Philippines vs. Malaysia International Friendly Match
By Maria Amelia Dacanay
I am not the biggest football fan and admittedly, the most football-related thing I am fan of is David Beckham. 
However, the past two days changed my perspective and I suddenly understood the fixation on the sport.
Tuesday was the pre-game press conference at Discovery Suites. I arrived a little late – with thanks to the traffic – but nevertheless, I didn’t miss much. I helped my classmates with the registration and I got to mingle with other members of the press. Everyone I talked to was friendly and accommodating, which made me less nervous and apprehensive about the whole thing.
Neil Ethridge, Sir Rick Olivares, Phil Younghusband, Jason Sabio and Michael Weiss at Tuesday's press conference
Jason Sabio and Phil Younghusband at the pre-game press conference
Several members of the Azkals team were present and head coach Krishnasamy Rajagopal was there to represent the Malaysian team. It was a big game for the Philippine team; not only would a win ensure a rise in the ranks, but it was a win against a virtually undefeated team for four years.
I even got to meet and take a picture with goalkeeper Neil Ethridge, who was gracious enough to stay a little later to talk to the press.
Neil Ethridge and me
Wednesday (February 29) proved to be an even more eventful day as we arrived at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.
We spent the first few hours registering the press and distributing bibs for the photographers. While we waited for the game to start, we took about a hundred shameless pictures on Photobooth, even dragging a reluctant Sir Rick into the frame. It was definitely a great bonding session between the group.
We were even allowed to watch the football game from the stadium.
Arlet and I went to watch the first half of the game and for a while, I was a bit disheartened that it wouldn’t be as exciting as the second half. I was very wrong.
I found myself leaping out of my seat and shouting with the crowd as the Philippine team repeatedly came close to scoring a goal. Neil Ethridge was an incredible goalkeeper and he managed to keep the team’s momentum well into the second half. It was also during the first half that Denis Wolf finally scored a goal as the entire crowd – including Arlet and I – cheered, or rather, screamed at the top of our lungs.
The Philippine team just before the game
Although the Malaysian team later scored a goal with thanks to the brilliant Amhmad Shakir Ali, it was a match that showcased the fact that both teams played to win. While late-game equalizers are admittedly disappointing, it’s what makes sports exhilarating.
Denis Wolf with Meg Rementina, Kring Lacson, Arlet Coronado and myself
Of course, we couldn’t end the day with simply letting the players walk away. We managed to get a hold of Denis Wolf – much to Arlet’s delight – and Neil Ethridge after the post-game press conference.
The crowd at the Rizal Stadium
The experience imparted in me a new appreciation for the sport and everyone involved, most especially the fans. I felt their passion for the game that reverberated throughout the stands and I couldn’t help but admire the sheer dedication they put into the sport.
The two-day event is definitely a highlight in my pursuit of Journalism and as long as I get the amazing opportunity to be involved in things like this, I’ve made the right career choice.
All smiles!
Photobooth shenanigans!
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Pictures generously provided by Sir Brosi Gonzales and Meg Rementina 
Before the Battle- Hannah Jo Uy
Discovery suites was the setting for a meeting of two great countries. Representatives of the national team of the Philippines and Malaysia came to promote the upcoming international friendly match, which will be held in Rizal Memorial Stadium at 7pm, February 29, 2012. The coach of Malaysia was quoted saying this was a ‘ massive game’. Indeed the international friendly has a lot at stake; its outcome will determine the ranking of the Philippines in the FIFA world rank.
The press conference began at around 11am in the morning, on the 41st floor with a breathtaking view of ortigas skyline. As more people arrived, the crowd of photographers, writers and workers from other media outfits gathered to wait for the opening remarks and the open forum. They were shown to their respective seats by the accommodating ushers, and branded by the colorful identification cards that hung around their neck, acknowledging their company and designation. Soon after, representatives of the Philippine Football Federation, and the teams came out in an uplifting show of diplomatic relations and sportsmanship.
