Frannywanny

What?! Just when I thought we're over the salted egg phase, a big basket filled with bright yellow bags of potato chips suddenly arrived on my door step. I was seriously so surprised to received this as I didn't know a delivery was to be made and I've never seen this specific chip variant ever before. It's the new Oishi Gourmet Picks Potato Chips in ... *dan dan dan dannnn* ...Salted Egg Flavor ! If you remember back when I was still residing in the Lion City, I got into this major salted egg craze starting from that memorable dinner at Irvin's Live Seafood House . Yes, that popular salted egg chips that got the entire region hoarding actually had a full service restaurant before and that's where those chips were born. Two years after that visit, the entire Lion City went Salted Egg crazy! From the traditional liu sha bao (salted egg custard bun) to all sorts of creative salted egg infused dishes from Chicken Cordon Bleu stuffed with Salted Egg, Salted Egg...

Back then, when Paul and I were still dating, we would frequent the malls on weekends. He often comments that I snack a lot. Say, we've just had lunch at 12 noon and come 3PM, I'd be dragging him to have some corn dog, maybe a cup of milk tea or perhaps some fries or nachos to munch on while shopping. After having that snack, I'd be looking forward to dinner. Yes, I love to snack a lot most especially when I'm out in the mall. So, this little habit of mine has kept him baffled and slightly amused for years and it was only when Mommy came to visit us a few months ago and Paul spent a full day with her as they went around Orchard Road, that he finally discovered the magical answer. Apparently, this love for snacking while shopping runs in the family and I obviously got it from my dear Mommy. My mom, being very health conscious though, is more careful with her snacking choices. She stays away from deep-fried snack items or those which are too sweet, creamy and salty. Nor...

So this is what curiosity can do to you! Inspired by a couple of Youtube videos and an Instagram photo of a friend, I decided to take the challenge and to do the Koala Shake ! So, first thing was to head to the nearest grocery and to get a box of Lotte Koala's March Chocolate Snack . For those who are not familiar with this, these are crackers filled with gooey chocolate! It's pretty good and can be quite addicting. Click here to see how it looks like. To show you how I did the Koala Shake challenge , please watch this short video that I've created:

I can't believe that my love affair with Serenitea has almost been 5 years long! I'll never forget how it all began and how it continued to be my go-to place whenever I just need to unwind and calm my nerves with a cup of Hokkaido Milk Tea when I was in Manila. Many milk tea places came and went yet Serenitea stayed strong all throughout. That just goes to show what a strong market leader it continues to be. Yay! Of course, every visit back home is not complete without getting my milk tea fix. Just to show how much we love Serenitea, it was the first place that we went to a few hours after landing in Manila a few months ago. It was also perfect timing that Serenitea just launched a couple of new snacks to go with their winning milk tea flavors! First things first though, I had to get my GIANT Hokkaido Milk Tea with QQ ! Look how big my cup was and I was such a happy camper being reunited with my favorite drink. Yum yum yum! As you know, the concept of Serenitea came...

Look what I've been munching on lately! I know, I've welcomed the year with a promise to lessen my junk food snacking but I guess it's okay to give in to my monthly craving for yummy munchies once in a while right? Well, as my husband would say, smart snacking is the way to go! We have began choosing chips that are baked, have no trans fat or have lower sodium in it vs. it's less healthy counterparts. What a perfect timing that my friend and fellow blogger R sent over a couple of bags of Herr's during our last visit to Manila! I instantly recognized Herr's as those buckets of cheese curls that we would hoard in S&R! Ohhh I love love love Herr's Cheese Curls! Well, did you know that Herr's is made of pure corn meal and is baked to perfection. I guess this is one of the very few corn products that I can eat without getting sick. It doesn't make use of artificial preservatives/flavoring too! I just love being able to enjoy this without ge...

