Tokyo on a budget

Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory is a fixture in JPN.

Back when Mark and I were in Tokyo, we'd often see their stores in Lumine Shinkjuku or at the Tokyo Eki, Their cheese filled cookies were super delish and it's so easy to finish one box in one sitting. The combination of gorgonzola cheese and honey is the perfect balance of savoury and sweet.

It's so unique that it would often be my last minute pasalubong during my JPN trips. It helps that they have a store in Haneda Airport which makes it easy to bring home.

Back in 2019, they opened their first store in MNL, and it was great because people didn't need to fly to JPN to get a taste of their cookies.

But of course, just like there are budget flights to JPN, there are people who are looking for a budget version of these cookies. And luckily, there is:

Hansel Premium Hokkaido-style White Cheese biscuits is a good - and cheaper - alternative to Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory. The taste of the filling is similar, though the cookie texture is very different. But if you're looking for the taste of the filling rather than the consistency of the cookie, this would be a good choice.

Actually, people think that this is a new product. Which it isn't. This was launched much earlier, maybe around 2017-ish? I remember because this product was one of the creative projects that I asked my advertising class to do. They had 2 other flavours back then - Matcha and Cherry Blossom.

So, while traveling is still a bit restricted and people are still watching their budget, go ahead and get this Hansel Premium Sandwich and get that taste of Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory for less.

Make and Bake part 3

And we're on a roll!

Since Ate Bullet was making her signature Baked Macaroni and the oven was already running, I thought of whipping up something fast with stuff that was currently in the kitchen.

The result, these chocolate cookies with chocolate chips and walnuts.

They kinda look like brownies, but are cookies. So, it might fall under those food-hybrids. Brookies, perhaps?

Despite it being an instantaneous and last-minute activity, it turned out really well. Not bad for a last minute make and bake!

Make and Bake part 2

Look who’s working the oven again today.

And this morning’s creation is S’mores cookies!

This recipe is actually Javier’s recipe. He once baked this for school, and he left the recipe posted on our refrigerator door. I’ve been eyeing it for quite sometime now, and i’ve been telling myself that i’ll bake it one of these days,

And today was that day.

It wasn’t bad for a first attempt. But I think I can make it better the s’more I make it.

Humor me!

Three things that I'm crazy about, especially when I go to the U.S.

1. Good Humor Ice Cream

2. Strawberries

3. Oreo

While randomly checking the Target website, I see this!!!

It's three of my faves, in one!

Need. This. Oreo. In. My. Life!

Oreo glad?

Everyone’s all agog about Red Velvet Oreo in Manila these days.

Thing is, that flavor is a few years delayed. They’ve had that - and we’re lucky to have enjoyed it - for years now.

What I really want are the Halloween Oreos.

Wonder when they’ll carry these here.

My heart Skippy’s a beat

Another one of my favorite finds in Seoul. Skippy cookies!

And this is just KRW1,000 per box.

I should have gotten more.

Walnuts about you!

There's been a lot written about the chocolate walnut cookies at Family Mart. As much as my curiosity has been piqued, they usually don't have it in the Family Mart stores around the office.

Then I found this at one of their branches nearby!

Yup, it lives up to the hype!

Power cookies

Back in the 80s, there was a big battle between Milo and Ovaltine.

These 2 malt drinks were battling it out in the minds and tummies of Pinoy kids. That included me.

Then again, I'm not really a brand loyal chap. So, I'd often drink Milo, but I'd eat Ovaltine.

That's why Ovalteenies was such a thrill for me. Imagine, the taste of Ovaltine, in little candy tablets. At that point, I thought this was the best thing that happened to Ovaltine.

Fast forward more than 20 years later, I discovered that Ovalteenies weren't the best thing that happened to Ovaltine.

This was:

Ovaltine cookies!

One bite, and I was right back in elementary school, snacking on Ovaltine. Now, that's Ovaltine power!

Going nuts

It's been years since I last saw Nutter Butter. The last time I saw it was 5 years ago when I was still living in HKG and they were selling it at the Park and Shop near my flat. Back then, I'd have a stash every week and couldn't get enough of it.

Thanks to a couple of care packages from the U.S., I found a couple of packs of Nutter Butter at home. And after eating a pack (or two), I suddenly remembered why I'm nuts about this cookie.

Chesapeake performance

One of the presents I received this Christmas was a bag of Chesapeake Dark Chocolate Pecan cookies from Pepperidge Farm. It was somewhat of a throwback gift because I used to devour Pepperidge Farm cookies a decade ago. But for some reason I can't recall, I stopped buying this brand and sort of forgot about it.

But thanks to the gift, I remember the reason why I love this cookie. It's so chunky! The chocolate chunks are really, really chunks, and there's a chunk of chocolate and a pecan with every bite.

Looks like Pepperidge Farm will be finding itself in my grocery cart again sometime soon.

Oat Taking

Even as a kid, I was fond of oatmeal. I'd get excited whenever my parents or grandparents would bring home that familiar blue and red tin of Quaker Oats, and seeing the smiling Quaker man always makes me smile back.

Some people might think that oatmeal is among the saddest food in the world, (Hi Mark!) but I'm actually very happy with a bowl of oatmeal smothered with milk and sugar. 

That same fondness of mine for Quaker Oats have rubbed off on these wonderful oatmeal cookies from the same company.

I've actually discovered these cookies a long time ago, but I've gotten more and more addicted to them as of late. In fact, I think I finish 2 packs of these goodies in one day.

Among the 4 flavors, the chocolate chip variant has to be my favorite. It has the right combination of creaminess and crunch - something that you can't get from Chip's Ahoy or Keebler. And since it's made of oatmeal, it's much healthier, too.

I'll take my oat to that.