TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE REGION THIS MONTH
We love… Bangkok
SHOPPING, EATING, SUNNING, PLAYING, GETTING WET — THERE’S EVERYTHING TO DO IN THE SUMMER IN BANGKOK
HOW TO GET THERE:
Daily flights from Manila mean there’s no excuse not to check out some splendiferous shopping and dining options.
WHERE TO STAY:
Don’t miss a magical nighttime experience at Dream hotel (pictured above), the first Asian branch of this New York hotel created by entrepreneur Vikram Chatwal.
Located at 10 Sukhumvit Soi 15, Dream (www.dreambk.com) creates the perfect ambience for rest, with blended blues and purples, and a floating, weightless feel. The huge lobby is furnished with deep sofas, giant stone water fountains and midnight carpets.
The serene environment continues into the rooms, which are dominated by giant plasma TV screens and the beds seem to hover in the center of the room. Their “Blue Therapy Light” is sure to put you to slumber.
Flava is their restaurant and bar, where mosaic tiles, clever use of color and vertical stripes continue the state of altered perceptions. Finally, check out Avatar spa, a haven for rejuvenation.
New to the hotel scene is Siam@Siam, one of the city’s newest hot spots. Four-star luxury gets a fully modern edge here as the hotel’s rusty tones update traditional Thai style.
There’s the 865 Party House restaurant; the spa; the roof terrace with infinity pool; and the boutique rooms. Visit www.siamatsiam.com or just turn up for the views: 865 Rama 1 Road, Wang Mai, Patumwan, Bangkok 10330, tel +66 (2) 217-3000.
WHAT TO DO:
Look out for Songkran on 13 April! What once was a gentle sprinkle of water to symbolize the coming of a new season, has now become allout street water-fare (right)! If you leave your room, you will get wet. Get into it and have fun.
You can’t say you’ve been to Bangkok until you’ve seen Katoey cabaret. The city’s most glamorous lady boys assemble on stage to perform spectacular gender-bending shows.
WHERE TO BUY:
Shopping is world famous here. Pick up a bargain or two at Chatuchak (Kampaengpet Road) weekend market or Gaysorn Plaza (999 Ploenchit Road, tel +66 (2) 656-1929), for the other extreme.
WHAT TO EAT:
The eating options are some of the best around the globe. Street food comes in all shapes and sizes — Soi Convent and Samsen Road Soi 2 are among the best for variety — or for upmarket riverside dining, try Supatra River House, a tourist-oriented venue completed with Thai traditional dances.
FIRST: Erythromycin is an antibiotic used around the world to treat bacterial infections. It was created by Filipino scientist Abelardo Aguilar.
concerts and events
BANGKOK
ASIAN DIVE EXPO — 27-29 APRIL
Catch ADEX, the diving industry’s biggest Asian festival at the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Center. This year, it’s joined forces with Boat Thai 2007 to deliver a double-whammy of water possibilities.
Closer to home, the Philippines diving is some of the best, and most undiscovered, in the world. See our feature on page 38 for diving in Puerto Princesa.
For more information on the trade fair, visit www.asiadiveexpo.com.
SINGAPORE
PHANTOM FRENZY — UNTIL 13 MAY
Watch one of the world’s most loved musicals, Phantom of the Opera. Sing with the “Angel of Music”, speed along underground rivers and listen to the “Music of the Night” at the Esplanade Theater. Tickets start at S$70 (PHP2,250) from www.sistic.com.
MANILA
ART JAM — 24 APRIL-5 MAY
The Cultural Center of the Philippines is holding its summer arts workshop and festival. Activities include classes and courses in dance, theatre, music and visual arts. Events such as the Animation Workshop for Children (for ages 11-16) cost PHP3,000. There are “Meet the Playwright” sessions, acting courses for those 17 years and above, stage management training, directing, script analyses and much more!
For more information, call CCP Theater Arts Division, tel +83 (2) 1125 1600/1607/1611.
SINGAPORE
DINING DELIGHTS AT THE WORLD GOURMET SUMMIT — 9-28 APRIL
Singapore is hosting the World Gourmet Summit. It’s an appropriate venue, considering Singaporean’s love of food: there is a hawker stand to be found on almost every corner.
There are visiting chefs, celebrities and special guests to train, teach and entertain. Check out the activities on www.worldgourmetsummit.com or call tel +65 6270-1254.
