A BREATH OF FRESHNESS ON MOTHER’S DAY
Motherhood is considered one of the challenging yet the noblest professions. Here in the Philippines, mothers are regarded as the light of the home or “ilaw ng tahanan”.
One major role that mothers play in the family is to be the best cook in the world. The comfort that mothers have given with the countless meals they have prepared over the years, among many other things they have done and continue to do, will never really be repaid. I feel very elated when my children always tell me how satisfied they are with every meal I cook for them. One time, my son wondered why my home-cooked meals such as chicken tinola, pork menudo and beef sinigang are much more tastier than those served in the school canteen. With this I say, “Of course, the important ingredient is…LOVE!” For me, cooking is more of an expression of love and less of an obligation. Cooking is love in action, and the sense of fulfillment from knowing that others appreciate what you do is unlike anything else. And for every mother, this is a great reward already.
Three years ago, three Mother’s Day back, my children surprised me with a breakfast in bed. They did all the preparations before I woke up. So, everything came in as a big surprise. They said that the taste may not be comparable to my cooking but as the saying goes, “It’s the thought that counts.” True! Big efforts, great surprise…big thank you!
When I cook meals for my family, it is important that the ingredients are fresh and of high quality especially with meats. In the era when there’s so much toxins and diseases evolve, safety and quality may be jeopardized. And because of this, I take pains in looking for stores where safety and quality are their top priority. One store that I trust the most when it comes to fresh meats is Fresh Options Meatshop.
I used to buy meats from a nearby supermarket and wet market until a friend recommended Fresh Options to me. The first time I walked into the store, I was impressed by its clean ambience and young staff, clad in clean uniforms and hairnets at work.
Unlike other outlets, meats at Fresh Options are displayed properly in upright chillers where they are kept fresh at controlled temperature. Chilling help meats lock-in freshness and prevent the growth of bacteria. That’s why fresh meats maintain their color (whitish for chicken, pinkish to cherry red for pork and beef) and texture (moist and firm to touch, not slimy) ; and they have no foul odour. In addition, each meat type has a designated chiller that is properly labelled (as indicated on the top boards), and this is necessary to avoid cross-contamination. Generally, contamination occurs when meats come into contact with dirty hands, dirty clothing, dirty equipment or facilities. Contamination may affect the quality of fresh meats and may result to food poisoning and other diseases.
Fresh Options has a wide selection of retail cuts of fresh meats that provide customers with greater choice and variety. Name it and Fresh Options has it. But if you have specific meat cuts or thickness in mind, their friendly and skilled frontliners are very willing to customize them for you. Also, you can request to have your meats packed in suitable portions (like 1kg-pack) for easy storage in the fridge at home.
As a meticulous mother, I prefer meats that are affordable, easy to prepare and can be used in different ways. I am glad that Fresh Options offers more than FRESH, CLEAN and SAFE meats but CONVENIENCE as well. For me, this is how Fresh Options cares for and delights its customers like us mothers to our children.
Pinoys love to eat and meat is at the center of every family gathering. On Mother’s Day, let’s make this celebration more special and show our love by preparing meals using high quality meats from Fresh Options Meatshop.