Thursday, February 9, 2012

Tea and Fashion with Dita Sandico Ong


Indulge in the art of drinking TEA with Dita Sandico Ong


Its not everyday I get invited to a Tea Party! And not only that, one hosted by Ms. Dita Sandico Ong herself. Fashion with a cup of Tea.. An intriguing combination difficult to resist! So when Jen asked me to go with her to the event last February 1, I immediately jumped at the chance despite the shocking fact that its NOT about Coffee but about TEA (haha.. the coffeeholic side of me cannot believe I just did this!).








As a coffee lover, I must admit that drinking Tea was difficult in the beginning. I kept on comparing it to coffee which you really shouldn't do. Trust me, I ended up eating every single negative word about Tea coz well.. I got hooked! LOL. It took a lot of convincing but Tea did ended up romancing me over to its side (naks chos.. ganun kalakas ang tama sa coffee sensibilities ko! hahaha!). This must also have been the case for Ms. Dita Sandico Ong. Tea that touches us on a "soulful level" has brought this talented fashion designer to share a different kind of art -- the art of drinking tea.


The Tea Party was held at the DSO Boutique in San Juan, Greenhills. It was my first time to see her fashionable craftsmanship and I'm just simply amazed by her pieces. As far as I know, what makes Dita Sandico Ong unique is due to the special hand-woven cloth that was made by weavers in Catanduanes and the innovative designs that is well-loved by women all over the world. Here are some samples of her amazing work that would make any Filipino or Filipina PROUD!


  

Unique wraps!
One of my favorite picks that were displayed in the boutique!
And yes, partly because its violet! lol.
Love this! The eye catching colors really stand out.
I like the top of the one in the middle!

  
Besides the wraps, she also makes adorable and elegant accessories to match her creations!

So during the tea party, the first thing that we did was to sit back, relax, and take a sip of Tea, her new line of floral tea leaves which is the designer's advocacy for educating the youth on healthy living. Miss Dita went on to explain that she would like more Filipinos to take pleasure in drinking tea.  I think I can say that drinking coffee is more natural for Filipinos than drinking tea (haller! agree ba agree?). So it was fitting that she even took the time to explain to us the art of drinking and appreciating tea. Haha I needed that!  Well after all having tea as an alternative is just a recent trend here in our country. Her experience of tea drinking abroad has inspired and encouraged her to take this practice here at home and hopefully make it a healthy lifestyle choice for many of us here.

Real dried flowers in the tea! 
I was delighted that I could actually taste for myself this wonderful aromatic teas for myself.  They let us choose which flavor we wanted to try out and they prepared it right in front of us. Preparing tea is not as difficult as it may seem. And how you want your tea done - whether strong or light is dependent on how you prepare it yourself. Anyway, I'm glad someone else did it for me during this time coz I really wanted to enjoy drinking it and I was kinda afraid that if left to my own devices, I might just mess it up.

HOW TO BREW YOUR OWN POT OF TEA by DSO

Step 1 - Take a pinch of your favorite "loose leaf" TEA by DSO and put in Tea Pot
Step 2 - Pour water in tea pot and let the leaves settle. The temperature of the water is dependent on what kind of tea you are brewing. For more info on this click here.
Step 3 - Pour tea to cup. Number of minutes before pouring is dependent on the type of tea that was brewed. Use a tea strainer so that your cup of tea won't have loose leaves floating about.
Step 4 - Add sugar to taste! Or for some, don't add sugar at all!
Step 5 - Now this step is totally optional. But if you are a MILK TEA FAN (like me!) , this would definitely work for you! Pour milk to your tea. Yum yum. This particular concoction worked for the "Rejuvenating Blend" by DSO.  Please do read on if you want to find out what I meant exactly.
So as you can see, the tea party was on full force the moment you entered the boutique. Miss Dita shared to us her designer floral tea concoctions. Made by real tea leaves from the most aromatic flowers, Jasmine, Rose, Michelia Champaca, Lavender, and Chrysanthemum were made available in unique designer blends of floral teas inspired by famous historical women:

AUDREY HEPBURN - Elating Blend
TEA by DSO
Inspired by the film and fashion icon of the 20th Centur, this unique blend of Jasmine, Green Tea, Cinnamon, and Michelia Champaca is designed to uplift one's spirit. With the delightful flavor and aroma, this blend is recommended for anyone who wishes to live blissfully and stay young at heart.

I personally liked this tea. Did the Audrey Hepburn design swayed my choice?  Yeah definitely! Audrey Hepburn is one fashion icon that really left an indelible mark on me when I was young.  Sipping the tea, I could just imagine myself drinking this while having "Breakfast at Tiffany's". Hehe. It did have a strong floral scent but it wasn't overpowering. You can definitely sense the Jasmine in it but I didn't find it overwhelming (unlike some other floral teas that I've tasted) and I did enjoy it.  


 

EVA PERON - Rejunevating Blend
TEA by DSO
Inspired by the Argentinian actress turned first lady, this unique blend of Oolong Black Tea, Orange, and Lavender is designed to rejuvenate the senses. Fondly called as Evita, the spiritual leader of the nation, she was able to enliven the people to take action. Much like how  these powerful flavors can energize anyone who aspires to take on the world. Try it with MILK and enjoy a superb chai tea blend.

Now this was my personal favorite! Yes, the Eva Peron Rejuvenating Blend TEA by DSO was the one being demo'd in the "How to Brew Your Own Pot of Tea" above.  I absolutely loved the flavor of this especially since it did give off a "chai tea" taste to it. So if you are a Milk Tea Lover like me, this would be your best bet!

   

GRACE KELLY - Soothing Blend
TEA by DSO
Inspired by one of America's classic movie star turned Princess of Monaco. This premium blend of Chrysanthemum, lavender, and ginger is designed to calm and soothe the senses. Her serene highness makes rest and relaxation a royal endeavor.

For me, this was a pretty mild tea but you could immediately distinguish the floral scent of it. I saw the actual Chrysanthemum dried flowers and am amazed that I'm actually drinking flowers and liking it! Yes, it is soothing and I think this would be perfect if you want to de-stress and relax. Perfect drink just before you sleep kind of tea.




MARIE ANTOINETTE - Invigorating Blend
TEA by DSO
Inspired by the decadent princess of France, this unique blend of michelia champaca, green tea, and star anise is designed to invigorate the senses with the battling of the strong and mild flavors. This is recommended for anyone who wants to indulge on frivolous escapades.

I'm afraid this is one tea that I cannot make a lot of comment on. I wasn't able to fully taste this one and only had a sip from either Jen or Bec. I only smelled the leaves and the scent that I remembered was the star anise!


 FRIDA KAHLO - Exhilarating Blend
TEA by DSO
Inspired by the eccentric Mexican painter, this premium and unique blend of Jasmine, cloves, star anise, cardamom and rose is designed to exhilarate and enliven the senses. The exotic flavors and aroma fuse together to transport anyone to one of Frida's surreal works of art.

I remember this tea as one of the teas with the strongest scents and blends. I can't say I'm a big fan but I know some of the other bloggers liked it (hehe.. again I'm partial to milk tea so please forgive me.. lol).

The night ended with a mini fashion show that kicked off DSO's Leapin' Dragon season. The bright oranges and deep purples of her spring/summer collection, the fragrances of floral tea leaves, the stories of the women behind each blend, and the invigorating power of Tea all inspire and stir the depths of your soul. 

The following outfits were inspired by these women and the TEA designed by Miss DSO herself.


 




Thank you so much for inviting us to the Tea Party! I learned a lot that day. 

Dita Sandico Ong with her latest collection
A Tea won't be a TEA PARTY without FRIENDS!
Thanks Jen for inviting me along.
with BEC the makeup guru!
With REG the Hey Rocket Girl!

Savoring a cup of TEA by DSO
TRY IT!
Tea is now available in the DSO Boutique on Wilson Ave., Greenhills, San Juan at P250 special introductory price. You may also place your orders at teabydso.tumblr.com or text +63917 579 0809 / +63915 189 1279.

So Coffeeholics, do indulge yourself to a cup of TEA every once and a while and avail its beneficial medicinal or herbal benefits it has in store for you. CHOOSE to have a healthy, chic, and cultured  lifestyle this 2012!

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Food Diary - Moulinex You Cook Year 2 Grand Winner


Hey Coffeeholics, yep the second event that I went to this year is another food event - The Grand Finals of the Moulinex You Cook Video Recipe Challenge Year 2! The event was held last Saturday, January 28, 2012. It was quite a challenge for me coz I just came from a Parent-Teacher Conference that time. As a teacher mind you, not a parent noh! haha! Being a commuter (mostly by train!) and a blogger is quite challenging  I have to figure out the best routes and modes of transpo available for me to arrive at my destination on time and not get lost in the process. That's why I was quite happy to find out that the "Last Battle Cook Off" was at SM Makati! Since its connected to the MRT, it made my life easier (just like MOULINEX!). 

Anyway, as I arrived and immediately signed up to register, I pleasantly bumped into Marj and Jonel, the blogger buddies that I met during the Semi Finals of this event. So glad to see familiar faces!


MEET THE FINALISTS!

The Moulinex You Cook Video Recipe Challenge Year 2 Grand Finalists finally battle it out last Saturday! This time to prove to the judges and to the rest of us who has the RIGHT to be called the GRAND WINNER! I'm pretty much excited to find out who brings home the "bacon". Like I said in my previous post about this, my "bets" were Leonelia De Castro and Karen Grace Santiago. So read on to find out if I pegged this correctly!
You can definitely feel the electricity in the air as the contestants were all fired up coz this time, they weren't just going to replicate the recipe of the video that they submitted to Moulinex.
This time, they were going to prove themselves to the esteemed judges that they can indeed cook.
 Each finalist was assigned a "secret" ingredient (secret coz they only found out on the contest itself what it was!) that they will showcase to the judges. 
Photo credit - Moulinex FB
Then they were all given 20 minutes to shop at SM Grocery for the items that they need to create a fantastic concoction for the judges. Limited to a budget of Php 1000 was probably tough! I probably would have gone crazy thinking what recipe to use, how much or how many ingredients to buy, and how fantastic the meal should be to impress the panel of judges. Fortunately for Miss Leonelia, she seemed to be cool and prepared to battle. She was one of the first who was able to return to her station and prep her stuff before the official countdown began. 
One of the judges, Ms. Rory, scoring one of the finalists during the preparation period.

