Saturday, April 20, 2013

Journey to Japan
































“Journey to Japan”
Sun.Star Davao, April 20, 2013

I will never forget my first ever overseas trip with the family.  We went to Japan and I was eleven then. Tokyo Disneyland just opened the year before, and to be able to visit a Disney theme park was an absolute childhood wish that came true. It was such a magical time!

In 1999, I went back to Japan again as a delegate of the Filipino Youth Invitational Program sponsored by Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

My ten-day trip included visits to the Diet (Congress), Tokyo University (particularly their Department of Philippines Studies where I was pleasantly surprised that Japanese students learned our language, history, songs and dances), Japan International Cooperation Agency, among others. And, to top it all, I even had the chance to participate in a 3-day homestay program with a hospitable Japanese foster family in Yokohama.

Early this summer, I had the fantastic opportunity to explore Japan once more. This time around, with my husband, kids, cousins and in-laws, we went to Osaka, Nara, Kyoto, Hakone and Tokyo.

Here are some of the must-go and must-do activities for families in the ‘Land of the Rising Sun’!

 Universal Studios Japan

 Celebrating its 12th year, Universal Studios Japan is the legendary entertainment company’s first studio theme park outside of the United States.

 It combines the most popular rides and shows from Universal’s Hollywood and Florida Movie Studio Theme Parks, along with all new attractions designed specifically for Japan. The park’s areas include Hollywood, New York, San Francisco, Jurassic Park, Amity Village, Waterworld and Universal Wonderland featuring Snoopy Studios, Hello Kitty Fashion Avenue and Sesame Street Fun World.

 I am usually such a thrill-seeker when it comes to rides but since I was with my daughters, I found myself in Universal Wonderland most of the time. Young kids will definitely adore the vibrant and child-friendly attractions with the well-loved Peanuts, Hello Kitty and Sesame Street gang.

 If you plan to visit Universal Studios during the peak season; in our case, spring break, immediately get to the top three rides that you are willing to queue up for as the waiting time for famous rides could take two to three hours (not kidding!). During the extra hour or two, walk around the theme park for pictures and for shopping at the myriad of souvenir shops.

Sakura in spring

 We were fortunate that our weeklong trip coincided with the Sakura (cherry blossom) season which only lasts for one to two weeks per area once a year.

 Seeing the lovely cherry blossoms’ different varieties and colors brought big smiles to our faces. We couldn’t resist taking photos whenever we had the chance. With snacks in tow, we joined the locals in their hanami, which is the centuries-old practice of picnicking under a blooming sakura tree.

 When scheduling a vacation in Japan, the perfect time would certainly be during the Sakura season.

Nara Deer Park

 On our way to Todaiji Temple, we passed by the Nara Deer Park, which is home to thousands of tamed roaming deer. In the Shinto religion, the deer is perceived to be messengers of the gods. And, in Nara, they are a symbol of the city and, a designated natural treasure.

 I had some bread in my bag to feed the deer. But, the deer must have sensed it was inside for they began to nibble gently on my bag and clothes.  I went on a semi-panic mode at one point when a herd began jostling for the bread in my hands. But, it was a fun experience nevertheless for the whole family. Deer crackers are being sold at the park for a minimal fee.

Ancient Kyoto          

 Have you watched the movie, “Memoirs of a Geisha”? The award-winning film was set in the beautiful ancient city of Kyoto. To get to Kyoto from Osaka, we took the very efficient Japanese bullet train. With speeds up to of 220 km/hour and just 60-second in-between stops, it was an amazing experience in itself.

 Kyoto used to be Japan’s capital and the emperor’s residence from 794 until 1868. Most temples, shrines and structures were maintained to this day.  During the last war, its deep historical significance and cultural connection with its people spared it from bombs and air raids.

 Walking around Kyoto is like being transported back in time. Picturesque and breath-taking, it still continues to inspire awe and admiration.  It was actually my third time to see the Kiyomizudera (Pure Water Temple) but I still treasured my visit. I loved that the shop owners were generously giving food samples to tourists (much like in Macau). Strolling along lush gardens, we even saw several Japanese ladies dressed and made up as “geishas”.

