10 Top Picks from Ultimate Taste Test 2019

The Ultimate Taste Test (UTT) just wrapped up its 10th year with a bang last August 31, 2019, and it was another successful year of discovering the latest and yummiest food innovations in the industry.  Thanks to Our Awesome Planet and the partners (including The KTG, to which this blog is proudly part of) for making such sumptuous event possible!

Now, out of the 40 participants during the (UTT), I’ll be sharing with you 10 that captivated my palate. Please note that this list is not in any order, and purely based on a personal criteria, but I'm happy to hear your personal top 10 as well. I also placed the IG links should you be intrigued to try their products.

1. Bao Asian Treasures's All-Natural Siomai (@bao.asian.treasures)
Bao Asian Treasures captivated my buds with its pure meaty steamed goodness. The flavor was rich and my palate was able to tell the difference of having no preservatives. Also, the Black Truffle & Mushroom Siomai was heavenly! If you want to impress your guests, this is a must-have for house parties!

2. Chewy Louie Cookies (@chewylouiecookies)
Chewy Louie Cookies caught my attention with its fresh concept of selling the dough rather than the cookies itself. It allows you to have freshly baked cookies every time. All you need to do is heat them in an oven and voila! Plus, when I sampled the Chocolate Peanut Butter cookie, I instantly fell in love with its fullness and goodness.

3. Que Rica's Laing Longganisa (@querica.ph)
Que Rica’s Laing Longganisa is a culinary gem that takes the best of both the laing (creaminess and gata essence) and longganisa (salty and garlicky).

4. Chip's Soft Gooey Cookies (@iwantchip)
Chip's soft gooey cookies were immensely indulgent, and when I took a bite of The Dark Night (choco-overload cookies with 60% cacao and semi-sweet chocolates), I was blown by the decadent chocolatey core -- it was truly gooey, dreamy, melty and chewy! Incredible.

5. Artisanal Food Inc.'s Mango Wood Smoked Bacon & Sausages (@artisanalfoodinc)
The Smoked Bacon and Sausages had a remarkable flavor (semi-sweet, salty and smokey), which I guess came from being smoked out of mango wood. This will be great for parties at home (especially garden parties).

6. Leah's Pantry - Unang Gisa (@leahspantry.ph)
The Unang Gisa series of Leah's Pantry is a great aid for beginner cooks and/or those who want to quicken food preparation. Given by its name, Unang Gisa provides all the essential base for your sauce, which then eliminates your preliminary preparation (i.e. saves about 15 minutes of prep & cooking time). Take home these bottled goodness, and make your cooking more hassle-free!

7. The Pastry Connection (@thepastryconnection)
Pastry Connection’s pastillas crinkles combined two of my favorite desserts, and it was brilliance in a bite — milky in the core from the pastillas and soft + chewy from the crinkles. Simple yet leaves a lasting impression.

8. Quezo City's Quezo de bola Spread (@quezocity)
Quezo City’s quezo de bola spread certainly delighted the cheese-lover in me. The spread was marked by distinct aged flavor coming from melted quezo de bola. I can already think of multiple ways (and recipes) of enjoying it.

9. Kaien Buffalo Sauce (@kaienbuffalosauce)
Kaien Buffalo Sauce is another invention that deserves a spot in your kitchen cabinet. Now, an exciting tangy and bellpeppery spicy buffalo chicken will be at your fingertips. Spicy-chasers will definitely enjoy this as it pumps up adrenaline as you take a bite/dip.

10. Rustic Mornings' Waffable (@rusticmornings)
Waffable unleashed the kid in me with its tantalizing colors, and I was fighting the urge to snatch one and munch it as I was waiting in line. When I finally got my turn and took a bite, it melted my heart with its warm and moist texture.

So there you go! Let’s support these home businesses and new concepts, so that they’ll be more inspired to come up with next-generation innovations!

Do you agree with the list? Which of the stalls you think should have been part of this list?