For the Azkals, goalkeeper Neil Ethridge made an appearance as well as media darling Phil Younghusband wearing his national pride in his bright blue tracksuit. For Malaysia, their coach had come to represent the entire team, as they wanted their players to be focused for the upcoming games. After the introductions and official remarks, photographers and news networks were all given a chance to take their pictures of the officials and the players. Soon after the reporters and writers were given an opportunity to interview the officials as well as players Ethridge and Younghusband, both of whom were very gracious, especially Ethridge who even stayed after the event to answer even more questions.
The professionalism of both parties as well as the smooth process which was undertaken was commendable, and it was wonderful to see distinguished members of the press all coming together to cover a truly wonderful game between two equally capable teams.To cap off the press conference, the wonderful service provided by the hotel included a delicious selection of dishes for the media people
Wawa Dam Experience
By Maria Amelia Dacanay
I’ll be the first to admit that I’d automatically pick a mall over exploring the great outdoors. I think it’s mostly because I’ve had my fill of it as a child, wandering around our neighborhood all day and ending up in creeks, hills and God-knows-where.
The mountains that are said to have been pushed apart by Bernardo Carpio
Going to Wawa Dam was like a blast from the past and I found myself feeling like a kid again, only this time, I was more mindful of the possibility that I could seriously hurt myself if I lost my footing. You don’t really care about cuts and bruises when you’re a kid.
Despite the tour guide Michael saying that we were lucky because we had the place to ourselves, it still seemed like a very busy day for the locals. We were greeted by locals – of all ages, and yes, this does include children – carrying huge sacks of produce and coal down the mountains to sell in Metro Manila markets.
Just one of the many locals who passed us by
The bottom of the mountain seemed like a quarry heap, mostly because of the huge boulders around the area.
There was one stone that was said to be the footprint of Bernardo Carpio, who was said to be a giant trapped between two mountains and was trying to push them apart to break free.
Bullet holes from WW II
We climbed up a mountain to the dam’s watchtower, which was used by Japanese forces during World War II. It was pretty cool to see several bullet holes from the war still on the tower.
It was disappointing however to see graffiti written on the wall, as though the locals had no clue of the historical significance of it.
While up there, I got to talk to our tour guide and he said that the tour wasn’t limited to only climbing the mountains.
Tourists paid a certain fee (ranging from Php500 to Php1000) to ride a raft until the end of the river. They were also given the option of staying overnight in one of the huts, all of which were provided with basic amenities. He assured me that everything was safe here and if anything did happen, there were local authorities who stood by 24/7 just in case.
Across the dam, he pointed out a signal alarm (installed only last year) located across the watchtower and just over the dam. He explained that it was used to alert PAGASA if there was a potential overflow of water during bad typhoon.
Wish we could join the locals down there
At the bottom of the dam are cottages for tourists (Php150 for the whole day), which looked very tempting for most of my classmates because the heat was starting to get to us.
We returned to the tourist office to rest for a couple of minutes while Michael got us helmets and flashlights for our next activity: entering the Pamintinan cave.
It was there that I noticed the plans to make Wawa Dam into a tourist spot, complete with cable cars, restaurants, a mini-resort and museum-slash-coffee shop.
Tarpaulin of the "plans" for the dam
It was interesting to note that these plans have been around since 2010 and so far, the closest they have gotten to achieving anything was painting the railings. It was hard to imagine the place as a full-fledged tourist spot when there was no maintenance for the dam alone and so much water was being wasted every day (not to mention the fact that I was bemoaning my house’s lack of water only this weekend).
We took a raft across the river to get to Pamintinan cave and from there, climbed quite a distance over steep rocks to get to the top.
With a yell of triumph (though I don’t know how I managed it as I was practically out of breath), I finally got to the entrance of the cave without as much as a scratch on me.
Pamintinan cave was used a hideout by the Katipunan during the Revolutionary War and later by the Japanese during the Second World War. At the end of the cave was supposedly the place where the Blood Compact was held.
