Lastly...yes definitely the very last entry of the year and before I check on these Resort Clerk Jobs.

I am very happy to share with you that I cooked my very first ham last Christmas Eve Dinner/Noche Buena. I just marinated it with Brandy, Sprite, Pineapple Juice, Cinnamon Powder, Honey, Soy Sauce, Brown Sugar, Pepper, Salt and Garlic. Voila, until now my boys can't get enough of my Ham hee hee. I can't wait for the next family gathering as this glazed ham will be a staple dish in our dining table.

Yes, I am on a holiday vacation but baking has kept me busy Yay!
I do not know how and when I got myself into accepting orders on a Christmas bake! While standing up for wee hours, I make sure that my favorite passion fruit tea is brewing in my airpot, it has become a great partner for all the baking I do. I am too tired to share recipes tonight or maybe before 2011 ends, but I promised to share the recipes of these goodies I have been baking next year! Let's all welcome 2012 with positivity and good vibes!

Before I check on these metal switchplates, let me share with you some photos from our trip to Red Ribbon.

For the longest time, I had been urging dear hubby to drive me to the nearest Red Ribbon bakeshop (read: 45 mins drive) but we always end up getting so tired or busy. Until one day, he surprised me with this secret trip. Secret, because I was asleep the whole time. The moment I woke up, this is what I saw:

Oh yes, I turned into one after my pregnancy. You see, I was diagnosed with borderline gestational diabetes when I got pregnant almost 7 years ago. My ob-gyne was so strict that even if I was just borderline, she strictly monitored my sugar level and gave me a strict diet. So I was really thin when I was pregnant. Would you believe that I am heavier now compared to my full-term pregnancy weight? LOL! Now, that is a trivia. In short, I did not take any kind of sweets, most especially chocolates during my pregnancy and the 1st thing that I requested as soon as I delivered my son was boxes and bars of chocolates to which my mom and bestfriend obliged. That's when my addiction to chocolate began. Anyhow, my mom forgot to buy me the Royce chocolates in Manila which I have been craving for such a long time now. So let me just drool over Royce's pictures in the net and share this with you before I check on swarovski crystal!

The Top Chocolate Manufactures in the World: and of course, Royce is part of it :)

1. Nestlé
http://www.nestle.com/
Founded in 1860 by Henri Nestlé, a pharmacist, Nestlé is a multinational packaged food company located in Vevey, Switzerland. Nestlé is globally renowned with its several product lines including milk, chocolate, confectionery, bottled water, coffee, creamer, food seasoning and pet foods. Today, Nestlé is considered one of the biggest chocolate companies with a wide range of chocolate products such as Aero, 100 Grand Bar, Kit Kat, Nestlé Crunch and Rolo.

2. Cadbury Schweppes
http://www.cadburyschweppes.com/EN
One of the world’s largest confectionery company, Cadbury Schweppes was founded in 1905 and has its headquarters in Berkeley Square, London, England. Apart from confectionery products, this British confectionery company has also produced a great deal of beverage productions which has made the company a strong regional presence in the beverage industry in the Americas and Australia. Cadbury Schweppes has produced many types of chocolate brands such as Boost, Brunch Bar, Crispy Crunch, Crunchie and many more.

3. Ferrero SpA
http://www.ferrero.it/
An Italian Chocolate manufacturer, Ferrero SpA, is a family business which produces chocolate and other confectionery products. Ferrero SpA was founded in 1946 by a confectioner Pietro Ferrero and is still owned by the Ferrero family. In each year, Ferrero SpA has produced many tons of chocolate which are used in manufacturing chocolate products such as Ferrero Rocher, Mon Chéri, Confetteria Raffaello and also produce the Kinder product series, including Kinder Surprise, Fiesta Ferrero, Kinder Chocolate bars and Kinder Chocolate.

4. Callebaut
http://www.callebaut.com/
The second-largest chocolate producer in the world, Callebaut is a Belgian chocolate manufacturer which produces a wide range of chocolate products for consumers and professional chocolatiers around the world. Founded in Wieze, Belgium in 1850 by Eugenius Callebaut, this company was first operated as a brewery. Later in 1996, Callebaut merged with rival chocolatier “Cacao Barry” to form a new company which is now called “Barry Callebaut”. Its primary products are baking chocolate and cocoa powder which is sold to consumers and professional bakers around the world.

