Ultimate Taste Test 2022 Master’s Edition was held at the Gallery Mira-Nila tent in Quezon City. Photo from Our Awesome Planet
MANILA -- Our Awesome Planet recently announced the winners of their Ultimate Taste Test 2022 Master’s Edition.
As with the previous years, this edition was held at the Gallery Mira-Nila tent in Quezon City. Members of the media, blogging community, chefs, restaurateurs, and hoteliers were invited to taste, sample, comment, and score the select bites by Our Awesome Planet’s curated selection of SME food businesses. The area even extended to the outside plaza with a food trailer and a pizza kitchen with seats and tables.
The Master’s Edition of the Ultimate Taste Test has been going on due to the limited number of guests because of pandemic considerations and will continue to be an annual tradition. As conditions improve, Our Awesome Planet founder Anton Diaz hopes to open a bazaar/public tasting version next year.
Past Ultimate Taste Tests were noticeably packed with sweets and desserts. This year, there were more savory offerings making it more difficult to truly stand out.
Here are the top pics from the Ultimate Taste Test 2022:
Being in the Ultimate Taste Test is sweeter the second time around if you ask baker-chef Rhea Sycip of Flour Pot Manila whose Marzapan De Pili Cheesecake and Bleu Cheese Rolls topped the votes this year. Photo by @flourpotmanila
The seafood tacos with breaded nori shells from Blue Apron were a healthy umami treat. Check out the branch in SM Air Residences in Makati to try out the sisig and shawarma versions of these filling bites. Photo by @theblueapronph
Ticx’s Gastronomic Adventure (@Ticxs) Heirloom recipe of fresh shrimp, roasted peanuts in the sauce makes this seafood kare-kare, well, tick. Photo by Jeeves de Veyra
Desserts or drinks? What about both? These cool boozy collaboration of Karabella Dairy (@karabelladairy) and Distileria Limtuaco are pints of gelato churned with spirits and liqueurs inspired by Filipino ingredients: Manille Dalandan, Manille Calamansi, Intramuros Chocolate, Amadeo Coffee, and Very Old Captain Rum. Photo by Jeeves de Veyra
Tandang Sora-based Cocina Muriel (@cocinamuriel) is a worthy addition to add to the list of who to call for Christmas hams. Their ham is succulent, fatty, and has that hint of pineapple-y sweetness Filipinos love. Photo by Jeeves de Veyra
Donatella Chua aka The Croissant Lady (@thecroissantladyph) has been delivering happiness in a French pastry since the pandemic lockdowns. Her most successful croissant crossover is her croissaymada which is best eaten fresh from the oven. Photo by Jeeves de Veyra
Who remembers the old Cookie Monster bake shop behind Makati Medical Center? This venerable bake shop is reincarnated in the form of Cakes By Louise (@cakes.bylouise). She still uses the original chocolate cake recipe. Photo by Jeeves de Veyra
Thin crispy beer batter adds a lot of crunch to Cargo Fish’s (@cargofishph) cod fish n’ chips nicely paired with a splash of malt vinegar. Photo by Jeeves de Veyra
Mang Cesar (@mangcesar) upscales the humble litson baka by using Angus beef, making this a loaded plate of juicy and tender meat. Photo by Jeeves de Veyra
Go nuts with these bite-sized pecan pies by Homemade By Rita (@homemadebyrita.ph) available in boxes of 6 or 12. Photo by Jeeves de Veyra
Fans of the Tagaytay Highlands and Kapitolyo branches of Amare La Cucina Pizza (@amarelacucicnapizzaph) swear by their crust. Drizzle their in-house chili honey sauce to add some zing to your slice.
Guests washed down all that food with these drinks that deserved honorable mentions:
Besides gelato, Distileria Limtuaco (@distilerialimtuaco) had its own mini bar mixing craft cocktails: Mint Cacao Chip with the Intramuros Chocolate Liqueur, and the Barako Mudslide with its Amadeo Coffee Liqueur.
Photo by Jeeves de Veyra
Vida Philippines (@vidaphilippines), besides offering cans of Vida C Lemon Sparkling, also introduced their new line of fruity zero sugar lychee, mixed citrus, and lemon drinks
Photo by Jeeves de Veyra