The taste of Christmas
Holiday Food Gifts & Catering
Marks & Spencer
MARKS AND SPENCER’s offers food gifts that are beautifully arranged in a snowflake embellished, gold tin hampers, making them an easy and ready gift. The Divine Pleasures hamper (P5,000) contains Marques de Alarcon tempranillo, olive oil, spaghetti, tomato and sausage pasta sauce, tomato garlic and chili pasta sauce, Scottish All Butter Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Rounds, sparkling elderflower soda, and a Swiss milk chocolate bar, among others. The Lavish Luxury Hamper (P3,750), meanwhile, holds a bottle of Domaine Mandeville Sauvignon Blanc and non-alcoholic Sparkling Normandy Apple Juice, chopped ham, authentic Italian fusilli pasta, a selection of sweet biscuits, and more. The Sumptuous Selection Hamper (P3,250) has all the Holiday food essentials, from authentic Italian fiorelli pasta and the matching Napoletana sauce, to the bottle of Las Falleras red wine and Blackcurrant High Juice, to an assortment of cookies, coffee, and tea. For your caffeine-dependent friends there is the Coffee Lovers’ Surprise Hamper (P2,250), made up of Rich Roast instant coffee, instant latte sachets, Colombian one-cup filters, Demerara sugar cubes, and a selection of biscuits to enjoy them with. The Timeless Favourites Hamper (P2,750) has a bottle of red wine, Triple Chocolate Crunch, sugar-free Sparkling Cloudy Lemonade, a box of Pure Jasmine Green Teabags, and more; an Italian Escape Hamper (P2,250) features a bottle of Rosso di Puglia, Italian penne, spaghetti, breadsticks, olive oil, green pesto and tomato and gorgonzola pasta sauce. Those with the sweet tooth will enjoy the Sweet Nostalgia (P1,750) and Chocolate Indulgence Hampers (P2,250); wine lovers will find the holiday sparkle in the Wine Gift Sets (P1,300-P1,800). There are also other smaller baskets like Sunrise Bliss (P1,750) and Tea-time Treats Hampers (P1,750). Food hamper purchases worth P25,000 and over can be delivered free of charge to one Metro Manila address.
Crimson Hotel
SPICE UP the family or friends reunion and gift-giving with Crimson Hotel’s Ho Ho Holiday Hampers and handmade goodies such as chocolate Santa Claus and snowman, gingerbread, fruitcake, stolen bread, pistachio biscotti, Christmas pudding, brownies, and a lot more. Roasted whole turkey, roasted ham with honey and mustard, and roasted Angus strip loin are also for sale. For more information on holiday promos or reservations, visit www.crimsonhotel.com/manila/ or call 863-2222.
City of Dreams
HOLIDAY TREATS and gift ideas such as cakes, breads, cookies, and handcrafted chocolates are available at Café Society and Chocol8 at the City of Dreams until Dec. 31. Chocolate Santa Claus confections in small and large sizes are offered at Chocol8 while at Café Society, Turkey Cranberry pie, traditional and customized Christmas hampers, Panettone favorites, Christmas homemade items, and Gingerbread houses, among many other sweet delights are available. For inquiries, call 800-8080 or e-mail guestservices@cod-manila.com or visit www.cityofdreamsmanila.com.
Ilustrado
ILUSTRADO’s Holiday Tienda offers something for everyone. For cheese lovers there are homemade cheese wheels in Boursin, pimiento spicy cheese- Edam with garlic and spices, varieties. There is bottled atsara, bagoong, moringga pesto, gourmet tuyo, and chimichurri. Tea Cookies come in boxes of 12 cookies in a variety of flavors including double chocolate, coconut, and Snickerdoodles. Brownies come in boxes of four bars in a variety of flavors. Ready to serve for a party are Cake Squares in a box with these choices: Baked Cheesecake, Chocolate Fudge, and Sans Rival. Ilustrado’s Cheese Pimiento Wreath and Quezo de Bola Ensaimada Tree are both unique, festive, and appetizing. A new addition to the lineup are Artisan Holiday Boxes dubbed “Christmas Morning” with a selection of cookies, brownies, loose leaf tea, and tablea chocolate, while “Holiday Cheer” is a Graze Box with jamon Serrano, chorizo, stuffed Lychee with Roquefort and pistachio, chorizo puffs, spicy cheeseball, Boursin cheeseball, chocolate-dipped dried mangoes, crostini and pretzels, mandarin oranges, marinated tomatoes and olives. As for takeout options, there’s Twice-cooked Angus beef short plate, or Adobong bagnet with taba ng
talangka. Other choices include Callos Madrileña, Kalderetang kambing, Lengua con setas, Hamon
de Hacienda, stuffed chicken Ilustrado (ala Relleno), pineapple-glazed leg of ham, and US prime rib. To know more offerings and other details call the Intramuros branch at 527-3674 or 527-2345; 818-6760 for the Makati branch, or 0919-845-9503 to reach them in Alabang. One may also e-mail caterings@ilustradorestaurant.com.ph or log on to www.facebook.com/ilustradorestaurant/.
