Chef Gino Gonzalez reinvents a chocolate classic with Choco Lava

These days, Chef Gino Gonzalez, the executive chef of premiere cuisine destinations Café Ysabel and Buenisimo, keeps himself busy by constantly adding more innovative creations to his world-class culinary fare. With a passion for good food and a mission to excite the Filipino palate, Chef Gino draws inspiration from his childhood, his gastronomic exploits abroad, and his vast culinary experience to reinvent old favorites. This time, he turns to his drive for exploration and discovery to conjure new flavors that will fire-up the appetite of chocolate-lovers.

With a thirst for finding new ingredients to infuse his trademark dishes with, Chef Gino pushes the limits of creativity and taste while constantly offering new variations on all-time classics, from sumptuous savory entrees, aromatic breakfast treats, to luscious desserts. This time, Chef Gino adds to his list of discoveries Choco Lava, Universal Robina Corporation’s (URC) 3-in-1 powdered chocolate drink that has zero gram trans fat and only 80 calories per 20 gram serving. “As a chef, I’ve always had a zest for discovering new flavors. I constantly try different kinds of ingredients to produce interesting and workable combinations,” he stressed. “I always like to think out of the box. And fortunately, I was able to find the perfect ingredient in Choco Lava to give some of my creations that great chocolate taste.”

His fondness for exploring new things that led him to discover Choco Lava is also one of the values he inspires in his students at the Center for Asian Culinary Studies, where he’s currently the culinary arts program director and head instructor. “When my students can already follow instructions to a tee and when their classics are deeply embedded in them, I teach them to be adventurous and not be afraid to explore new things so they can grow as young chefs.” Having a soft spot for the dark dessert, Chef Gino created an easy-to-make chocolate recipe using Choco Lava: his own version of the Chocolate panna cotta. Considering that a chef’s work truly reflects who he is as a culinarian, his Choco Lava dessert certainly mirrors his fondness for chocolate. “I really love chocolate. I love playing around with it to make different kinds of chocolate concoctions,” he shared. “With the millions of chocolate lovers out there, I’m sure that everyone will take to this recipe very well. Plus, it’s very workable and easy to make, with all the ingredients readily accessible and very minimal equipment needed.”

With the convenience and premium taste of Choco lava, Chef Gino’s Chocolate Panna Cotta offers foodies a quick and simple way to create homespun chocolate satisfaction. This light and creamy dessert teases the taste buds with luscious chocolate flavor, a soft soothing texture, and just a hint of sweetness to end a dinner date on a sweet note. A fresh take on the chilled delight we all love, Chef Gino’s Chocolate Panna Cotta can easily be presented in an elegant way. And since it’s a very versatile dessert, Chef Gino’s Panna Cotta can be garnished with all sorts of ingredients to top it off in style – whipped cream, caramel, chocolate shavings, or even chocolate sauce.

CHOCO LAVA PANNA COTTA

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. unflavoured gelatine
½ cup milk
2 ¼ cups cream
¾ cups CHOCO LAVA
½ tsp. vanilla extract

Procedure:
1. Soften gelatin in milk for five minutes. Place the cream and sugar in a saucepan and let boil. Simmer and put gelatine mixture. Turn off heat. Add vanilla extract.
2. Transfer in a mold or pyrex pan. Chill for four hours or overnight.

With Choco Lava giving this delectable dessert the rich chocolate taste and irresistible aroma of premium cocoa, chocolate-lovers can truly share in the enticing flavors of a reinvented classic. What’s more, Choco Lava offers the convenience of a 3-in-1 mix, so you’ll enjoy a hassle-free and simple preparation without having to add sugar or milk separately.

Happy with his new chocolate concoction that features the healthy goodness of Choco Lava, Chef Gino yearns to share his love for chocolate to the world. He even sums up his luscious new creation in a single word – tempting.

