Lia's avocado cake, a newfound love!

I saw Lia’s cake shop two doors  down from Poco Deli. I got curious and was surprised and delighted to see their big tarp sign.

Home of the avocado cake… a treasured family recipe.

I must try this…today!, I mused.

I love avocados.  But it’s seasonal though. There were times I would hanker for one, whether as smoothies (they have one at Big Chill) or just plain scooped out of their shells and sprinkled with sugar. If avocados are not in season, I would go for the next best thing –FIC in avocado flavor. Recently, I am addicted to the Dole brand variety (which my friend Lenz told me about), the small rounded ones with crinkly skins. They are sweet & creamier.

So when I saw this cake shop specializing in avocado cakes, I thought I shouldn’t pass on this one.  After that hearty meal in Poco Deli, Pipay & I went over to Lia’s Cake shop.

Inside the glass cake case sit the following cakes:

Avocado Cake – Chiffon based avocado flavored cake with avocado buttercream icing and pistachio topping.

Calamansi Tea Cake – will try on my next visit.

Avocado Cheesecake – looks so yummy too!

Other cakes on their menu includes Mango Sansrival, Avocado Sansrival (oh no…another one to try!).

I bought a slice to take home (P85). Pipay already wanted to go home and play Club Penguin.  I like the fact that they use cardboard boxes instead of plastic or styro containers.

As soon as we arrived home, I did the requisite blog photo, got a fork and took a bite. The moment that soft, delicate cake and buttery icing touched my tongue, the flavor of avocado burst out. I closed my eyes and I was transported to avocado heaven….it was pure bliss!

Expect me to consume one whole cake in one sitting. :P

Lia's Cakes in Season

East Capitol Drive, Brgy. Kapitolyo

Pasig City, Metro Manila

Philippines

(02) 377-4808

Poco Deli's Artisanal sausages

I once tried to make my own homemade sausages.  It was one of our favorite food items to buy. I reckoned, why not make my own. I bought a meat grinder and a sausage stuffer attachments for my KitchenAid mixer.  I first tried making the English bangers.  I gave some samples to my cousin and she loved it and bugged me endlessly to make a large batch and sell it. Mom-in-law even sent me those casings she used for her longanisa. That was my first foray into artisanal sausage making.  

Fast forward to 2009, when I first heard about Mickey’s deli along Jupiter  Street. Sadly, it closed down even before I had the chance to try it.

Then last year, I heard about Poco Deli thru my friend Len.  She bought these Poco Deli vouchers and asked me to go with her. The vouchers expired and we weren’t able to use them.  Next my sister-in-law invited me to have lunch, but our respective schedules didn’t match.

Finally, today, I was able to go to Poco Deli.  It was a mom-daughter date with Pipay.  After a tiring errand at Gateway Mall, (and resisting the urge to have a pre-Poco Deli snack at Taco Bell) off we went to Barangay Kapitolyo. 

Poco Deli is a small shop with an intimate, homey  vibe  where one can enjoy a bottle of wine with sausages  and cheese. One wall has a floor to ceiling shelf of various wines.  I didn’t pay much attention to their wine selection though.

Except for some bottles of Merlot behind my seat.

A glass chiller display contains homemade sausages and cheeses.   Their sausages were made using techniques and skills learned when the owner was still working for Mickey’s deli.  This I can relate to, remembering the nights spent  grinding, mixing, stuffing the meat into casings. But mine was more on the experimental stage.

Their cheese selection.

A closer look at the sausages.

They have bottled homemade sauerkraut. 

And different kinds of imported drinks.

But I had their house iced tea.

Pipay told me, “I am so hungry I could die!” (my little drama princess). All the walking we did looking for a food photography book made her so hungry.  Predictably, she asked me to order the cheese pizza.  But later changed her mind and opted for the US sliced steak on NY bagel sandwich.  It has melted mozzarella cheese that’s why. I was afraid she wouldn’t like the heavy, dense texture of the bagel. But she liked it.

I had the German sausage platter. I was asked to pick three kinds of sausages (one large and two small varieties) from the glass chiller.  I chose the Florentina, Nuernbufger, and a small sausage whose name I can’t remember.  It was a disappointment the wait staff  didn’t know much about the difference among the varieties of sausages.  The sausage platter came with their homemade sauerkraut, black olives and NY bagel chips. The sauerkraut was very good.  I just had to bring home a bottle (Medium size, P250).  And so was the Nuernbufger (bought a pack too!) and the other sausage. The Florentina, I find a bit dry.  I like my sausages with mustard, it was lacking. Maybe I should have asked for one.

Sausage 101: How to cook sausage should you opt to take them home frozen.

My date... :)

What I like Pipay to tell me when she grows up and remember the times I would drag her for food trips with me (with bribes of course) ^___^

I would like to come back and order their famous, must try  Bacon Slabs with Eggs and Bacon Rice. It’s time to have that sister bonding moment with my SIL or maybe I can persuade M to go with me.  Since it’s near our home (nearer than Santi’s deli along Amber Ave) I’ll definitely be back to buy their frozen meats for my pasta, breakfasts and evening snacking.

Or maybe one day, I could have spare time and try my hand at sausage making again.