Gift ideas for foodies, part 2

I promised a Part 2 of my personal list of gifts for foodies, so here it is. Hope this will help get you through the holidaze.

Lobster House Manila

I was introduced to Lobster House Manila by my friend Carmina Reyes, the force behind ABS-CBN’s morning show “Umagang Kay Ganda,” over a year ago and it has become one of my favorite gifts to give to people I especially love.

I gave one of my mentors an order of lobsters delivered live to her home and kept in an aquarium lent by Lobster House until the lobsters were consumed. I love giving this gift because it is unique (how often do you get fresh lobsters?), obviously fresh, and at the same time, it helps promote Philippine seafood.

Lobster House actually goes beyond lobsters and has introduced me to a whole list of creatures from our own seas I didn’t even know exist.

For example, did you know that we have our own Tairagai clams? No need to import from Japan—just look to Bicol. After receiving a bayong of these pen shell clams, I now know how to cook them without cutting myself from forcing the thin, fan-shaped shells open.

I have also experienced a delivery of live octopuses and got a real laugh as one tried to escape from the container and made its way to the nearest wall. Those guys sure know how to stick.

They also sell Takla or snapping shrimp, a variety from Bohol, which has bigger claws. Chef Chris Velasco describes them as “small, succulent crustaceans that are similar to the North American crawfish.”

Seafood lovers may also appreciate their freshwater prawns (ulang), abalone, red crabs or “pulahan” (around 250-300 grams) that is smaller than the King crab or “bulik,” and spider conch.

Most of all, I love ordering their uni. But remember to eat it sparingly.

Since Visayans don’t scrimp, Lobster House uni comes in a plastic takeout box the size big enough for ube halaya. It set my nape on stroke alarm the first time I ordered as I consumed half the container between lunch and dinner. Thankfully, Lobster House now has smaller sizes available—for your own safety.

For orders, call Lobster House Manila 0917-5032860 or (02) 5051474. Follow @lobsterhousemanila on Instagram.

OC’s Kitchen

For a savory food gift that is beautifully packaged, order OC’s Kitchen’s okoy. Count on Anna Ocampo Sarmiento to upgrade the humble okoy to become a fancy gift. A party platter-size of around a dozen pieces are vacuum sealed, and placed in an airtight container, complete with suka (vinegar), and then placed in a uniquely shaped bayong bag then ribboned elegantly, so it is ready for you to bring to your Christmas reunion.

This is a favorite giveaway of chef Anna although she is actually more known for her customized cakes. She constantly makes my jaw drop with her creations such as an Andy Warhol-inspired cake, a cake of her father playing golf, even a cake of me (!) complete with a miniature Sunday Inquirer Magazine and scrabble letters.

For orders, call (02) 3987679 or 0917-8126833 or 0917-8126844.

The Crazy Cook

Carmina Mapa del Rosario is one of Davao’s best kept treasures. Thankfully, even if Davao is still her base, she accepts orders from Manila.

I learned about her through foodie extraordinaire Gai Olivares who is obsessed with her balbacua. She got all of us over at Lamonation—a micro community (we’ve grown beyond being just a group) of food lovers—ordering this balbacua a few months back. I also remember loving The Crazy Cook’s Davao humba although I confess I am partial to anywhere-in-the-Philippines humba.

This Christmas, The Crazy Cook is offering balbacua (P650/pack), Massaman lamb shanks (P1,200/pack), green curry meatballs (P385/pack) and Davao humba (P385/pack).

Carmina also makes patés and sauces. Try her truffle cheese paté, smoked fish paté, tinapa tapenade, malunggay pesto or khao tang na tang. They come in 10 ounce jars and range from P350 to P550 per jar.

Call 0928-5053605 for orders or visit Bettina Osmeña’s Gourmet Corner across Santuario de San Antonion in Forbes.

Smoker’s Bacon

I heard about this artisanal bacon through New York-based burger connoisseur Francis Balbarin. It’s from a couple of guys who personally smoke bacon using local wood literally in their garage.

