dark chocolate – Jellybeans in the City

Tanduay and Theo & Philo collaborate of tribute to Pinoy heritage with their new luscious dark chocolate

The robust and complex flavors of Tanduay Asian Rum Gold is paired with the strong and bold taste of Theo & Philo’s 65% single origin Philippine Dark Chocolate for the two brands’ latest collaboration.

Marc Ngo, Senior Brand Manager and International Business Development Manager at Tanduay, said that working with Theo & Philo gave them the opportunity to showcase their rum’s distinctness and that it can be infused in other products.

“Tanduay continues to delight our customers by coming up with new product innovations. Our first collaboration with premier Filipino chocolate brand Theo & Philo successfully achieved our targets and opened new opportunities. This time, we are releasing dark chocolate bonbons that bring out the premium flavor of the Tanduay Asian Rum Gold,” he said.

Philo Chua, founder and chocolatier behind Theo & Philo, shared that they really love using Tanduay Asian Rum Gold as it can hold its own when paired with their dark chocolate.

“Our dark chocolate is a relatively high percentage dark chocolate, so it really needs something bold to go with it. We use Philippine trinitario cacao beans for making our chocolates and it can make for a strong dark chocolate that also requires big flavors to go with it,” Chua said.

Their initial brand collaboration was a chocolate bar with rum caramel filling. It was released in limited quantities back in 2019.

“It was really amazing to learn how much it got people excited to see a Tanduay chocolate bar, mainly because Tanduay for a lot of people is very reminiscent of good times shared with friends over a drink. It really is an iconic brand in the Philippines that has stayed true to its roots, and for being the oldest rum brand in the Philippines,” Chua further said.

Chua also noted that both brands trace their roots back to the Philippines’ heritage and land. The sugarcane used in making Tanduay and the cacao beans that go into Theo & Philo’s chocolates are grown in the country. All their products are likewise made in the Philippines.

Ngo shared that they are open to more collaborations with Theo & Philo and other Philippine brands featuring Tanduay’s award-winning rum products.

The new Theo & Philo Tanduay chocolate is a limited edition product.

Image and details provided in a recent press release.

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.

Spread the sweet goodness of Kica Bites cookies

A little bit of sweetness can go a long way, wouldn’t you agree?

A little bit of a warm hug, a little bit of a winsome smile, a little bit of a happy thought… All these are little bits of joy that we can spread around, especially during these trying times.

After all, the quarantine can’t lock down our merry vibes, can it?

That’s why we should take every opportunity to spread little bits of sweetness to the people around us.

Take the cookies from Kica Bites, for example.

Made with love by newlyweds Kim and Carla (hence the name “KiCa”) who discovered baking as their “quaranthing,” these confections are the sweet treats that are sure to brighten everyone’s day.

Baked in small batches in their HQ in Rizal, Kica Bites cookies come in two signature flavors:

Original Chocolate Chip (Php209 for box of 6 | Php269 for box of 10). It’s hard to resist biting into a buttery cookie studded with chocolate chips, with just a hint of a crisp at the edges and chewy center . So why bother resisting?

Triple Dark Chocolate with Walnuts (Php229 for box of 6 | Php289 for box of 10). Get ready for chocolate overload with this fudgy chocolatey cookie!

Can’t choose between the two flavors? Why don’t you go for a Mixed Box (Php279) with five pieces of each cookie variant?

So the next question is: how can these sweet cookie delights find their way to you?

Simple: just fill out this order form, then wait for the order confirmation as well as Kica Bites’ payment details. Pay via BPI, Union Bank or Gcash then send proof of payment. Kica Bites cookies may be delivered from Rizal to anywhere in Metro Manila everyday or within Cavite on weekends.

These cookies are great for dessert a meal or as an accompaniment for your cuppa on your coffee break.

With the holidays fast approaching, you can spread some joy and love by giving a box of cookies to your nears-and-dears so that they can bite into some sweet goodness too!

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

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

Coco Dolce supports organic farming with its coconut-rich chocolate bars

Coconut and its various derivatives have long been touted for their contributions to the flavors and health benefits of food prepared with them.

My foray into Kultura Filipino’s “Crafts for a Cause” exhibit where I chanced upon the Coco Dolce stall, however, was the first time I heard about using coconut products in chocolate production.

This unusual feature is in line with the tenets that Coco Dolce producer, The Freefood Co., operate by. Its guiding principles include: better health, helping rural areas develop into sustainable communities, and respect for the planet and its resouces.

Its chocolate bars, therefore, are made from a rich blend of fine cacao beans, low-glycemic coconut sap sugar, virgin coconut oil and vanilla. These ingredients were sourced from Mindanao’s organic coconut farming communities and from local growers of indigenous cacao and nuts across the country. The resulting chocolate products are free from GMOs, harmful processing agents and preservatives and other chemicals that may adversely affect one’s health.

Organic coconut sap sugar, in particular, has a low glycemic index level of 35, making Coco Dolce bars suitable for people who need to manage their sugar intake.

The bars are manufactured by chocolate artisans using the traditional conching method. This involves the heating and mixing of the chocolate’s ingredients over long periods of time. The process helps in developing the chocolate’s flavor through frictional heat, release of volatiles and acids, and oxydation.

I bought two of Coco Dolce’s 45g chocolate bar variants: the Milk Chocolate (whole milk powder added to the other ingredients) and the 65% Dark Chocolate.

The bars hold well without refrigeration yet has a smooth texture upon biting. The chocolate flavor is rich, helped by the non-cloying and milder sweetness of the coco sugar.

Over the holidays, I plan to gift some bars to my titos and titas who are trying to control their sugar intake. Because the holiday season is a time to enjoy good food, right?

Aside from SM’s Kultura Filipino outlets, Coco Dolce chocolates may also be purchased online in The Good Store.

Check out my review of another artisanal chocolate –Malagos single origin premium chocolate.