Man! How could I miss it???
The other day I watched a special Follow that Food episode (on the Lifestyle Network) where the subject was chocolate (I suppose in line with Valentines). The show format takes viewers from the raw produce to the finish product of an item. On that particular episode, the host went from the cacao plantation to a chocolate cake on a birthday celebration.
I honestly learned a lot on that 30-60 minute presentation. Now I know that the best cacao beans (much like coffee beans) are sourced from Africa and Latin America in countries like Venezuela (LatAm) and Madagascar (S.A.). At the Scharffen Berger factory in SanFo, it takes time and scrutiny to turn those beans to become one of the best chocolates in the world. The owners of the company was firm in telling that they did not want to produce so much chocolate, afraid that the quality will suffer. In fact, their annual production volume is only as large as the volume of what the next biggest chocolate factory produces daily.
I want to try Scharffen Berger. I have heard a lot about it (see MarketManila post here) but do not know where to look for it locally if there is. When I went to San Francisco (where the factory was located) a long time ago, I was not familiar with the brand (I was super happy with Ghirardelli). But now, it seems something is missing. My passion for chocolate draws me to want to try Scharffen Berger. Hopefully sooner than later.
(The episode ended with the host following that bar of chocolate to the grocery and then following a buyer to her home where she bakes a yummy cake (chocolate, of course!) to take to a friend's birthday).
See Scharffen Berger website here.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Not So Amazing Finish
I hate it when people spoil things for me.
I was suppose to watch the replay of the last episode of Amazing Race Asia Season 2 this weekend as I was at work last Thursday. Friday morning, as much as I did not want to know who won the race, my officemates were already talking about the season ending and news have spread over the internet.
Adrian and Collin finished first much to the disappointment of so many people especially me. It was surprising because Marc and Rovilson were consistently placing either first or second on all the other episodes but ended up the last team on the last leg of the race.
Kudos to Amazing Race Asia staff on keeping the results from being known until the last episode was televised. I was somewhat doubtful though during the season run as they were already airing Adrian and Collin's Sony Commercial.
Despite the not so amazing finish, I am super proud of Marc and Rovilson for playing the race best. They were fair, displayed sportsmanship, and their relationship with each other and towards other teams is admirable. Never once would you see them arguing over a mistake. They were always forward-looking, never sticking to errors made.
I was suppose to watch the replay of the last episode of Amazing Race Asia Season 2 this weekend as I was at work last Thursday. Friday morning, as much as I did not want to know who won the race, my officemates were already talking about the season ending and news have spread over the internet.
Adrian and Collin finished first much to the disappointment of so many people especially me. It was surprising because Marc and Rovilson were consistently placing either first or second on all the other episodes but ended up the last team on the last leg of the race.
Kudos to Amazing Race Asia staff on keeping the results from being known until the last episode was televised. I was somewhat doubtful though during the season run as they were already airing Adrian and Collin's Sony Commercial.
Despite the not so amazing finish, I am super proud of Marc and Rovilson for playing the race best. They were fair, displayed sportsmanship, and their relationship with each other and towards other teams is admirable. Never once would you see them arguing over a mistake. They were always forward-looking, never sticking to errors made.
Congratulations Marc and Rovilson! As cheesy as it sounds, you made the whole country proud because you proved that Filipinos are a great race. In addition, you proved that good looks is possible and can co-exist with wit, humor, and attitude. And winning is not as important as enjoying the experience!
Monday, February 11, 2008
Crazy Crush
I have not had a crush for the longest time. Well, I have one longtime crush (for 8 years, he has a girlfriend now) and some more shorttime crushes and so I wanted to look for someone who can possibly be remotely interested in me.
And how unfortunate that the new apple-of-my-eye is someone who is also unreachable and impossible =( Haha. I am thankful though that at least I have someone new to think of. Self mental note: Must look for a "real" guy.
It is crazy-this thing called love.
And how unfortunate that the new apple-of-my-eye is someone who is also unreachable and impossible =( Haha. I am thankful though that at least I have someone new to think of. Self mental note: Must look for a "real" guy.
It is crazy-this thing called love.
The Bucket List
On my January entry (click here), I mentioned that I did not like that some people live-to-write their blogs. But I just want to share this great movie I saw yesterday, The Bucket List, starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman.
