Exercise No. 3

SENSORY EVALUATION OF

FRESH PRODUCE AND

CEREALS: EXOTIC GREENSEXOTIC GREENS /

POLENTA / COUSCOUS

MALAGKIT RICE

Group No. / Name: Group 2 - Peer FRESHureGroup Members: Lhady Kris Dizon

Abegail Jon DomagsangJosefina FrancoDaniel Karlo LucasAnna Bianca ManegoNicole Andrea Marie San Juan

Date of Sensory Evaluation: 13 July 2010Date of Submission: 20 July 2010

I. OBJECTIVES

To familiarize the students with the physical properties and characteristics of exotic greens, exotic fruits, polenta, couscous, and malagkit rice (as substitute for Arborio).

To recognize and compare the quality of raw and cooked stages of exotic greens, exotic fruits, polenta, couscous, and malagkit rice (as substitute for Arborio).

To develop a better understanding of exotic greens, exotic fruits, polenta, couscous, and malagkit rice (as substitute for Arborio) through sensory evaluation and determine which products are acceptable.

II. PROCEDURE

Our group was assigned exotic vegetables for this laboratory activity. We were told that it might be a good idea to go for salad greens that are not familiar to the Filipino taste buds. We decided to go for arugula lettuce, romaine lettuce, and alfalfa sprouts. It was not very difficult finding the said greens. The assigned buyer of the group for that activity simply went to the grocery store and all three greens were available. We didn’t worry much about looking for our greens because some of us in the group regularly visit the supermarket with our parents and are aware that they would be readily available. It was a group decision to just personally chip in for our ingredients.

The recipe we decided on doing was tuna and alfalfa sandwiches with cheese and a side of mixed greens salad with tuna Caesar dressing. The only difficulty we encountered in the storage of our ingredients was the fact that the greens had to be kept at a relatively low temperature to maintain freshness. Also, we had to make sure that the greens weren’t kept at a temperature that’s too cold, because the minute you take them out, they would wilt even faster. We had to do the purchasing as late as possible too, to make sure that we would serve the greens as fresh as possible. Transporting the greens was not such a big problem, since the weather was quite cold and humid. As for the other ingredients like the tuna, cheese, bread, dressing, and chips, we had nothing to worry about – we just kept them safe and dry.

The sandwiches were made by layering the bottom half of a whole wheat pan de sal, crushed tuna, cheese slices, a handful of alfalfa sprouts, and finally the top half of the pan de sal. The salad was prepared by first cleaning the greens very well, tearing them into bite-sized pieces, then setting them aside for tossing in the dressing later. We placed them in the fridge first. We didn’t have enough time to decide on dressing so we opted for pre made. We mixed commercial Caesar salad dressing with some of the tuna oil, and added salt and pepper to taste. We tossed the greens into the dressing right before we served our dish, and threw in some cheese chips onto the plate to compliment the crispness of the salad, and the subtle flavors of the sandwich.

III. DATA

A. PURCHASING DATA

Food Item Bought where Qty purchased

Price per kg

Purchase Price

Recipe

Grape Fruit SM Hypermarket North EDSA

0.582 kg P 134 P 77.99N/ADragon Fruit 1 kg P 120 P 120

Chesa 0.852 kg P 54 P 46.01Alfalfa Sprout

Landmark, Makati

125 g P 520 P 65 Tuna Alfalfa Sandwiches with

Cheese and2 Lettuce Side Salad

Arugula 60 g P 640++ P 40Romaine Lettuce

0.410 kg P 187.50 P 76.90

Couscous Trinoma Supermarket

0.500 kg P 98.83 P 49.15 Vegetable Couscous

Polenta Säntis 1 kg P 239 P 239 Grilled Polenta with Tomato Basil Sauce

Malagkit (a substitute for

Arborio)

Rustan’s, Katipunan 1 kg P 62.50 P 62.50

Bacon Mushroom Risotto

B. SENSORY EVALUATION DATA

Exotic Greens

Raw Stage

GROUP MEMBERS APPERANCE/COLOR TEXTURE ODOR1. Aj DOMAGSANG Alfalfa: fibrous because

of the thin strands, off white color, strands with brown tips.Romaine: live green

Alfalfa: smooth.Romaine: rough leaves; lukot.Arugula: rough due to leaf stems in each leaf

Alfalfa: smell of newly sprouted plant – fresh from the soil.Romaine: faint, leafy smell.

color, leaves fade to white tips.Arugula: dry dark green

Arugula: smells like Chinese dishes, sweet.