Makeup tips from dusk until dawn

Avon Color’s Lala Flores shares her makeup tips to look fab all day

You may be a career woman-on-the-go, a working mom or a sports enthusiast juggling multiple roles yet expected and challenged to always maintain that fresh, glammed up look. Avon Color Creative Consultant Lala Flores shares tips to help keep you looking fabulous from day-to-night.

The trick, she said, is to understand your skin tone and features and getting the right palette for your face. “Women should have at least a basic kit for makeup that contains the following: foundation, powder, mascara, neutral/nude brown eyeshadow, black/dark brown eyeliner, blush powder, lipstick, conditioning lipbalm and lipgloss,” said Lala. “But with the different lifestyles that women have, there are appropriate looks and makeup items one should have based on various day-to-day situations.”

1. A working day
The situation: You wake up at 6 a.m., prepare for work, and do your usual 8-hour grind. You are in and out of meetings – with clients, suppliers, and your own office team. Your only time to put on makeup (or retouch it) is when you are in transit to your next meeting or in between 5-minute bathroom breaks. How can a woman-on-the-go like you pitch in time for full makeup coverage?

Lala says: We always want to put on a professional look no matter the kind of work we do. A light foundation, powder, blush, lipstick, one wash of eye color and mascara will help us look good the whole day no matter how hectic your schedule is. Stay away from very bold colors. Your usual everyday statement is you should look pretty and polished enough and ready to work. To stay fresh on your usual day, touch up with a powder and lipstick when needed.

Try this from Avon: Avon Ultra Moisture Rich Knockout Pink, Ideal Shade Dual Powder Foundation SPF 15 (choose your best shade suitable for your skin tone: Natural Beige, Pure Beige, Shell, Nude).

2. A relaxed weekend with friends
The situation: It’s a Saturday – the day you’ve been looking forward to. After a week of hard work, you decide to reward yourself by reconnecting with your friends, exchange stories over a cup of coffee and watching a movie you’ve been raring to see. The challenge is you want to look your best without overdoing your makeup.

Lala says: It is best to put on light powder to even out skin tone, a nice swirl of healthy looking blush on, mascara to open up eyes and lip gloss to add glow on your face. It may seem simple but it is a sure way to look made up without an explicit full coverage.

Try this from Avon: Your favorite Glazewear Lip Gloss shade, Ideal Shade Pressed Powder (choose your best shade suitable for your skin tone)

3. A romantic Friday night date
The situation: The guy you’ve been eyeing for months finally asked you out! You’ve been seeing him around the office for quite some time but tonight, you want to look different. You want to look sultry without being too sexy.

Lala says: You have to choose which one to accentuate -- your eyes or your lips. If you want to look pretty all night for your date, choose to accentuate your eyes. A good combination would be neutral shades of brown, eyeliner, and mascara to define the eyes without looking heavy. This would instantly make your eyes sparkle. Swirl on a neutral rose color blush on cheeks and a nude pink gloss. Night lighting is so tricky.

Try this from Avon: True Color Eyeshadow Quad - Sandy Corals, Glimmersticks Eye Liner Dark Brown, SuperCurl Mascara - Black

But if you’re pressed for time, Lala recommends to just skip putting on eyeshadow. Instead, put on 2-3 coats of mascara to keep your eyes open, swirl on a blush, and then choose a really nice lipstick shade in pinks or reds that compliment your skin tone. This is a typical dinner date makeup that works. Just make sure to check your lipstick if it is still intact after dinner. Touch up lipstick if needed.

Try this from Avon: SuperShock Mascara in Black, Smooth Minerals Lipstick in Pink Quartz, Smooth Mineral Blush in Golden Glow

4. An early Saturday sports date
The situation: You are scheduled to do your first 5KM run one Sunday morning with your cute running buddy. You’ve trained hard enough but just had less than 8 hours of sleep. You see yourself in the mirror only to see that the lack of sleep has taken its toll on your face. What do you do?

