Ralfe Gourmet - an uncommon gastronomic experience

I was in Cebu for my mother's and sister's birthday- they both share the same birth date of October 24th.

My son Oliver have been mentioning to me this some sort of exclusive type chocolatier/restaurant that requires advance booking/reservation/arrangement on several occasions when I've visited Cebu that I have to go and see and experience.

So on Oct. 25, 2012, I finally allocated a time to go there along with my cousin from the US, my niece and nephews and my son....and indeed it was an uncommon gastronomic experience. It was not like the other Chocolatiers I've been to.  To begin with, the co-owner was there to tell us the story behind the emergence of Ralfe Gourmet, chocolate making, it's vision and passion.

Edu the co-owner, explaining to us the chocolate story

Left: Elizabeth, Right: Oliver

Aldwin my cousin from US

Me

The moment we entered the den it was like we were transported into another dimension, another world...it was like a part of the Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory set ( interestingly the theme song of my mother's and sister's birthday celebration the night before was "Pure Imagination"- one of the sound track in Willie Wonka movie). The smell of cocoa butter in the room could already satisfy anyone's chocolate craving. The walls are painted with chocolate and blocks of chocolates are a plenty. A fountain of melted chocolate provides the soothing sound along with the soft music. It was a fascinating room indeed.

Oliver is enjoying the Chocolate painted wall

Chocolate fountain and literally the fountain of youth- as they say, chocolates have high  anti-oxidant properties

Like Gretel of the fairy tale  "Hansel and Gretel" upon seeing the candy house

another chocolate painted wall. Elizabeth is marveling at the work of art

Yes! that's a block of chocolate

for your eyes only

Dude that's unsweetened by the way

like magnet pulling us towards it

a variety of chocolate preparation

A beautiful set-up of chocolate cakes and chocolate treats was a sight to behold. We devoured them while we listened to Edu's explanation of the making and ingredients of  each master piece. And Raquel Choa the Founder and President, Tableya expert and self-proclaimed chef came out to greet us.

We had truffles, pralines, alfajores, dark chocolate crispies, chocolate nibs, orange chocolate cake, vegan chocolate cake, hot chocolate of different flavors (from the common vanilla, cinnamon to orange and spicy) and so many others but what gave us the highest gastronomic pleasure was the thin chocolate crust pizza with cocoa butter in place of olive oil. A perfect cap to the most uncommon culinary experience ever.

hot choco in different flavors

The chocolate feast we shared

plus some super  studded choco chips

One of a kind Pizza---a must try

aaaaahhhhh...super satisfied

happy faces...effect of chocolate

with Raquel and Edu

We even have treats to go

They mentioned that they also cater to birthday and other celebrations in their place which can hold up to 30 people....They will whip up savory dishes that will be laced with chocolate. There is no menu in this restaurant as the chef will only surprise you.

For more information:
RALFE GOURMET INC.
(032)266.1840
info@ralfegourmet.com
www.ralfegourmet.com

My Tagaytay adventure

Taal Volcano - photo taken from Talisay, Batangas. The lake is littered with fish pens

Part 1
 
Have you ever gone to Tagaytay by commuting?  Probably by people who live in nearby towns of Santa Rosa, Batangas, Cavite- yes...but for some one who lives further, maybe not often. The fact that there are no buses that come from long distances there except for chartered ones, and that there are mostly private vehicles jeeps and tricycles plying in Tagaytay roads I doubt that anyone from far distance could go there with just a bus ride....one has to take series of jeepney rides to reach there. At least for us we started off our journey from Pacita.

Or maybe there is a bus ride from Alabang to Tagaytay...I just don't know...coz all the people I've asked in the streets (although some don't know) gave the same direction...a series of jeep rides.

This adventure is through the prodding of my daughter. She insisted that we commute instead of drive there...sort of practice for backpacking travel. I was hesitating but what the heck life is short and why not try these things...it can't kill me anyway...

I have a love and hate phases in my life with jeepney rides. I grew up having my dad drive us to school and back and to shopping and to all places. Except for occasional taxi ride, I never rode public vehicles at that time. I never knew how to ride a jeep back then until I was in college. I remember in my first jeep ride, I was scared, as I did not know how to stop it (although not for long)...but it was liberating. Finally, I could go to places on my own. I was free from the "stable" like a horse released to the field of possibilities.

During those times, the jeeps in Cebu don't belch black smoke probably they used gasoline engines...so you don't smell any smoke while riding in it, in fact it was breezy. The jeeps there were well adorned and with stereos that blasted so loud- so appealing to the youngsters that time. We would not ride in a jeep that had no good sound system, we do not hop in the first jeep that comes, we wait and choose...so because of this the jeep owners would really jazz up their vehicles and load it with top of the line sound systems as if there's disco inside the jeep. I rode jeepney and public vehicles then with ease and pizzaz until.....