A lot of you might have been wondering why the sudden silence for the past few days. Well, it all began late last week when I came home feeling feverish. We initially thought it was just stress or lack of sleep. I quickly brushed the panic away and made sure I got more than 8 hours of sleep that night. Well, I woke up still feverish and this went on for days. It lasted for 6 whole days which brought my temperature up to the 39 degrees level and down to 37. I was chilling at some point and sweating so much after. CBC tests were done to rule out dengue which thankfully came out negative. It was a viral case but what made me so sad was the fact that it coincided with my much-awaited visit home. I've been planning for this trip for some time now as I was so excited to meet up with friends, spend a lot of time with family and to try the newest foodie places in Metro Manila. With my fever in the way, the only thing I bonded with during my trip was my bed. *sigh* Well, as they say. If...

We're back in Manila for a really quick visit and I was so thrilled to see a couple of surprises waiting for me at home. Here's a quick note of thanks to the kind folks who sent these yummy treats to me! Jollibee Tuna Pie It's lent and I practice abstinence. This means that I stay away from eating meat every Friday. I got to admit though that I've cheated once twice when we were in Singapore. It couldn't help it, the mouthwatering plate of Boneless Hainanese Chicken Rice was calling out my name. Kidding aside, I really tried but was faced with two circumstances that I just had to have that piece of juicy pork/chicken/beef sitting in front of me. Anyway, I hope I'll be able to stick to my sacrifice now that I'm back home at the moment. I was so happy to receive this pail filled with Jollibee Tuna Pie . Aside from the Jolly Hotdog and Burger Steak, this is one of my Jollibee favorites. I'm so happy there's a Jollibee branch in Singapore that...

After a photo shoot held at an undisclosed location within Bonifacio Highstreet , I headed to Slice to relax and to have a light snack while waiting for my sister as she was still busy at work. I was still doing my Nestle Fitnesse challenge then so it took me a while to choose what I'm getting as I don't want all my efforts to go to waste. Yes, vanity sure has its price. I love the cozy feel of Slice as it surely makes a great place to catch up with your girl friends. My only wish is that they should have free WiFi connection for those who intend to do some work here. They also have a private area at the back portion of the restaurant which would be great for small meetings. Finally, I chose the Aglio Olio (Php. 390) and requested to have this split into two as I'm sure my sister would be hungry by the time I pick her up from work. I'll be honest, I was a taken aback by the 300+ price tag. It's a bit too high for a casual dining place like Slice and to thi...

I guess, one reason why I really enjoyed our trip to Seoul, South Korea was because it was a never-ending food trip! Our meals were not limited to just breakfast, lunch and dinner. Somehow, we would end up snacking even at odd hours. All throughout our trip, Paul and I hanged out with Richard, Irene and Lauren. It's a good thing that the 5 of us share almost the same taste in food and have the same shopping habits making it easier for us to maximize our schedule without wasting precious time. One evening, Richard and Irene were craving for something to eat at the hotel and that's were we spotted Two Two Fried Chicken , it is very similar to the Bonchon Chicken that's very popular here in Manila. However, its fried chicken comes in more flavors other than the usual soy garlic and spicy. Richard carefully brought his box of chicken back to the hotel and were even insisting that we join them as they feel that they can't consume the entire box of chicken. Paul and I dec...

It's a common scenario to hear our family discussing what to have for our afternoon snack (merienda) while having lunch! I guess I took after my Kongkong who just loves to snack and who considers this part of his daily dietary requirement. He's an amazing cook so we always enjoy his homemade bihon soup or together, we will visit one of his favorite restaurants along Banawe to have a tall glass of really good halo-halo on a warm summer day. Let me share with you what we have on our snack stash that got us addicted on for days weeks: Happiness in Cupcakes (a.k.a. HIC) specializes in alcoholic-flavored cupcakes that makes a great dessert choice actually for adult parties. I got to admit I don't drink that often but I do appreciate a glass of mojito or a strawberry margarita to end a stressful day. They sell their cupcakes by the dozen (Php. 650) and requires a short lead time of 3 days. We were able to try the following flavors: Car Bombs, Red Hot Choco Peppers, Mojit...

