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FOOD FEST

10/13/2008

The burger for the driven few

Hotshots, one of the country’s fastest-growing deluxe hamburger chains, has just launched its newest product offering, the mouthwateringly healthy LambBurghini, the burger for the driven few. Made up of a one fourth-pound lamb patty and served with onions, lettuce and creamy mint cream sauce, the Hotshots LamBurghini is healthy fare as it is a good source of protein, selenium, zinc, niacin, phosphorous and vitamin B12. Lamb is a staple in cuisines throughout the world including Turkey, Greece, New Zealand, Australia, and countries in the Middle East.

“Besides the LamBurghini, to supplement our mainstay gourmet burgers, we’ve included in our menu Fried Chicken, Tacos, Carbonara, Fresh Potato Chips, Potachos (Potatoes and Nachos), Grilled Chicken and Cheese, Vigan Longganisa Spaghetti, Mozzarella Burger, and Shakes,” Carlo De Guzman, Hotshots president, said. “What we are after is a full complement of food fare that is healthy, has irresistible flavor, the right size, taste, fresh ingredients, attractiveness, and over-all value for money, and the LamBurghini is a step in that direction,” De Guzman added.

For more information, call 744-04-52 or 726-01-71, e-mail hotshotsburger@yahoo.com, or visit www.hotshotsburger.com.

A roast beef sandwich makeover

Hoping to break the monotony in the sandwich arena and give Filipino sandwich lovers a new way to enjoy this meal staple, trendy French café Delifrance now offers the new French Dip Roast Beef sandwich. Made from only the finest USDA grade roast beef and freshly baked baguette slices, the French Dip Roast Beef sandwich is savory goodness at its best.

The roast beef is not only tender and moist. It is also filled with a rich, smoky flavor reminiscent of roast beef recipes across Southern France and England. Meanwhile, a sprinkling of caramelized onions lends a sweet flair to this Euro-Western culinary tradition. The hot-from-the-oven baguette bread also complements the savory taste of the French Dip Roast Beef sandwich. The French Dip Roast Beef sandwich is also served with steaming hot beef sauce. The sauce reinvents the usual sandwich experience by adding a dip element to the eating equation. “We wanted Filipinos to discover a novel way of enjoying a roast beef sandwich. The French Dip Roast Beef is our bid to take the sandwich to a new direction - deliciously hot, fresh, and with a dip full of flavor,” says Tan Untiong, president of Delifrance Philippines.

The wonders of carrot juice

Different food establishments have been looking for ways to make carrot juice more palatable and approachable and one of these is Healthy Shabu Shabu by culinary innovator Candy Hwang. “Filipinos are more fond of fruit juices than vegetable juices. However, vegetable juices like carrot juice holds a lot of nutritional value. The mission for culinary experts then is to tailor its flavor to fit the preference of the market as well as make it both healthy and tasty,” says Hwang.

Part of Hwang’s secret recipe is adding top grade honey to fresh carrot juice to give it a sweeter taste. “Filipinos love sweet,” she notes. This makes it more appealing to non-vegetable eaters and kids. Refreshing and taste quenching, Hwang’s carrot juice version provides an appetizing health drink loaded with Vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K, and minerals like calcium, phosphorous, potassium, sodium and protein. These are essential for maintaining the vital organ’s normal functioning. It likewise improves physical appearance by promoting healthy skin, hair and nails. Hwang also encourage expecting and breastfeeding moms to include a serving of carrot juice in their diet. The beta-carotene — which is also said to be a cancer fighting agent — in carrot juice that triggers the production of Vitamin A in the body improves the quality of breast milk.

Using the freshest and finest ingredients to ensure high nutritional value, Healthy Shabu Shabu’s carrot juice complements the restaurant’s thrust to provide healthier alternatives to Filipino diners. Shifting the paradigm that something as healthy as carrot juice can’t be tasty, urbanites can now explore food and beverage alternatives that are nutritious and delicious.

‘Healthy Shabu Shabu has branches at Powerplant Mall, The Podium, SM Mall of Asia, Robinsons Galleria, SM North The Block, Alabang Town Center, Robinsons Midtown and Shangri La Plaza Mall. For inquiries please call 627-3721.

A spectrum of flavors

xIf there’s one thing that can be said about the tomato, it’s that it’s good for you. Tomatoes contain many nutrients, including vitamin C and B-Complex and important minerals like potassium and iron. But perhaps the most exciting nutrient found in tomatoes is lycopene, the pigment that gives it luscious red color. Lycopene is a carotenoid and has antioxidant properties. It is known to prevent certain types of cancer and heart disease.

For these wonderful nutrients and benefits, the tomato has become one of the most widely used and much favored vegetables in cooking. Tomato sauce finds its way in so many dishes, from pasta, pizza to a vast array of favorite viands.

When the subject is tomatoes, then Hunt’s comes to mind. Hunt’s has become the choice of both chefs and housewives who aim to please the palate of their beloved diners. The secret to Hunt’s flavor is its superb selection of red California tomatoes. The fruits of the vine are handpicked at the peak of ripeness. Each tomato goes through a special steam process that seals in the tomatoes’ natural freshness before it is canned ensuring that families get only the best.

Relish the fresh tomato taste of Hunt’s in your dish, be it soup or stew, chili or spaghetti, or that Spanish casserole. For your special recipe, choose from the Hunt’s line: Diced, Stewed, Crushed, Puree, Sauce and Paste.