Lala says: Choosing the right shade is key when doing your makeup for a sports date. A cream-based concealer, cheek blush, clear gloss or lip tint with a conditioning balm would ensure that the makeup stays put after a workout. You want to look healthy looking and not too made up.
Using a nude rosy shade would do the trick.

Try this from Avon: Ideal Shade Concealer Stick (choose from Almond or Neutral), Glazewear Clear Lip Gloss, True Color Blush in Peach

5. A mid-week concert date with your girl friends
The situation: After waiting for three months, the most-awaited concert of the year arrives! It’s the ultimate date time with your girl bestfriends-slash-sisters for life and you want to look glam, prepped up for all the singing and dancing the night has in store for you.

Lala says: This would be the perfect time to play on your eye and lip color makeup. You’d want to look fabulous all night with all the flashes of your digital camera.

Try this from Avon: Ultra Color Rich Mega Impact Lipstick SPF 15 in Rockin' Red, True Color Eyeshadow Quad in Purple Haze, SuperExtend Mascara in Black

With the wide array of makeup offered by the number 1 makeup brand in the Philippines, you will definitely find the type of makeup for your needs. Visit the Avon website at www.avon.com.ph for the latest Avon products and promos. Don’t have an Avon Lady yet?
Contact the Avon Customer Hotline at 8642900 or visit www.avon.com.ph to get in touch with an Avon Representative.

Enjoy exciting meals with delicious Argentina Deli Burger recipes

Most moms spend a considerable amount of time thinking of different ways to make mealtimes more exciting for their chikitings. Since preparing delicious meals is one of their top priorities, moms will surely be thankful to Argentina Deli Burger - the newest delectable treat in town that can be enjoyed in different delicious ways. Appetizing, convenient and easy to prepare, Argentina Deli Burger is the first FULLY COOKED burger patty in the market that will surely satisfy kids’ taste buds. Here are some helpful recipes from Argentina Deli Burger for moms to prepare and for kids to enjoy!

Argentina Corned Beef Deli Burger on Sizzling Plate



Ingredients:
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 large onion, sliced into rings
1 canister, Argentina Corned Beef Deli Burger (209 grams)

For sauce:

¼ cup tomato ketchup
¼ cup banana ketchup
¼ cup rice wine
2 teaspoons soy sauce
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon hot sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
½ cup beef broth

Procedure:
Stir fry onions in hot cooking oil until they are aromatic but still crispy. Strain onions and set aside. In the same pan, lightly fry Argentina Corned Beef Deli Burger until it’s heated through. In a saucepan, mix all ingredients for the sauce. Place over medium heat and cook for about five minutes until sauce is slightly thick. Assemble everything by laying the burger patties on a hot sizzling plate, then pour on the sauce. Top with fried onions. This recipe makes five servings.


Argentina Deli Burger Cheese Steak Sandwich



Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
3 medium onions, sliced into rings
5 junior size French bread, toasted
1 canister, Argentina Cheese Deli Burger (209 grams), lightly fried
Cheese sauce, heated

Procedure:
Heat butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add onions and stir occasionally until evenly caramelized. Set aside. Split open French bread and fill it with two slices of Argentina Cheese Deli Burger and caramelized onions. Top with cheese sauce. Serve immediately. This recipe makes five servings.

Argentina Chicken Deli Burger on Creamy Pasta



Ingredients:
200 grams linguine or spaghetti pasta
1 canister, Argentina Chicken Deli Burger (209 grams)
2 tablespoons cooking oil
¼ cup butter
¼ cup chopped onions
2 teaspoons minced garlic
½ cup quartered button mushrooms
¼ cup green peas
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup fresh milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup all-purpose cream
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
½ teaspoon salt, or according to taste
Pinch of white pepper
Fresh thyme or flat leaf parsley for garnish

Procedure:
Cook the pasta, drain and set aside. Fry Argentina Chicken Deli Burger lightly in frying pan until it’s heated through. Set aside and keep it warm. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then sauté onions, garlic, mushrooms and peas. Add thyme and flour and cook until mixture gets bubbly. Stir in wine, broth, milk and cheese. Cook for about five minutes until cheese has melted, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and parsley. Season with salt and pepper according to taste, then add cooked pasta to sauce and toss well. Serve hot with the burgers on top or on the side. Garnish with fresh thyme or parsley. This recipe makes four servings.