I must admit that I really admire the judges for their active involvement for this event. Some of them even went to the  grocery just to check out how the finalists chose their products etc. Also after the grocery shopping, the judges also noted the preparation details that each finalists did before they actually cooked. Yes its part of the judging criteria!
TRIVIA: Do you know that you should have INDIVIDUAL chopping boards for different types of food to avoid cross-contamination?  Hehe. I DIDN'T! I was surprised and fascinated by that piece of info! Plus its all COLOR CODED pa! Hehehe. Meticulous judging indeed!

Thank you Chef Nino for enlightening us! 
(hehe.. but seriously, this is just an excuse to post his cute pic here! hahaha.) 

Juno Sedigo, getting all serious with his secret ingredient - SALMON!

Then the official clock started ticking! Given only 1 1/2 hours to finish their final product, each finalist  indeed gave their best to make the most delicious meal out of the secret ingredient that was assigned to them.  
James Bicaldo explaining his "SQUID" dish to the judges.

Finally, when the final product is done -- each finalist started to present their dishes to the judges while it was hot and fresh. Each finalist was given the chance to present their dish and explain to the judges what they did and at the same time be "grilled" in return or "complimented" with their final work. 
Here are the Finalists with their creations! Check it out!


 
LEONELIA DE CASTRO
from MOST Institute with her CRAB dish
"Chili Crab & Saba Tower with Mango Puree"
She was the first to finish and present her dish to the judges. After she finished, I was able to chat with her for a bit and was pleasantly surprised by this humble yet very talented lady! With only a few months studying culinary arts under her belt, I really couldn't help but be impressed with her cooking abilities.


 


POCHOLO SEDIGO
First Gourmet Academy 
with his secret ingredient dish - SALMON.

"Salmon Burger"


 

NINO CARLO ROSALI
Asian Institute of Culinary Arts
with his secret ingredient dish - Catfish (Hito).

It looks like a soft taco! I wasn't able to catch its name but it's most probably Catfish Taco. 


 


KAREN GRACE SANTIAGO
La Consalacion College-Manila
with her secret ingredient dish - Pork Liver.
The Pork Liver is in the sauce! I like how she designed it with the cute hearts. Had a small talk with this girl coz I really liked her previous work during the semi's and I ha high hopes for her as well. It was amazing to have met you!



ROSANA RAMEL
MICARS
with her secret ingredient dish - Milkfish (Bangus).
She cooked the traditional Sinigang na Bangus and added a twist by having Pasta on the side.


ROMEO APOSTOL JR.  
His secret ingredient was originally OYSTER. But since during that time, it wasn't available in the grocery, the judges agreed to change it into Blue Marlin instead. So this was his Blue Marlin dish.


HALSON LAPUZ
First Gourmet Academy
He had shrimp as his secret ingredient that made quite an impact to the judges.



JAMES ANDRIAN BICALDO
Center for Culinary Arts - Manila
He had squid as his secret ingredient and partnered it with pasta.

All these dishes were made by each finalists and I salute them with their effort. Di ko kaya mga ginawa nila kaya saludo talaga ako! hihi! But like in any competition, there can be only ONE GRAND WINNER of the Moulinex You Cook Video Recipe Challenge Year 2! 



Besides the grand prize, a winner in the "BEST IN PLATING" category courtesy of CORELLE was awarded to none other than Leonelia De Castro. If you take a good look at all those dishes and you would definitely agree with me that she deserves it!



Also, Joemary Grace Balza of MICARS was acknowledged as the People's Choice Awardee! If you wanna know why, then  you should watch her video entry that is really fun and enjoyable to watch. It will definitely not bore you. I'm really pleased with this choice as well!


FINALLY, the runner up was chosen! 


This year's Moulinex You Cook Video Recipe Challenge Runner-up goes to Halson Lapuz from First Gourmet Academy. CONGRATULATIONS!


AND OF COURSE, the GRAND WINNER of this Year 2012 Moulinex You Cook Video Recipe Challenge goes to none other than Ms. Leonelia De Castro from MOST Institute! 


I think she is very much deserving of being the Grand Winner! Her talent and skill was very much evident. Haha. Tama ang hula ko! CONGRATULATIONS Leonelia!


Congratulations as well to Moulinex, Hotel Intercon, and all the other sponsors who started this kind of contest and event that aims to encourage and inspire future chefs here in the Philippines!

With Joemary, the People's Choice Awardee!

with Leonelia, the Grand Winner! Yay you go girl!