#BrighterCravings2018: Celebrate A Merry and Bright Christmas with The Cravings Group

It's September, and the arrival of the "ber" months can mean only one thing. Christmas is near. And the first thing that comes to my mind is a soft, sweet and indulgent fresh-baked ensaymada draped in cheese that just brings back fond and nostalgic memories of countless holiday memories. But The Cravings Group has more than just the traditional ensaymada for memorable holiday celebrations...

The Cravings Group celebrates thirty flavorful years of creating exceptional holiday memories with a lavish selection of catering and gift-giving options for A Merry and Bright Christmas. Now with three generations working behind one of the country's well-loved family-run and managed brands, The Cravings Group is all set to break new ground and reach new heights for its milestone 30th anniversary. And Christmas comes early with traditional ensaymadas and so much more from The Cravings Group...

Founded by mother and daughter tandem of Annie Pascual-Guerrero and Badjie Guerrero-Trinidad back in 1988 with a casual and intimate dining outlet along Katipunan Avenue, The Cravings Group has grown into an unrivaled collection of well-known F&B brands including an educational institution, hotels and event venues.

Cravings, CCA Manila, Wicked, Epicurious, B&P, Casa Roces, C3 Events Place, The Coffee Beanery, Where's Marcel?, The Lib, The Orange Place, and Seven Suites Hotel Observatory, The Cravings Group has gone a long way since it opened its first establishment thirty years ago in Quezon City. 

And the inspiring story doesn't end there. What better way to celebrate this milestone than taking that first dive into the holiday groove at the start of the "ber" months? Get a headstart on party planning before the mad holiday rush with The Cravings Group through its sumptuous offerings for A Merry and Bright Christmas, whether it's an intimate dinner at home with family or a lavish Christmas feast at the workplace or corporate functions. From a wide variety of decadent cakes, desserts, party trays, catering themes and gift options, just let The Cravings Group handle your holiday feast and enjoy the season. "Christmas is not just about great food, but it is a holistic experience that should be enjoyed by and shared with family, friends and loved ones. We're extremely happy that all three generations of our family are working the extra mile to provide the exceptional Christmas experience to our customers this year. Bea and Pia are at the forefront of infusing new ideas into The Cravings Group and enable our much-loved brands to remain the top choice of our customers in the next generations to come," says Badjie Guerrero-Trinidad, CEO of The Cravings Group. In a special preview of the various holiday offerings from The Cravings Group at C3 Events Place in Greenhills, we all had a taste of A Merry and Bright Christmas in a lavish feast.

And what's Christmas without desserts? For three years in a row, Wicked from The Cravings Group has been part of the Philippine Daily Inquirer's best dessert list with their sinfully tempting S'mores (P 200/200 g), a modern and playfully inventive spin on the classic childhood favorite of chocolate, mallows, and Graham crackers. Available in Milk Chocolate, White Chocolate and Dark Chocolate, the S'mores from Wicked  are a perfect addition to any holiday feast.

And what's not to love? The deep, nutty notes of crisp Graham crackers and the soft marshmallows draped in Milk, Dark or White Chocolate just comes together in a seamless blend for nostalgic yet decadent bites that take you back to countless childhood holidays (for more on the S'mores by Wicked, see my earlier post, #CraveCelebrations: Wicked. S'mores by Wicked).

And once you start with a nibble, you just can't stop. It's the holidays, so go ahead. You can enjoy the popular S'mores from Wicked (more on Wicked from my previous post from five years back here at Bewitched by Wicked!) with the Philippine Daily Inquirer's Dessert Sampler (P 650) which comes with Wicked's Cookie Ecstasy and Cookie Shards.

Wicked also offers a line of tempting Chocolate Barks (P 250-200 g), thin chocolate slices made with assorted toppings guaranteed to satisfy any craving. From the Almond Cranberry with its comfortingly familiar holiday notes...

 ...to the sweet hints of Tropical Fruit...

...and the bold flavors of the Matcha Oreo, these Chocolate Barks offer even more tasty options for the season of giving. Each variant has its own unique flavor, and it's easy to find a favorite. I'll have another Almond Cranberry please... 

Not to be missed are the Holiday Bars (P 250-Box of 6/P 450-Box of 12) from The Cravings Group, bite-sized nibbles that's big on indulgent richness. Available in a variety of tempting creations like Food for the Gods, Special Mango, Butterscotch, and Cacao Nib Brownies, the Holiday Bars are also the perfect gift-giving option for the holidays. 

Or why not reward yourself with a well-deserved treat with some Holiday Bars? You've earned it.

And you just can't have a Christmas feast without the traditional Ensaymada (P 350-Box of 6/P 680-Box of 12), like the Salted Egg Ensaymada. A personal favorite, perfect when paired with ham, cheese and a cup of soothing hot chocolate.

The signature Ensaymada from The Cravings Group come in a variety of flavors, including Ube, Nutella, Mocha, and Salted Caramel...

...and the traditional Classic. Christmas just isn't complete without these pillow-soft and buttery brioche buns. 

The Bread Pudding with Chocolate Sauce (P 1,100) is another favorite from The Cravings Group. The hearty and homestyle dessert comes from a cherished family recipe, recreated with a whole lot of love. Topped with chocolate chips, add a generous drizzle of chocolate sauce for an indulgent dessert.