The movie is about two cancer patients who lived the most of their last days fulfilling things on their Bucket List (sort of like a wish list or a things-to-do-before-I-die list).
On top of the pyramids, Carter (played by Freeman) told Edward (Nicholson) that in the Egyptian lore, you are asked two questions at the gates of heaven. These are:
1) HAVE I FOUND JOY IN MY LIFE?
2) HAS MY LIFE BROUGHT JOY TO OTHERS?
Something to think about...
And please do me a favor and watch the movie. It will surely make you laugh and cry. I will give a refund for those who watch the movie and do not like it.
The movie is about two cancer patients who lived the most of their last days fulfilling things on their Bucket List (sort of like a wish list or a things-to-do-before-I-die list).
On top of the pyramids, Carter (played by Freeman) told Edward (Nicholson) that in the Egyptian lore, you are asked two questions at the gates of heaven. These are:
1) HAVE I FOUND JOY IN MY LIFE?
2) HAS MY LIFE BROUGHT JOY TO OTHERS?
Something to think about...
And please do me a favor and watch the movie. It will surely make you laugh and cry. I will give a refund for those who watch the movie and do not like it.
Selfish Confession
It is but natural for man to be selfish. I read in Time Online before that people in general feel better when others are in worse conditions than they are. That way, they are in relatively better situation.
With the US "recession", I am sure a lot of us on this side of the world are glad because the currency exchange rate is becoming more in favor of us-travel and imported goods are cheaper, etc. May I remind that this is not totally attributed to the Philippine economy doing better than US, but mostly because the US dollar is weakening.
I mentioned sometime ago here in my blog that I work in a middle office for what I strongly believe to be the best financial company in the world. We do work for them and it creates huge savings like call centers do for their counterparts.
The sad reality is that while we gain jobs from the outsourcing industry, others lose theirs. And as much as we are happy that higher minimum wages, overhead costs, and shrinking profits outside are encouraging companies to hire someplace else where labor is cheap like India and the Philippines thus creating job opportunities, when you think of it, you are part of the reason why people in the US for instance are losing their jobs (equivalently, losing their homes and sticking to a tighter budget) and or finding it hard to get a job.
Speaking on their behalf, it is unfair competition because they have not way in beating the low wages we offer.
What is ideal is that each country rely on their own economy in terms of job generation. That each country become self sustaining, creating jobs because of high internal demand. Income generated from the outsourcing industry is "superficial". It makes you think that the low unemployment rate is due to better economic activity (true, better investments). The fact is, this makes us more dependent to other countries. In short, we are nothing if other countries cease to exist. If we were doing really well, how come other people continue to leave the country for work?
Thus, as much as I am more than happy to invite in job opportunities, I wish that this outsourcing dependency is temporary, that jobs be created for the local industry, and that in the near future, Filipinos do not have to look someplace else to earn money.
With the US "recession", I am sure a lot of us on this side of the world are glad because the currency exchange rate is becoming more in favor of us-travel and imported goods are cheaper, etc. May I remind that this is not totally attributed to the Philippine economy doing better than US, but mostly because the US dollar is weakening.
I mentioned sometime ago here in my blog that I work in a middle office for what I strongly believe to be the best financial company in the world. We do work for them and it creates huge savings like call centers do for their counterparts.
The sad reality is that while we gain jobs from the outsourcing industry, others lose theirs. And as much as we are happy that higher minimum wages, overhead costs, and shrinking profits outside are encouraging companies to hire someplace else where labor is cheap like India and the Philippines thus creating job opportunities, when you think of it, you are part of the reason why people in the US for instance are losing their jobs (equivalently, losing their homes and sticking to a tighter budget) and or finding it hard to get a job.
Speaking on their behalf, it is unfair competition because they have not way in beating the low wages we offer.
What is ideal is that each country rely on their own economy in terms of job generation. That each country become self sustaining, creating jobs because of high internal demand. Income generated from the outsourcing industry is "superficial". It makes you think that the low unemployment rate is due to better economic activity (true, better investments). The fact is, this makes us more dependent to other countries. In short, we are nothing if other countries cease to exist. If we were doing really well, how come other people continue to leave the country for work?
Thus, as much as I am more than happy to invite in job opportunities, I wish that this outsourcing dependency is temporary, that jobs be created for the local industry, and that in the near future, Filipinos do not have to look someplace else to earn money.
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