Guilty Pleasures | Romana Peanut Brittle

I'm not really that fond of peanut brittle, and about the only peanut brittle I've ever known since I was a kid was the one made by the Good Shepherd Sisters from Baguio, which were mostly thin shards of brittle embedded with a gazillion chopped peanuts--it was good, but not really addictive for me.

Through the years, friends and relatives would give us pasalubongs from Baguio in the form of strawberry jam, vegetables, ube, and the ubiquitous peanut brittle, mostly from Good Shepherd or some other unknown brand, which included Romana Peanut Brittle made in Dagupan.

I've generally ignored other peanut brittle brands like Romana, mainly because they didn't seem to have the precise, distinctive look that the Good Shepherd brittle had. Until I actually tasted it...and was blown away.

Now here was something that looked deceptively simple; thick, rough chunks of brittle with large, whole peanuts that shattered easily, yet tasted awesome--it was buttery and caramelly at the same time, and the peanuts just added that extra layer of greatness.

I like this brittle a lot, particularly with a nice, bitter blend of brewed coffee, as the two contrasting tastes go well together. It's also good with a very dark chocolate type of ice cream.

The scary thing about Romana Peanut Brittle is that you never even realize how addictive it is; usually I tend to break off a small shard, munch it, and it's only about several minutes later that I find out I've already eaten half the container, LOL.

Uggie

Uggie is a Jack Russell Terrier who appeared in the big movie of last Sunday night's Academy Awards, The Artist. Prior to that, he appeared in several other films and commercials, but there's no denying that the French movie The Artist made him a star, with most reviews mentioning that he stole every scene that he was in.


The Artist is a unique film, a true silent film inspired by the silent movies of yesteryear and done in the same black and white style. It's already garnered critical acclaim, mostly due to the performances of the actors featured in the movie, Uggie included. Uggie has received many accolades for The Artist, including awards presented at the Cannes Film Festival, the Prix Lumière Awards, and others, as well as attending those awards shows and gala events.

Even though Uggie was diagnosed with a neurological order during the filming of The Artist, he managed to do all his parts like a pro. Consequently, his trainer and owner Omar Von Muller decided to have him retire from showbiz to do less stressful parts, and earlier this month, Uggie became Nintendo of America's spokesdog for their Nintendogs + Cats game for the 3DS.

Uggie & French actor Jean Dujardin onstage at the Oscars

While a "Consider Uggie" campaign for a special Oscar award didn't exactly pan out, last February 26 was still Uggie's biggest night ever, as he attended the Academy Awards ceremony. He was brought to the stage and joined the cast of The Artist as they accepted the final award of the night for Best Picture; Best Actor winner Jean Dujardin even carried then kissed him while holding his Oscar with his other hand, awwwww.

Uggie with the producer, director, and the cast of The Artist backstage at the Oscars

For the Oscars, Uggie wore a black satin bowtie with dangling 18K gold bone engraved with his name, exclusively designed by the prestigious Swiss jeweler Chopard. The classy bowtie will then be auctioned off, with proceeds going to The Amanda Foundation, a Los Angeles-based animal rescue group.

The Artist has yet to be shown here, but I'm already looking forward to see this adorable dog onscreen.


[Photos: Uggie - Business Wire; Uggie and Jean Dujardin - Mark J. Terrill of Associated Press;
Uggie and the cast of The Artist, Reuters]