Argentina Classic Deli Burger Lunch Plate Special



Ingredients:
1 canister, Argentina Classic Deli Burger (209 grams)
2 tablespoons cooking oil
Steamed rice or mashed potatoes
1 cup buttered mixed vegetables (carrots, corn, peas)
1 cup prepared gravy (from instant gravy mix)


Procedure:
Fry Argentina Classic Deli Burger lightly in cooking oil until it’s heated through. Plate patties individually with portions of rice or mashed potatoes and buttered vegetables, then serve hot with gravy on the side. This recipe makes five servings.

For mashed potato:
Make mashed potatoes by boiling ½ kilo of peeled and cubed potatoes and 2 cloves garlic in 2 cups chicken stock and ½ teaspoon salt. When potatoes are tender, drain and mash with ¼ cup of the stock, ¼ cup heated milk and 2 tablespoons butter. Adjust taste with salt and pepper.

These delicious recipes can be served to kids as their baon for recess and lunch when they go to school, at home or during their birthday parties.

Argentina Deli Burger is available in the frozen section of leading supermarkets, groceries and wet markets nationwide in four variants: Argentina Corned Beef Deli Burger, Argentina Chicken Deli Burger and Argentina Classic and Cheese Deli Burger patties.

Qatar Airways increases flights to Kuala Lumpur

Route development to improve connectivity via carrier’s Doha hub
Kuala Lumpur and Dar Es Salaam routes go double daily
Geneva, Copenhagen, Paris and Muscat to get extra services
Daily services to Barcelona and Bengalaru upgraded to Airbus A330

February 2011, Doha, Qatar – Qatar Airways has announced a host of network capacity increases – including boosting flights on its Kuala Lumpur route to twice daily – to be phased in from March 1.

The Doha-based carrier will implement several network improvements across its global route map for the start of its winter programme.

An extra three weekly services from Kuala Lumpur will be added from March 27, connecting the Malaysian capital to Doha twice a day.



This year, Qatar Airways marks its 10th year of operations in Malaysia. As one of the airline’s most popular and oldest routes in South East Asia, the airline’s Kuala Lumpur route has continually grown since the airline launched services in 2001.

The increased services will connect business leaders from the Middle East keen to expand trade in Malaysia and will also provide leisure and business travelers in Malaysia with seamless connections to exotic locations in Europe and South America that were harder to access like Nice and Sao Paulo.

With daily, non-stop flights from Doha to Sao Paulo, Malaysian sports fans will enjoy convenient, non-stop links from Doha to the next FIFA World Cup being staged in Brazil in 2014.

Expanding into Europe and Beyond

This comes as part of Qatar Airways’ expansion plans connecting Asia to Europe through Doha.

In Europe, where Qatar Airways is concentrating much of its expansion over the next two months with new routes to Bucharest and Budapest this week, Brussels by the end of January and Stuttgart in March, the airline has also earmarked a number of capacity increases to and from existing destinations in its network.


The double daily Paris route will rise to 16 weekly services with an extra two flights a week, while Geneva capacity will increase to daily following the introduction of two new weekly flights.



News of the European additions follows the recent announcement that Qatar Airways’ Copenhagen route will go daily with one extra flight a week.

Qatar Airways route expansion also includes flights in the Gulf with three extra weekly services to the Omani capital Muscat with capacity rising to 24 flights each week and two extra services to the Tanzanian capital, Dar Es Salaam which will take frequency up to twice a day.

Larger aircraft for increased capacity

In addition to increased services to a host of destinations in Qatar Airways’ global network, daily services from Doha to Barcelona and to Bengaluru (Bangalore) in southern India will be upgraded from a narrow-body Airbus A320 aircraft to a wide-body A330.

