Another month has passed. Can you believe it? It’s been only two months since 2020 started, and I think we can all agree that it has been quite a tumultuous two months. Too many things have happened in a span of 2 months! But life must go on and we all do the best that we can to make sure it’s worthwhile. For me, that involves discovering new favorites.
This month’s favorites brings a bout of bittersweet feelings. I’ve got two things on this list that remind me of the fact that we probably won’t be able to travel to Japan this year because of the COVID virus. Luckily, there are ways to ease the pain. Thank goodness for online shopping lol. That aside, I’m so happy that local products stole the spotlight for me this month as well. So let’s get to it!
1. Caramia’s Strawberry Cake
Caramia has a reputation in our household as a brand that churns out really high quality, delicious products. So far, I have liked everything I’ve tried from them, and sitting at the top of the list are their Ube Cake and this limited edition Strawberry Cake. Made from Baguio’s famous but seasonal strawberries, this cake is light and fluffy, not too sweet, and like biting into clouds. I only wish there were more strawberries, but then again the price of this cake may well go over its Php 1,195 tag.
I hope you all get to try this before it’s taken off the menu! Order here.
2. Kit Kat Yuzu Sake
I received these babies from Sugoi Mart, which is an online shop specializing on Japanese products. And I don’t mean just food by the way. They also have beauty items and Japan-limited collectibles. They shipped these to me straight from Japan. I think it took about 2 weeks to arrive, and I paid Php 112 when the postman delivered the package to me. (The local postal service seems to be improving.)
As for the Kit Kat’s themselves, I specifically chose this one because I am a yuzu-lover, and I’ve had some pretty good experience with this sake line from Kit Kat. (The packaging for this Kit Kat line is just soooo pretty.)
Upon opening, the first thing that hit me was the fragrant yuzu smell. It doesn’t smell artificial and has a gentle scent that is rather misleading because the sake taste here is really strong. It starts with a bright yuzu taste and the bitter sake quickly takes over. The kitkat is not too sweet because of the citrus and sake tones. I don’t remember the sake being this strong in other flavors from this line, but the aftertaste reminds me also of citrus bitters or the candied citrus peel.
This Kit Kat may be an acquired taste, but if you like citrus bitters, I imagine you’d enjoy this. I personally found that the more I ate it, the more I enjoyed it.
Buy it from Sugoi Mart.
3. Kit Kat Yuzu Matcha
Spurred by the above Kit Kat, I decided to buy myself this yuzu flavored Kit Kat from a Shopee seller. For the record, I am not really a fan of Kit Kat per se, but I am a sucker for trying out every flavor I come across, and among them this has to be one of the most enjoyable flavors I’ve ever put in my mouth! (This is also available in Sugoi Mart, by the way.)
I like the classic Matcha Kit Kat to begin with, but the addition of yuzu here gives the Kit Kat a bright citrus zing within that earthy matcha flavor. It’s not overpowering, but it’s also not as subtle as I was expacting it to be. You will definitely NOT miss it. Yum!
4. Auro 32% White Chocolate with Moringa & Pinipig
This chocolate bar is the surprise of the month. I typically dislike white chocolate so it takes something special to change my mind. Surprise, surprise, this one did. Rather, it’s not such a big surprise. It’s an Auro product after all.
I started out disliking this actually. All my biases against white chocolate pushed to the surface at first. I thought it was too sweet for my palate, and then I took another bite, and I started to get hints of that earthy moringa and more pops of pinipig (which I love). It’s the aftertaste that sealed the deal though. I can’t explain it, but I know that I like it.
After the first taste, I’d break off pieces from this bar and ate it little by little. Yes, it is sweet, but the nuances make all the sugar worth it. Eating it in small doses also highlights the undertones. This was probably the first white chocolate bar I finished, ever. And that’s the truth.
This chocolate bar is fairly expensive at over 200 pesos a pop, but I can’t deny the quality. It’s also not hard to see why this brand keeps receiving awards for the new things they come up with. I never even thought to use moringa, or malunggay, as a matcha alternative. But it works!
Buy it here.
5. FIC x Auro Chocolate Single Origin Dark Chocolate Ice Cream
Another product with Auro’s name on it. You all know I’m a fan, right? None of this is sponsored. I’m just a curious cat when it comes to any collab involving Auro.
Now I am not sure if this ice cream has been taken off the market now since it is limited edition, but if you ever come across this, try it out. (Can’t find it on Karton anymore!) It boasts FIC’s signature creamy ice cream, flavored by Auro’s single origin dark chocolate. The mouthfeel of the ice cream is pretty amazing, and it’s not super sweet so it will make you want to keep eating through the pint.
Actually, I expected the chocolate to be a bit darker in this ice cream. As it is, it’s a for-everyone taste. Personally I like a darker chocolate flavor, but I enjoyed this anyway.
I got these from here.
6. Maggi Instant Asam Laksa Noodles
The last item is a product I bought from Shopee, because I have been missing Assam Laksa for years now and I desperately wanted to eat something that’s even a little similar. Assam Laksa is a less popular Peranakan noodle soup dish compared to coconut milk-based laksa. Obviously, this isn’t exactly like the real thing, but it’s good enough to satisfy.
My brothers call this sinigang noodle soup, because the flavor of the broth is also tamarind based, and it’s also sour and spicy, but it’s got a more ginger undertone to it. I might just make a homemade version if I manage to find all the ingredients.
Buy it here.
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Full disclosure: This post is not sponsored. All items were purchased on my own unless otherwise stated. While some items were received for review, I received no compensation for writing this post. All opinions are my own.
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