2. Lhady DIZON Alfalfa: creamy white sprouts with light green tips.Romaine: bright greenArugula: dark green color

Alfalfa: grassy fibersRomaine: softArugula: dry dark green

Alfalfa: strong grassy smell.Romaine: has a crisp smellArugula: nutty smell

3. Joey FRANCO Alfalfa: fibrous because of the thin strands, off white color, strands with brown tips.Romaine: live green color, leaves fade to white tips.Arugula: dry dark green

Alfalfa: waxy textureRomaine: rough, waxy.Arugula: dry, not waxy

Alfalfa: fresh, garden smell.Romaine: no smellArugula: funny smell, a little stinky

4. Daniel LUCAS Alfalfa: Sprouts are light in color Romaine: varies from light to dark from stalks to leavesArugula: very dark deep green in color

Alfalfa: grassy fibersRomaine: softArugula: dry dark green

Alfalfa: smells like togeRomaine: almost no smell at allArugula: odd scent

5. Abbi MANEGO Alfalfa: light light green, somewhat like baby bean sprouts.Romaine: gradient of light to dark green, ruffle-y appearanceArugula: dark green, resembles a flower shape with its curvy edges

Alfalfa: stringy, smooth surfaces of the strandsRomaine: rough, waxy leaf, tough stemArugula: smooth texture, matte and dry.

Alfalfa: smells like toge, with a soil-y smellRomaine: very faint soil smellArugula: strong and pungent nutty smell

6. Nicole SAN JUAN Alfalfa: looks like not-yet-mature toge. Thinner in form.Romaine: light green in color that fades to white towards the stalks.Arugula: stalky, rich green in color with holes in the leaves.

Alfalfa: grassyRomaine: hard stalk with dry, rough feel on the leaves.Arugula: dry, non-smooth feel

Alfalfa: smells like toge as wellRomaine: almost no scent at allArugula: smells like shit

Cooked Stage

GROUP MEMBERS

APPERANCE/COLOR

TEXTURE ODOR FLAVOR OVERALL EATING QUALITY

1. Aj DOMAGSANG

Colorful greens

Crisp Greens smell, with sour peppery smelling dressing

Mix of bitter, sweet and sour

Appetizing, my personal favorite

2. Lhady DIZON

Colorful Crunchy and appetizing

Appetizing smell The arugula was very bitter

I like the tuna sandwich with alfalfa sprouts

3. Joey FRANCO

Appetizing colors. Nice use of the greens against the light brown color of the bread

Soft, easy to eat

Nutty and appetizing

Healthy taste, a little bitter greens, tuna and alfalfa complimented by wheat bread

Soft, and easy to eat

4. Daniel LUCAS

The colors of the salad and sandwich are very fresh

Crispy salad and nice sot sandwich

Appetizing vegetable scent

The arugula tastes bitter, maybe the stalks. The dressing was quite sour

Reminds me of country style farm that I see in movies. The alfalfa made a very farm-y effect, looked like a stack of hay

5. Abbi MANEGO

Very nice contrast of colors

Leafy and crisp from the salad complimented by the tuna meat and creamy cheese

Healthy, fresh smells, citrus-y and savory smells at the same time

Savory and refreshing flavors. Tastes light and healthy

Nutty and bitter from the arugula, strong flavor from the greens. The alfalfa worked really well with the tuna.