Growing international passenger demand from Asia and the Middle East and additional aircraft joining the fleet have prompted the capacity hike, part of the Doha-based airline’s aggressive expansion strategy to offer consumers more choice.

Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said: “These capacity increases yet again demonstrate Qatar Airways’ commitment to building our route profiles in line with our strategy to offer passengers more travel options.

“With an average of more than one new aircraft being introduced into the fleet every month, Qatar Airways is looking to deploy the new capacity on existing routes while, at the same time launch new routes to join our ever-growing international network.”

“From Europe and Africa to the Middle East and Asia, our network will see more capacity, improved schedules and, more importantly, more choice for our large passenger base and new clientele. There will be further route expansion announcements over the next few weeks.”

All the extra flights operate non-stop from Qatar Airways’ Doha hub, offering excellent connections to and from key feeder markets.

Highlights of the expansion programme are:

Kuala Lumpur - 11 flights a week to 14 (double daily) from March 27
Dar Es Salaam - 12 flights a week to 14 (double daily), from March 27
Paris - 14 flights a week to 16 from March 27
Geneva - 5 flights a week to 7 (daily), effective May 2
Barcelona - Narrow-body aircraft replaced with Airbus A330, from March 27
Copenhagen - 6 to 7 flights a week (daily), from March 27
Muscat - 21 flights a week to 24, from March 27
Bengaluru - Narrow-body aircraft replaced with Airbus A330, from March 1

Qatar Airways will begin flights to the Romanian capital Bucharest and the Hungarian capital
Budapest on January 17; Belgium’s capital Brussels on January 31; and Germany’s car
manufacturing centre of Stuttgart on March 6.

The airline launches its 100th destination on April 6 with four flights a week to the Syrian city of Aleppo.

To make bookings or check schedules, visit www.qatarairways.com

Qatar Airways currently operates a modern fleet of 94 aircraft from Doha to 97 cities across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North and South America. The airline is continuing its aggressive expansion plan started in 1997 at the time of its relaunch. It plans to serve 120 key business and leisure destinations worldwide with a fleet of 120 aircraft by 2013.

Get a refreshing lift with the new Jollibee Floats!

Today’s teens live a full but fun life – from balancing the demands of school work, bonding time with the family and socializing with friends. Despite their hectic schedule, they still manage to stay true and cool by spending exciting moments with their barkada, hanging out at favorite food spots or watching their favorite flicks. Those bonding times of teens will now be made even more special with the Jollibee Floats, Jollibee’s cool new beverages that let them experience a delightfully refreshing lift.


Jollibee’s new refreshing soda treats are topped with indulgent swirls of vanilla soft-serve and come in two variants. The Jollibee Coke Float is a frothy combination of the all-time favorite Coca-cola and creamy vanilla soft-serve and decadent chocolate syrup, just right for fun times with the barkada.


Friends looking for a fruity twist to the classic float can delight in the Jollibee Watermelon Sprite Float. Offering a mix of Sprite, soft-serve and delicious watermelon syrup, the Jollibee Watermelon Sprite Float can double as the perfect fruity drink to complete the langhap-sarap dining experience with friends.


Priced affordably at P25 for the Coke Float and P28 for the Watermelon Sprite Float, these refreshingly new drinks from Jollibee will surely let you and your friends stay true to the cool you. So visit the nearest Jollibee store and let the fun times and hearty laughter skyrocket with the new Jollibee Floats!

Put a ring on it: Just Jewels crowns Best Proposal

Soon-to-be Mr. and Mrs. Carlos happily flaunt their prizes.

Every blissful relationship comes down to one magical question: Will you marry me? And for 26-year-old Miguel Carlos, popping the question of a lifetime was a winning moment that earned him and his fiancée extravagant prizes from Just Jewel’s Will You Marry Me? contest. Already a major winner after his lovely fiancée Emily Cu said “yes”, Carlos took home P10,000 cash, designer wedding rings, three days and two nights stay at Le Soleil de Boracay with airfare, and P5,000 worth of gift certificates from Just Jewels.