I guess it's no secret that I love to snack! With my growing list of must-try snacks...maybe I should start a blog dedicated to just that. Watchatink? :) Anyway, whenever Paul and I go to the mall, what we normally do really is to EAT! Sure, at times I get to buy a pair of shoes or a new outfit, sometimes we catch a movie but more often than not, we're most likely found at the food court area or along the row the restaurants checking every single one out. Take for example our recent trip to Robinsons Galleria . The initial plan was to pay some bills and to do the grocery. However, we both spotted Masatami , a kiosk outside the supermarket that offers shaved ice desserts. Not the Mais con Yelo type but rather one that looks like a giant snow cone. Paul seemed very interested as he lingered quite long enough checking the menu out. I suddenly remembered receiving a couple of coupons from the owners of Masatami and after checking my bag if I have it, I excitedly waved the two...

Whenever hungry strikes especially during mid-day its so easy to just grab a bag of chips that's within reach. I got to admit I love munching on chips, rings and puffs. Like a little girl, I tend to be very greedy with my bag as I hug it tightly as to give a silent message that screams: "this is ALL MINE!" Paul knows better not to mess with my stash of snacks. That's how much I take my snack seriously. Thus, when I was sent a bag of Angry Puffs sampler cups in four assorted flavors, I happily brought this with me when we went to Tagaytay for a fun weekend getaway with The Food Club. What makes Angry Puffs different from all the puffs out there is that its air-baked not fried. This then gives me more reason to enjoy them in greater quantities. Freshness is their top priority thus they ensure that the puffs that you're enjoying has just been freshly puffed on the spot thereby removing the need for preservatives.

For Catholics all over the world, Lent began last Wednesday. This is the time when we try to make a sacrifice by either giving up something we really like doing or eating, practicing more good deeds and a lot more. For me, I abstain from meat . I do this for every Fridays of Lent beginning Ash Wednesday and this goes on until Easter Sunday. Of course, temptation is out there. It’s really hard to say no to that juicy piece of lechon meat or to have a cheese steak sandwich especially when it’s right there sitting happily in front of you. Still, I stick to my sacrifice and for years I’m proud to say that I’ve been pretty much successful at carrying it out all throughout the 40+ days of Lent. What make this sacrifice extra challenging is when we eat out. At times, it's just so hard to find a place that serves really good seafood options that's also friendly on the budget. Imagine my glee when I found out that Jollibee's Tuna Pie is BACK! Hooray!

Last Friday, I suddenly had this weird craving for... Putong Ube . Oh how I daydreamed about those tiny, pillow-y, rice cakes cooked with our native ube (yam). Of course, no other store can make it better than Michelle's . I used to visit their store along Gilmore street or Papa would buy a box home for us to enjoy. I searched online to look for a store closest to my office and I was surprised that their main branch was actually just a stone's throw away from where I work!! Thus, on my way home, I asked Paul if we can make a brief stop at Libertad street for me to buy a box of Michelle's Homemade Putong Ube to satisfy my craving. Luckily, he said yes! YAY! The store wasn't hard to find, if you're familiar with California Square Garden and Galileo Enoteca then you'll be able to locate Michelle's Homemade Putong Ube in no time.It's located at the corner of Kanlaon and Domingo M Guevara (formerly known as Libertad) streets. Arriving at the store ...

Don't you just LOVE to snack? Two weeks ago, I blogged about a couple of delicious snack finds that I was lucky to discover over just one weekend. Aside from breakfast, afternoon snack is one of my favorite meals (well if you would consider it a meal, that is) of the day as it allows me to slow down from work, take a break and enjoy bite after bite of fill in with choice of snack of the day here . Well, it has been a month since I haven't ran a contest and I actually feel bad for not having one on my anniversary month, well it has been a month since Frannywanny.com turned 4 and it's not too late to celebrate yet, right? Remember my blog post about this yummy bag of cassava chips that actually makes a healthy snack choice? I'm actually giving away 5 California Crunch Cassava Chips gift pack for 5 lucky readers to enjoy!!! The mechanics is simple: 1) First of all, log on to Facebook and make sure to like the Frannywanny.com page as well as the Californ...