6. Nicole SAN JUAN

The feel is somewhat garden fresh

Greens give crunch to the dish &

Garden fresh aroma from the greens

The tuna and cheese have complimentary

The sandwich tastes great! Nice flavors, but the

because of the vibrant greens

contrast to the lightness of the fish

flavors and the alfalfa sprouts’ natural flavor ride along well

salad has very strong bitter taste that do not attract my senses

Exotic Fruits

Raw Stage

GROUP MEMBERS APPERANCE/COLOR TEXTURE ODOR1. Aj DOMAGSANG Dragon Fruit: fuchsia to

yellow tip, liquid white inside with dark seedsChesa: egg yellow shinyGrapefruit: orange outside, scarlet red inside, grainy look but shiny to dry, big pulp bits

Dragon Fruit: soft, smoothChesa: hard, smooth, a little sticky.Grapefruit: pressable (soft)

Dragon Fruit: like a mixture of star apple and banana smells.Chesa: smell of boiled eggGrapefruit: sour pomelo scent

2. Lhady DIZON Dragon Fruit: dark, rosy pink outer cover, white flesh with black seedsChesa: heart shaped, bright orange interiorGrapefruit: bright orange skin, circular shape, light red color inside

Dragon Fruit: softChesa: clay-like interiorGrapefruit: elongated pulp bits

Dragon Fruit: sweet smellChesa: not-so-pleasant smellGrapefruit: pomelo-like smell

3. Joey FRANCO Dragon Fruit: pink violet shell, with arms white, fibrous meat with numerous black seedsChesa: bright yellow orange, looks like a bulb/drop of water, lighter yellow colored meat with brown seed, meat looks like overcooked egg yolkGrapefruit: spherical

Dragon Fruit: smooth skin, firm fruitChesa: very firm fruit, soft meatGrapefruit: firm fruit, rough skin

Dragon Fruit: faint sweet smellChesa: chico smell, only less sweetGrapefruit: citrus smell, like suha

orange shape & color, slightly larger than a regular orange, deep red meat.

4. Daniel LUCAS Dragon Fruit: light pinkish violet in colorChesa: dry yellow finishGrapefruit: resembles an orange but larger

Dragon Fruit: softChesa: clay-like interiorGrapefruit: elongated pulp bits

Dragon Fruit: very little sweet scentChesa: smells like chicoGrapefruit: very citrus in odor

5. Abbi MANEGO Dragon Fruit: pink and smooth surface with bright green leaves sticking out, like wild spikey hair on an anime character, flesh looks tender and juicy with lots of black seeds and is translucent white.Chesa: looks like over boiled egg yolk, heart shaped cross section, dark brown seed.Grapefruit: dark pink flesh and pulp bits. Long pulp strands, rough orange yellow skin.

Dragon Fruit: surface is apple-firm and smooth, flesh is tender and juicy, kind of rough because of the seeds.Chesa: chalk-like texture of meat, smooth and firm skin, like that of squashGrapefruit: wet and juicy pulp, rough skin.

Dragon Fruit: faint apple-y smellChesa: smells like egg! But with a little sweetnessGrapefruit: sweet smell, like suha

6. Nicole SAN JUAN Dragon Fruit: bright, pinkish red in color, turning green towards the end of the accessory parts.Chesa: looks like yellow wood with dry varnish. The shape is very odd and playful.Grapefruit: insides resemble a pomelo but more reddish in color.

Dragon Fruit: soft body and external accessory partsChesa: hard but more press-able when halvedGrapefruit: seems to have more juicy pulp.

Dragon Fruit: smells like grapes, very ripe grapesChesa: smell resembles that of chicoGrapefruit: smells like pomelo, but sweeter.