 Snow at Mt. Fuji

 One of the most anticipated parts of our trip was driving up the snow-capped Mt. Fuji, the highest mountain in Japan. Originally, we were supposed to go all the way up to the top-most station (5th station) but as the weather condition was not ideal, we only reached the 4th station.

 The clouds did not give us a clear view of the magnificent mountain. But, this did not dampen our spirits as the kids were actually more excited to see and play in the snow which covered the scattered parts of the station. Snowball fight!

 In the afternoon, we proceeded to Hakone where we enjoyed the ropeway ride to Owakudani Hell Valley and took a scenic cruise on Lake Ashi.

Tokyo DisneySea

 For our tour, we chose Tokyo DisneySea over Tokyo Disneyland as the former is the only Disney resort of its kind in the world.

  Tokyo DisneySea, as its name implies, has exciting sea-themed adventures and entertainment which include the Mediterranean Harbor, The American Waterfront, Port Discovery, Lost River Delta, Arabian Coast, Mermaid Lagoon and Mysterious Island.

 Get a fast pass for the attractions and shows as the queues during peak season, just like in Universal Studios, are kilometric. Even the lines for food stations like popcorn, drinks, churros, turkey leg, etc. are a mile long. However, despite the crowd and the inclement weather (which dipped to a freezing 6 degrees Celsius), the Japanese discipline and patience, especially when it comes to queues, still held strong and true!

Japanese comfort food

 When traveling, I always emphasize to my kids to have an adventurous appetite for local dishes, and refrain from sticking to their ‘usual’ choices. Gladly, in Japan, trying their cuisine was not a problem as my family and I love Japanese food. Shabu shabu, sushi, yakiniku, yakitori, among others, were familiar and much appreciated dishes.

  After shopping at Shimsaibashi Namba in Osaka, our tour guide, whom we affectionately call “J”, recommended that we have dinner at her favorite ramen house. It was a low-ceiling, tight but cozy 15-seater restaurant with students and yuppies savoring their food. We ordered the house favorite, Happy Noodles, which was a huge bowl of ramen, melt-in-your-mouth roast pork and soothing broth. True to its name, the comfort dish did not disappoint. We were H-A-P-P-Y!

 In Osaka, we also tried the flavorful takoyaki balls, a ball-shaped Japanese snack in wheat-flour batter, and filled with minced octopus, tempura bits, pickled ginger and green onion.

 More than souvenir shopping, we truly immersed ourselves in the experience of gorging on authentic Japanese street food and snacks such as okonomiyaki (savory pancake with different ingredients), ningoyaki (bite-size sponge cake) and kakigori (flavored shaved ice) at Nakamise Shopping Street in Tokyo.
  
 And, if you’re wondering what ‘pasalubong’ would be a hit with friends and family, you’ll never go wrong with the kid-tested Kit Kat which comes in unique flavors such as Wasabi, Matcha-Green Tea, Strawberry Cheesecake, Rum Raisin, Cherry Blossom, Brown Sugar Syrup, Hot Japanese Chili, Edamame Soybean, among others. Oishi!

E-mail the author at mom.about.town.dvo@gmail.com. Visit www.momabouttowndavao.blogspot.com



Saturday, April 6, 2013

Queens of buttercream




















“Queens of Buttercream”
Sun.Star Davao, April 6, 2013

Best buddies Valeri Valeriano and Christina Ong, the dynamic duo behind Queen of Hearts Couture Cakes London, never imagined that they will be making world-class cakes when they left the Philippines in 2008 to work in the medical field.

Being away from the country and missing their families, they were fortunate to have found dear friends in London whom they considered as their “second moms”. During Mother’s Day in 2011, the two decided to surprise these special people with homemade cupcakes to show their appreciation.

Searching the internet, they chanced upon a YouTube tutorial on how to create a sunflower cupcake with buttercream icing decoration using just a Ziploc bag. Experimenting further, they also learned how to pipe rose, camellia and chrysanthemum adornments. Their culinary works of art were then made into a cupcake bouquet.

The intricate cupcake bouquet was such a hit that one of their friends encouraged them to improve on this newfound talent.  The two were so inspired; they developed this passion into a business.