The prospect of actually getting to sit around the table and experience history firsthand was exciting but once we got inside, the idea of actually getting there was starting to get bleaker by the minute.
The ground was rocky, uneven and extremely muddy in some areas that made walking extremely difficult. The cave was pitch black despite flashlights and we tried making conversation to pass the time.
We eventually gave up though, especially when we found out that twenty minutes later, we weren’t even a quarter through and that the entire cave was a kilometer long. That and the fact that there was no exit at the end and we would have turn around and pass the same way to get out.
Fresh from Pamintinan Cave! Exhausted but still all smiles.
The climb down the mountain and raft across the river was a lot faster this time around.
As I threw myself on the seat of the van, I was aching in places I didn’t even know existed. I hadn’t felt that physically exhausted or drained in a long time.
Not only did the place open my eyes to areas in the Philippines that are both historically significant and within my reach, but it also brought me back to my childhood where once, every problem could be solved by a good, long day spent outdoors.
And just like when I was ten years old, I can’t wait for my next adventure.
Wawa Dam
Wawa Dam Experience -Robi Non
Wawa Dam
http://www.facebook.com/v/10150601638373703
My experience of wawa dam summed up in a short video.
Top C(OM140)hef – Gia Jamias
I’m a huge fan of Top Chef. So to psych myself up for our sandwich quick fire challenge in class, I spent the early part of my morning watching the latest episode of Top Chef and lo and behold, it was the restaurant wars episode! I took this as a sign, that today was going to be so much fun!
In planning what sandwich to make the week before, I knew what I wanted. I wanted something different. Something that’ll separate my group’s sandwich from the others’. I recall eating a sandwich with avocado in it at Bellevue Hotel in Alabang for breakfast. With the sunny weather we’ve been having, it would give just the right bit of freshness to the sandwich, so I pitched the idea of a sandwich with bacon (’cause everyone loves bacon!), avocado (with some lemon juice to keep it green with some tang) and cheese and we all agreed to call it the Breakfast Club.
There were 6 groups in class and each group had 1 minute to set up and 3 minutes to prep and serve their sandwiches. I even brought a toaster to school. I felt weird. I never pictured myself ever bringing an appliance to school, but that crunch on our sandwich would add a great touch that the other groups wouldn’t have (but the other groups eventually used the toaster as well because we were nice enough to lend it out).
Hands up, utensils down!
I present, the COM140 sandwich quickfire challenge:
(all photos taken by me)
Fancylog
First up, the Fancylog. They weren’t kidding when they called it fancy. It was definitely the fanciest sandwich put out that day. With the sundried tomato pesto made from scratch by our lovely foreign exchange classmate, they practically already killed the other groups’ chances on that alone (which is why they won best sandwich!). Both the pesto and longganisa gave that sweetness I look for in breakfast (to start your day sweet) since it was the first thing I ate that day and I’m a huge fan of olives so I was glad it was in there as well. Over all, it was really a tasty sandwich! I would definitely order something like that if I saw it on a menu!
Fili(pino) Cheesteak
I was quite happy to find out that a group actually used pandesal! I feel its one of the neglected kinds of bread for sandwich making because it doesn’t have much space to fill it up unless its corned beef. The 2nd group made it seem like it was no problem at all by packing it with longganisa and cheese – Fili(pino) Cheesesteak. But just like the pandesal it was simple. It lacked a wow factor… or maybe a cup of coffee. But it was still good nonetheless!
Red Light District
I. LOVE. KRISPY KREMES. Although I’ve come across a similar sandwich in Mercato, this has got to be the most creative sandwich made that day. From the name itself, Red Light District, it makes it sound that everything sinfully good (beef patty and bacon) in one sandwich may seem like a bite of heaven. I’m not really a big fan of sweet and salty unless its a pretzel, so it made me confused a bit and it didn’t really convert me to the sweet and salty team. But I still love Krispy Kremes!
