gift-giving. With this, Press by Fully Booked also launched a series of Holiday Pastries, an assortment of festive cakes and pastried perfect for a clan “salo-salo” or as holiday gifts.

These include:

Ube Custard (Php650). Fluffy ube (purple yam) cake topped with creamy leche flan (egg custard).

Four Seasons Cheesecake (Php1,350). Baked cheesecake which comes in four flavors: Original, Caramelized Banana, Queso de Bola and Hazelnut garnished with chocolate, fresh strawberries and honeycomb.

Chocolate Cake (Php1,250). Moist chocolate sponge cake filled with layers of chocolate ganache and salted caramel, and coated with cashew crumble.

Cookie Sampler (Php440). A tub of twenty mini cookies consisting of five pieces each of Chocolate Chip, Double Chocolate Chip, Double Mint Chocolate Chip and Cranberry & Raisins,

Bar Sampler (Php550). A tub of twenty-four bars consisting of twelve pieces each of Food for The Gods and Butterscotch.

And to make the holidays even more fun and festive, the cafe is bringing 9 Weeks of Press Holidays wherein the diners can enjoy a different perk every week:

November 11-17: free Americaninfor every order of available cakes
November 18-24: 10% off on total orders
November 25-December 1: Free Double Chocolate Chip Cookie for every minimum spend of Php500 and up
December 2-8: Free Press Iced Tea for every order of any pasta dish
December 9-15: 10% off on drinks
December 16-22: Free pumpkin soup for every order from “The Classics” menu
December 23-29: 10% off on holiday sets and holiday pastries
December 30-January 5: Buy 1 Take 1 on coffee (frappe not included)
Jannuary 6-12: 10% off on all salad orders

So the next time you’re at Fully Booked in Powerplant Mall, there’s no need to leave your happy place to get a meal. Pop by Press by Fully Booked and get yourself a taste of the holidays.

Many thanks to thr managemeny and staff of Press by Fully Booked for the warm welcome and to Bella Javier for extending the invitation.

This Press by Fully Booked branch is located at Level R3, Powerplant Mall, Rockwell Drive corner Estrella Street, Rockwell Center, Makati, open daily from 11am to 9pm.

Another branch is located at Ground Floor, Santolan Town Plaza, Col. Boni Serrano Avenue, San Juan.

Disclosure: Together with other foodies, I attended a foodie meet-up held in this restaurant. The food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare to facilitate honest reviews and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

Check out my blog posts on breakfast/brunch joints around the metro:

Cafe Shibuya, Trinoma

Scientifically delish eats at Bubba Lab, Graceland Plaza

Labmates, are you ready for a bout of experimentation and discovery?

Well, check out the foodie adventure that my fellow foodies and I embarked on at Bubba Lab Graceland Plaza in our pursuit of food knowledge and verifiably delicious eats.

(And, in keeping with Bubba Lab’s theme, and just for kicks, this blog post will be formatted in line with the scientific method.)

Statement of the Question:

Where in Marikina do we go for imaginatively concocted drinks and tasty snacks?

Being a resident of the East, I usually gravitate towards Marikina for foodie adventures since this city is packed with great foodie finds: fresh concepts, creative food executions and enterprising owners.

Hypothesis:

Hmm, the Bubba Lab branch at Graceland Plaza sure seems worth checking out. I already sampled some of its drinks at its Lamp Quarters branch and those were pretty interesting.

Bubba Lab is a homegrown chemistry-themed cafe which set its roots in the foodie haven Marikina. This branch is the second of the brand’s three existing outlets and has recently undergone some renovation to include some botanicals into the space. The change made the cafe even more inviting and Instagrammable, a perfect place for yuppies and young ‘uns to relax and grab a bite while working/studying (there’s free WiFi) or hanging out with friends.

Data Gathering:

Yeah, but what about the food?

Well, let’s see… During its recent Bloggers Event, Bubba Lab treated us to some of its menu items which included:

Labcuterie (Php270). Bubba Lab’s version of a charcuterie, it is comprised of slices of bratwurst. kielbasa and Hungarian sausages served with honey mustard dip and coleslaw.

Supernova (Php260). Named after the stellar explosion, this collection of finger-foods – battered fish, squid fritters, jojos (crispy battered potato wedges) and nachos – served in individual containers in a stand for easy access and served with spice-infused vinegar and three dips of one’s choice are sure to lead to explosions of flavor.

Chicken Slaw Croissant (Php160). Truth be told: the chicken salad croissant is one of my all-time favorite sandwiches. When one of the fast-food chains eliminated it from its menu, I was near-heartbroken. I’m so glad that this sandwich has made its home at Bubba Lab, and is just a short drive away.

Crinkly Fries (Php75). Crisp and freshly made fries in your choice of flavor: sour cream, BBQ or cheese.

Tater Tots (Php80). Crisp deep-fried balls made from grated potatoes.

Lab Treats. Seasonal creations baked fresh daily which include muffins (Php75 each) – Cheese Overload, Red Velvet, Choco Chip and Chocolate Moist – and huge cookies (Php35/pc) – Oatmeal and Choco Chip.

Bubba Lab takes particular pride in its beverage offerings, and, in keeping with its chemistry theme, the store’s drink menu takes after the table of elements, with each refreshing drink assigned its own symbol.

Stp – Strawberries and Cream Candy Frappe (Php140 medium | Php150 large). Sweet and fruity, a dessert-drink for those with a sweet tooth.

Scp – Salted Caramel Frappe (Php140 medium | Php150 large). A creamy concoction with that sweet-salty flavor.

Mx – Mango Tea Frost (Php105 medium | Php115 large). Another fruity drink, with the sweetness of the mango-flavored tea complemented by the nata de coco.

Cu – Cucumber Cooler (Php105). A zesty refreshing drink perfect for hot summer days.

Bu – Bubba Lab Milktea (Php100 medium | Php110 large). The store’s best-selling drink made from freshly brewed tea leaves accented with chewy tapioca pearls.

Analysis:

Bubba Lab’s finger-food and sandwiches are well-suited as snacks or light meals, and go well with the store’s beverage offerings.

The drinks, on the other hand, are creatively concocted and affordably priced.

The store’s newly renovated premises also provide an attractive and comfortable backdrop for solitary work or lively meetups with friends.

Conclusion:

I therefore conclude that Bubba Lab Graceland Plaza is the place to be for milk tea lovers, where they can also enjoy yummy snacks as they work or hang out with friends.

Many thanks to the management and staff of Bubba Lab for the warm welcome and tasty treats, and to Aileen of Aileen Loves To Eat for extending the invitation!

This Bubba Lab branch is located at Graceland Plaza, JP Rizal Avenue, Marikina City, open daily from 10am to 10pm.

Other branches are located at:

Extension B, C&B Circle Mall, Liwasang Kalayaan Avenue, Marikina Heights, Marikina City
Lamp Quarters, Gil Fernando Avenue, Bgy. Santo Nino, Marikina City

Disclosure: Together with fellow food bloggers, I attended a foodie meetup held in this restaurant. Food and drink items mentioned here were served to enable us to sample the fare to facilitate honest reviews and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

Check out my reviews of other milk tea joints: