A Tasty and Flavorful Preview of The Gourmand Market

Fresh, new, and exciting food finds, all in one place. The Gourmand Market promises all these, and more...

The Gourmand Market is a long-running event spearheaded by Trish Panlilio of nawwTy's Kitchen and Dara David-Roa of Collab Contessa Brand Events set for November 13-15, 2015 at Bonifacio High Street, just in time for the holiday season. Here's a sneak preview of what you can expect at The Gourmand Market's latest edition...

In an exclusive preview of The Gourmand Market's offerings, Trish Panlilio and Dara David-Roa showcased some of the unique and tastiest selections of gourmet specialty items in a casual afternoon event. At the garden, and inside the dining room, the participating vendors proudly set-up and displayed their products for the preview.   

My flavorful experience at The Gourmand Market preview began with a refreshing glass of Guyabano Juice with Chia Seeds from Holy Carabao Holistic Farms, made from the freshest organic produce sourced straight from their own sustainable farms. Holy Carabao Holistic Farms is the brainchild of Hindy Weber-Tantoco, and it represents not just the best locally sourced and all-natural ingredients, but a holistic philosophy. One sip immediately delivers an intense yet refreshing tartness that can only come from the freshest, all-natural soursop, followed by layers of nutty notes from the chia seeds. And you can expect more all-natural products from Holy Carabao Holistic Farms at The Gourmand Market come November 13 at Bonifacio High Street.

Free-flowing wine added to the festive vibe at The Gourmand Market preview, with fine wines from Argentina's famous Lagarde Bodega, one of Argentina's oldest wineries established way back in 1897, represented by Laica Herrera (R), Lagarde's Business Development Manager. 

At the dining room, the impressive selection of gourmet products were laid out from one long end to another, reflecting the wide variety and diversity of flavors at the next edition of The Gourmet Market.

The massive spread included the tasty Cassava Chips by California Crunch in Sour Cream & Onions and Barbecue flavors, washed down perfectly with ice-cold traditionally crafted bottled drinks by Stellina's thirst-quenching Lemonade and Pink Lemonade with Raspberry.

Authentic and inventive Japanese flavors combine with Wasabi Warriors' unique line of freshly prepared sushi, maki, and rolls, bite-sized treats that's big on flavor. I enjoyed Wasabi Warriors before, and it's great to see their signature rolls at The Gourmand Market (see my previous post on Wasabi Warriors here). The wide selection of rolls, including Japanese cones made of nori, offer diners an equally wide variety of options and flavors for a quick bite on-the-go.

Luis Minguez, F & B Manager of Casa Roces, showcased his signature Ensaymada con Jamon y Chocolate, a traditional soft and fluffy ensaymada topped with ham and served with thick Spanish chocolate. The fun part is pouring the thick Spanish chocolate on the ham-topped ensaymada for rich and classic flavors (for more on Casa Roces, check out my previous posts on their wide range of signature dishes here, popular lunch dishes here, and the elegance of the restored ancestral home here).

Other must-try dishes from Casa Roces include their indulgent Caviar Pate (L) and the sweet and creamy Yemas (R), which paired well with their hot Spanish chocolate as well. At The Gourmand Market on November 13, you can see more of the signature Filipino-Spanish cuisine of Casa Roces. 

Trish Panlilio's nawwTy's Kitchen served up their homey yet elegant take on luxe comfort food, drawing inspiration from family favorites. Her lavish spread included hearty pasta dishes to bottled preserves, like jars of Peach Apple Marmalade that's perfect for gift-giving during the holidays.

nawwTy's Kitchen's signature mains, like the Stuffed Roast Peppered Turkey, is just one of the many highlights of The Gourmand Market preview, served with creamy whipped mash potatoes, buttered vegetables, marmalade, stuffing and gravy for the works. Tender and juicy, the mild notes of the perfectly roasted turkey are punctuated by the subtle sharpness of the pepper for rich flavors.

Not to be missed is nawwTy's Kitchen's flavorful Paella Negra with Aioli, a hearty and rustic paella dish with soft and fluffy rice enriched with squid ink and topped with prawns, mussels, and green peppers. The richly flavored dish weaves distinct layers of flavors from the various ingredients in a balanced and seamless blend. Drizzle some aioli sauce to complete the flavors. Going for seconds? Absolutely.

Other savory dishes from nawwty's Kitchen included the tangy Chicken Sausages on Saffron Rice, another satisfying combo with the subtle savory notes layered by the distinct flavors from the soft and moist saffron rice. nawwTy's Kitchen's repertoire of comforting dishes make it ideal for any festive celebration during the coming holidays.

Fujimama returns to The Gourmand Market with its line of Takoyaki, the popular ball-shaped Japanese snack with various fillings and cooked in a special takoyaki pan. Choose from a wide range of Takoyaki, including the original Fujimama Special, the Tamago Takoyaki, Ponzu Takoyaki, Spicy Ebi Takoyaki, Mozzarella Takoyaki, Spam & Cheese Takoyaki, and the Cheese Steak Takoyaki. Fujimama also offers the Japanese savory pancake, the Okonomiyaki, in its range of tasty products.

Sevilla & Sons Charcuterie offered their line of specialty small-batch, handcrafted, and traditional fresh pork sausages made from premium lean pork and natural ingredients. Old world techniques are used, with each sausage stuffed and tied by hand. The kielbasa and hot beef links (shown above) were savory and perfectly spiced and seasoned. Each bite is announced with a fresh "snap" before releasing its rich flavors. Sevilla & Sons specializes in both local regional sausages, like the longganisa and chorizo from Lucban, Cabanatuan, Cebu, Ilocos, Vigan, Alamaminos and Iloilo; and American, European, and Asian sausages like the Polish Kielbasa, Spanish Chorizo, traditional Hungarian Sausages, English Pork Bangers, Italian Sausages, Andouille French Sausages, German Bratwurst, Louisiana Hot Beef Sausage Links, and Chinese Lep Cheong Sausages. Soon, Sevilla & Sons will be offering even more sausages like Moroccan Chicken Sausages, Berlin Currywurst Sausages, Jamaican Jerk, Cuban Chorizo, Thai Chang Mai Sausages, Brazilian Linguica, and even Persian Shawarma Sausages. With Sevilla & Sons, you get a taste of the world with their premium sausages. Definitely one of the many tasty treats you can expect at The Gourmand Market.

Chorizo de Cebu takes the local sausage to the next level with its range of local variants, including Garlic Pork, Pork Hamonado, Spicy Pork, Garlic Chicken, Chicken Hamonado, and Spicy Chicken. Each delicate sausage link, in bite-sized balls, delivers a burst of rich and savory flavors, with a choice of sweet and spicy variants. Pork or chicken, hamonado or spicy, Chorizo de Cebu's got it covered to satisfy all your cravings. Imagine these with garlic fried rice and eggs...perfect.

A taste of Mexico is represented by El Jefe's Mexican Street Food's version of the classic Elote, grilled corn-on-the-cob with lemon, salt, and chili powder. The combination of sweet, citrus, and spicy notes come together with each bite, and it's pretty hard to stop with just one bite. You can also nibble on some of El Jefe's Nacho Chips in Plain, Colored, Barbecue, Sour Cream, and Cheese variants.

In between, indulge in some sweet bites from The Baker Bros, like their Dark Choco Mint, Butter Choco Chip, PB and Nutella, and Apple Space Jam and Caramel Cookies. Chewy and soft, with a crisp outer layer, go for a piece, or better yet, go for the whole cookie and come back for seconds.  

Cupcakes by Sonja's also returns to The Gourmand Market with its signature selection of sweet, indulgent, and elegant cupcakes that made it famous. But it's got something new...

...the new Rainbow Marshmellato from Cupcakes by Sonja's is an inventive and creative new dessert with soft and moist layers of colorful cake topped with roasted marshmallow gelato and marshmallow fluff by Bono Gelato and colorful sprinkles, served in a jar. In a unique collaboration with Bono Gelato, Cupcakes by Sonja's continues to innovate and create new and exciting desserts, just one of the many reasons to check out The Gourmand Market on November 13. Rich, creamy, everything you want, in a jar.

Bliss & Co. shared its extensive selection of baked treats, from savory to sweet, each one bringing back fond memories of the comfortingly familiar, of home and family. And that pretty much sums up the very heart and mission of Bliss & Co., to bring happiness in a bite. And go ahead, have a big bite of their homespun and rustic freshly baked Chicken Pie...

...or indulge in their sweet and colorful Pinwheels and the moist Lemon Loaf. Don't hold back, just let Bliss & Co. take you back to simpler, and better times with each bite. Bliss & Co. also specializes in Lemon Bliss Bites, Angel Cake, Peach Lemon Juice, and Chicken Longganisa.

Snacking can be good, without the guilt. Take it from Take Root, an all-natural food company, with its line of healthy snacks. Snacking takes on a whole new wholesome and healthier experience, with food that not only tastes good, but good for you too...

...like Take Root's Kale Mix Chips, a healthy mix of dried, not fried, organic kale, tree nuts, tomatoes, garlic, nutritional yeast, sea salt, herbs and spices. With absolutely no refined sugar or artificial additives, just fresh, organic ingredients for a healthier and flavorful alternative. Gluten-free and vegan, snacking can be good. With Take Root. Take Root's Kale Mix Chips are available in Margherita Pizza, Sour Cream and Chives, Vegan Cheese, choKALEt, and Garlic Bread. Take Root also offers other healthy snack products, like Banana Bread Granola with Flaxseeds, Burnt Honey Granola with Cranberries, Cauli-Broc Chicharon Garlic, and Cauli-Broc Chicharon Vegan Cheese. Craving for chocolate? No worries. Take Root's got that covered too. Try their Dark Chocolate Brownie Bliss Balls or the Homemade Peanut Butter Bliss Balls.

Looking for some crazy and fiery heat? At The Gourmand Market, you can find Garapal Super Hot Sauce, and these guys aren't kidding when they say "super hot." Using local chili and ingredients, the guys at Garapal Super Hot Sauce have created some of the most unusual, definitely one of the spiciest, yet flavorful sauces in the metro. Take their Usok Hot Sauce variant, made with a blend of native labuyo and hickory smoked for just a hint of smokiness, or the Bawang Hot Sauce with roasted garlic. They also have other intriguing hot sauce blends, like the Kape Tsokolate Hot Sauce, a richly flavored sauce blended with arabica and cocoa, the Mo Fiah Hot Sauce, with papaya and orange in the mix, or the Original Sigbin Hot Sauce with pineapple, passion fruit, and siling kolikot. At The Gourmand Market, you can find all kinds of flavors, and Garapal Super Hot Sauce is one of those unique finds.

Need a caffeine fix? Let Slurp Coffee take you on a flavorful ride with one of their exclusive and proprietary blends, like the The X-Blend, a dark roast with bold, smoky and chocolate notes; and the aptly named Rocket Fuel, a medium roast with vibrant citrus, almond and deep muscovado notes. Sourcing the choicest coffee beans from around the country, Slurp Coffee grinds, blends, cups and yes, slurps each of their blends to ensure you enjoy that distinct flavor. From signature blends to premium local single origin coffee, Slurp Coffee has the blend for you.

Slurp Coffee also offers a line of cold bottled coffee beverages, the Cold Brew, a bold and robust coffee extracted for 24 hours, with light, sweet, nutty, and chocolate notes. The Cold Brew is also available in Salted Caramel, a more playful flavor for that quick and refreshing caffeine fix. But there's more products, so much more flavors to discover, at The Gourmand Market.

A whole afternoon of sweet and savory bites, and a tipple with fine wine, all at The Gourmand Market preview. The food served during the preview, along with the relaxed and casual vibe, replicates The Gourmand Market experience. And you can expect so much more. Save the date. All roads lead to The Gourmand Market on November 13-15, 2015 at Bonifacio High Street.

The Gourmand Market, presented by Globe Platinum, will be held at the C1 Park, Bonifacio High Street Central, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City on November 13-15, 2015, Friday to Sunday, 11am-12 midnight. 

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