The Peninsula Manila and The Farm at San Benito create new wellness menu

The Peninsula Manila Hotel invites us to embrace wellness and experience the restorative powers of nature with its newly expanded 360º Wellness, Naturally, Peninsula menu, a collaborative effort between the talented culinary teams of The Peninsula and The Farm at San Benito, one of the world’s foremost health and wellness resorts, located 90 minutes away from Metro Manila.

The new menu introduces a wide variety of lighter dining fare using natural herbs and spices, together with other organic produce from reputable and sustainable sources, live and raw foods and no meat, fish, fowl, dairy, eggs, butter, cholesterol or saturated fats from animals or animal by-products.

This echoes The Peninsula Manila’s “Naturally Peninsula” cuisine philosophy that focuses on a non-clinical and holistic approach to wellness by harnessing the botanical benefits of nature.

This same philosophy is shared by the chefs of The Farm at San Benito  who have won numerous best cuisine awards, including  winning the “Spa Cuisine of the Year” two years in a row from Asia Spa Magazine. Upon the guidance of The Farm’s chefs, the Peninsula Manila’s new 360° Wellness, Naturally Peninsula menu does not use any flour, wheat, grain, sugar, canned, or anything that is processed, boxed or packaged.

Dishes under this menu are also to be cooked only with certified organic extra virgin olive oil and Absolutely No Heat Process (ANH) virgin coconut oil. Working closely with the Peninsula’s Executive Chef Richard Green and his team, both stellar kitchens have identified and incorporated local ingredients into signature dishes that will ultimately enhance a guest’s destination-inspired experience.

Guest dining in the hotel’s various dining outlets will delight not just in the surprisingly more flavorful take on health food, but also in the knowledge that they are eating ingredients that are free of toxins and harmful chemicals and at the same time helping preserve the environment.

To celebrate the new collaboration, The Farm at San Benito and The Peninsula Manila are launching a joint wellness program package, starting at approximately USD873 (PhP34,916) for two, which includes one-night accommodation at The Peninsula Manila and two-nights’ accommodation at The Farm.

Early Chowbuzz recommendations includes; the Smoked Eggplant-Szechuan dip (90 calories per tablespoon), Mushroom-nut ragout stuffed, Coconut Ravioli with cumin carrot sauce (274 calories per serving), and Penang Curry (174 calories per serving).

• The Peninsula Manila, corners of Ayala and Makati Avenues, Makati City. Tel. no. (+632) 810-3456 or (+632) 887-2888.

source: interaksyon.com

The Pen Lobby’s cool treats for the chilly season

Eating ice cream in December? The wisecracker would quickly retort, you drink coffee in summer, don’t you? Really, why not. Especially if it’s the luscious and oversized ice cream treats being served at the iconic Peninsula Manila Lobby.

“December is the time when a lot of people come and get together traditionally, just like at The Lobby where we are launching our latest ice cream menu. We do get a lot of people coming together and who ask for our ice cream,” shares Adam Lifshitz, the Pen’s assistant food and beverage manager.

Not only that, Executive Pastry Chef Sebastien Coquery notes guests of the hotel are fond of eating their frozen delights anytime of the day. “I have been traveling around the world for 20 years now, and this is the first country where we serve ice cream for breakfast. In the buffet, it is not only kids but also adults as well who enjoy our ice cream. They take their cup of coffee with ice cream (on the side). I’ve never seen that anywhere in the world,” the French chef says with an amused tone.

Guests screaming for ice cream in the hotel’s lobby and restaurant outlets encouraged Executive Chef Patrick Bocheur and Chef Coquery to improve the Pen Lobby’s dessert collections to serve more tempting concoctions under the collective name Frozen by the Sun. The Sun, of course, is a reference to National Artist Napoleon Abueva’s iconic “Sunburst” sculpture set above the Lobby.

In the midst of the artisanal ice cream rage, however, don’t expect unusual flavors like bacon, wasabi, and blue cheese to be served here. Lifshitz shrugs his shoulders and says the hotel prefers to offer more familiar flavors. “We decided to stick to the more traditional, classic flavors of ice cream as these are what the people look for. People want something they can recognize.”

Instead, the hotel found its perfect chill buddy in food service giant Unilever Foodsolutions, which carries Selecta, one of the country’s leading ice cream brands. Chefs Bocheur and Coquery then created festively served frozen desserts guaranteed to delight not just Filipinos but foreign guests, too.

Lifshitz shares that the new and improved cold desserts will also surely make people feel good. “Most of the people who order ice cream at the Lobby are adults. (That’s why) we try to give our ice cream a playful feel so they can embrace their inner child.”






Chef Coquery adds that the ice cream creations are not just for satisfying the sense of taste but the sense of sight as well. “We eat first with the eyes. Just see what we did with the Nutty Page Boy, which has marshmallows, rich caramel sauce, whipped cream, and sprinkles on it. Kids will certainly like it.”