Until I got to Manila. The jeeps in Manila are like gas chambers, cranky and rickety (very rare you'd see one in tip top condition or well adorned)...When I got married, My husband Bong and I settled in one of the most populated area in Manila so it means there's jeep shortage most of the time especially peak hours. We had to chase after the jeeps in order to get home at a reasonable time of the night- gone are my choosy days. 

We barely had any property much more a car. We were still very young at our careers and a car was not in Bong's priorities and I just followed his lead until one day...

When I was pregnant with our second child ( like my first pregnancy, my babies really have a good hold onto my uterus), I was agile and flexible, I could run and chase after the jeeps and hang on to the bars while I swung myself inside the jeep while it was still moving. And maneuvered inside the cramped seat to get a space for my butt. Then I saw something that forever changed me, my direction and my thinking...I saw a woman tugging along 3 babies one on each arm and then one that is holding onto her skirt. Of course, it was a pitiful sight to see them getting in the jeep...to say that they have difficulty hopping in is an understatement....and so I vowed to myself right then and there that I shall have my own car by the time I have 3 kids. I don't want to be in the same situation as that woman. I did not wait for Bong to get in tune with my direction or align his priorities with mine....I decided to go ahead with my plan with or without him...I worked for it myself (although Bong's share of this achievement was to find the car to buy)....and so when I had the third child and before the 4th child, we got our very first car- a second hand Mitsubishi Lancer. Since then life had changed, more opportunities came, we replaced the lancer with 2 brand new adventures and a  strada (pick-up). And I have not rode a jeep in a very very very long while....

And so commuting to Tagaytay is the main event of this adventure than the exploring Tagaytay itself.

Inside the Tricycle

First, we left our car at the Car workshop at Pacita  for  some tune up while the other car was borrowed by my brother. This is also the reason why I agreed to commute to Tagaytay. We took a tricycle to go to the national highway. For those who do not know, this is one of the hazardous ride in the Philippines next to Habal-habal (a motorcycle with 3 or more passengers at one time - some behind the driver and smaller ones in front). The tricycle is just a motorcycle with a side car attached to it- with 3 to 4 passenger capacity. The passengers are very near the engine and the exhaust pipe so you'll get noise and air pollution combo.

We took a toilet stop at Shopwise complex before we headed to our next commute. At that point we still thought that there was a bus going straight to Tagaytay which would be much less uncomfortable than series of jeep rides. So we kept on looking for a bus under the sweltering heat.

 But the people we've asked said there's no bus going there- first we had to take a jeep to Balibago complex and from there ride another one to Tagaytay. Since we really couldn't find the bus nor anyone can tell us where the bus for Tagaytay is stationed, we just took their advice and went on. 

We right away found the jeep to Balibago complex,  and like my old days  I sprang myself into the jeep while it was moving scared that we'll miss it, that it will not stop to let us get in graciously. And my daughter followed suit. To only find out that it was actually going to stop  a few feet away from the corner where we waited to pick up some more passengers...haaaayyy..oh well, let's just charge it as exercise for the joints.

We sat at the innermost, behind the driver seat of the jeep. I could see my reflection on the wide rear view mirror in front of the driver and the huge side view mirror. I saw the driver and his wife (or girlfriend) glancing at me in the mirror once in a while with a tinge of smile on their faces. They were talking to each other and I noticed the driver talked in playful English.

There were some beggars getting inside the jeep..it is so amazing how the beggars are getting creative these days. One set of beggars would hop in the jeep with one handing out envelops and the other making incomprehensible sound with its improvised musical instruments. 

The driver jolted the jeep- I think he tried to get the beggars off balance...but so adept in doing their operation in a moving vehicle, their feet were like bolted on the jeep, those beggars were imperturbable. That made me blurt out a comment: "Wow"...the moment I said this the driver and his wife engaged in a conversation with me right away and since they spoke to me in English I replied back in the same language. Then they asked the question that made me say to myself "Oh! that's why" - it is the reason why we were conversing in English and the glances,  "Are you Korean?" I nonchalantly replied "I am not instead I am from Cebu". Although I find it strange  not because I've never been mistaken as such before but  because when I gave our fare I spoke in Tagalog (the local language)  to them. 

The fact that I am not Korean didn't seem to sink in right away 'coz he kept on talking to me as if I was one- he bragged that he can speak Korean and he did mumble  some words to which I said..."Dili lagi ko kasabot" (translation: " Truly I cannot understand that"). My daughter was giggling beside me...she was amused by how the guys were insisting. Then he finally accepted the fact....he still made nice comments that Cebuanos are really beautiful and rich people...hahaha...what a compliment but I replied  "Thanks but I will not give a tip for that". From then on our conversation flowed which was good to pass the time and get my mind off the smoke, heat, uncomfortable seats and  the long travel. 