Nacoco Loco
Stu did a heck of a job selling this sandwich. He claimed that Chef Edward wouldn’t remember his name after eating it and he did forget something, the name of the sandwich – Nacoco Loco! The sandwich had some pretty fancy stuff such as the black forest ham (I wonder what makes it black forest), coconut jam, pickle relish and they even used German rolls as their bread! For me it was the most structured sandwich amongst all the groups’ creations because it had meat, veggies and a condiment – 3 things that should be in a sandwich!
The Buff Dude Sandwich
When Sophia’s group started making The Buff Dude Sandwich, I imagined a buff dude working out in the gym. This sandwich is something I think a guy would eat to buff up after a tiring workout. It’s loaded with Spam, bacon, burger patty, ketchup, mustard aaaand peanut butter! Didn’t expect that now did you? Well, neither did I but somehow it worked! Now I understand why Peanut Butter and Co. actually works. Peanut butter is kind of like bacon, it makes everything better.
The Breakfast Club
And of course, the best (well in my opinion) for last, The Breakfast Club sandwich that my group made! It’s got crunchy french bread, cheese, bacon and avocado! Sounds yummy right? Perfect to eat by the pool on a sunny day with a cold beverage!
After all the groups presented their sandwiches and all of us almost full, Chef Edward put us all to shame with his Kani Sandwich! The combo of lettuce, green mango, kani salad, sweet dilis, japanese caviar in between pieces of rye bread was an explosion of flavor in the mouth! Japanese food lovers would like this! Needless to say, there wasn’t enough of this to go around, one bite just made you want another. A great way to end an awesome class and ready us for lunch!
Kani Sandwich
Kani Sandwich
Its more fun in Com140.. A food review by Robi Non
“It’s more fun in Com140.”
Yes, that is my parody of the viral tag line “It’s more fun in the Philippines.”
Why you ask? If this has pique your interest then ask not why but who. Who made it fun? Who is responsible for giving me this feeling of fun?
Yesterday in class we were asked to prepare a sandwich that is both creative and inspired by the tag line “It’s more fun in the Philippines” that would be tasted and reviewed by a professional chef and our fellow classmates. Why then would that be interesting you may ask? It’s a journalism class not a culinary class.
This experience made me aware of the different palate for food each and everyone of us possess and that we had different opinions for every sandwich we prepared. Preparing our sandwich based on what we know is good for us was a difficult task on its own, but a sandwich that is appealing to others as well put a lot of pressure on us.
We picked a sandwich that would be both a little healthy but still kept the essence of a morning breakfast. It had avocados, lemon squeeze, cheese and bacon. Who doesn’t love bacon? Really, who doesn’t? As we prepared the sandwich “The breakfast club” we knew it was perfect. The unique mixing of ingredient and taste plus the all time favorite breakfast meal bacon, all I could say for our creation is “This is awesome.”
As we showed and tried to sell our creation to our audience of fellow classmates, professor and a professional chef, we had a lot of fun, we had smiles but not without the occasional sour faces. It wasn’t all that bad, opinions are needed to grow better and fuller, so even if we had negative comments we were open to opinions given that gave us a lot to think about. Preparing a sandwich in a journalism was fun. Having people give their own comments was fun. Com140 is more fun than a normal journalism class.
So as our classmate gave their opinions on our sandwich let me give you my opinion on their work.
Fancylog – olives, peanuts, sun dried tomato pesto, eggs, longganisa, tocino
The Fancylog kept the essence of a filipino breakfast that was a pretty awesome mix of three of my favorite foods, eggs, longganisa and tocino. It already had me drooling as it was being prepared. The taste was great but I thought the bread kinda overpowered the taste of the meat, I wanted to taste more of the meat than the bread. I give it a pass for my tastes and I would want to taste it again but with more meat than bread.
Fili(pino) cheese steak – pandesal, holland cheese, longganisa
The Fili(pino) cheese steak was the maka-pilipino sandwich or the patriotic sandwich that was simple to prepare. The problem I had with this sandwich was that it was too simple. It was tasty as a sandwich but not as creative as the first. It gave me a nostalgic feel of mornings with my family. It is a good sandwich in taste and enthusiasm but not enough creative twist to it.
