december-2011

Having hot tsokolate
is like celebrating
Christmas in a cup.
3
Create the perfect
hot tsokolate
Thick and sweet hot tsokolate
always tastes best after hearing simbang
gabi (dawn mass) on a cool December
morning. “My earliest memory of
sipping native hot tsokolate was at my
lola’s house in Pampanga, where our
family is from,” says Mariel Chua, a
New York-based Filipina copywriter/
proofreader who also blogs about her
chocolate passion on Allmysugar.com.
R ECONNECT WITH YOUR ROOTS
For a truly authentic native
tsokolate, swirl the simmering liquid
using the batirol — a wooden stirrer
that looks just like a honey dipper
“The recipe was
unique because it
had peanut butter,
the local kind with
oil on top. Imagine
liquefi ed Choc-nut
candy, but richer
and creamier.”
The secret ingredient? The tablea or the
native cacao tablets used to make it.
How to do it Try Mariel’s family recipe: in
a saucepan, heat milk over a slow fi re.
For every piece of tablea tsokolate used,
mix in an additional cup of milk. Next,
add peanut butter by the teaspoonful.
“For a truly authentic native tsokolate,
swirl the simmering liquid using the
batirol — a wooden stirrer that looks
just like a honey dipper.” You can try
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other “versions” at Tita Lynn’s Flavored
Suman (www.titalynnsfl avoredsuman.
com) in Tiendesitas, Pasig City, and
Dulcinea in Power Plant Mall, Robinsons
Galleria and SM Mall of Asia.
Cebu Pacifi c fl ies to Manila from across
the network. www.cebupacifi cair.com
4
Heal like a
babaylan
Before the Philippines was
colonized, early Filipinos didn’t rely
on doctors but on the babaylan — a
religious leader who functioned as a
shaman, healer and all-around miracle
worker to the sick. A few years ago,
healer/writer Pi Villaraza discovered
Inner Dance, a movement rooted in the
ancient wisdom of the babaylan, which
helped clear his system of physical and
emotional blockages.
“Inner Dance is an intuitive healing
practice known to ancient cultures
around the world, including that of the
ancient shamans of the Philippines
who could access expanded states of
consciousness to heal, awaken and
commune with nature,” says Pi. He
has been sharing this powerful healing
method since 2007. “There have
been many healings around the world
from physical disorders like tumors,
back problems, digestive disorders,
migraines and many other things.” Pi
has since written about Inner Dance in
his 2011 book, Conscious Trance: The
Journey to the Dancer Within.
This gentle method is done in a
group setting, with a facilitator (such
as Pi) coaching the participants while
soft music plays. The intention is to fi x
imbalances in the body and spirit for
better health and state of mind.
How to do it Sign up for a fi ve-day Inner
Dance and Raw Food Detox Retreat at
Bahay Kalipay in Puerto Princesa City,
Palawan (www.bahaykalipay.com).
There are also Inner Dance teaching
practitioners in the US and some cities
in Asia.
Cebu Pacifi c fl ies to Puerto Princesa from
Cebu and Manila. www.cebupacifi cair.com