Get Delicious at Dinelli Gourmet

 

The Inauguration and Press Launch of Dinelli Gourmet happened last Tuesday evening, 18th of November 2008.  Dinelli Gourmet is the latest addition in Manila’s gourmet and specialty foods market.

 

 

The newly opened gourmet shop is your new stop for the freshest and unique selection of gourmet foods.  More than the exclusive imported items and fresh cold cuts and wide array of cheese selection, the store also has a section for kitchen equipment from Australia, Europe and USA.  The husband and wife tandem of Anthony and Kristine Meehan, proprietors of Meehan Cellars Inc. decided to open a chain of gourmet shops in the Metro.  The Tomas Morato branch is the first of the three set to open.  The second branch is fixed to launch in December which location will be at the Fort.

 

 

The Amazing Race Asia 3 Philippine Team contestants (and hopefully winners!  We’ll find out tonight) model Geoff Rodriguez and beauty queen Tisha Silang hosted the event.  While cocktails and various wines were being served around since 630pm, the official ceremony started at 8pm with the formal ribbon cutting.

 

 

The Australian Senior Trade Commissioner Ross Bray, was the Guest of Honor and consequently presided over the ribbon cutting.  It was a well-attended event as local dignitaries, eminent businessmen, celebrities and models graced the event alongside the media cluster.  Representatives from Yummy Magazine (calling Fran Haw, where were you?) and Uno were also present. 

 

 

As the event kicked off, Geoff passed the floor to Mr. Anthony Meehan who welcomed the guest and thanked those who made the event possible, as well as the media partners.

 

I got to have a quick chat with Geoff and egged him to reveal if they won TARA 3.  It was after all, 2 nights away.  He was mum all the way.  I guess I had to wait for 48 more hours.

 

 

Whether you’re looking for a strong-tasting cheese or smooth creamy cheese, or even cheese studded with pimiento or chilies for that extra zing, Dinelli Gourmet offers a complete cheese selection.  Dinelli advises that hard cheese like Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino, Manchego and Grana Padano are great for crumbling or grating texture.  Cheddar, Edam, Gruyere, Emmenthal are semi-hard cheese that have milder flavors and can melt quite easily.  For other cooking needs such as adding a height to your sandwich creations, semi-soft cheeses are available too, like Bleu d’Auvergne, Port Salut (saint Paulin), Fourme D’Ambert, Roquefort Societe, Gorgonzola Dolce, Feta.  For rich creamy variants, the popular ones are Brie and Camembert, followed by St. Nectaire, Mascarpone (usually used in desserts) and Cambozola Cheese Kaserei.

 

 

They also carry Moondarra cheese brand: ashed goat, chilli, creamy blue cheese, fruit and nut, garlic and chives, garlic and herb goat cheese, honey and pistachio, melon and mango, pear and vanilla bean, sun dried tomato (Mm-mm!) and herb, bruschetta cheese among others.

 

 

For those who have a discerning taste for the expensive, Castaing Fois Gras products are available in Dinelli Gourmet stores.

 

 

Refreshments and treats from the store’s gourmet selection and menu items were at every corner.  The food (cheese, meat, pasta, dessert) and wine were free flowing throughout the night –even at the time when we left, fresh batches were being brought out.  The treats were simple ingredients tossed together –but it definitely tasted like designer cocktails.  Seeing all the products, I had the urge to buy so many items off their racks.  A bottle of cocktail onions, brie, gorgonzola, manchego and fontina, grapes, dried apricots, walnuts, wine and I’m good to go for a cheese party.  There were Moroccan lamb stew and couscous on a microwave-able container that Bubba was interested in, plus a dish of Tortellini and cream cheese.  Whereas for me, my curiosity was more piqued with the individual ingredients I’ve only seen there.  That launch surely fired up a vanishing cooking passion in me. Getting an access to an assortment of distinctive ingredients inspired me to concoct new dishes.

 

 

Each guest also received a gift basket with a selection of gourmet foods to be able to sample the Dinelli gourmet lifestyle at home.  Dinelli Gourmet will surely change the landscape of Metro shopping and hopefully ups the ante of deli stores as well as Filipino home dining.  Get creative with Dinelli gourmet products and come up with the freshest dish ideas.  Dinelli Gourmet is located at 5 Timog Avenue, Quezon City.

 

 

Thanks to Christopher Pettersson, CEO of Kingpin Syndicate Inc. for the invitation.

 

Dinelli Gourmet Album

 

 

The Amazing Race Asia 3 –The Final Cut

How time flies!  It feels like it was only a couple of weeks ago when I attended the exclusive media preview screening of The Amazing Race Asia 3 (TARA 3).  The screening was held at Fiamma on September 4, 2008, a Thursday, only over 2 months ago.  It was also on the same night of the TV premiere but 2 hours earlier and without the commercials.  The Amazing Race Asia 2 Philippine team, Marc Nelson and Rovilson Fernandez hosted the event.  Paula of another team (TARA2) also graced the event.

