MANILA, Philippines?Royce is opening a store at Rockwell in November.

The Manila flagship store will carry more than 20 types of Royce?s chocolates. Aside from their namas, they will be selling the complete Royce line from Potato Chip Chocolate, Black Sugar Chocolate, Batons and their cookies. Their cakes are only sold in Japan.

Advance corporate orders or bulk orders for Christmas will be accepted starting Oct. 10. E-mail roycemanila@gmail.com for inquiries.

Congratulations to Cecile Ang not only for the Royce store but also for the opening of Astralis Restaurant by Diamond Hotel.

For the holiday season, they will take orders for delivery, including my favorite gravlax served with apple compote! If you haven?t tried this, you must! They cater, too! Hassle-free entertaining! (Power Plant Mall, Lopez Drive, 7032622)

Pink Kitchen

There is so much goodness in the world to go around. We?ve proven that last year when Pink Kitchen hosted the biggest food sale Manila had ever seen. It featured the country?s top chefs and cooks, all extending themselves for a good cause.

This year, the event is back with a vengeance! As chairwomen Beth Romualdez and Bettina Osmeña put it, ?It is the same yummy event you enjoyed so much last year. This time, it is even better, yummier, with more new food items to choose from. We have gathered almost 50 chefs and caterers.?

?Aside from that, we have again twisted the arms of seasonal cooks whose specialties are served only in their homes, like Wynn Wynn Ong, Mona Bishier Valdez and Mariko Jacinto, to name a few. They are cooking Burmese, Indonesian and Japanese food, respectively.?

The organizing committee headed by Kara Alikpala, president of ICanServe, have put all their efforts for a common goal: to raise funds for the benefit of the underserved women with breast cancer. ?Our thrust, of course, is early detection and that is why ICanServe has launched projects like Ating Dibdibin (the first community-based screening program in Marikina) and Silver Linings which was recently held in Cebu.? All these are done to ?increase awareness, fight ignorance and fear among women with cancer,? says Romualdez.

To give you a taste of what?s in store, here?s Mariko Jacinto?s Hiyashi Chuka (Japanese Summer Salad with Egg Noodles, Ham and Assorted Vegetables). This is usually served during summer in Japan. A personal favorite of hers because it is so healthy!

Mark the date! Oct. 18 and 19 at Rockwell Tent. For tickets, call Beth or Via at 0929-8482918.

Sesame flavor dressing

? c water
4 tbsp sugar
8 tbsp soy sauce
4 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp ground sesame seeds
1 tsp sesame oil

1 (6 ounce) package fresh Chinese egg noodles, boiled and cooled (chuka soba that look like Ramen noodles available in Japanese stores)

Choose toppings
as many as you like
thin strips of fried egg, in an omelette
thin strips ham or poached chicken breast or pork asado
julienned cucumber
julienned carrot
bean sprouts
sliced tomato
pickled ginger (beni shoga, in little strips)

All ingredients should be as cold as possible for maximum body-chilling benefit.
Divide chilled noodles among serving plates.
Add toppings of your choice.
My personal favorites are ham, omelette, cucumber, carrot, bean sprouts, tomatoes and ginger.
Add dressing of your choice just before eating. You can add ?Karashi,? yellow wasabi that tastes like English mustard.

Liempo in Patis Glaze

Hello, chef! Is there anything else that I could do with liempo aside from the usual binabad sa toyo at bawang with a little sugar? Asian style preferably and grilled pa rin. My sister and I are celebrating our birthday together and it?s nice to serve something different, pulutan with ice-cold beer.

This is my recipe for Liempo in Patis Glaze! Enjoy and happy birthday!
1 k liempo
1/3 c garlic paste
? c beer
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tbsp achuete oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp chopped chili, or to taste, optional
Combine ingredients and marinate liempo preferably overnight.
Grill over coal.
When almost cooked, brush with glaze.
Use remaining glaze as dipping sauce.

Glaze
1/3 c Thai fish sauce
1/3 c palm sugar (available at Lolita?s Farmers) or brown sugar
2 tbsp kalamansi, or to taste
chili, optional
1 tsp freshly cracked pepper
Combine fish sauce and sugar in a saucepan.
Cook until slightly thickened.
Add kalamansi, chili and pepper off the fire.

Watch out for my Gourmet Cocinera Holiday Series designed for beginners and household cooks. For cooking class schedules and inquiries, call 9289296, 9273008, 0908-2372346.

E-mail the author at raspiras@inquirer.com.ph