Cooked Stage

GROUP MEMBERS FLAVOR OVERALL EATING QUALITY1. Aj DOMAGSANG Dragon Fruit: mildly sour, mildly sweet

Chesa: faintly sweetGrapefruit: sour and bitter

Dragon Fruit: the seeds get stuck between my teethChesa: I like it. I love itGrapefruit: the scent is deceiving

2. Lhady DIZON Dragon Fruit: not so sweet tasteChesa: sweet, with an egg yolk texture.Grapefruit: sour taste

3. Joey FRANCO Dragon Fruit: refreshing, watery, sweet flavorChesa: dry and pastey, a little sweetGrapefruit: salty then strong flavor

Soft and easy to eat and chew

4. Daniel LUCAS Dragon Fruit: it has a touch of sweetness and sourness. The seeds feel weird in the mouthChesa: egg yolk texture, like cooked liver, tastes sweet but there’s something that hinders the full sweetness, maybe it’s the dry texture.Grapefruit: smells like pomelo bur tastes like lemon/calamansi, very sour

Delightful presentation, very tropical, and yes, it’s creative!

5. Abbi MANEGO Dragon Fruit: bland, light sweet taste, you can barely feel the seeds in your mouthChesa: dry & likesweet chico but with the texture of yolk that’s hard boiledGrapefruit: a little bitter and juicy and smooth in the mouth; bitter aftertaste

I really enjoyed the dragon fruit the most. Its mild sweetness and juiciness was very refreshing and was such a delight.

6. Nicole SAN JUAN Dragon Fruit: very soft, the flesh as well as the seedsChesa: dry and creamy feel in the palette, flakey when scrapedGrapefruit: very pulpy, pomelo taste but less sour

The playful colors make the plating of the fruits more enticing to munch on

Polenta

Raw Stage

GROUP MEMBERS APPERANCE/COLOR TEXTURE ODOR1. Aj DOMAGSANG Yellow in color Grainy finish Little/no scent at all2. Lhady DIZON Bright yellow orange Sandy, fine grain

textureNo smell

3. Joey FRANCO Bright yellow color dotted with white. Tiny grains, like colored sand from National bookstore

Sandy texture No smell

4. Daniel LUCAS Yellowish in color Grainy fine texture Almost no smell5. Abbi MANEGO Bright, orangey yellow,

like artificially colored sand

Rubs in between the fingers like fine grains of sugar, leaves a powdery residue in fingers

No smell (?)

6. Nicole SAN JUAN Looks like sugar with yellow color but finer

Like well-milled grain or sugar bits finely ground to yield powdery form

Smell resembles that of bird feed

Cooked Stage

GROUP MEMBERS

APPERANCE/ COLOR

TEXTURE ODOR FLAVOR OVERALL EATING QUALITY

1. Aj DOMAGSANG

Egg yellow, neat and dry

Soft, grainy, but with mashed potato feel in the

Sour and fried egg smell

Sweet, salty, margarine/butter garlic taste

Inconsistent texture

mouth2. Lhady DIZON

Golden yellow color

Buttery smell Garlic-y Strong garlic flavor

Crumbly texture, too much garlic taste

3. Joey FRANCO

Bright yellow color, looks like a thicker version or pancakes

A little burnt buttery smell

Grainy, soft, rough

Lacks salt/flavor, kind of like the covering of corndogs

Would’ve been better with something else inside (kind of like a sandwich)

4. Daniel LUCAS

Golden dry yellow in color

Smells like butter Grainy texture is revealed

Has a very strong garlic flavor

Just like a Monte Carlo sandwich toasted with butter

5. Abbi MANEGO

Bright, vibrant yellow with golden brown accents, complimented nicely by the bright red salsa.

Very buttery smell with a hint of garlic

Smooth surface but a little coarse in the mouth, like scrambled eggs but firmer

Garlic-y flavor, very homey and Mediterranean

Would’ve been better with meat maybe, very light and tasty

6. Nicole SAN JUAN

Looks like bread toast, very light yellow and looks perfect with the salsa

Cooked in butter so all I can smell is butter

Grainy texture, the exterior is firm and supports the soft interior

Bitter garlic flavor from the strongly flavored salsa

The buttery taste and creamy texture in the pallets do not seem to catch my fancies