Some events are free; some require you to register in advance. If you can’t make it to the Summit, plenty of restaurants will be showcasing special menus. Dolce Vita at the Mandarin presents exciting French cuisine by double-Michelin-starred chef Alain Llorca from 10-14 April. For more details, visit www.mandarinoriental.com.
JAKARTA
CHARLOTTE’S WEB — UNTIL 24 APRIL
Memorize some handy verses from Good Charlotte’s new album Good Morning Revival and you’re set to go to the Jakarta leg of this multi-platinum’s band concert tour:
If you want to keep a girl for as long as you live/Just break apart her heart (Break her Heart)/You carry Dior bags/And you got your Chanel/You wear Louis Vuitton, HG, and YSL/Now 
I got what you need (Keep Your Hands Off My Girl).
Held at Jakarta’s Tennis Indoor Senayan. Book tickets at www.javamusikindo.com.
HONGKONG
BURN THE FLOOR! — 4-6 MAY
The dance phenomenon takes place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center in May this year. Having toured 32 countries, it boasts fans such as Tom Cruise, Stephen Spielberg and Liza Minelli. Ballroom and Latin dancing are combined with spectacular costumes, music and a blast of passion. Get tickets online at www.hongkongticketing.com, tel +852 2989 9239
SINGAPORE
OLIVIA NEWTON JOHN — 27 APRIL
The original Sandra Dee, and still the best. Olivia Newton John heads to Singapore Indoor Stadium for her first ever concert. It’s her back to basics tour featuring all her hits. Book your tickets and your flight, and see this international diva strut her stuff.
Tickets available at www.sistic.com.
JAKARTA
FOR LOVE OR MONEY — 20-25 APRIL
When you do what you love passionately, it’s not hard to make a living out of it. So proves the For Love and Money exhibition run by the British Council, featuring 25 contemporary designs. The exhibition features Jamie Hewlett, co-creator of the band Gorillaz and will be held at Senayan City as part of the world tour in Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. www.britishcouncil.or.id
MANILA
HERE’S TO MICHELANGELO — 1-31 APRIL
Rome-based Filpino artist, Tomas Concepcion pays homage to Michelangelo at Galleria Duemila, 210 Loring Street, 1300 Pasay City. Tel (2) 831-9990
SINGAPORE
GALERIE JOAQUIN — 1-31 APRIL
The first official Filipino gallery outside the Philippines is open in Singapore!! They are holding a special exhibition for the works of Carlo Magno, who has previously had pieces auctioned at Sothebys. Their usual exhibition features quality art pieces from the best artists in the region. G/F The Regent Hotel, One Cuscaden Road, Singapore.
MANILA
5 REASONS TO CELEBRATE SECRETARIES’ WEEK… 16-20 AND 23-27 APRIL
Okay, it’s longer than a week, but during Secretaries’ Week, there’s no excuse not to spoil those people who make life easier. If you’re a secretary: Congratulations on a job well done. If you’re a boss: time to say so in one of these ways…
1. Buy office chocolates
2. Take your secretary for a long lunch break
3. Make your secretary coffee for a week — not the other way round
4. Have an appraisal — let your secretary tell you how YOU’RE doing
5. How about an early reprieve? There are few better phrases than: “It’s quiet this afternoon. Want to leave early?”
BOONDOCKS! BOONDOCKS!:
Now part of the English language, the word “boondocks,” comes from the Tagalog “bundok” to mean “mountain”.
10 REASONS TO CELEBRATE SUMMER!
1 BASKETBALL SEASON
April 16-23 sees the 5th Asian Basketball Championships held in Daet, Camarines Norte. Watch teams from Asia compete, including the maiden staging of the Bagasbas Concert by the sea, featuring local bands. Call (917) 810-5585 or email aubc5th@yahoo.com for more information.
2 HOLIDAY SEASON
Start planning your trips for the rest of the year!
• Holy Week Easter Monday falls on Bataan Day (9 April, Monday) so take off 2nd, 3rd and 4th and you can be off from 1st to 10th!
• Labor Day Holiday is on 1 May, Tuesday. Take leave on 30 April and enjoy a long weekend.
• Independence Day Long Weekend runs from 9-11 June, Saturday to Monday.
• Ninoy Aquino Holiday falls on 21 August, Tuesday. Holiday on 20th and take a long weekend.
• Halloween means another four-day break, from 1-2 November, a Thursday to Friday holiday!