Exactly a month ago, I suddenly had this weird midnight craving for my childhood favorite bakery called La Chesca . That prompted a shout out over at Facebook and Twitter asking anyone to give me leads if La Chesca still exists today. This led to friends expressing their love for La Chesca 's specialties namely their Sapin Sapin, Maja Ube / Mais, Egg Pies and of course their homemade Chicken Pie. That truly showed me that I am not alone... I share my love for La Chesca with hundreds of people out there. I never gave up, even asking my Facebook friends to help me find the owners of the bakeshop. Until one day... my Auntie H told me that she knows the owner of La Chesca and I can possibly text her to ask if she still accepts orders. My heart skipped a beat. This is it. I am THIS CLOSE to being able to enjoy my La Chesca favorites again. I wasted no time and texted the owner as soon as I got her number from Auntie H. One day has passed and no reply... my heart sank. Either ...

My friend T has been raving about this delectable Salted Caramel Macaron that was so good it has made her cheat on her diet as she couldn't resist a piece...or two...or maybe three. T has really good taste in food so I figured that those macarons must really be THAT GOOD. So one Sunday, my in-laws decided to have lunch at Burgos Circle and right after, I convinced Paul to cross the street and visit Bar Dolci , a dessert place where my friend T got her favorite macarons from. Actually, I just remembered that I wanted to try Bar Dolci and totally forgot about the macarons at first. As we entered the busy store, I was immediately drawn towards the gelato freezer matched with the glass panels filled with names of Bar Dolci 's gelato fans. The rule is they will put a point beside your name for every purchase of their gelato and after x number of cups, you get a prize. I tried a few such as the Salted Caramel , Ferrero (which was yummy, by the way) and the almost sold out V...

...and the snacking continues! The Food Club celebrates Paul's 30th birthday!!! My husband Paul blew out his 30 birthday candles yesterday! He officially said goodbye to his twenties and gladly welcome the BIG 3-0! Aside from my non-stop teasing; I, together with his family, organized an intimate dinner to celebrate his birthday with our loved ones (his side and mine) and our dear friends a.k.a. The Food Club last Saturday. Despite the short notice, we are really blessed that almost everyone was able to make it. Thanks guys!! ♥ For his birthday, Richard, Irene and Lauren gave Paul a box of Homemade Treasures Ensaymada . It looks really pretty and premium as it's encased in a light brown box and tied with a golden ribbon. Paul normally skips breakfast as he would rather sleep till lunch especially during the weekends. I was surprised when we woke me up early on Sunday and invited me to have breakfast with him. I really wanted to sleep some more but when I remembere...

I love to snack. In fact, I always find snacking exciting as the choices are pretty much endless! What I snack on basically depends on my mood. At times, I am happy with a bowl of yogurt with some sliced almonds and crushed graham while on another day I want something heavier say, a bowl of mac and cheese. It's Snack Time! : A Four-Part Series I open this week with a four-part series on four different snack items that I highly recommend that you try soon. These were the ones that I snacked on this weekend and I was pretty please with all of them. Now, I know some of you might wonder how can I have four snacks in a two-day weekend...well...that's the Frannywanny power! *sly grin* Let me start with my newest yummy discovery, after running some errands and before heading to Unimart to do our grocery shopping, I saw a new store that has just opened at the V-Mall Garden (near the chapel) in Greenhills . I quickly pulled Paul to check the store out and as I get closer I fel...

I love munching on chips and that's a fact. The funny thing though, I am not a big fan of potato chips except for Pringles. Rather, I'd go for corn, tortilla, cheese, cassava and all other unique types of chips there is in the market. Most of the time, my luggage is filled with packs of different types of chips as I fly back home. I love those that you can only find in that particular country and luckily, I always end up with the pretty yummy ones that even my family and friends love. Chips + Frannywanny = TRUE LOVE ♥ I'm a pretty lucky girl to meet a man who shares my love for snacking on chips. However, Paul is a hard-core potato and cassava chips guy who prefers this over basically most of the types of chips that I'd normally go for. Still, we click. I remember how we would regularly drop by Matahari Indonesian Deli to get our own bags of cassava chips! It used to just be one bag where we would sweetly share while walking around the mall but since we both wa...