Nococo Loco – german rolls, sweet pork, black forest ham, coconut jam
This was the fanciest sandwich of all but not the kind you could readily prepare in a heartbeat. It can be done if you had the ingredients in had but it kinda lost me on the feel of “it’s more fun in the Philippines” theme. It tastes great no questions asked. It was a rainbow of taste that was a pass for me.
Red Light District – doughnut, beef patties, bacon, cheese
The Red Light District had me thinking…”wait a minute..double meaning?” I laughed deep inside. Aside from its misleading name the red light district surprised me since you wouldn’t think that something so sweet could match well with something so salty. It had a creative surprising twist that I enjoyed so much. Though this might not be my best food option while on a diet I still would definitely eat it again.
The Buff Dude’s Sandwich – spam, bacon, whole wheat bread, tomato ketchup, burger, peanut butter, mustard
The Buff Dude’s sandwich was a blast of meat that had me craving for more. This was something that I could sink my teeth in. The savor taste of this sandwich was awesome that it rocked my taste for meat. Though I didn’t really appreciate the peanut butter since I didn’t like how it tries to moderate the taste of the meat. It would have really been better without the peanut butter.
The Chef’s Sandwich
I can’t really evaluate the taste of the sandwich but looking at how it was gone in a split second that I couldn’t get a taste, I would say I was great based on my classmate’s responses. Something that isn’t good wouldn’t sell so well, so I would have to rely on what my classmates tell me. But if I ever do get a chance to finally taste it then I could confirm for myself if it was truly awesome most commented.
Food Review – Maria Amelia Dacanay
Sincerely, the Breakfast Club
It’s just another boring day in class.
Not.
When our class was told that we would be having food reviews, I half-expected simply going into a restaurant and writing a critique. Instead, we were told to prepare and present an original sandwich in front of the class.
The activity brought back bad high school memories of home economics where we were told to cook different kinds of dishes in class. I have to admit, I wasn’t very happy with it at first. I’m not the best cook – in fact, I don’t consider myself one at all and truthfully, the only kitchen-related activity I would willingly participate in is raiding the refrigerator and pantry for food.
Still, we only had to prepare a simple sandwich and that just happened to be something I’m very familiar with. When it was announced that an actual chef would be tasting our food, it added to the pressure of coming up with something simple, creative and most importantly, delicious.
We started with the one ingredient that we knew everyone would love: bacon. From there, we worked our way into creating The Breakfast Club, a spin on the typical breakfast sandwich. We used avocado instead of egg, which we hoped would add the sweet element coupled with the salt from the bacon and cheese. Admittedly, our group had doubts about the sandwich at first but we wanted to present something that would hopefully stand out from the rest.
The challenge was in finding avocado, which was not in season. As soon as we had that problem solved, everything else went smoothly and according to plan.
Despite my earlier reservations, it turned out to be a really fun and enjoyable experience with the presentations and tasting of other group’s sandwiches. More importantly, it got me thinking of giving cooking another shot. It’s great to realize that even class activities can actually inspire students to try new things, or in my case, try something once again.
We’re All Pretty Bizarre
Fancylog (olives, peanuts, sun dried tomato pesto, eggs, longganisa, tocino)
This was one of my favorite sandwiches presented. The group attempted to fuse French and Filipino flavors and they did not disappoint. The pesto along with the olives and peanuts contributed to the hints of bitter and salty, complementing the sweetness of the distinctly Filipino ingredients. The result was the right balance of multiple flavors without being too intense. As someone who doesn’t revel in cooking, I’d also like something that’s both delicious and fuss-free. On that note, I’m not quite sure with the preparation done here, particularly with the pesto. Even so, with a concept clearly thought through and executed well, this sandwich definitely stays true to its name.