3 SCHOOL’S OUT!
Kids can escape from the pressures of school work and enjoy just being kids again. Keep them entertained at a theme park, zoo or beach. Paint eggs for Easter or let them melt milk-chocolate in a pan and spread over fresh fruit for healthy snacks.
4 LOVE ON THE UP!
Research has proven that people are more likely to fall in love during summer. Meet new people by holding barbeques, checking out new hotspots – try Martini’s at the Mandarin Oriental – or hitting the beach for some summer romance.
5 MAKE LIKE A CELEBRITY
Hang out with the movers and shakers in the Philippines. Embassy at the Fort, Mezze at Greenbelt, Citrus at Glorietta 2 and Dish at the EL5 Centre are all good places for star spotting.
6 COOL MUSIC
Listen to the coolest summer hits. The new CD, Non Toxic, from young breakout band the Craeons is out now; Lea Salonga has a new album of personal favorites entitled Inspired and our very own Philippine Idol, Mau Marceol’s CD On My Own is in stores now, featuring her versions of “Love Takes Time”, and “Try It On My Own”.
7 SUMMER BEAUTY
Try homemade treatments. For exfoliating, use olive oil mixed with sugar. Cranberry juice applied to the hair can enhance red colors. Porridge with honey is a good facial moisturizer and the old teabag-on-eyes trick never fails to pep up peepers.
8 GARDEN STADIUM
Set up your TV outdoors and get your friends together to watch basketball, concerts or a Desperate Housewives marathon.
9 A NEW SUMMER WARDROBE
Treat yourself to some new togs for all those holidays. Check out our fabulous fashions for some inspiration and hit your favorite malls.
10 BE TAN-TASTIC
It’s the best time of the year to soak up some rays — safely, of course. Don’t forget to slap on sunblock with factor 30 at all times and never sit in the blazing sun at noon!
real fashion
WILLY SAW TAKES TO THE STREETS TO CHECK OUT WHAT YOU’RE WEARING!
 Vivienne Hugo, Campaign Planning Specialist from Avon, embraces one of summer’s hottest trends in a Zara dress (Powerplant Mall, Rockwell, PHP1,300); and patent heels (Celine at Glorietta (PHP1,300). |  Laica Turingan, Account Director, is fully romantic in cowl-neck top (Chatuchak, Bangkok, 100 baht); flowy chiffon-style skirt (Ukay Ukay, PHP200); and shoes (shoobeedoo). |
 Student Katrina Rothwell goes street-sporty with knee-length denim (Mango); very retro white trainers (Lacoste); and Union Jack belt. Shirt (Zara); bag (Gucci); watch (Guess). |  It’s hot ’80s fever for Bernice Angeles, Corporate Communications Assistant for BMW, as she dons a pair of skin-tight jeans (Must Have, PHP1,000), shirt (Greenhills PHP100) and high heels in a monochrome look. |
 Actress Maricar de Mesa funks up a glam outfit with shorts (Zara PHP2,000). Top (Mango PHP3,000); shoes (Zara PHP 5,700); and a necklace (from the States, US$110). |  Student Steph Azarce looks pretty in polkadots. Dress (Greenhills tiangge, PHP450); slippers (Greenhills, PHP150) and necklace (Greenhills). |
 Student Kat Maceda gets an ’80s twist on a casual look. Note sparkly belt and Madonna-style bangles and cross. Sleeveless top (Roxy from the States); jeans (Hong Kong); shoes and bag (Liz Clairborne); belt (from her aunt); and vintage shades. |  Executive assistant to the President of BMW in the Philippines, Romina Nanagas keeps it light for a casual sportstar and ’80s vibe. Top and skirt (Landmark PHP120/ 500); slippers (Rustan’s, PHP480). |
 Marketing Officer Sharlyn Kaw looks bright and sweet in dress (Forever 21, PHP1,500); bag (Tyler, PHP2,000); antique necklace; belt (Stamped); and shoes (Janylyn). |  Make-up artist Carmen Reyes rocks out in an ’80s-style T-shirt with denim mini (People are People, PHP399); an heirloom necklace; a bracelet (Egyptian Stone, PHP99); and bag (Greenhills tiangge). |
FIRST: We were the first Asian country to win five major international beauty awards: two Miss Universes and three Miss Internationals!