Self-taught cake artists

Through sheer determination and constant practice despite their ten to twelve-hour day jobs, Valeri and Christina were able to hone their baking and decorating skills. This gave them the confidence to put up Queen of Hearts Specialty Cupcakes, Edible Bouquets and More.

At first, they created a Facebook page to promote their new business but unfortunately, they did not get any orders for weeks. Unperturbed, they searched for local fairs and sent out numerous emails to other event organizers. Again, they did not receive any positive response.

However, one fine day, they got a call from a local school inquiring if they would be interested to join a summer fair. But, there was a hitch --- there was only three days to go before D-day.

With only a 5L oven (almost the size of a standard toaster oven), they labored non-stop and was able to successfully produce 200 cupcakes and 180 cake pops which were almost sold-out during the fair.

Queens of buttercream

Their first-ever fair opened doors for their business. Soon after, a string of invitations to baking events came one after the other. From cupcakes, the hardworking ladies progressed to bigger cakes which led to the change in their business name to Queen of Hearts Couture Cakes.

The ladies admit that working with buttercream can be quite a challenge as it is “soft and delicate”.  By focusing their energies on this age-old art and modernizing it further, they believe that their company can make a mark in the competitive cake industry.

As Valeri and Christina joined and won top awards for their buttercream creations in various prestigious baking competitions such as the Cake International Show and Salon Culinaire, the local and international wedding and food blogs as well as magazines, newspapers, and TV shows took notice of Queen of Hearts Couture Cakes.

Amazingly, these self-taught cake artists have decided to pay it forward by sharing their recipes and techniques through demonstrations and classes in Europe, Asia and the US. Occasionally, a portion of their classes’ proceeds are donated to charity.

In May 2013, Queen of Hearts Couture Cakes will be proudly opening its very own studio in London.

From London to Davao

Recently, London-based Valeri and Christina conducted their Palette Knife Painting Buttercream Master Class and Stained Glass Art Buttercream Master Class at Gourmet Bites, a culinary school based in Davao City.

“A number of the participants were already regular workshop participants and students of Gourmet Bites. But, there were also many who came from different parts of Mindanao such as Cotabato, Gensan, and even as far as Zamboanga City and also Surigao”, shares Chiara Samson-Sacdalan, Program Manager of Gourmet Bites.

“These are cake decorating enthusiasts and most of them either work in or own bakeshops. So, most if not all of them are already bakers and have some level of knowledge in cake decorating”, Chiara adds.

The Master Class students were in awe when they met Valeri and Christina.     

“They were very nice and down-to-earth. And considering that they were world-renowned celebrity chefs, they were very easy to talk to and had no airs at all”, observes Chiara.

“Buttercream art is not a very well-known and widely used decorating technique here in the Philippines so everyone was very eager to learn it. Also, Valeri and Christina shared their own buttercream recipe that would be suitable for our country’s climate”, says Chiara.

Originally, each Master Class was only supposed to have a maximum of 15 participants but because of the overwhelming response, Gourmet Bites had to accommodate 17 participants per class. Plus, a few more had to be turned down but were put on the priority list for the next series of Queen of Hearts Couture Cakes’ Master Class this August 2013.

“After the class, all the participants were happy with their new skills and techniques and are looking forward to the next class in a few months”, enthuses Chiara.

The next Queen of Hearts Couture Cakes’ Master Class at Gourmet Bites will have the following schedule: August 6 - Stained Glass Art Buttercream Master Class; August 7 - Animal Print plus Rose Piping Buttercream Master Class; and August 8 - Flower Box Buttercream Master Class.

To reserve your slots, please visit Gourmet Bites at St. Dominic Savio Business and Technical College, Inc., Ilustre St. (infront of Limso Hospital).  Telephone numbers: 2957178 or 3054237.

Check out the Queen of Hearts Couture Cakes official website at www.queenofheartscouturecakes.com. Photos courtesy of the Queen of Hearts Couture Cakes/Gourmet Bites Facebook pages.

E-mail the author at mom.about.town.dvo@gmail.com. Visit www.momabouttowndavao.blogspot.com.