Fili(pino) Cheese Steak (pandesal, longganisa, cheese)
For this dish, simplicity is key. With just three ingredients, the Fili(pino) cheese steak is a twist on the Philly cheese steak sandwich, with longganisa as the Filipino counterpart of steak. Particularly notable was the Holland cheese which was melted over longganisa and toasted bread. However, the longganisa was overpowering and although it did throw me off a bit, I did like the sandwich for how fast and easy it was to prepare. It’s definitely something I could pull off on a busy, fast-paced day.
Red Light District (Krispy Kreme doughnut, beef patty, bacon, cheese)
From the name alone, you already know that this sandwich is not for the faint of heart. Talk about another dish that lives up to its name and more. Hearty helpings of beef patties, bacon and cheese are stuffed in between two slices of Krispy Kreme doughnut to create a sandwich that is as bold and daring as its name implies. There is an interesting mix of flavors found here, from the blatant sweetness of the doughnut to the smokiness of the beef patty and bacon. It’s probably not something I’d immediately go for when I see it on a menu, but it’s definitely worth a try after some convincing. In the end, it’s a risk worth taking.
Nacoco Loco (German rolls, coco jam, black forest ham, lettuce)
If you want to talk about fancy, this is the sandwich to turn to. It’s the only sandwich among the groups to make use of a vegetable, which not only adds more texture but also color to the dish. The black forest ham is what gives it the fancy edge, with a taste reminiscent of cold-cut deli sandwiches. I did not really like the coco jam aspect of it but it did give a creative twist to the overall flavor of the dish. While relatively tame compared to its predecessors, it is not a sandwich to be overlooked in the slightest.
The Buff Dude Sandwich (whole wheat bread, spam, bacon, burger patty, tomato ketchup, peanut butter, mustard)
This dish gets high marks on ingredients alone. It not only encompassed quite a lot of components, but also included my favorites; spam, bacon and burger patties. It also gets high marks for how easy it is to prepare; simply stack one ingredient over the other. But what really impressed me was the successful combination of all the components without overpowering individual flavors. The mix of the ketchup, peanut butter and mustard might be questionable at first, but they actually really go well together. All in all, it’s a dish I’m more than willing to recreate at home and that in itself is the sandwich’s success.
Behind the scenes of the breakfast club and food review-Hannah Jo Uy
Behind The Scenes of the Breakfast Club
While it is easy to pin point our favorite sandwiches or burgers, to create one of our own requires a certain amount of skill, a skill in which I only appreciated all the more in my attempt to do so. In the process of thinking of a sandwich that will delight not only us, but our fellow classmates, we started with the one thing that no one can every say no to : Bacon. The rest followed after that and the combination between the Avocado and its creamy texture coupled with the crispy salty bacon held together by the cheese was something we hoped that the other groups would also appreciate.
It is easy to prepare something for yourself, to be adventurous with tastes stacking onto bread whatever ingredient one can think of (or whatever is available in the refrigerator in the middle of the night ) is easy, in fact it is something that everyone has experienced regardless of their level of expertise in the kitchen. However to make something that everyone will eat and have a taste of, especially by a professional in the culinary field presents a host of other problems. Suddenly, the secret combinations that we have cultivated and loves seemed foreign to the eyes, ears and mouths of our peers and we are left in their judgment.
The hardest thing was perhaps finding Avocadoes which were not in season, after having that covered, the next thing to worry about was whether we made the right decision, however for the novelty that the sandwich presented and the enjoyment of putting it together in front of everyone, I cant say I have any regrets in our recipe of choice. If anything it inspired me to come up with other recipes.
The quickfire challenge itself was fun. It’s interesting to note the palate of the other groups. The Red Light District’s quirky creation and Naccocoloco’s classic combination all presented tastes from different sides of the spectrum. While we were indeed being examined on our origination, creativity and labor, it became clearer to me through the challenge that while taste can b refined, it is essentially subjective, and that is the beauty of food: more than providing nourishment for our bodies, it gives us a most profound pleasure unlike anything else in this world.
