Last Sunday - 09 February 2014, the newest Magnum Ice Cream flavor was launched. Eight SM Supermarkets and two SM Hypermarkets simultaneously unveiled the newest flavor - Magnum Gold?!, a silky vanilla ice cream with sea salt caramel flavor, covered with two layers of Belgian Milk Chocolate (one in traditional brown color and the other one in gold). Of the ten participating SM Supermarket and Hypermarket branches, my sister and I attended the happenings at SM City North EDSA.
My sister is planning to bake Red Velvet Cupcakes for Valentine's Day and it required two ingredients we haven't used yet - distilled vinegar and buttermilk. Buttermilk was difficult to find, but we were thankful that SM Supermarket had distilled vinegar available. Seeing that it wasn't that expensive, we decided to buy it and buy other things as well. I am very happy with the way SM Supermarket is "expanding," by making more products available. Their baking section not only carries hard to source ingredients like nuts (walnuts, almonds, cashew nuts) and dessert toppers, they also sell different materials like pans, measuring cups, measuring spoon, and a lot more.
Check out was easy breezy, too, as shoppers with baskets and big carts had their own lanes, so that shoppers with less items bought won't have to be sandwiched in between shoppers with big carts. They also have lanes for senior citizens, with bench where the elders could sit as they wait their turn). Staff of SM Supermarket were friendly and efficient as well.
It was 3:00 in the afternoon when the event started, and the first 200 shoppers to complete their grocery shopping were given a golden ticket (that made me feel like Charlie in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) that allowed them to claim their free Magnum Gold?! and a chance to Crack the Code in taking home a mystery prize inside the vault.
I was the fourth in line. While waiting, my sister and I got to hear that the code had 6-digits, and immediately, my sister whispered the date - 02.09.14. I was a little apprehensive at first, as it seemed such a giveaway, but one thing I learned from school was to always trust your instincts. When the first shopper keyed in 02 as her first two digits, my sister and I felt scared as she might have the same number in mind, but when the vault didn't open, we knew we had our chance (she keyed in 021409 by the way). We weren't able to see what numbers the second and third shopper used, but when it was my turn, I still went on with the digits my sister and I agreed to use. After keying 0 and 2, I felt a sudden rush of excitement that I sort of forgot what would be the next number, so I had to pause and recollect my thoughts. When I was done with the six digits, the light turned green, and I knew I just cracked the cold. Hooray!
The prize inside the vault was an iPod Shuffle (2GB). It was a very nice prize to win, something I could use while walking and jogging in the morning, although I am thinking of giving it to my sister since it was her instinct that really cracked the code.
Soon after, more and more people lined up to get their free Magnum Gold?! as well as try their luck in cracking the code. For that day, each participating SM Supermarket and Hypermarket branches had five iPod Shuffle to give away, and I wasn't sure if there were other winners in this branch, but checking the hashtag #GRABtheGOLDatSM on Instagram made me see other winners who successfully cracked the code.
If you weren't able to participate in this uber fun event, you still have a chance to buy Magnum Gold?! at a discounted prize. From 10 February until 28 February 2014, you may avail 2 Magnum Gold?! for only 100 pesos at any SM Supermarket, SM Hypermarket, and SaveMore branches. This offer is available nationwide, although at the moment, this golden treat is only available across Luzon. It will be available in Visayas and Mindanao starting 17 February.
I come from a family who loves cooking and eating. I never had any formal training in cooking and that I taught myself how to cook based on the handed down recipes, but I could say that I can cook good food. In 2008, I started documenting my food trips for my