I ONCE VISITED AMAZING CONES in Hemady, Quezon City, and was bewildered by the wide array of offerings.

I was so proud of its owners, who happen to be friends, after discovering that their company has franchises abroad.

A Filipino idea, a food chain overseas, is welcome change.

I told J.O. Oñate and son Francis (the tandem who had the brilliant idea of twisting pizza crusts into cones) I?d definitely call them, and said, almost in jest, that they should be ready to do catering.

Two weeks ago, when I did call, they were indeed up to the challenge.

And they turned out to be perfect caterers for summer.

It was a treat to see adults have so much fun comparing notes and suggesting which cone they must try next. Somehow it made them seem like kids again.

And what about the kids? They remained busy nibbling on their cones, slush and ice cream.

What Amazing Cones provides are choices -- 16 flavors, either ?savory? or ?sweet.? Trying to decide which to try first could be stressful.

?Savories? -- as they call these -- include Ragin? Buffalo (grilled chicken with buffalo sauce), Feisty Fajita, Sausage Rampage, Pepperazzi, Supremo Italiano, Everything But the Sink (everything on it), Screaming Garlic, Hula Ham, Hook, Line and Sinker (tuna), Barbecue Chicken, and Taco Wacko.

?Sweets? include Adam?s Apple (French apple pie pizza), Beri Blue (blueberry cheesecake), Black and White (molten chocolate cake with marshmallows), Crème de la crème (crème brûlée) and Gone Bananas!

Kool Twist Cones

Gone bananas, indeed, because with their catering package comes fancy soft-serve ice cream. Yes, they bring their ice cream machine along.

You must decide if you want to have the machine for the 12-flavor Kool Twist (ice cream flavored with syrups, or the other which they call the Crunchi Crème), which is soft-serve ice cream blended with your favorite candies and cookies -- Oreo, Reese?s peanut butter, M&M?s, etc. -- served in regular or Belgian cones or in a cup.

Their slush machine offers four flavors: Maiz Con Hielo, Buko Lychee, Buko Pandan and Halo-halo.

For a minimum of P10,000, you get all these treats displayed and dispensed from their booth, which they set up a day before. (They have their own electrician.)

They can even throw in spaghetti as part of the package -- for long life.

Their food is served at proper temperature. The pizza cones are baked just as you ask for them.

That day, I was never afraid I might run out of food. The food was good for around 60 people, but could serve 80.

At roughly P150 per head, plus the total experience they bring, the genuine Ilocana in me says: What more could I ask for?

Gourmet Canapé Cones

Guests with hoity-toity tastes can try Amazing?s gourmet canapés: Crabstick with Mango, Smoked Salmon with Dill Cream Cheese and Caviar, Poached Shrimp in Coconut Cream Sauce with Cilantro and Pomelo, Tomato and Buffalo Mozzarella, Sun Dried Tomato Cream with Crispy Bacon Leaf, Parma Ham and Arugula, Spanish Risotto with Chorizo and Mandarin Orange, Buffalo Chicken with Blue Cheese and Celery Sticks, and Vegetable Sticks with Dip.

They have an exciting twist -- diverse textures and flavors in one cone.
Amazing Cones is at 11 Hemady Street, New Manila, QC. Tel. (+632) 7240462 and 7218338. Visit www.amazingcones.com.

New dishes

I am cooking Thai Seafood, Cheese ?09 Recipes, Gourmet Filipino and Vietnamese this week.

I am also about to begin my Gourmet Cocinera Series for beginners and household cooks.

Another Culinary Trip to Pampanga is in April with food historian Lilian Borromeo and culture and history professor Francis Musni as guides. I will teach ancient Pampanggo recipes and ancient cooking techniques.

For inquiries, call 9289296/9273008 (look for Jane); 6474744/0908-2372346 (look for Jhem).

E-mail raspiras@inquirer.com.ph.