gadgets
| Nokia N5300 Get the musical vibe going with Nokia’s 5300 XpressMusic phone. Dedicated music keys play/pause, forward and rewind, so you can select your groove without skipping a beat. 2GBs of memory store 1,500 tracks. Price: PHP14,990 Where: Nokia Store DX and Nokia Store Greenbelt |  |
| iPod Shuffle 2nd Generation Apple has created a second generation iPod Shuffle. Only slightly bigger than a US quarter, this device packs 1GB of storage space for up to 250 songs! Price: PHP5,390 Where: Apple stores nationwide |  |
| Sony Ericsson Z610i A hidden mirror effect makes the external display visible only when the Z610i is lit up. Along with a two-megapixel camera, listen to music as you answer emails. Price: PHP17,690 Where: All Sony Ericsson concept shops at Glorietta and Greenbelt |  |
| Nintendo DS Lite With bright dual screens and touch-screen technology, connect wirelessly to Nintendo Wi-fi Connection and put your skills to the test against players around the world. Price: PHP9,990 Where: Department stores and electronics stores nationwide |  |
Beauty Box
| Pharmacopia Lavender Hand Cream This luxurious hand cream contains French lavender and Roman chamomile essential oils. Price: PHP895 Where: All Beauty Bar Stores nationwide |  |
| Pond’s Age Miracle Cream Pond’s Age Miracle gives results you can see in a week. It contains radiance particles and reflectors to “play” with light, instantly giving wrinkled skin the appearance of soft, smooth, even-toned, fine and radiant skin. Age becomes a secret that your skin will never give away. Price: PHP399 for 30ml and PHP599 for 50ml Where: All leading department stores and personal care stores |  |
| Decleor Aromessence Contour Balm A slimming treatment for shaping the body that contains natural essential oils to even out orange-peel skin. Price: PHP3350 Where: Marionnaud, SM Mall of Asia |  |
| Shiseido Bio Performance Super Exfoliating Discs Formulated with Bio-Exfoliderm, including yeast and rice bran to soften skin and promote natural cell exfoliation. The dual-sided disc provides gentle and effective micro-dermabrasion to visibly minimize the appearance of fine lines and pores. Price: PHP5,298 for eight discs Where: Shiseido Gateway Mall, Glorietta 4 and Power Plant Mall |  |
| T.LeClerc Pressed Powder in Banane Fine rice powder captures light and blends uneven skin tones for a naturally radiant finish, to help you look instantly flawless. Price: PHP1,450 Where: Rustan’s Essenses Makati, Shangri-La |  |
new openings
FASHION TRENDS!
1. How should a girl wear her hair this summer?
Big! Go for curls or bed hair à la Tina Turner. Your big ’do will definitely be a traffic-stopper.
2. Are up ’dos or down ’dos the way forward?
Girls, put your hair up and have fun accessorising!
3. Who are the hair icons who get it right?
Cameron Diaz always carries a classy look that is very natural. The great thing is that the hairstyle not only looks gorgeous, but it can be done easily too. Jessica Alba also wears her hair in a sexy and feminine way.
4. What’s the best way to do accessories?
Simple is the way to go. A simple clip or bobby pin with basic design/rhinestones so that it doesn’t distort the natural look of the hair itself. Accessories should only be used to accentuate the wearer’s hairstyle.
5. Who is your biggest inspiration?
Denise Keller — she looks fabulous every time.
6. What’s the best color for black Asian hair?
For a natural look, try not to deviate from your original hair colour. If you must, choose something which is not more than two shades lighter than your natural hair.
Owner of new branch of SHS Hair Studio, Gary Soh styles some of Singapore’s hottest heads including MTV VJ Denise Keller. SHS Hair Studio, The Central @ 6 Eu Tong Sen Street, #04-48/49. Tel +65 6334-6860, email sohhair@starhub.net.sg.
SPA INSPIRATION
The Mandarin Oriental in Makati has revamped their luxury spa. Inspired by Thailand’s sensuous treatments and style, The Spa has individual treatments or Time Rituals™ that have proved so successful in The Landmark Oriental in Hong Kong. You block a section of time and with the therapist, work out the best treatments for you on the spot.