“For our second anniversary, we went to Calauit Island in Palawan for a safari trip because Emily loves zebras. And I thought it was the perfect time for me to pop the question,” he shared. “Even before the trip, I was already coordinating with the tour guide to help me with my plans. I asked for help with the printing of my special banner, since I could not have it done here in Manila and then bring it with us on the flight. It would ruin the surprise.” So when the right moment unfolded, he was able to get down on one knee and propose to the love of his life. “I was really happy,” Cu recalled. “I knew that it was going to be fun because we would be together. It was really the best proposal for me. I could not think of how he could have done it any other way.”

Proud of the shining milestone in their relationship, Carlos joined Just Jewels’ search for the best proposal story and bagged the top prizes. “We really wanted two-toned wedding rings, so we were pleasantly surprised with the elegant three-toned bands that Just Jewels gave us,” Cu said of the wedding rings they won designed by former Just Jewels endorser Dawn Zulueta. Perfect for their 2011 Tagaytay wedding in February, the month of love.

“Be adventurous,” Cu said. “Do not stick to the traditional way of proposing to your loved one—you have to think of new ways to surprise the woman of your dreams.” “I think it also helps if you go for a proposal that connects to something your loved one is passionate about,” Carlos added. “My inspiration was Emily’s love for zebras and zebra prints, and I believe that it also shows just how well I know her.” Visit Just Jewels stores today and find inspiration for that ultimate wedding proposal. Just Jewel stores are located in SM Megamall, SM Mall of Asia, SM City Manila, SM Southmall, SM City Cebu, SM Baguio City, Glorietta 4, Ayala Center Cebu, and Festival Supermall.

Find your perfect valentine with Avon Fashions

The season peppered with hearts, showered with flowers and struck by cupid has waltzed in. Love is spelled all over the place with every woman inclined to get spellbound by the romance in the air.

This season, Avon Fashions takes on the role of style cupid and makes you fall in love with its latest collections of intimate apparel perfect for Valentine’s!

Feel the romance with the dreamy inspiration of the Innocent Pleasures Collection, featuring a delicately embroidered brassiere and panty ensemble in peach melba and cream hues. The Cathlyn Underwire Convertible Brassiere (P520) is made of dainty and small floral embroidered lace and has a center ribbon motif and can be worn conventional, strapless, asymmetrical, halter and criss-cross. Perfectly pair this with the Cathlyn Panty (P199).



Complete your Innocent Pleasures collection with the flirty, feminine Cathlyn Sleepwear (P399) made of nylon tricot with ecru lace accent on the neckline and sexy front slit.

Stepping out for a romantic night in a little black dress? Then the Julianna Underwire Brassiere (P425) is your perfect Valentine match. Feel the elegance Julianna’s embroidered two-tone black and cream lace cups accentuated with a ribbon motif on the center gore.

Romance knows neither border nor size. Plus-size women will love Corinne Non-wire Sidewing Brassiere (P410), a set-in bust brassiere in vintage rose color that gives off a classy feel. To provide necessary support, the bra is equipped with a U-shaped back. This comes perfect with the Corinne 2-in-1 Panty Pack (P225) which has a full brief silhouette with outside waist and leg elastics.

Even the young ones are not immune to romance! Celebrate the passion of young love with the houndstooth-printed Couture Club Collection. Filled with raspberry star prints, enjoy the edgy feel of youth with the Brittany Underwire Convertible Brassiere (P385). It comes with two sets of straps for a variety of looks: conventional, halter, strapless, criss-cross, and asymmetrical. Match this with the classic bikini silhouette panty from the Brittany 7-in-1 Panty Pack (P550).

