Gourmet Shopping at Santis Delicatessen

I recently discovered this high-end deli shop in the metro! Well, it’s been in the market for more than 20 years, but I am not one of its affluent market then, thus, I was so excited when I went to its newest store in Wilson Street San Juan – great cheese varieties, lots of hams and sausages, exciting chocolates and sophisticated wines for wine lovers. Great buy I must say – for people with dinero to spare :-)

-Santis Deli Wilson, San Juan

Creative Cheese Dishes Straight from San Andres Market

How do you make an elegant dish straight from the Philippine’s wet market? Chefs from Sala Restaurant, Tagaytay Highlands, Cibo, C’ Italian Dining, and Peninsula together with a top Italian Chef, Francesco Berardinelli gathered together and made appetizing cheese recipe straight from San Andres Market – no recipes, jut pure imagination and expertise!

On a typical Manila jeepney, the group of Chefs went to San Andres Market to do their “marketing”. The instruction, “just buy whatever is there in the market and think of how you can make it work with ricotta, mascarpone, gorgonzola or mozzarella” – something like “Iron Chef”.

The chefs bought some kamote, squash flowers, sigarilyas, malunggay leaves, mangoes, magosteen, marang, local rice, and coconut, then headed to the kitchen and started their cooking. With their vegetables, fruits and other basic cooking ingredients at hand, they started their highly creative dishes combining Galbani cheeses into the finished product. And the result, nothing but unbelievably appetizing dishes!

More Ways to Say Cheese!

When asked what type of cheese does one like, a typical person would say, cheddar for sandwich, or mozzarella for pizza, or mascarpone for tiramisu. Sometimes, we don’t realize that there are lots of cheeses out there and we can use them in so many ways to make a satisfying dish.

Galbani, one of the most prestigious Italian food companies worldwide brought a top Italian Chef to the Philippines to share ideas on how one can be more creative in using cheese to make dishes – not just for pizza, for tiramisu or for sandwiches. Chef Francesco Berardinelli, a Consultant Chef for Galbani Italy and Alaine Ducase Group shared his recipes during a Cooking demo with Philippine Chefs at Aubergine Restaurant.

Let’s explore how other cheese varieties can create an appetizing feast with Chef Francesco’s recipe of Ricotta Springroll with Vegetable Tabbouleh, Roast Duck Supreme, Blanched Yellow Fin Tuna and Fresh Orange & Mascarpone Tart.