Later, The Cravings Group unveiled its collection of decadent cakes, including their Special Edition Cakes, at C3 Events Place for the coming holidays. The elegant cakes were paraded by the team to kick-off A Merry and Bright Christmas for #BrighterCravings 2018 to mark thirty years of good food from the Cravings family.   

A long-time favorite and original creation from Cravings since 1989, the Chocolate Caramel Cake (P 1,200) continues to lead this year's collection of indulgence for the holiday season. Moist and sweet with that perfect combination of chocolate and caramel, this is what dessert dreams are made of, enjoyed in each slice and bite. And the Chocolate Caramel Cake is more than ready to take The Craving Group to the next thirty years and beyond...

From the new Special Edition Cakes by The Cravings Group, the Naked Devil's Food Cake (P 1,300) is an inspired take on the traditional Devil's Food Cake. The Cravings Group continues to create and push the envelope, and with Bea and Pia taking a more active role in the family company, you can only expect even more good things.

The Dark Belgian (P 1,400) combines a creamy cheesecake with dark bittersweet chocolate filled and topped with Maltesers while the new Avocado Mousse Cake (P 1,200) is another decadent layered creation with cookie crumble as the base topped with avocado cream and meringue highlighted by its vibrant and festive green hue.

The colorful Dulce de Leche (P 900) is a soft and fluffy Castella cake draped in butterscotch and caramel buttercream icing for another dose of decadence. The Twix Cheesecake (P 1,200) incorporates the popular candy bar in another indulgent cheesecake creation ringed by whipped cream.

The Mocha Praline Cake (P 1,200) is a tall and impressive chiffon cake covered in espresso whipped buttercream topped with praline for another winning combination. The traditional Brazo de Mercedes is given a modern and elegant twist with the new Mango Brazo Dome (P 1,200) for a refreshingly new flavor experience.

The Mars Decadent (P 1,300) is another personal favorite with Mars Bars in another crave-worthy chocolate cake creation. Mars Bars and chocolate cake, just can't get better than that.

Now that you've seen the desserts, you're ready for the savory mains. The Cravings Group also unveiled its Take Home Party Trays for a lavish feast, as well as a more personalized catering experience. "At the center of our catering spread this year is refresh. While we have perfected the taste of our food over the last thirty years, now we want to master the party experience with new themes that can't be found anywhere else," explained Bea G. Trinidad, The Cravings Group Operations Head. An accredited caterer for the World Trade Center and Fernwood, The Cravings Group is all set to transform your holiday dining experience with customized, premium and unique themes to set the right mood and tone with elaborate thematic set-ups like Amber, Cider, Rust, Tangerine, and Ochre for a memorable Christmas feast.

But there's more. "This year, we have two exciting additions: the modern and chic catering set-ups and delicious tapas-style cocktail food. We not only deliver proven Christmas party recipes, but most importantly our team works closely with organizers and companies to create memorable events," added Pia G. Trinidad, The Cravings Group's Business Development and Strategy Officer. With The Cravings Group, planning a feast for a full-blown event or an intimate dinner at home with family has never been this easy. The Take Home Party Trays from The Cravings Group include refreshing salads like the Classic Caesar Salad (P 1,200 good for 10-12)...  

...and savory mains like the Paella Mixta (P 3,500 good for 10-12). The Cravings Group offers a wide selection of Take Home Party Trays, from Roast Turkey with Chestnut Raisin Stuffing (P 7,500 for 20-25), Salt-Crusted Fresh Salmon (P 7,500 for 30-40), Lengua con Champignon (P 3,000 for 10-12), Chicken Galantina (P 2,600 for 10-12), Chicken Cordon Bleu (P 2,600 for 10-12), Roast Beef with Mushroom Sauce (P 2,600 for 10-12) and Austrian Potato Sausage Salad (P 1,200 for 10-12)...

...to comforting pasta dishes like Four Cheese Lasagna (P 2,400 for 10-12), Spicy Shrimp Gamberetti (P 2,400 for 10-12), Classic Meatballs Spaghetti (P 2,400 for 10-12), and the uniquely inventive Pasta Paella (P 2,400 for 10-12). Each tray and each dish are prepared by chefs from CCA Manila to ensure exceptional quality that has made The Cravings Group a recognized and trusted brand for over thirty years.

That day, guests to the exclusive preview were also treated with the signature Crackling Pork Bagnet (P 3,000 good for 15 to 20) served with Arroz Valenciana or Truffle Rice to cap another sumptuous feast in true Cravings style. 

The Cravings Group had one more tasty surprise. Head Chef Jojo Derrada, an eighteen year veteran with The Cravings Group, prepared some of the new tapas-style dishes in a cooking demo at C3 Events Place. The new tapas are part of the menu for The Cravings Group's newest dining concept, Mas, also located at C3 Events Place.  

At Mas, diners can enjoy a cocktail paired with special tapas like the Spicy Shrimp Gamberetti...

...and Mussels in White Wine. Tapas and cocktails at Mas? Sounds like a plan. With thirty years of experience and excellence under its belt, the Cravings Group jumpstarts the holiday season with its wide and lavish offerings for A Merry and Bright Christmas. This season of giving, enjoy the Yuletide vibe with family and friends and let The Cravings Group take care of your holiday feast for A Merry and Bright Christmas. 

For inquiries about A Merry and Bright Christmas and catering, call (02) 726-2712, reach their Viber at 0977-064-5453 or email salesexec@cravingsgroup.com. Follow their Instagram and Facebook @thecravingsgroup.

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