Couscous

Raw Stage

GROUP MEMBERS APPERANCE/COLOR TEXTURE ODOR1. Aj DOMAGSANG Big: big grains, pastel

yellow colorSmall: smaller grains, pale yellow

Solid, hard and rough. grainy

Starchy smell, like rice grains. Corn smell

2. Lhady DIZON Creamy yellow, cube Sand-like No smell

like shape3. Joey FRANCO Dull yellow color. Small

box-shaped grainsHard, wavy-edged No smell

4. Daniel LUCAS Semi spherical beans Hard and dry to touch No smell5. Abbi MANEGO Big: sago-ish

appearance, light yellowSmall: light yellow and uneven balls/grains

Like coarse sand or small sago. Hard and dry

Cardboard-ish, old smell, faint smell

6. Nicole SAN JUAN Looks like small diced fresh round strands of pasta

Very hard and dry, like pebbles

Almost no scent at all

Cooked Stage

GROUP MEMBERS

APPERANCE/COLOR TEXTURE ODOR FLAVOR OVERALL EATING QUALITY

1. Aj DOMAGSANG

Colorful and rice shaped

Soft and chunky

Herby scent Herby flavors

The grains are like pasta

2. Lhady DIZON

Light yellow color Soft grain texture

Basil and pepper smell

Strong basil flavor

I’m not so fond of the basil flavor

3. Joey FRANCO

Dark dull yellow with bright mixed veggies

Smooth and tender

Like rice with a little middle eastern touch

Uneven spread salt, overall tasteless

Lacking taste, but appealing overall

4. Daniel LUCAS

Looks very Moroccan/continental

The grains are quite slimy

Smells like pesto

Tastes like pesto

The spherical orientation of the grains makes it even more slimy

5. Abbi MANEGO

Looks sort of dry but very colorful with the added ingredients

Rice-like except more round and firm, I thought it would be dry but it wasn’t

Smells like chicken broth, quite herby, maybe lugaw?

Delicious, flavorful and tasty. Very middle eastern and exotic

Probably my favorite among all the dishes. The herbs really entice the palette.

6. Nicole SAN JUAN

Rich, oriental colors, the vegetables look overcooked because

Hard grains, would get stuck to my

Smell resembles rice with

For me lacks the flavor.

The mixture of all the vegetables and

of the lighter colors braces little hint of herbs.

herbs makes the dish so neutral

Malagkit

Raw Stage

GROUP MEMBERS APPERANCE/COLOR TEXTURE ODOR1. Aj DOMAGSANG White, long strands,

bigger version of riceSmooth and hard Faint smell of ordinary

rice2. Lhady DIZON White and spherical,

medium sized grainHard and smooth surface

Light odor

3. Joey FRANCO Dirty white, long/medium grain rice

Smooth Rice smell

4. Daniel LUCAS White in color just like rice grains

Smooth and powdery Light scent of rice grains

5. Abbi MANEGO Opaque white, like rice with rounded edges

Hard, dry, smooth surface of grains

Very faint smell, almost no smell

6. Nicole SAN JUAN Very white in color with very little streaks of brown and yellow

Hard, dry and smooth in feeling

Smells like usual grains of rice

Cooked Stage

GROUP MEMBERS

APPERANCE/COLOR TEXTURE ODOR FLAVOR OVERALL EATING QUALITY

1. Aj DOMAGSANG

Shiny, brown, decorated with carrots and leaves

Sticky Bacon-y smell

Salty taste Too salty

2. Lhady DIZON

Gravy color, light brown

Soft and chewy texture

Smells like bacon

Chicken flavor

The flavor was just right

3. Joey FRANCO

Brownish color, sticky look

Smooth soft feel and a

Smells like lugaw

Tastes like broth; rice

Sticky consistency

little sticky taste was a little too much

4. Daniel LUCAS

Could be more appealing

the rice was quite chunky and sticky

Smells like barbeque. Even through the smell, you can tell it’s salty

Quite too salty

The chunks of rice were quite weird topped with bacon and the vegetable garnish

5. Abbi MANEGO

Pale brown color, nice accents from the added vegetables, cute garnish and creamy looking

Soft and creamy, very savory texture

Bacon-y, buttery, smells really good

A little salty, reminds me of congee

Very different in a good way, like a cross of congee and paella and suman.