Then still in the same journey, another beggar came in, this time with a different operandi. The young lad with big rosary hung around his neck came  bowed down and wiping each passengers feet with a very filthy rag as if mimicking Jesus' washing of the feet of his disciples. This kind of strategy is appealing to the deeply Catholic devoted populace in the Philippines and indeed it worked on a lot of the passengers. I, on the other hand gave my opinion of the matter that when we give to them, they will be begging forever, we become an accomplice to their poverty forever, we condone and support for their being poor and so I believe that we sin more by doing this. The driver and his wife strongly agreed with me (I hope they were not just agreeing to anything I say because they were star struck) and we talked about it so lengthily that he almost missed our stop.  The driver suddenly stop for us to get down - it was sudden enough that the jeep behind although was able to break on time got mad that he honked his car horn so loud when we got off the jeep. It got me surprised but not too irritated. However, when I looked back I saw our driver and the driver behind having some exchange of heated words- apparently our driver was concerned of what happened...we just waved goodbye and went on our way...

 The jeepney terminal to Tagaytay was still a few meters walk from the corner we were dropped off. It was dusty and hot...I tried to ignore it by saying- this is part of the adventure...but I wished I just brought along a big scarf....well this is one lesson. When going on a backpacking trip must bring scarf and anything to protect oneself from sun and rain- good thing it didn't rain coz we did not bring any umbrella.

It took us 3 stop-and-ask before we reached the station. It was behind the wet market which we had to cross. 

Good thing that when we got there the jeep was almost full (waiting for 3 more passengers) so we did not wait for long for it to leave the terminal. 

When we boarded the jeep, I saw people already sweating and looking morose probably due to the long wait....so Karla and myself was their savior, sort of.

We were seated in the mid section of the jeep, I dozed off and woke up several times, moved around as passengers get on and off. 'Til we arrived groggy and baffled as where to go next. We saw 7/11 up ahead so that was our first stop at Tagaytay.

We took out or snacks from the backpack and bought the cold Gatorade drink from 7/11. While we were eating, I noticed a strange vehicle stopping in front of the convenience store. Then  a guy in Barong Tagalog came out. He looked like one of those secret agents that didn't seemed to be secret anymore because of the way they look, move and dress- stereotype.

The guy in Barong who went inside the store to buy a pack of ice cubes and a box of tissue was happy to tell us that that limo is the only one in the Philippines and openly discloses that  a VIP is inside it when I probed him about it....yeah! that's the secret agent who's not too secretive....and even allowed me to take photos and gestured to take the photo for me and my daughter which I declined. After all Karla hardly wanted to be photographed anyway.

They left and we decided to leave too...but dazed and confused as to where to go. Karla and I were discussing about it when a tricycle driver waved at us and offered the ride to a place which he described vaguely as just " down there" and "place you can swim" and "place you can eat" and "place where tourists go".  Reluctant 'coz it deviated from our plan to just explore Tagaytay on foot (at least in most part of it)....but not knowing where to exactly go, this offer could be better option to explore Tagaytay than to wander aimlessly. And so I replied to him in Tagalog and telling him to stop speaking English to us. I adamantly told him that we were not tourists so not to charge us exorbitantly. And that took him aback as he really thought we were Malaysians....huh another nationality this time...I am beginning to think this could be just a modus to make the locals feel obliged to pay more.

Part 2

Not knowing where to go made us yield to the persistence of the tricycle driver although we ended up with more riding than walking as we've originally planned, but it wasn't totally a bad idea. The way to our destination was perilous which adds the thrill to our adventure- with some minor landslides but we were treated to some sighting of exotic blue birds, jungle ambiance and a fabulous view of the lake and the volcano.  It was a  very long ride, that there was a point that I got scared and had horrible thoughts -like kidnapping and such...I kept on asking if we were near already. There was no other motorists plying the road that made me scared and wondered where we're going.

Then we finally reached a town - lots of people and traffic....and I said "What? where did all these people come from" I was just perplexed how its commerce is carried out when there was no trucks, cars, people going in and out thru that road we came in.

The tricycle stopped inside a garage of what seemed to be a house, which made me more concerned and scared...coz why were we in a house and not in a restaurant...the thought of kidnapping again surfaced on my mind...but the driver explained that it was a private resort with a restaurant and boat for hire at the back of the house. And so we had our lunch, nothing fancy delicious nonetheless.

 

 

To be continued