Feasting with Stephanie
Stephanie with family: Andrea Zubiri, Ana and Manuel Zubiri, Bukidnon Gov. Joe Zubiri, Sen. Miguel Zubiri, Jonathan Crespi, Audrey Zubiri, Vicky Zubiri
MANILA, Philippines — Amid friends and family, STAR Lifestyle food columnist, TV host and bon vivant Stephanie Zubiri-Crespi officially launched her first book, Feast With Me, published by Anvil Publishing and Philippine STAR, last Friday, Oct. 6, at The Peninsula Manila.
The book was made possible with the major support of Bertazzoni-La Germania, as Stephanie is their new brand ambassador, as well as Stephanie’s longtime partners McCormick Philippines, Contadina, Del Monte Kitchenomics and Jordan Farms.
“Contrary to what most people think, this book is not about luxury,” Stephanie says. “In fact, one of the reasons I often invite people over is to save money. With rising prices in restaurants, I find you can serve a delicious meal at home for a fraction of the cost of eating out in the city.”
She added that most of the ingredients in the book’s recipes are available in most supermarkets. Even the luscious dark chocolate mousse calls for Toblerone. “The entire book doesn’t even have a single whiff of truffle oil,” she adds. “It’s really not about fancy dishes and Grand Cru wines with names that are difficult to pronounce. This book is all about enjoying good old, home cooking washed down with a glass or two of nice wine with your nearest and dearest.”
Feast with Me is currently the only food and wine-pairing book that targets non-professionals through a lifestyle setting in the Philippines.
A true oenophile, Stephanie pursued her wine studies and holds a Wine and Spirits Education Trust Level 3 certificate. She explains that she finds joy in a glass of wine: “It stems from that fleeting ‘aha! moment when the food has met its bacchanalian soul mate.”
Rather than being centered around traditional holidays, each menu will have an occasion at its heart with a globally inspired menu. “Travel is such a big part of me and I can never seem to quench my wanderlust,” she added. With chapters like “Laidback Indian Dinner” or “Relaxed Parisian Brunch,” they take you around the world through places that have a special meaning in Stephanie’s life.
Stephanie hopes Feast with Me will “allow you to travel from the comforts of your home and have the scent of distant markets and exotic cultures waft from your stovetop, enticing and drawing you and your loved ones around the table for a shared moment of epicurean joy. In fact, all moments at the table are cause for celebration and it is that celebratory spirit that truly transforms any meal into a feast.”
Stunning food and table photography by Magic Liwanag brings Stephanie’s words to life, while the author herself took the travel photos during her trips, with contributions from family and friends like her budding photographer niece Andrea G. Zubiri. The book was designed and worked on closely by the author with award-winning book designer Ige Ramos, while the body text was edited by Therese Jamora-Garceau and the recipes by Dolly Dy-Zulueta.
Special hardbound editions were sold that evening in support of MovEd’s nutrition program. Stephanie donated all her royalties from the hardbound edition to be able to fund nutritious meals for preschool children in the MovEd program.
Guests were surprised to find The Conservatory done up with the help of Boqueria Lifestyle Market in cooperation with the team of The Peninsula Manila, like a rustic, country village plaza, lush with large plants and soft, twinkling lights.
Guests lounged and nibbled on recipes cooked straight from the book prepared by The Peninsula’s talented chefs. The evening was truly a feast with dishes like bite-sized banh mi or Green Chicken Skewers alongside a leg of Jamon Iberico being carved on the spot by a master carver provided by Txanton.
The sumptuous food was paired with overflowing drinks from a craft beer bar by Engkanto Brewery, to Anna de Codorniu Cava from AWC, and Italian white and red wine from Silver Secrets. As the evening progressed, gin tonics from The Botanist became the drink of choice.
Guests were also treated to a rustic marketplace where they could “shop” for goodies generously provided by the sponsors: spices from McCormick, olive oils and pasta from Contadina, heirloom rice from Jordan Farms, and mini organic basil plants from Holy Carabao. Glad set up a generous deli and dessert spread where guests could take home the goodies in snap-close bags and Pottery Barn gave away discount coupons to accompany their beautiful dining display. Photos by WALTER BOLLOZOS