M Bakery
M BAKERY introduces its Christmas season specials including the Winter Spice cupcake (a spiced cake with maple meringue buttercream) and Red Velvet (with a choice of whipped vanilla icing or cream cheese icing). The Chocolate Peppermint is made of chocolate cake with red and white peppermint buttercream, while the Chocolate Dipped Strawberry cupcake is made of strawberry cake filled with strawberry meringue buttercream and glazed with chocolate ganache. Other flavors to look out for are Sno-cap (devil’s food cake with meringue icing and sprinkled with white nonpareils), Pistachio (pistachio cake with pistachio meringue buttercream), and Harvest Apple (made with apples, cranberries, raisins, and pecans then topped with caramel meringue buttercream). M Bakery’s banana pudding may also be ordered in the party bowl size, good for eight to ten people (call in advance). M Bakery also offers customized cakes and cupcakes with edible printed out images for special occasions. Call 847-9829 or 0917-633-1718 for advance orders.
1771 Group of Restaurants
IF YOU’RE looking to impress and haven’t got the time (or the patience) for the kitchen, the
1771 Group of Restaurants is offering its catering services to the harried host. The catering service offers a wide range of dishes inspired by global cuisines, with Filipino, Swiss, Italian, American, and French menus. For information, contact 0917-851-4080 or visit the website www.1771catering.com.
The Peninsula Manila
THE Peninsula Manila’s festive hampers are filled with gourmet treats that will make the Christmas celebration merrier. One may order the hampers at The Peninsula Boutique and at the giant gingerbread house. There is a choice from three Peninsula Pageboy hat-shaped hampers: The Santa Hamper (P6,500), which,
among other goodies, includes a bottle of Terrazas Chardonnay, Peninsula Rose Green
Tea and a Heritage Collection mug, cookies and chocolates; The Sweet Indulgence Hamper (P10,500) which contains a bottle of Terrazas
Cabernet Sauvignon, 100% Organic Peninsula Blend Tea and a Peninsula Heritage Collection Mug, key holder, magnet, a Peninsula Page Bear, fruit cake, chocolate Santa Star, Rocher Chocolate, a milk chocolate bar, and Jamon Gran Reserva; and The Peninsula Gourmet Hamper (P20,000) which includes bottles of Terrazas Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay,
a teddy bear, key holder, a gift set of three teas, a bookmark, mug, gingerbread cookies, chocolate santa, pâté de fruit, fruit cake, macaroons, Sagada roast coffee, Jamon Gran Reserva, bars of milk and dark chocolate, and cashew Bliss Spread. Meanwhile, six colorful character ornaments — including the Nutcracker, the guardian and host of the tree — adorn decorations at each of the 10 Peninsula hotels. Hotel guests and visitors are invited to purchase these festive ornaments, with a portion of the funds being donated to Make-AWish® Foundation Philippines.
Marco Polo Ortigas
GIFT a bit of Winterland with a choice of three hampers: Mad Hatter’s Party, Winterland Magic, and Carroll’s Choice, or choose the items for a build your own hamper. These gift sets include red wine, panettone, fusilli tricolore, artisan chocolate bars, chocolate figurines, fruit sweets, deviled ham spread, and marzipan stollen to name a few. December’s
featured pastry is Alice Cake: made of layers of banana compote, orange sponge, milk chocolate mousse, with peanut butter crunch at the bottom. Hong Kong roast goose and Christmas
turkey are also available for takeaway. Order in advance through 720-7777.
New World Makati
FROM New World Makati’s The Shop, enjoy a host of holiday staples such as gingerbread goodies, Christmas yule logs, traditional European stollen bread, assorted Christmas cookies, and many more. Bring home a box of fruit cake or moist cake, or holiday confections like Christmas fruit mince pies and crunchy almonds. Gingerbread Houses presented in Pinoy, Western, and Chinese styles, prepared by the hotel’s team of pastry chefs, are also up for sale. For details, call 811-6888. Follow New World Makati Hotel on Facebook (New World Makati Hotel) or Instagram (@newworldmakati).
TWG
TWG Tea lightens the joyous spirits with a limited-edition Night of Noel Tea Set. Encased in a gift box embellished with gold embossing and a ruby red sleeve, this set features a duo of Night of Noel Tea and It’s So Good Tea. Packaged in a tin adorned with festive imagery of snowy sleigh rides, the Night of Noel Tea is a black tea blended with wild forest berries, caramel, and a scattering of nutty silver needles. It’s So Good Tea is a malty black tea blended with tart blossoms and melting berries. The Night of Noel Tea Set (100g of tea per tea tin)
is available at all TWG Tea Salons & Boutiques in the Philippines and retails at P3,595.