6. Nicole SAN JUAN

Very sticky and the meat does not improve overall appearance

Very sticky, slightly resembles real risotto

Smell of bacon overpowers the dish

Has hints of chicken broth, and is very salty

The taste of the bacon makes up for the bland lugaw taste of the dish

IV. RESEARCH & ANALYSIS

It is apparent that most of us in the group observed how the arugula in the salad had a bitter taste that really stood out. It turns out that like some of the other leaves and greens belonging to the mustard family, it is a low growing plant. The amount of sunlight it gets and the composition of its compound leaves contribute much to its bitter and pungently nutty taste. That is why it is usually tossed with milder flavored greens, like romaine, which we used in our salad, to balance out the strength of its flavor. As for the other greens, they weren’t so new to everyone since they have mild flavors and could easily compliment Filipino dishes. The fresh and garden taste proves that the ingredients are fresh and are straight from their sources.

As for the fruits, it was pretty obvious that the dragon fruit is the most exotic of all that was presented in class. It is interesting to know that contrary to what people usually think that it’s of Asian origin, it actually came from Central America! It was brought to Asia through Malaysia. Its tree source is just as funny looking as the fruit itself. Another fun fact is that it there are also varieties that have yellow skin and flesh, and those that have blood red flesh! However, one shouldn’t get intimidated by its alien appearance – it is a good source of vitamin C! It grows mostly on tropical soil, just like the chesa, which is also an excellent source of Vit C and healthy calories. Chesa starts out green-skinned,

and hard and gummy. As it ripens, it then develops a chalky texture and a faint sweetness that make it an acquired taste. Reactions from the class were either it was liked, or not liked at all. Majority from our group are not too fond of it.

It is funny to see how some of us compared the grapefruit to the locally known pomelo, only to find out that they are one in the same thing! Also, the grapefruit is not round, but is an oblate spheroid! Grapefruit is a well known diet regimen and is a good source of Vit C as well! It also contains antioxidants that cleanse the body. Why the bitterness? It is because grapefruit contains this chemical compound known as Naringin.

As for the risotto, common comments are creamy and sticky. Real Arborio rice, which is what is authentically used for the risotto dish is expensive. This is because we don’t grow that variety locally. Originally, it would only be grown in Italy, but is now being grown in the US too. What makes the risotto dish so creamy and sticky is the fact that Arborio rice undergoes a lot less milling than regular rice. This allows it to retain much of its starchiness that gets released when it is cooked. The slow cooking process with continuous stirring also contributes to its texture, making it a lot different from paella. Recipes include "Risotto alla Milanese," made with chicken or beef stock and saffron, which is traditionally served with osso buco (a stew made from veal bones) and "Risotto al Barolo," made with fine red wine, but so many other versions exist, both with vegetables and meat, as well as risottos made with various other wines, cheeses, or even fruits.

Since Arborio rice is generally an expensive ingredient, more and more people opt for substitutes that could be just as good, but are more affordable. The general rule is to go for shorter grained rice varieties. They are starchier than long grain ones. Locally, our malagkit variety rice (which is considered medium grain) makes quite a good substitute for Arborio. As seen in the reactions of the class to the risotto dish, it could easily be loved by Filipinos. Although it is a lot heavier in the tummy than our common rice, we simply have that predisposition in loving this special grain.

Polenta is another popular ingredient in Italian dishes. It is commonly known as corn meal or grits, and is used in a variety of dishes. It is interesting to know that it is a part of diverse cultures, ranging from Italian to Mexican, to African American. Here in the Philippines, it is not as popular, because we already have our much loved rice, and polenta is eaten much in the same way, and has a very different texture. Its taste is also not as neutral as that of our rice and this might explain why some people may not be readily interested in it. It starts out as corn, and then is dried and milled and ground either finely or coarsely. It also ranges in color from bright yellow, and lighter, to white. It is prepared into forms that would resemble either mashed potatoes or firm scrambled eggs.

