Soderno at Molito in Alabang !

Finally, I was able to go out and have time with my kids before the Christmas rush. I wanted them to try new food in a new atmosphere so  I took them to Soderno

Soderno is the newest food and lifestyle market in the south.  If Taguig has Mercato Centrale and Makati has Legaspi and Salcedo market ,  then the south has Soderno !  I, actually ,was very glad to learn of this place so I didn't have to go far to experience this kind of market. 

It was raining the day we came so everyone were inside the tents.  One of the needed improvements for Soderno was the preparation for outside seating capacity especially that the ground gets so muddy and with the volume of people , it would be difficult to look for a table - just like we did.

There were  a variety of food - meditteranean, chinese, filipino including lechon (roasted pig), italian, mexican, pastries, ice cream and different kinds of drinks as well and all them were very inviting.   One of the tents also housed some lifestyle items - clothes, decors and wellness products.

I would definitely go back to this place and will try something different everytime !

Tips :
  - wear comforable clothes and be ready for some smoke coming from the grill
  - Sunday market :  8am to 3 pm

  - Night market every Fri and Sat from 6pm to 3am


What we tried :
  - chicken tahouk with rice from Tong Baracas (so yummy and filling)
  - my kids tried the Buffalo Soldiers wing and dip bar (my kids love chicken)
  - my hubby tried the lechon or roasted pig (a Filipino favorite)

Update : This place has closed already

 


from Chicago Deep Dish Pizza and Pasta

Red velvet cake

Buffalo Soldier's preparing my kid's chicken with blue cheese dip

The Lechon Cebu

The Chicken tahouk

Ice cream !

Crinkles from The Sweet Story bakeshop

 Enjoy !

Baking weekend !

For two consecutive weekends, I had to stay home to teach the kids for their exams.  So what to do on a stay-home weekend in the Christmas season ? - Bake !
And that's what I did - I baked fruitcake.  It's not my first time.  My friends and I did this when we were younger.  It was for business.  Now I am baking for pleasure - for my family.

Have shown here the ingredients , the mixture and the finished product.  My hubby and youngest son loved it   You could taste the crunchy fruits on every bite. The cherry brandy is not so overwhelming and the cake doesn't crumble when you cut it.

Tips :
  - you will prepare 3 mixtures : fruit mixture, flour mixture and the egg mixture
  - when I baked this cake, I used banyo maria or bain marie to keep the fruitcake from over-drying
  - wait about 1 hour after baking before you brush with brandy (this is very important)

Recipe

Ingredients :
     450g glazed fruits
     175g raisins
     50g glace cherries
     3 tbsp cherry brandy
     1 cup flour
     1/2 tsp salt
     1/2 tsp mixed spice
     1/2 tsp cloves
     225g unsalted butter
     1 cup dark brown sugar
     4 large eggs
     50g slivered almonds
     2 tsp molasses
     zest of 1 lemon
     zest of 1 orange
     additional brandy for brushing later
     50g almonds  (chopped)
      additional cherries for topping

Other items :
    parchment paper
    skewer for checking doneness
    aluminum foil
    fruitcake baking tins
    butter to grease pans and parchment paper

Preparation
1. Soak the fruits , cherries, raisins in cherry brandy overnight
2.  Preheat the oven to 140 deg C
3.  Prepare the baking tins by greasing it with butter
4.  Line the baking tins with buttered parchment paper
     Tip : when lining, the parchment paper should go by 2 inches above the edge of tin (see picture)
4.  Prepare the flour mixture : flour, salt, allspice, cloves.  Sift.
5.  Prepare the egg mixture : Beat the eggs. Set aside.
      Cream the butter and sugar with a mixer
      Add the eggs one by one into the mixture.  Beat after each addition
6.  Add the blended mixture in the flour mixture.  Fold.
7.  Pour in the fruit mixture, the slivered almonds, chopped almonds, orange and lemon zest. 
     Mix well.
8.  Pour into the fruitcake baking tins. 
9.  Top with 6 pcs glace cherries (optional)
10.  Bake for about 2 hours in bain marie.  But do check with a skewer.  If the skewer comes out clean, it's done.
   
You may want to replace some ingredients with sultanas, candied peel, chopped walnuts
or adding spices like nutmeg or cinammon. 

Some of the ingredients



Enjoy !

Alabang Town Center weekend!

Being with the family is a lot of fun specially if you get to just walk, hold hands, talk about silly things and just plain fool around.  We usually do this in our favorite mall spot - Alabang Town Center.  We love it here because it feels so cozy.  There is a feeling of warmth  especially at this time of year - Christmas.

In the Philippines, Christmas starts as early as September.  Christmas carols are playing, decorations are   set-up and giant christmas trees abound ! Here are some pics that I hope would inspire all to go out and celebrate in any way the spirit of the yuletide season.  Cheers !

Tips :
> the place is being renovated so there's more good things to come!
> Powerbooks is our favorite bookstore here
> Timezone is a cool place to hang out where both adults and kids will enjoy


How to get there:
coming from south superhiway, take the Alabang exit and it is located along Alabang Zapote road.

the giant christmas tree!

our favorite powerbooks where the kids could sit around and read their fave books

our fave walking area..

love the christmas atmosphere

christmas flowers - the ponsettia

Enjoy !