 

 

It was my first time to see Geoff from the famed “Backstreet Boys” Rexona commercial.  Tisha Silang on the other hand, I always get to spot since her office is on the same building as my office in Ortigas.  I was happy and surprised that they made the cut!  I remember seeing them on TARA 2 as the Primer showed “audition tapes” that didn’t make the cut.  I also remember seeing Director John (Street Productions?) from the Nokia Soul of Manila production team with his girlfriend in one of the audition tapes.  Theirs was a little funny and editorial.  Anyway, seeing Tisha and Geoff finally making it after getting the no-go for TARA 2 goes to show that Britney Spears didn’t get her record deal after just one audition.

 

 

Bubba and I wanted to send an audition tape for TARA 3 (just to give it a shot) but didn’t get around to doing one.  TARA 3 application period followed even before TARA 2 episodes ended.  It was a busy period for me while Bubba was just being plain lazy –or he doesn’t really want to do it.  I’ve been bugging him since TARA 2 to become interested in sending in a tape –or at least discuss it.  I even penciled it on my calendar, “Discuss TARA.”  I kept moving the date or putting it on repeat mode.  It’s almost been a year.  Not even a 15-minute discussion.  Hopeless.

 

 

The second time I saw the two from TARA 3 was last Monday at the Metro Club.  I immediately SMS-ed Bubba who was working at one corner and told him, “It’s a sign!!! We have MUST.  Discuss.  TARA plans.  ASAP.”  Next day Tuesday, we were at the media launch of Dinelli Gourmet and the long time dating couple hosted the event.  2 days in a row, that should mean something!  Not to mention the time Marc Nelson and Rovilson Fernandez hosted the Nokia Soul of the Night party –where Bubba and I were adventure race participants!   The world is certainly saying something to me –or us (because I cannot send an audition tape with only ME in it)! 

 

 

“When a person really desires something, all the universe conspires to help that person to realize his dream.”

 

Okay okay, my imagination is shooting to different places.  I’d better stop the rodeo-gunning spree.  Moving on.

 

 

I didn’t get to follow TARA 3 as much as I did TARA 2 (where I did not miss a show and kept watching the reruns over and over again to Bubba’s dismay), but I was still into it.  I missed a few shows here and there but what I miss I try to catch online.  There are three teams left, all of which, are very interesting duos.  I would’ve loved it though if AD and Fuzzie were still contenders with their laidback nonchalant attitudes –what a different element to throw in the mix. 

 

 

Image source AXN

Image source AXN

 

Tonight, it’s the final episode.  Who will make it first to the FINAL pitstop?  Catch it tonight at 9pm on AXN Sky Cable channel 49!

 

Events Events Album

Nokia Soul of Manila Album

Nokia Soul of the Night Album

Nokia Soul of the Night Album 2

The Amazing Race Asia Promo Event Album

 

Related Post:

Racing with Insomniacs

Nokia Soul of the Night Party

Nokia SOTN Presscon

Nokia Culminating Party  

Discovering the Soul of Manila

 

TARA 3

A dating couple-team represents the Philippines.  Geoff Rodriguez, 26 years old, famed as one of the power five “wala ba kayong mga kamay” Rexona commercial and Tisha Silang, 32, business development manager for Chikka, which is in the same building as mine.  Most remembers Tisha to be the crowned 1998 Miss Philippines Universe who had to relinquish her title due to a Canadian citizenship technicality.  Silang was rumored to be Paolo Bediones former beau.   But that’s yesterday’s oatmeal.  Tisha and Geoff are very much the item now and have been dating for three and a half years. 

tara3bangkokbugeatingbyandrew.jpg

(Photo Courtesy: Andrew.  RFF has the best Amazing Race, Survivor, Mole and BB coverage on the Internet! If you love it here, please consider making a donation to support the site!)

Quips Geoff on the first time they were introduced by a mutual friend,” I was interested in Tisha for obvious reasons. And Tisha wasn’t interested, for obvious reasons.”

This is also the second time that the couple has auditioned for the show and the couple almost missed the deadline too. “We were in such a rush to submit the video I can’t say we did anything really spectacular,” Tisha admits.

Nonetheless, the couple is certain that they will bring to the race the love and respect that has been the foundation of their relationship. Geoff says, “Tisha and I have had a sound relationship, from the time we have met. And now we are testing our relationship, by entering the race.”

Mark your calendars fellow TARA fans.  

September 4, Thursday, 9PM:                Racers Revealed

September 11, Thursday, 9PM:                The Amazing Race Asia Season 3

Catch The Amazing Race Asia 3 on AXN Sky Cable channel 49.