Corn meal in its coarser form could easily resemble another known cereal product known as couscous. Though they might look closely related, they’re very different products. Couscous is actually a type of pasta. It is made of crushed, but unground (note: regular pasta products are made from ground Durum wheat or semolina, and that’s what makes couscous different from pasta, even if it has the same composition), semolina of hard wheat, using water to bind them. Couscous is popularly used in Middle Eastern, Caribbean, and Mediterranean dishes, though it actually originated from North Africa.

Couscous is traditionally served under a meat or vegetable broth. It can also be eaten alone, flavored or plain, warm or cold, or as a side dish.

It is usually cooked using broth or plain water and is tossed with diced meat and vegetables. It might look easy, but the preparation of couscous can be pretty tricky. The trick is to fluff with a fork when it cooks, and not to use heavy sauces.

V. CONCLUSION

Overall anyone from the class would definitely say that this particular lab experiment was a success. We all learned much from what each group had to say about their experiences and products at the start of the session, and the kitchen experience itself. Many of us hadn’t even encountered some of the assigned products, and it was exciting to taste new flavors for the first time.

It was a blast setting up our dish in a sort of production line process, as each member was assigned a task in the sandwich and salad making. Once again, our team work and discipline was tested. One lesson refreshed in our minds is about time management. We finished quite early again, and had to temporarily refrigerate our greens, and cover up our sandwiches with cling wrap to preserve their best states before service. In the end, our dish was okay and still quite good. Another lesson would be preplanning our recipes well. If only we had done that, then we would have had a lot of extra time to plan the best and most matching vinaigrette for our salad. Instead we ended up having to opt for premade. It was not that bad, but of course, made from scratch would have been so much better.

As observed in the purchase analysis, all of the ingredients used in the experiment except for the chesa, which is locally available, are quite expensive. Consider if Arborio rice was used. It costs on average Php200 per kilo in commercial markets. This is obviously because the products are not grown and/or processed locally. Add to that the fact that all of them were purchased from either a specialty store like Säntis, or grocery stores. They definitely were purchased with an added value. Given this situation, more people would definitely prefer more affordable and more accessible substitutes.

It was also such a good experiment because based on the ingredients used, and dishes prepared, one would see how healthy our menu for that day was. Mostly vegetarian, with light and refreshing flavors, anyone on a diet must have had a healthy meal fiesta that day. It is nice to make such dishes every once and a while, with flavors far from what we’re used to, to tingle our palettes and expose us to new and exciting flavors.

Anyone who participated in that experience would definitely say that all the objectives were met – and so much more!

VI. REFERENCES/ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

http://www.apinchof.com/arugula1058.htmlhttp://en.mimi.hu/gastronomy/arugula.htmlhttp://dragon-fruit.biz/http://www.tradewindsfruit.com/canistel.htmhttp://www.plantogram.com/index.php?productID=143http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grapefruithttp://www.holisticonline.com/herbal-med/_herbs/h_grapefruit.htmhttp://discovermagazine.com/2005/mar/biology-of-bitternesshttp://culinaryarts.about.com/od/ricegrains/p/arborio.htmhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060719084325AAyy3Dvhttp://www.lifeinitaly.com/food/polenta.asphttp://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-polenta.htmhttp://www.cubemarketplace.com/p-481-polenta-facts-and-history.aspxhttp://www.cliffordawright.com/caw/food/entries/display.php/id/58/http://www.foodreference.com/html/f-cous-cous.html

VII. APPENDICES

We did our sandwich in an assembly line just like how Ma’am Gugi taught us. One sliced the bread, another one to place tuna flakes, another for the cheese slices, and another for alfalfa sprouts and final touches.

When the sandwiches were all ready, the rest of the class was still busy with preparing and cooking their own dishes, not merely plating them. So we had to keep the sandwiches in the best condition possible which is by wrapping the plated sandwiches with cling wrap.

When the class was almost done, we tossed our salad with dressing and uncovered our sandwiches and plated them with the 2 lettuce salad and chips.