5. Camille Bloch
http://www.camillebloch.ch/
One of the most prestigious chocolate manufacturers in Switzerland, Camille Bloch has been producing high quality Swiss chocolate for over 75 years. Camille Bloch is renowned for their Ragusa Chocolate which is filled with smooth praline cream and hazelnuts, available in a variety of sizes and package types. Additionally, Camille Bloch also offers four different Chocolate Mousse Bars, each of which features decadently smooth chocolate filled with one of four creamy mousse fillings. Camille Bloch’s products were distributed to luxurious chocolate stores all over the world.

6. Divine Chocolate
http://www.divinechocolate.com/home/default.aspx
Established in the UK in 1998, Divine Chocolate Limited is a manufacturer of Fairtrade chocolate products in the United Kingdom and the United States. The company is owned as a partnership between the Kuapa Kokoo cocoa, Twin Trading and Oikocredit. Divine Chocolate’s first product, Divine Milk Chocolate, was launched in October 1998 and followed by a long list of chocolate products such as Divine White Chocolate, Flavored Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate and drinking chocolate.

7. The Favarger Company
http://www.favarger.com/en/
Founded in 1826 by a pastry-cook, Jacques Foulquier. The Favarger Company is a Swiss chocolate manufacturer which is located in Versoix, the Canton of Geneva, Switzerland. The company is not only well-known for those who live in Geneva and the rest of Switzerland, but also available at many places throughout the world where good quality chocolate is offered. Its soft chocolate and exceptional taste are claimed to be made by the original recipe which has been passed down from generation to generation. The Favarger Company has its famous chocolate products such as Les AVELINES de Genève and Les NOUGALINES de Genève.

8. The Hershey Company
http://www.hersheys.com/
The largest chocolate company in America, The Hershey Company was founded in 1894 by Milton Snavely Hershey. Globally, the company is commonly called Hershey’s and is also considered one of the oldest chocolate companies in the United States. Milton Hershey began to plant cocoa trees in his hometown, Derry Church, Pennsylvania, in 1903 and the manufacturing of chocolate proved successful. Since then, the company has grown rapidly.

9. Royce’
http://rb.e-royce.com/archives/2007/03/royce_chocolates_and_confectio.html
One of the biggest chocolate manufacturers in Asia, Royce’ onfect Co., Ltd., is also known as E-Royce’, has produced and distributed chocolate products to many countries in Asia and other continents. Royce’ was first established in July 1983, with a total capital of ¥10.0 million and increased its capital to ¥30.5 million in September of 1985. From1990, Royce’ became a significant player in the Asian candy industry with many of its famous chocolate brands such as Dacquoise, Lurumaro Chocola, Nutty Bar Chocolate, Royce’ Chocolate Bars, Royce’ Pure Chocolate and much more.

10. World’s Finest Chocolate
http://www.worldsfinestchocolate.com/
Established in USA in 1949, World’s Finest Chocolate is probably most recognized for its beneficent activities which help to raise money for non-profit organizations. Its $1 Almond chocolate bar that is used for fund raising can be labeled with a group’s name and fund raising purposes. This family-owned business has its headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, and also has a sales office located in Campbellford, Ontario, Canada. World’s Finest Chocolate is well known for being one of only 9 companies in the United States that produces chocolate “from bean to bar”.

I have to edit this entry in a wee bit to include the recipe.

Hubby was the one who whipped this Hot Wings dish one dinner, which I may say (ahem ahem) was super yum-o! I do not remember what he put in here so I have to wait for him who is currently busy talking to his friend over the phone, I think they were discussing gifts for their loved ones (me included!) as I have overhead this line: "christmas gifts for her". In the meantime, I hope this photo is enough to make you come back and check the complete recipe :).

I am craving for anything Conti's right now!
Oh gosh, I used to live in a village which was tricycle away from this uberly-yummy pastry shop and restaurant. I am not only after their sinful desserts but also I miss their dinner meals!!! I was telling my friend, C last night that my home country serves the best food and houses the best restaurants :). I am still on a hunt for a perfect restaurant here that would satisfy my Pinoy palate. In the meantime, I need to research on silver bars.