The Chicken Has Landed at Manila Masters

The Manila Masters has been eagerly awaited by the gaming fans and serious professional gamers in the country. Millenials I suppose comprise most of it and if you don't know what the tournament is for, let me give you a short lesson.

Have you heard of DOTA? It's a network game called Defense of the Ancients. Players can choose characters to strategically beat other ones in a map using their different abilities. They've got magic i.e. Fire Breathing Dragons, Ghost Ships, Meteor Showers, and other things that could end a civilization. They pit against each other via teams and experts around the world converge here in Manila to get the prize pot of $ 250,000. Yes that's not in pesos, but in US Dollars. So you can only expect serious stuff happen at the Mall of Asia Arena and this is one leg of a BIG tournament. 

The teams I was rooting for didn't win early on and the Philippines had entries this year but they didn't make the cut. Teams from Europe, the US and Asia all tried their best but only Evil Geniuses got this leg in the Philippines. They did good, really good that I think the others weren't much of a challenge.

Bounty Fresh thought the games were the opportune time to actually give the gamers a treat by bringing in the Sexbomb dancers, the testosterone levels were just off the charts. What's also good is that they also showed their latest ad featuring a gamer getting the best distraction of his life...

It's the Bounty Fresh Saucy Torikaraage. Available in Teriyaki, Sweet and Sour flavors, it's going to be the best fried protein treat your gaming boyfriends or husbands would ever have. All you gotta do is take the trip to your nearest grocery and buy it off the freezer section. Just fry and coat the crunchy pieces with the sauce that came with it. It was good, so good!

They also got gamers to join in the fun by playing a special game from Bounty Fresh ladies at the middle of it all!

Then they gave treats to patrons outside by giving them Bounty Fresh products for cheap, a way to tell them they are not joking when they said the Teriyaki and Sweet and Sour flavors are really good. I'm cooking up a batch right now to let my family know about it too.

As for me, I super enjoyed the two days of covering the Manila Masters! Thank you so much to #SmartManilaMasters (for always being on tip top state of connection and for the awesome cosplay booths as treats for gamers) for getting me there on the first day and to Bounty Fresh for getting us in on the second day! I'm sure this won't be the end of the greatest gaming tourney in the country!

Till next time! Let's play! Let's eat!

KUMAGCOW

Fresh Blogs Fast!

SM Hypermarket's "SM Master Chefs" Cooking Marathon!

Asia's Finest Chicken Bounty Fresh!

SM Hypermarket has always been our go to place for the best deals and necessities on this side of the world. You guys know I cook right?! When we went to Mall of Asia last Tuesday; and I thought it was just going to be a regular run of the mill cooking demonstration that will happen inside the supermarket's premises. What I didn't know was some of the Philippines' most reputable Chefs were also appearing on the event. Since I cook a lot, I know how to whip up the best meals even at the confines of my home; they gave us a lot to think about when they prepared the best dishes starting from one great staple... CHICKEN. It wasn't just your regular chicken though, it was Bounty Fresh Chicken. It's the brand labeled as Asia's Finest!

First up was Chef Arnold Bernardo of famed Kitched Battles - QTV Channel 11! He did a lot of exotic dishes during his stint there but this time he did something comforting that's perfect for the rainy-breezy season. Think about chicken breast sliced and seared on top of hot perfectly made buttery mashed potatoes and smothered with oozingly rich cheese sauce. It was heaven... something that you would eat while watching your favorite TV show when you are trapped inside your home on a monsoon season. The chicken was so tender and juicy resulted from the searing he did on the Prime Bounty Fresh Chicken thighs/breast fillet. The cheese sauce was not too salty and it can practically be paired with other things than this dish. It was so good and we ate it all even after the program. No wonder he won that show! He's currently the Executive Chef for Montemar Beach Resort's La Marea and Lanai Restaurant; also the Wheatberry Bakery and Cafe in Quezon City; so make sure you give him a visit one of these days. I'm impressed; and so were the other people in that event... we loved it!

Feast your eyes on the Bounty Fresh Chicken and Cheese Casserole!

Next, it was an honor to have met one of the most decorated Chefs this country has ever produced Chef Sau del Rosario. One of the Philippines kitchen superstars, Chef Sau showed us two dishes using a Whole Pollo Primero Free Range Bounty Fresh Chicken.

The Chef actually stayed a couple of years in Thailand and he wanted to cook something from that region. He cut them into pieces for the first one and made a mix of lemon grass, the usual sauteing ingredients and green curry for this Thai dish. Cooked it with first squeezed coconut milk and reduced a little... et VOILA!

Green Thai Bounty Fresh Chicken Curry!

It wasn't as spicy as I anticipated it to be (which is the one I prefer) but he set a couple of pieces of Labuyo for people like me who would want to have it HOT! It was nice, refreshing, yet very warm after a couple of spoonfuls of the coconut milk broth. It was comfort food and perfect with piping hot rice! Oooh just saying that makes my mouth water!

But NO! He didn't stop there! He cooked another Asian favorite and this time it was Bounty Fresh Chicken Sate. It was authentic... I love how he marinated it in several spices that were available in local groceries like SM Hypermarket. It was accessible and easy to prepare. Cooking time was also short because in a few minutes we were looking at several pieces of this!

Bounty Fresh Chicken Sate in Spicy Peanut Sauce! Mmmmm!

It was the BEST Chicken Sate that I have ever tasted. The ones in Singapore that I had were a little tough and dry. His spicy peanut sauce was also divine! If we had more I would have finished that whole cup of sauce for the chicken and this is perfect for those occasions where you are drinking with some buddies over beer or even dinner + rice. It was really nice pairing and we raved about it by telling the Chef himself! They were so nice! I bet you guys would want to meet them too right?!

Well YOU CAN! In celebration of their 10th Anniversary SM Hypermarket will be doing these rounds on their branches for the whole month of September all over Metro Manila and on their other branches in Visayas and Mindanao! PLUS you also have the chance to win a Kitchen Makeover by simply purchasing 500 Pesos worth of items from SM Hypermarket, fill up a form with your personal details and attach 3 clear photos of your kitchen. Answer the question "Why does my kitchen deserve a makeover?!" in 50 words or less and 5 winners would have the chance to get their cooking place made up by experts from Philippine School of Interior Design. Isn't that just sweet?! :)

So what are you waiting for! Head on to your favorite SM Hypermarket Branches nationwide and ask about the activities now!

Capisce?!

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