Open daily from 9-1am. Makati Avenue, Makati City 1226, Metro Manila. Tel (2) 750-0968/8888 ext 1901/1902 or email momnl-spa@mohg.com
trend watch
REFRESH YOUR SUMMER FASHION PALETTE BY EXPERIMENTING WITH SIX HOT RUNWAY TRENDS
DRESS IT UP
Say sayonara to separates and surrender yourself to this season’s strongest staple: the dress. Taking the pain out of the everyday ritual of having to pair the perfect top and bottom, the humble frock is the new no-brainer, best friend of the sophisticated gal who likes to make life simple. Hitting mid-thigh and in a myriad of colours and confections, this season’s incarnations are fun, flirty and most importantly, fabulous.
From left: cool at Chanel; Burberry Prorsum’s textured yellow; girlie at Fendi; Chloe goes Mini Mouse; Brittany Murphy is dressed to impress; casual elegance from Diane Von Furstenberg; green with envy for Emilio Pucci.
JUMP TO IT
Previously the preserve of parachutists, jumpsuits and their “morphed-into” shortie cousins are once again the fodder of fashion editors! The all-in-one is in girl-world, a super-cute way to look trendy! Opt for a skinny-fit, cigarette-legged style to look sexy or a roomy short-legged option to look very casually cool. The more adventurous may want to experiment with the super-short, kitschy versions that have been seen blazing a trail down many of the spring/summer runways.
From left: Just Cavelli at the Link; Mossy leads the pack; buttoned at French Connection; white and sassy short at Top Shop; Emilio Pucci at the Link; Versace.
’80S FLASHBACK
Think Madonna, Boy George and Pretty Woman to get a feel of what modern day ’80s fashion is all about. The decade taste forgot has been resurrected and now, it’s bigger and better than ever. Play out your ’80s fashion fantasies and cut a cool silhouette in cropped boxy jackets, bandage-like tiny mini-dresses, and to top it all off, the prerequisite wide-cut belt and leggings, the latter of which are now hotter than ever, especially when saturated in summer’s electrifying new hues.
From left: Winkle picker brogues in ’80s monochrome at River Island; Diane von Furstenberg keeps the trend business-like.
THE NEW ROMANTICS
Love is indeed in the air, or at least on the runway, as the designers pay homage to all things sweet this season. Feminine frills are the detail du jour, and soft silky layers of satin and chiffon have been seen sashaying through a multitude of different collections.
Simple twists of voile and tulle add some drama, while full blooms adorn hair-ornaments and playful accessories. Colorwise, anything light and airy goes. Pick from chalk-whites to pastel hues for inspiration.
From left: Rinko Kikuchi is romance personified; Bai Ling is pretty in pink; mellow yellow at River Island; pleats at Louis Vuitton; LV’s mix ’n’ match.
SPORTS STAR
Show some team spirit and be the first to cross the finishing line in fashion’s new kit. Top designers have taken the latest techno fabrics available and worked them into an amazing array of cool-yet-casual pieces, with the occasional flash of neon; or made street-smart with über-cool detail. So what are you waiting for?
On your marks, get set, go!
From left: Fergie sports the trend; cropped at Fendi; go-faster-stripes and sporty platform pumps at Chanel.
FUTURE VISION
Transform yourself into a modern-day Barbarella and dress up droid-style, as cyber-couture is set to storm the wardrobes of every trend-setting fashionista on the planet.
High-shine fabrics and sculpted metal point to a radical new design direction, which has really opened the doors to a futuristic world of space-age fashion.
While some pieces look better on the runway, parts of this trend can easily be adapted to a user-friendly look which is suitable for running around town.
From left: a shimmery Carmen Electra; Versace makes like a mermaid; Fendi rings it on; sparkly sleek at Fendi; Versace’s platforms.
TIP
Any gleaming fabric can beam you up on this trend!
7 filipino ways to use an egg
Just in time for Easter, Maida C. Pineda reports on the Pinoy’s eggsential ingredient and discovers that the modest little egg has found its way into all aspects of our culture
BONKERS FOR BALUT
To most foreigners, the thought of eating a fetus is quite disturbing. Eating balut has even been used as a challenge in reality TV shows like Fear Factor. But for Filipinos, eating the duck’s male embryo is somewhat of an art.
Food writer Doreen Fernandez describes the balut as “a fertilized duck’s egg, boiled, and eaten by cracking the wide end, making a hole, sprinkling in a little salt, sipping the broth, and then cracking the whole shell open to savor the red yolk and the tiny chick inside.”
