F&B briefs: Treat yourself to ube flakes and a premium food and gin pairing

Everything Nice x Good Shepherd return for another epicurean collaboration

For Robbie Pantaleon, building a better business seems to be in his blood.

From last year’s successful collaboration with Good Shepherd Baguio, the man behind Everything Nice Cafe is back with yet another iconic product that gives a glow up to a Baguio staple.

The limited edition ube flakes is a sweet homage to cornflakes, white chocolate, and ube halaya that’s a superb treat for both kids and adults. Crisp and flavorful without being overwhelming, indulgent without giving that fed up feeling after numerous bites, this latest Good Shepherd and Everything Nice Cafe collab—which comes in jars of 260 grams and 170 grams) doesn’t stray far from what makes a good Filipino snack.

But as with any Pantaleon product—whose principles reflect his approach to business—each bite of the ube flakes brings more to the table as the collaboration is part of their ongoing joint CSR initiative that “aims to make a positive impact by supporting the Children with Cancer in Baguio and the 114 scholars of Good Shepherd across the Philippines,” he says.

Pantaleon sure knows how to not only bring tasty collaborations to a wider market but also his belief in the long-lasting benefits of generosity and philanthropy as a necessary driving force.

Investing in a product that has a positive impact in the world isn’t only good for the brand, it also dignifies the community it serves and hopefully instills a sense that anyone can be a force for good.

To order their ube flakes, visit their portal here.

1834 Premium Distilled Gin kicks off series of masterclass and food pairing

Food and wine pairings are commonplace in Manila today but while food and gin pairing sessions aren’t entirely new, it’s one that still thrills and pulsates the senses.

For 1834 Premium Distilled Gin, it’s new series of intimate masterclass and food pairings called “Discover Excellence: An 1834 Experience” is another opportunity to amplify how to bring out the best of food and alcoholic beverages on the table.

On its first sessions at The Bevvy in Makati, mixologist Niño Cruz crafted three exclusive cocktail concoctions using 1834 Premium Distilled Gin as the base.

The first was Jardin Mejor, a gin cocktail with tomato water, capsicum, and tonic as ingredients paired best with roast chicken to bring out the umami and mirror the traditions and flavors in Manila during 1834.

‘Heneral’ cocktail drink

Next was Heneral—a harmonious fusion of white negroni, white wine, and dry vermouth—that was paired with a pan roasted ribeye steak that surprised host and ambassador Paolo Abrera. “I usually pair my steak with wine, but this pair surprisingly goes so well together! And this drink will indeed make you brave like a general, ramdam mo ‘yung tapang ng mix!”

Lastly was Sol de las Islas— a mix uniting lychee and dark chocolate, grapefruit bitter calamansi juice, and sampaguita. It was then garnished with the “Face of the Sun,” an ode to the Katipunan dlag, and was paired with a shrimp a la plancha (or grilled shrimp).

Josephine Caldo, Ginebra’s group product manager for white spirits, shared that “1834 is a product that is truly Filipino, made by Filipinos, for the Filipino… and the rest of the world. It is rightfully the gin the world has waited for. In fact, in the first-ever Manila Gin Fest held recently at the BGC, 1834 Premium Distilled Gin was honored as the second most enjoyed gin, besting the better-known gins from US, France, and the UK.”

With captivating sessions like this, it’s easier to capture the spirit of Filipino products to their full potential.

Eric Salta: Eric Nicole Salta is an editor who has handled multiple brands and written stories that span the spectrum of journalism—from food and lifestyle to sports and music. He is currently the senior editorial manager of Scout, Preen, Nolisoli, F&B Report, and Multisport.