“It is a two-week process,” explains Linus Ilagan. “We rub pepper and rosemary on it to add aromatics to create a classic smoked bacon.”

The recipe was created by Rafferty Diaz. Linus describes the end product as something that is both salty and sweet, with the aroma of rosemary and a punctuation of pepper. Francis describes his love for this bacon with so much fervor that he uses President Duterte’s favorite expression.

Packs are sold at only P190 for every 250 grams.

Call 0917-8035524 for orders.

Bai’s Boneless Lechon Cebu

Imagine a porchetta of Cebu lechon. This is it. What I like about it is that it comes in a handy box that is easy to bring to a potluck or even to just send over via Grab.

They have a small box, good for one family or for 4-5 pax, selling at P675; a “barkada” box cut good for 10 to 15 pax, at P1,700; and a party box large enough for 20 to 25 pax, worth P2,700.

When I first heard about them, they were only available in Alabang. Now they can deliver to Quezon City, Caloocan, Malabon, Valenzuela, Cavite, Laguna, East Pasig up to Marikina for a flat delivery charge.

Order Bai’s Boneless Lechon via 0917-5825333 or visit www.baisbonelesslechon.com or their Facebook page Bai’s Boneless Lechon Cebu.

Nico’s Chili Shack

I may have mentioned this before in a previous column but I will write it again to pressure home cook Nico Garcia (when he’s not busy running as a public official or serving his constituents in Barangay Magallanes) to keep cooking because he really makes the best chili con carne. It’s just like good prose: No overdose of fancy words, full of meaning yet succinct, with just the right amount of flavor.

He also makes a mean paella but this year he will only be accepting orders for chili, which he will bottle so it’s easier to carry for a potluck, keep for Christmas day or even give to a chili lover (like me).

In addition to the chili, he will also be bottling (by popular demand, aka peer pressure, from those who have tried it) his homemade spaghetti meat sauce.

Call 0917-8679831 for orders.

Real Girl Toy Kitchen

I was introduced to RGTK by another lady at the Lamonation table, Katrina Vallejo Lagman. RGTK is the bomb when it comes to dips. I instantly fell in love with this brand’s hummus.

Johanna Garcia, the lady behind the brand, makes a classic hummus as well as chipotle hummus, a smokey and spicy version of the classic, using chipotle peppers and a Mexican adobo sauce. Also available are a spinach artichoke dip and a black tapenade dip.

For a full list of offerings (she also has made-to-order food like Slow Roasted Black Angus Prime Rib), visit the Real Girl Toy Kitchen Facebook page and click Shop Now.

Brasserie Cicou in a bottle

The lovely Anna Soenen, guided by husband French chef Cyrille Soenen, who calls himself “The Master Chef of The House,” will be bottling some authentic French favorites for Christmas. These include chicken liver paté, pork rillette and pâtes de campagne (country paté). The chicken liver and pork rillette will be sold at only P100 but you will have to pick them up.

They need two to three days notice for orders.

Call 0917-5401811.

Dessert du Jour by Mara

The most exquisite sweets are by Mara dela Rama. It’s the kind of sweet that you give to your picky, elegant boss/client. Order her chocolate bars, chocolate cake, Belgian brownie bites, flourless truffle cake, salted caramel chocolate torte. I confess I haven’t tried everything on her list but I am working on it.

Follow/message @dessertdujourbymara on Instagram or e-mail dessertdj@gmail.com.

St. Anthony de Padua Feeding Program

Give yourself a gift, too, this Christmas. The gift of giving.

I’m sure your own parish center has its own programs or you can contact your chosen charity. But if you don’t have an adopted parish yet, here’s one: Check out the feeding program of St. Anthony de Padua in Singalong, Manila.

Your donation will go to a full-service program that includes a nutrition program for six months plus dental care, hygiene, and catechism for malnourished street kids.

For info, call Fr. Benny Tuazon at 0918-9070506 or (02) 523 2867.

Next week: What to drink and where to buy. Enjoy the season of giving!