“Fancylog”
Olives
Peanuts
Sundried tomato Pesto
Eggs
Longaisa
A funny name by itself, it was made even more interesting in light of the group’s explanation of their choice of sandwhich. In their attempt to fuse French cuisine with the Filipino palate, they gave birth to a sandwhich that holds within in a most interesting mix of flavors. The sundried tomato pesto was perhaps the crowning glory. Meticulously made, the spread made from peanuts, pesto and eggs counters the sweetness of the Longanisa. While the pesto was more often neutral, hints of bitterness from the olives would arise which complemented the sweetness of the pork. The texture was also noteworthy and aesthetically appealing.
The contrast was interesting, the earthy colors appealing and the combination leaves a taste that is hard to forget.
Indeed a fancy log, it is a unique twist on an otherwise typical Filipino merienda.
Fili(pino) Cheese steak
Cheese
Longanisa
Simplicity is the word for this concoction. Made up of three simple ingredients: Pan de sal, cheese, and longanisa. Toasted golden brown, the imported Holland cheese melts over the sweet longanisa and soft bread. The quality of the cheese was of note, subtle but not too salty it is best-described ass flavorful. The honey taste of the longanisa was rather overpowering, however its overall sweetness was to its credit. Personally, it appeals more as a breakfast dessert. Perfect for satisfying sweet cravings without diving into sinful chocolates, the Fili(pino) Cheese steak is in its basic ingredient friendly for people who want to get a quick and fuss-free snack.
Red Light District.
Donut
Beef Patties
Bacon and cheese
A sandwich for the bold, daring and adventurous the Red light District, inspired by the iconic red light present in all of Krispy Kreme’s establishments is not a sandwich for the conservative. With beef patties, bacon and cheese inserted into an original glazed krispy kreme donut, it presents itself as a unique and interesting site.
The patty, which was quite thick seemed to be a match equivalent to a quarter pounder the bacon was cooked well and cheese was subtle and not over powering. In one bite through the sugary coating of the soft doughnut bun into the juicy beef and pan-cured bacon, there is a battle of sweet and salty, smooth and textured, soft and hard in ones mouth, making one continuously bite into the sandwich until you’ve decided whether or not you like it. This mystery and clever innovation is part of its charm. It is evident that creativity is not lacking in the making of Red Light District, and it’s certainly a sandwich that will not be easily forgotten.
Nacocoloco
German Rolls
Coco Jam
Lettuce
Black forest ham
With its class presentation, the elegant sandwich maintains quite a classic charm. The coco jam, spread in the bread alongside the fragrant ham and the lettuce is an interesting combination. The lettuce gives it a certain crunch when one bites into it, the bright green splash of color was also a welcome complement to the otherwise earthy colors of the rolls, ham and coco jam. The coco jam, the unique ingredient administered to the sandwich complements the sweetness of the ham which gives the sandwich as a whole a very sweet and perfumed feel. Perfect with tea or some other such neutral drink nacocoloco is charming in its quirky ingredients, while maintaining the classic look and feel of a sandwich.
The Buff Dude Sandwich
Spam
Bacon
Whole wheat bread
Tomato ketchup
Burger
Peanut butter
Mustard.
A fitting name for what I found to be a most masculine sandwich, the Buff Dude Sandwich proved to be pleasantly surprising, proving to be one of my more favored sandwiches. The spam, burger and bacon worked together to complement each other fusing into one meaty whole, and while the combination of peanut butter ketchup and mustard at first made me raise an eyebrow, one bite took away my skepticism as it the condiments complmented the meatiness perfectly without being too overpowering and the texture of the peanut butter that holds it all together in its stickiness makes it interesting to eat.
Why its more fun in the Philippines…
by Hannah Jo Uy
It’s more fun in the Philippines because we are more colorful, from the vibrant weaving of our ancestors in the north, to the diverse shades in the corals giving life to the see, the world is never as warm colorful and sunny as it is in the Philippines.