The Choco Loco Sundae, for instance, is definitely a chocoholic’s fantasy with its chocolate truffle and chocolate hazelnut ice cream together with moist brownie chunks and whipped cream.

Can’t Say No consists of ice cream classics like chocolate truffle, vanilla, and coffee almond topped with white and dark chocolate, and whipped cream.

Then there’s the all-time Pen Lobby favorite Pen Pals—all 19 scoops of guiltless ice-cream goodness. Unless you’re up for brain freeze, it’s best attacked as a group.

“People still get that same excitement, even as adults, over ice cream,” says Lifshitz. “Their eyes light up and they still get that sense of joy.”

True. You can’t get anymore Christmas-y than that—delighting in food that gives cheer and a sweet rush of childhood memories.


The Peninsula Manila is located at Ayala corner Makati Avenue. For inquiries, (+632) 887-2888.

source: interaksyon.com

For Ian Somerhalder, the environment is everything

“Filipinos are some of the most underappreciated people in the world. You guys are leading the change into our green future. And I think the rest of the world should know about this.”

That’s Ian Somerhalder, who plays hunky vampire Damon Salvatorre in the hit TV series “The Vampire Diaries”, talking about his Philippine experience, which included a photo shoot at El Nido Resort in Palawan for the fashion retail brand, Penshoppe.

The 33-year old actor started out as a model at the very young age of 10 before pursuing acting by the time he’s 17. His other best known roles are that of bisexual Paul Denton in the film “The Rules of Attraction” and the ill-fated Boone Carlyle in the first season of “Lost.”

During a press conference at the Peninsula Manila Wednesday afternoon, Somerhalder admitted that he was deeply touched and amazed at the efforts being made by big corporations such as Penshoppe’s Golden ABC in making what he describes as “massive strides” in promoting environmental causes.

Before Somerhalder took the stage, Golden ABC’s Bernie Liu announced that the company will be supporting the Ian Somerhalder Foundation that the actor founded in 2010.

Although it was not specified how exactly the company will support his foundation, Ian gratefully acknowledged it and said he’s excited about his partnership with Penshoppe, which he describes as an “organic marriage.”

“I feel as though I’m part of something special here and this partnership, what it means, what it’s going to get back is we’re going to see concrete changes and real results. I’m going to use this exposure for the greater good,” Somerhalder told TV5 news anchor Paolo Bediones, who hosted the event.

Citing another example, the actor recalled how much he was fascinated with International Transvoyager, Inc. (ITI), the air charter service that took him to El Nido.

“To offset carbon emission generated by their flights, ITI actually plants six trees for every passenger. How cool is that?” the actor enthused. ‘I mean I fly so much it’s awful. So it’s good to see one company finding ways to offset all those CO2s.”

In describing his work with his foundation which, he said, “aims to empower, educate and collaborate with people and projects to positively impact the planet and its creatures,” the actor himself sometimes wonder how he finds all the time for his causes.

“Most of the time, I just scribble all my ideas on my iPad which is always beside me in my bed. Then when I wake up, I ask myself, ‘What the hell is this all about’?” he joked.

Turning serious, Somerhalder revealed that he has around 100 people in his team. “A hundred people may not be a lot but a hundred people doing all these things for the environment, that’s very cool.”

He admitted that while his father, an independent contractor, visited the Philippines many years ago, it was his first time in the country, and he described Palawan in particular as “one of the most beautiful places on the planet.”

In describing his recent photo shoot, Somerhalder narrated, “I’m just running around in a secluded island, drinking coconut, photographed by an amazing photographer (Darren Tieste) and surrounded by all these incredible people.”

As for appearing on the big screen again, the actor, who was earlier announced to star in the gothic film “Cradlewood” scheduled for a 2013 release, said he is still looking for the right project but would like to work with a lot of outstanding filmmakers and actors.

“Doing ‘The Vampire Diaries’ means nine months of straight shooting for 22 episodes in one season,” he pointed out. “Making a film is more about the filmmakers. Among the people I’d like to work with are Clint Eastwood, Sean Penn and Ed Harris. There’s something to be said about these people who do not compromise their craft. So if I suck as an actor, I might be able to bring myself up to their level someday.”

Somerhalder also doesn’t see the big deal about admitting his real age. “There’s something amazing about aging. Turning 30 plus is such a powerful number. I find it bizarre that people can still lie about their age in 2012, in this age of Google.”

And while Ian did not discuss his personal life, including the status of his reported relationship with “Vampire Diaries” co-star Nina Dobrev, he did talk about the role that’s making millions of girls swoon every week.

“Ripping people’s heads off and seducing women are not exactly the worst things in the world,” Somerhalder quipped with a wink.

source: interaksyon.com