Naughty kids would often tell their cohorts – “Don’t tell mom!” But experts say that if there is one thing that everyone should tell their moms, it should be the three words “I Love You”.

The Philippines is fast gaining a reputation as the land of festivals; it seems that each city, province and major town stages its own day or week of festivities to honor a patron saint, dance for fertility, show off agricultural products, or express joy and celebrate life. 

Any comic book geek knows thus: The word “tavern” connotes images of thunder god Thor and the Vikings having a swig or two of mead while noisily regaling each other with their latest conquests both at Asgaard and in Midgaard.  

About a week ago, I needed to just disappear, get away from everyone to be able to get a few days of serious studying and precious review time for a wine and spirits advanced level exam. 

Culinary experts and food lovers gathered at the Fiesta Pavilion of Manila Hotel last April 23, 2012 for the First Asian Master Chefs Competition. 

I absolutely love it when I hear about success stories. At the opening of the first J.Co Donuts store in Manila, I was floored to meet the guy behind the brand. Johnny Andrean is an Indonesian who started his donuts business in Indonesia and has opened branches in Malaysia, Singapore and Philippines.

Who would have imagined that a shared interest among foodies would lead to the creation of the most delectable cheesecake in town?

One of the most poignant scenes in the movie “Kramer vs. Kramer” shows Dustin Hoffman and his young son trying to move on after his wife left. They’re making French toast, the family’s breakfast favorite, and creating a mess in the kitchen. At that moment, reality sinks in for the two abandoned males and they start to bond.

About last year when I had the cravings for a good Seoul barbecue, I decided to give the Kims a visit at their place located between Burgos Street and Makati Avenue.

It is one thing for foodies to rave about a certain restaurant or revere a chef. But if a renowned chef urges you try out the culinary creations of a fellow chef, then that really means something.

Pearl Shake, Coke Float, Mocha Frappuccino, Frozen Yogurt, and now we have the Milk Tea craze.

In her bright, low-cut red dress, Italian chef Oriana Tirabassi looks as though she stepped right out of a noontime soap opera and into the kitchen. She’s been up since 5:30 a.m., the people at Edsa Shangri-La tell us, but now, early in the evening, she rolls and twirls and flings her pizzas around, never seeming to run out of steam.

No wiser words could be more fitting, as firearms and ammunitions manufacturer ARMSCOR – the Arms Corporation of the Philippines – celebrated three milestones of historic excellence in Filipino craftsmanship that they hope to continue on through the years.

Cooking oil is a ubiquitous staple in every Filipino kitchen, complementing most Filipinos’ penchant to fry their favorite dishes. There is actually a lot of cooking oil brands—both local and international—in every supermarket these days, perhaps to the point of product saturation. 

Ramen Cool offers a solid impression: a catchy name, an impactful logo, modern chic interiors and a streamlined yet varied food selection. It gives you a feeling that it is an imported brand. 

I met up with wine connoisseur, agriculturist and educator Doc Ruel Reyes at his beautiful sprawling home and farm in San Pablo recently. I had asked him to take me to his favorite place for lunch and of course this was another discovery worth visiting when one is in the city of Lakes.

Of today’s internationally acknowledged  major cuisines, the oldest and most extensive is probably what is referred to collectively as Chinese. Produced by varied ethnic groups practicing diverse religions and living in areas with climates ranging from deserts to tropical river deltas, the food of The Middle Kingdom is at once simple and complex, traditional and evolving.

In the '60s and '70s, there was only one place outside of Chinatown for Manila dimsum lovers: Kowloon House on A. Mabini, Ermita, just off the corner of Herran (now Pedro Gil).

I had barely made it in the nick of time and it was a good thing that my secretary had reminded me of this forthcoming dinner as almost all the seats had been taken by the time she had called to get me a place. 

Over the past couple of years, milk tea and bubble tea places have made a comeback in a big way.