Unique Pinoy coffee habits made delectable with Blend 45

It is interesting to know that Pinoys who like to keep warm turn to the cozy soothing aroma that can only come from coffee. Ever inventive and innovative, Pinoys have even developed well-loved customs and practices in enjoying coffee that are distinctly Filipino. Blend 45, the truly Pinoy coffee drink from Universal Robina Corporation (URC), celebrates these unique Pinoy quirks in
relishing coffee in many ways. With its trademark sweet and mild taste that’s made for the Pinoy palate, those looking to start their day relaxed and focused can always relish the toasty glow from a hot cup of Blend 45.


The country’s time-honored coffee traditions

Generations of Pinoys have made their almusal more delectable and satisfying by dunking pandesal into the warm and delicious goodness of Blend 45. A classic tradition, the pandesal-coffee match is a well-loved morning or merienda treat that boosts the energy and conjures sensations of cozy days spent with the family, and feelings of contentment and being at ease. Those looking forward to an appetizing almusal also know about pouring a hot cup of Blend 45 over steaming rice to make a meal more delicious. A ritual enjoyed in provinces all over the country, pouring coffee over rice is a popular habit of Pinoys to make mealtimes more filling, flavorful and invigorating.

Many locals in provinces like Laguna always match Blend 45 with delicacies like kesong puti and ube halaya, creating a rich and flavorful merienda. They have also been known to match Blend 45 with traditional treats like the creamy ensaymada, bischoco or barquillos. Batangueños in particular, have enjoyed their own version of Blend 45 as they make the taste sweeter and smoother by adding a bit of panutsa, a sweet delicacy from Batangas that’s made from sugar cane. In the Visayas, local goodies like the suman, a dish made of sticky rice cooked in coconut milk, and puto are paired with smooth-tasting Blend 45 to entice and excite the taste buds. Other delicious fare in the region like the sweet budbog kabog in Dumaguete becomes even tastier when taken with a relaxing cup of Blend 45.

In Mindanao, those wanting to enjoy even more delicious twists to the usual cup of coffee add tablea or sariwang gatas. Davaoeños even add the taste of their favorite durian to a cup of Blend 45 for a novel coffee experience; and locals from Camiguin have always enjoyed blissful dessert goodness when theypair their sweet pastel with the smooth-tasting coffee. Offering delectable taste and aroma that’s distinctly Pinoy, Blend 45 creates the perfect coffee experience from its blend of 45 roasted choice beans. From a soothing cup of coffee to wonderful food pairings, Blend 45 truly lets coffee-lovers discover perfect coffee goodness in many distinctly Filipino ways. With Blend 45’s economical price, everyone can start enjoying unique and truly Pinoy coffee traditions anytime, anywhere.Infinite possibilities are waiting to be discovered and enjoyed only with high-quality and delicious instant coffee from Blend 45, available in all leading sari-sari stores, groceries and supermarkets nationwide.

Valentine recipes for guilt-free indulgence

Love month is here, and for many, the season is associated with sweet indulgences that can pack on the calories. But romantic treats need not threaten the health-conscious. To show your special someone you care, get creative in the

kitchen with easily available ingredients and Choco Lava, the luscious powdered chocolate drink with zero gram trans fat, less calories, and less sugar. With two simple but flavorful recipes specially concocted by Chef Gino Gonzalez of Buenisimo in Eastwood, February can be so much sweeter, minus the guilt.



Hot Choco Lava Mallow

Ingredients:
¼ cup Choco Lava Powdered Chocolate Drink
1 cup water
½ cup mini marshmallows
1 tablespoon ready-made chocolate sauce

Procedure:
Mix Choco Lava powder and hot water, then pour the mixture into a mug or cup.
Sprinkle the drink with marshmallows and drizzle with chocolate sauce. For a
more romantic presentation, sprinkle Choco Lava powder on the serving saucer.



