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| March 2012 |
Article: Chill Factor
- Ma. Janine Bianca A. Romero & Cristina Espina
- Ma. Janine Bianca A. Romero & Cristina Espina
March 1, 2012
Can't take my ICE off you
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| March 2012 |
Article:
Can’t Take My Ice Off You
One of the best ways to beat the summer heat is to eat halo-halo.
Whether it is halo-halo from a stand in your local neighborhood or at
restaurants, this is one sure way to keep you cool.
Halo-halo, translated loosely in Filipino, means ‘mix-mix.’ Traditional halo-halo is a layer of shaved or crushed ice and all or any of these ingredients, depending
on preference and availability: pounded dried rice (pinipig), sweet
preserved beans (red beans, chickpeas, adzuki), jackfruit (langka),
caramelized sweet potato (camote), sweetened coconut meat (macapuno),
slices of plantain (saging na saba), gelatin, tapioca pearls (sago),
sugar palm (kaong), topped with sweet purple yam (ube), caramel custard
(leche flan), or ice cream. It is usually served in a tall, clear glass
or in a bowl and drizzled with evaporated milk or coconut milk after
which, dive in by mixing, hence the name, all the ingredients and eat
with haste.
It is a popular shaved ice dessert especially during the summer
season, but nowadays, Pinoys are bound to have their halo-halo fix
anytime of the day. If you want a glass of halo-halo, all you have to do
is visit a curbside eatery, a mobile kiosk, a hotel lobby cafe, or
simply visit the mall.
In the provinces, streets sprout with makeshift stands, though
there are some that are well-known even to Manileños, such as Aling
Mauring’s in Pagsanjan. Many rural markets also count halo-halo in their
repertoire.
Halo-halo at Home:
Ingredients:
2 T sweetened kidney beans
2 T sweetened garbanzos (chickpeas)
2 T minatamis na saba
2 T sago and/or gulaman
2 T kaong or nata de coco
2 T langka and/or macapuno
2 T ube
1 T leche flan
1 T pinipig
sugar, according to taste
shaved or crushed ice
evaporated milk
scoop of ube-flavored ice cream (optional)
Procedure: Mix all ingredients in a tall glass or a bowl then add crushed ice and milk. Top with a scoop of ube ice cream or your favorite ice cream flavor. Serve.
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If you want something less traditional, then we give you Guagua,
Pampanga’s famous Razon’s Halo-halo. Dubbed by foodies as one of the
best halo-halo in town, it’s known for its powdery ice shavings and minimalist ingredients.
Ingredients:
2 T sugar syrup
3-4 T macapuno
2 T minatamis na saba (diced)
1-2 T leche flan
evaporated milk
shaved ice
Procedure:To prepare sugar syrup: Stir in sugar in a boiling water and remove
from heat. Let cool and set aside. Blend the macapuno in a blender.
To assemble: Place the ingredients in a tall glass in this order:
macapuno, diced banana, sugar syrup, ice, and evaporated milk. Serve. – By Ma. Janine Bianca A. Romero
The Big Shave
Crushed or shaved? Electric ice shaver versus manual ice shaver? To get
that perfect halo-halo depends on the quality of the ice. As much as
possible, avoid icebergs floating in the glass and have instead that
ice-blended concoction or a smoothie consistency. To determine the best
ice shaver for your need, consider convenience, cost, effort, and time
to be consumed in the preparation process.
MANUAL
Back in the day, if you want a glass of halo-halo, you will have to
wait for the vendor to make ‘kinaskas na yelo’ (grated ice). Bent over a
huge block of ice, he makes an almost rhythmic ‘kaskas’ sound as he
scrapes the ice back and forth with a ‘raspador,’ a hollow handheld
metal plane tool (right) similar to a carpenter’s plane. As he scrapes
the block, the hollow part gets filled with ice. Once filled, he opens
it up and pours its contents onto one of the prepared glasses with
sweetened rubies. Raspador has origins in Mexico which is used to make a
shaved ice dessert called raspados, hence the name. This metal plane
may be bought in wet markets or supermarkets and is one of the cheapest
ways to make grated ice.The ice, however, sometimes has the texture of crunchy hailstones. Price starts at P80.