Chicken or duck eggs usually take about 28 days to hatch. In the case of balut, the egg is checked between 14-18 days old by placing it over a candle to light up one side in order to determine the chick’s development. If it is deemed sufficiently grown, the eggs are hard-boiled, then ready for eating.
For most Filipinos, the perfect balut is at 17 days, when the chick is still wrapped in white and does not show beak or feathers. This delicacy is known as Balut sa Puti.
Where can you find this? Pateros town is known for producing balut, as duck-raising has been their major livelihood since the early 19th century. But it is peddled throughout the country. Listen out for the night-time call of the male vendor, in a low modulated voice, “BA-LU-UUUUT!”
While this delicacy is also sold during the day, it is most popular at night, as a pulutan to accompany rounds of beer and gin. It is often eaten with rock salt or sprinkled with spicy vinegar. Balut is believed to be an aphrodisiac, or to have invigorating powers, but there is no clear proof to this. If anything, perhaps the camaraderie, alcohol, and eating several chicks makes the Filipino male feel very macho.
While there are no exact dates known as to when the balut was first made, it has been documented to be quite popular with the Chinese Mestizos as early as the 1790s.
PURE EGGS FOR A CLEAR DAY
Eggs play a crucial role on special occasions in the Philippines. At parties or important celebrations, a dozen eggs are offered to the Convent of Santa Clara to ensure that it will not rain during the special 
event.
It is unclear why eggs are the offering for this particular saint. Perhaps it is a pun on the purity of egg whites, as the name “Santa Clara” means unadulterated and clear, and the request is for a clear, fair-weather day.
It is not documented when this practice began, but the oldest monastery in honor of Santa Clara dates back to August 5, 1721 in Intramuros.
The Convent is now located in Quezon City, with enterprising vendors selling egg offerings outside. The nuns who receive all the eggs give them to different foundations, while some are exchanged for goods needed by the convent.
MORNING CALL
In many countries, breakfast is never complete without eggs. In the Philippines, the egg is often fried, and eaten with garlic fried rice and a meat or fish viand.
“Tapsilog” pertains to tapa (dried meat), sinangag (garlic rice), and itlog (fried egg). Other favorites like tocino (sweet Pork) and longaniza (pork sausage) are served with the mandatory fried egg and garlic rice.
Innovative Filipinos may serve spam (luncheon meat), corned beef or the previous night’s leftovers, depending on what is available.
The fried egg is placed over the rice, and broken with a fork and spoon until the rice grains take on the yellow color of the yolk. A saucer of vinegar or sawsawan (condiment) is used to add zing to the meat before spooning a piece of it with the rice.
BINDING BUILDINGS
Few people know that the humble egg is essential in the spread of the Catholic faith around the Philippines, thanks to the use of the egg for the construction of churches during Spanish colonization from the 16th to 19th century.
In the absence of cement, a mixture of lime, sand, egg whites, molasses and plants were used as a binding mixture applied to church walls.
With so many egg whites required for the purpose of construction, the Filipino women had many egg yolks on their hands. Never wanting to see good food go to waste, they developed creative recipes to use the egg yolks to make rich desserts such as Leche Flan, Yema, Tocino del Cielo, and Brazo de Mercedes.
EGGS INSIDE
The usual home-cooked dish, Nilagang Manok, is elevated to an extra special status when the native mother chicken is cooked with unlaid eggs. Similarly, in the marketplace, Itlogan refers to the fish bursting with the prized tasty roe.
TRAVEL COMPANION
Pop your head out of the window when your bus stops in a town and you are bound to find vendors selling hard-boiled eggs of all shapes and sizes. There are large chicken eggs and smaller quail eggs. Trust the enterprising Pinoy to come up with variations in its appearance.
Kwek-kwek is a hard-boiled quail egg which is deep-fried in an orange batter. It is crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, and must always be eaten hot, with a few drops of spicy vinegar.
SALTY SPECIALITY
Itlog na maalat or salted eggs were made in Pasig and exported to China in the 1800s. Today, Itlog na maalat are dipped in a red dye to differentiate them from regular chicken eggs. Slivers of this salted duck egg make the humble bibingka (rice cake) extra special and very tasty.
Itlog na maalat are produced by soaking the duck eggs in a salt solution for 10 to 14 days. Then the hard-boiled eggs are sliced and mixed with tomatoes, onions, mangoes and eggplants for a fresh savory salad to accompany grilled Tilapia, fried Bangus, Tuyo, Tinapa, or any fish.
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