Choco Lava Crinkles

Ingredients:
1 ¼ cups Choco Lava Powdered Chocolate Drink
2 cups and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup white sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon chocolate extract
½ cup confectioner’s sugar

Procedure:
Preheat oven to 350º F. Mix Choco Lava powder, all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt, then set the mixture aside. In a medium bowl, mix white sugar and vegetable oil. Beat eggs into this mixture one at a time. Add vanilla and chocolate extract, then stir. Add the dry ingredients in batches. Refrigerate the dough and chill for one to two hours. After the dough has chilled, line cookie sheets with baking paper. Roll the dough into balls, measuring about an inch each. Coat them in confectioner’s sugar, then place on prepared cookie sheets. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Leave on cookie sheet for a minute before transferring to wire racks for cooling.


With these special love month recipes from Choco Lava, you can easily prepare luscious but guilt-free treats for your beloved. A healthier choice for a chocolate drink, Choco Lava is available in leading supermarkets, groceries and convenience stores nationwide.

Anew reinvents wrinkle repair

Introducing ANEW Reversalist from AVON

AVON introduces a landmark discovery to reactivate the skin’s repair process to help women reverse the look of wrinkles: ANEW Reversalist.

AN ANTI-AGING FIRST IN WRINKLE REPAIR:
When you get a cut, it triggers the production of a key repair molecule, Activin. Since wrinkles are actually a result of micro-injuries to the skin, a team of Avon scientists spent several years of groundbreaking research studying how the skin heals itself and the potential of Activin in wrinkle repair.
Avon scientists discovered how to activate this key repair molecule with a breakthrough new technology, Activinol.

ANEW Reversalist's Activinol technology boosts Activin, to reactivate skin’s repair process and help recreate fresh new skin and dramatically reverse the look of wrinkles.

IMPACT TO THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY:
Avon scientists presented this groundbreaking ANEW discovery in the biology of skin aging at two prominent international scientific conferences for both Researchers and Dermatologists. Linking the stimulation of Activin to boosting skin's vital repair functions has revolutionized the approach to treating the visible signs of aging.

WHAT IS ACTIVINOL TECHNOLOGY:
Avon’s patent-pending Activinol Technology is shown to increase the production of Activin to help boost skin’s ability to repair itself and recreate fresh, new skin. Avon is the first to use this patent-pending complex of two biologically derived Phytochemicals:
• Amorphophallus: Stimulates Activin Production to help trigger skin’s repair process
• Sesbania: Boosts skin’s support structure to help deliver firm, less wrinkled skin

DRAMATIC RESULTS:
Available in day and night creams, the ANEW Reversalist formula reactivates the skin’s repair process, helps reverse wrinkles and recreates fresh, new skin.

ANEW Reversalist Day Renewal Cream is formulated to help reactivate skin’s repair process to help dramatically reverse the look of wrinkles, while keeping skin looking fresh, new, and younger all day.
In efficacy studies, the Renewal Day Cream demonstrated the following dramatic results:
• In just 3 days, begins to reduce the look of wrinkles*
• In 2 weeks, discolorations visibly improved up to 25%**
• Over time, dramatically reduces the look of wrinkles and discolorations and skin looks
dramatically tighter

ANEW Reversalist Night Renewal Cream has a velvety, creamy texture for a smooth, soft, powdery finish.
• In 2 weeks, 73% of women said their skin looked and felt reborn.1**
• Fine wrinkles improved up to 25%**
• In 4 weeks, the appearance of fine wrinkles and discolorations was dramatically reduced,
leaving skin feeling dramatically tighter***

HOW TO USE: The new ANEW Reversalist products are meant to be used as part of an everyday regimen to reach maximum benefits for the skin. Use once every morning and then once in the evening. Gently smooth over cleansed face and neck, in an upward and outward motion avoiding eyelids. Some individuals may experience a brief tingling sensation following application.

AVAILABILITY: ANEW Reversalist Day and Night Renewal Cream (Php999) will be available beginning February 16, 2011 through Avon Ladies nationwide.

Don’t have an Avon Lady yet, log on to www.avon.com.ph to find out how to contact an Avon Representative.