But if you have the budget and would like to put up a halo-halo
stand come summertime or just entertain guests with a snowball, then
there are manual ice crushers or shavers with handles that can be
cranked up to make finer ice granules. These shavers are small and
portable, and can make several batches in no time. Still, like the metal
plane, you need arm strength. Price for these portable shavers starts
at P1,000.
ELECTRIC
An electric ice shaver can do snow cones, snow balls, and bubble teas
with uniform, powdery ice crystals. Expect it to be pricey, though, but
without the hassle of cranking a machine or grating ice. An electric ice
shaver may be purchased in home store appliances, from online sellers.
To score a bargain, a trip to Divisoria, Quiapo, Binondo, or Baclaran
will be worth it. Price starts at P1,000.
Sweet Scent-iments
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| March 2012 |
Article:
Sweet Scent-iments
A FRAGRANCE WHOSE essential oil concentration is approximately 5% with
scents that tend to stay light and airy, the cologne traces its roots,
fittingly enough, in Cologne, Germany, in 1709. An Italian perfume-maker
named Gian Paolo Feminis, with the help of his nephew Giovanni Maria
Farina, created a light and citrusy fragrance called Eau De Cologne in
honor of his new hometown of Cologne. It quickly became a huge hit among
royalty – even Napoleon was said to be a huge fan, using eight quarts
of the scent every month.
Compared to perfume which has a concentration typically ranging
from 20% to 25%, cologne usually has no more than 5 percent essential
oil mixed in.
Today, the term cologne is used as a generic name for men’s and women’s fragrances
instead of being referred to as a fragrance in its own right.
Summer Scents
Here are affordable alternatives to smelling fresh and sweet:
Careline Body Spray line. Available in many variants,
it has a mild and baby-like smell that leaves one completely fresh until
night. It also doesn’t have an irritating effect on the eyes and nose
and does not generate bad odor when the body is soaked in heavy
perspiration.
Zen Zest Sparkling Sugar Collection (Cotton Candy) Eau de Cologne
It has a playful, fluffy fragrance reminiscent of youthful innocence.
Johnson’s Baby Cologne – Powder Mist
The name itself gives you an idea of what it smells like. Its powdery
smell makes you feel like you’ve just put on baby powder after stepping
out of the shower. You may also try the regular oneand the Mountain Dew
scent.
Bench Daily Scent Cologne – Happy Hour
Its citrus-y scent uplifts and refreshes the mood.
Lewis and Pearl Cologne – Angel
Combines spring flowers and heavenly citrus.
Be Scent-sitive!
When wearing cologne, do not apply directly onto the skin or a part of
the clothing where your skin touches especially if you have a sensitive
skin. In some cases, sun exposure of an area of the skin to which
cologne is applied may cause skin irritation or spots depending on skin type. Perfumes and colognes include highly concentrated fragrances and
highly light-sensitive ingredients compared to ordinary cosmetic
products.
Scents for Cent
Smelling good can be expensive. Good thing, you may now enjoy the scent
of your choice at a pocket-friendly price. Bring out your squirt
bottle. Here are some stores that sell perfumes by tingi:
• True Value
• The Body Shop
• Watsons
What’s That Smell?
A guide to the different scents of colognes (Note: these scents are also applicable to perfumes):
• Floral. The most popular scent, it is created mainly
from roses, jasmine, carnations, orange blossoms, and other flowers
that when mixed, will produce a floral bouquet aroma.
• Oriental. A heady mix of spices, balsams, resins, and some amber, its smell sends off
an aura of warmth and exotic sensuality.
• Citrus. Drawn from different citrus fruits such as lemon, tangerine, lime, and mandarin,
it produces a tangy and sharp aroma and usually gives off a refreshing or an uplifting feeling.
• Fougere. French word for fern, this is a combination
of mossy ferns and various fresh herbs that give off a sophisticated
urban-style mood.
– Ma. Janine Bianca A. Romero
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