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A Bouche Amused

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A Bouche Amused

Category Archives: The Grub Club

No one can SPREAD THE LOVE like Butch Garcia can!

07 Sunday Sep 2014

Posted by a_bouche_amused in Food Glorious Food, Hail to the Chef, The Grub Club

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Alugbati Spread, Butch Garcia, Spread the Love

Butchay spreads spreadcrackers SpreadTheLove@CHub

When Butch Garcia first created his Alugbati Spread to share with friends, I was skeptical. Alugbati? Really? That obsequious and ordinary plant that grows wild in gardens and empty lots? The spread looked extremely green! But the moment I tasted it, it blew away all prejudices. It was an extraordinarily delicious surprise to the palate — rich and luscious and flavorful! Not at all as grassy as I imagined alugbati would taste. In fact, it reminded me of Cibo’s Spinaci Zola dip, but fuller-flavored.

Butch’s Alugbati Spread came about one day when he wanted to do a pesto sauce. However, that day, he could not find any basil anywhere with which to make it. Not in the supermarkets, not in the delis, not even in anyone’s garden. Ever the inventive mind and impeccable palate, Butch decided to use alugbati instead. Makes sense — it is, in many ways, our local equivalent of basil.

The instant acceptance and exuberant appreciation of his Alugbati Spread inspired Butch to develop other delectable spread ideas. His next product was his Quezo de Bola Pimiento Spread, which was his grandmother’s recipe, tweaked and perfected according to his supremely fine-tuned taste. That, too, was an immediate success. Salty, cheesy, but with umami depth. From then on, Butch’s concoctions have expanded to other spread creations — Smoked Round Scad Spread (or Tinapang Galunggong), Longganiza, Pineapple-Cashew, and “Bicol Express”.

The “Bicol Express” is one of my pinaka-favorites! The heat is subtle, tempered by the cream and dissembled by the bread or cracker. But the combined piquancy of Hungarian sausages and the jalapeño and cayenne peppers soon unfurls gradually in the mouth with every flavorsome bite. It goes absolutely perfectly with ice-cold beer or very chilled wine.

The popularity of his spreads, well, have spread like wild fire! Simply through the power of social media and gratified friends’ word of mouth. “Spread the love!”, Butch would say, with his customary chuckle. And it was his very own words which became the brand name for his spreads, upon the suggestion of his fellow-foodie friend in advertising, Ana Perez. His daughter Belai and her best friend Andi Harn came up with the design of the label — congenial, honest, warm, and down-to-earth. Seeing it will make you smile. Tasting his spreads will make you swoon in joy. And it is with joy that I simply must share with you what Butch’s SPREAD THE LOVE spreads are all about … whilst snacking on the Bicol Express on skyflakes crackers.

People from the film and advertising industries know Butch Garcia not just as one of the country’s most prominent production designers, but also as a supreme connoisseur of good food with a big appetite and a big heart. And it’s only right that his array of delicious homemade spreads be called SPREAD THE LOVE. It is, after all, everything that Butch Garcia is all about.

Here is how to order any (or all) of the SPREAD THE LOVE spreads: ButchayMenu

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Chef Reynaldo Lim reigns

04 Tuesday Sep 2012

Posted by a_bouche_amused in Food Glorious Food, Hail to the Chef, The Grub Club

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Chef Rey Lim, grub club, tjioe catering

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When you meet Chef Reynaldo Lim, he comes across as bigger than life. And I’m not talking about physical size, mind you. Although he is rather like a tall and happy Buddha with a bouncing belly to match. But I am actually referring to his large and ebullient personality — he has a childlike charm and infectious vivacity, you just want to hug him. And he is a joy to watch in the kitchen, sometimes serious and stern but most of the time laughing and having the time of his life. His Dom Deluise-ish character and the great fun he derives from cooking is deliciously expressed in the food he serves. Aside from reigning over the kitchen, he also oversees the table decor, choosing the right floral arrangements and decorative touches and even the plateware for the occasion.

The Grub Club had the privilege to have been the beneficiaries of his fabulous food. We could tell how passionate he is about his food because every time a course is served, he would come out of the kitchen and hover over us, checking to see if we were digging in, if we liked the food or not. And if he caught one of us pausing, chatting, and generally not giving due attention to the dish before us, he’d loom over that person and ask “Why aren’t you eating? Don’t you like it?” Which gets that person promptly shoveling the food in his or her mouth and nodding approvingly, mouth too full to speak. If satisfied, Chef Lim would take a generous sip of wine and smile appreciatively. Fortunately, every dish was superb and sumptuous. But the scene sorta reminded me of a Mother Superior standing guard over students during final exams and saying “No talking! Eyes on your own paper!” Hilarious!

Chef Rey’s cuisine has been described as Continental/French with a strong Asian influence. He prefers to describe it as “Western comfort food with Asian overtones”. Just imagine fresh king prawns with aligue (crab fat) and pineapple relish, served atop a hefty serving of Arroz a la Cubana. Or his dessert of Zucchini Cake with Lychee Buttercream icing. He learned his craft at the Culinary Institute of America in New York and apprenticed with David Bouley at his restaurant in Manhattan. From there, Lim was everywhere — on the Today Show, with Lufthansa as its Star Chef, and for more than a decade, in Beijing’s premium dining spot The Courtyard. In 2010, he left the Courtyard and is now part of the team of chefs of Tjioe Catering (pronounced “chew”) with his friends Edwin Tjioe Tan and Chef Jeff “Jaine” Teh. (Find out more about them at their website — http://tjioethecaterer.ph/)

No doubt, Chef Rey Lim amused my bouche no end. Chef Rey Lim reigns supreme!

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