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Bakery With An “e”

As a grammar geek, it’s absolutely electrifying to be getting a grammar lesson along with my dessert. RJ Galang and his mom, Eleanor, have a home baking business called Bakere. There’s a macron (-), a diacritic placed above the last ‘e’ that indicates a long vowel sound. Thus, Bakere is pronounced “bakery.” Because of the encoding limitations on standard fonts on this website, I can’t type Bakere the way it should correctly be displayed so let’s just imagine.

The distinctive name refers to Eleanor. Says RJ, “Most of my cousins and close friends call her Tita E and we initially named the bakeshop Baker E since it was an existing bakeshop and she was the one who developed all of the recipes. It eventually evolved into Bakere.”

Former incarnations of Bakere hark back to 1975 when Eleanor had a bakeshop called Sweet Expressions. Then when the family moved from New Manila to Wack Wack in 1996, it was given yet another name-change to Bakeshop 833. When RJ decided to team up with his mom to handle marketing, the business was re-christened Bakere.

bakere-ensaymada (1)

Eleanor does the baking and because she’s been at it for so many years, Bakere’s line-up spans the spectrum from retro to contemporary. Some of the stalwarts that have been around since the start are the Ensaymadas (P600/12). Varying fancies for this rich roll abound, and this one proffers yet another form.

bakere-ensaymada (3)

bakere-ensaymada (2)

Opening the box reveals a reverie in butter and light – squat, delicate rolls dusted with queso de bola, glistening with grains of sugar. Picking one up, it’s similar to an oversized mushroom, its stem sprouting a fluffy cloud. Today, these ensaymadas are “tasted” by an aroma of yeast, an almost overwhelming beer-like smell and tinge of sour. This happens when too much yeast is used in the dough and/or the dough is over-proofed. Either way, I’m willing to let it go for now. The roll is pleasingly soft, its presence on my palate reminding me that indeed, Christmas is soon coming.

Everybody I know considers him/herself a connoisseur of cheese cupcakes. We all grew up on them after all but it’s ironic that the ones we remember are those bought from the school canteen. Even now, I’m hard-pressed to name bakers who sell them; I guess they’re deemed too quaint. Whatever it is, everyone needs to get reacquainted with Cheese Cupcakes (P470/12), beginning with the ones from Bakere.

bakere-cheese_cupcakes

A crinkly, crusty top evokes similarities to a giant coconut macaroon, yet another one of those old-fashioned goodies that time forgot. One bite and an almost all-inclusive taste landscape begins: salty, cheesy, sticky, sweet – a perfect synergy stoked by nubbins of cheese – salty grit in every bite. Far from the humdrum crumb of yesteryear’s cheese cupcakes, the crumb on this is coarser, better than any I’ve ever known. These are outstanding cheese cupcakes.

Bakere is an example of an ideal mom-son symbiosis: Eleanor bakes and RJ blazes a trail for them. He’s certainly no slouch in the kitchen either – his experiments with bacon jam and finishing salts have proven wildly successful and profitable. On the side, he runs Underground Supper Club, a monthly degustation dinner operated in a venue taken over for the evening.

bakere-brookies (2)

Because RJ always has an eye trained on the next trend, he broached to his mom the idea of baking brookies. Another one of those dessert mash-ups, a brookie is a brownie in a chocolate chip cookie. It sounds like the best of both worlds, ideal for when you can’t decide if you want one or the other. It’s not a novel idea but execution is key here. There’s already one home baker who’s made a business out of this and I’ve tried it, but it’s blown clear out of the water by Bakere’s Brookies (P500/12).

bakere-brookies (1)

Heavy in hand but not dauntingly so, it’s the size of a muffin. At first glance, it’s a chocolate chip cookie, the darkness of its midnight middle is muffled by the paper liner. Unwrap it and yes, let none of the crusty bits sticking to the paper fall to the wayside – scrape and lick the decadent debris. Though the chocolate chip cookie is on top, it’s the brownie who’s boss here in flavor and texture, smooth but bold with a softness that makes my spine slump. It’s only at the end that the cookie comes in for the finish, chips of chocolate enmeshed in a buttery batter, echoing the intensity – and ecstasy – of the bite of brownie that began it all. The glory of these brookies wanes with each passing day so eat them immediately.

~

Bakere
Click image to enlarge.

bakere_pricelist_email

Filed Under: Home Bakers, Uncategorized Tagged With: bacon jam, brookies, brownies, cheese cupcakes, chocolate chip cookies, ensaymada

Joan & Jane: Love Those Names, Love Their Treats

Joan & Jane Cake Bites (J&J) is a business run by two sisters, Cathleen Co and Michelle Chan. The three-syllable, almost staccato sobriquet is taken from their middle names. “We would be honored if you could try samples of our items… and get your honest opinion on them,” they write in their email. They add that they attended my Christmas Gift List event last year, and enjoyed themselves immensely. How I wish I could’ve met them then!

Still, I like it very much when “silent fans” as they call themselves and so-called lurkers come out of the shadows. If you like food as much as I do, then I want to get to know you.

J&J is an offshoot of Cathleen and Michelle’s initial business, a catering and party tray service called 8 Spoons. It was borne out of a successful attempt to cater Cathleen’s kid’s first birthday party. When asked to differentiate between J&J and 8 Spoons, Michelle replies, “I think our business is a cross between a home baking kitchen and an actual business.”

It’s difficult to believe that J&J started just last November. With such little lead time, their boxes are works of art in themselves, creatively executed and with an eye for design. Done in deep magenta, the boxes have thoughtful touches like “cut here”; and “please do tell” heading up the listed contact information (word of mouth is everything after all). The back of the larger boxes are walls of food quotes, perfect to skim through while nibbling on a pastry.

Speaking of pastries, J&J makes the most intriguing 3-Nut Tartlets (P200, box of 9). A triad of pecans, almonds and cashews, the tartlet itself is a triangle because as Cathleen and Michelle explain, “We thought it had the best crust-to-filling ratio as opposed to [other shapes].” I agree. The fancifully fluted edges shore up a filling that’s a cross between shortbread and a coconut macaroon, the latter flavor of which is echoed in its coconut cap that’s at once sticky-chewy, buttery-crunchy. This one’s my favorite.

The tarts capped with cashews are the Salted Caramel Cassava Tartlets (P280, box of 8), a variation on the Cassava Tartlets.

It’s uncommon for local home bakers to present their own riff on a native treat but that’s what the sisters have done. Their Cassava Tartlets (P280, box of 8), draw reference to a cassava cake but – and here comes the twist – it’s enclosed in a crust suggestive of puff pastry. They love “… anything with puffed pastry or pie crust, something we both share with you, Lori.” (Wow, these girls aren’t kidding when they tell me that they read all my posts!) I love it when I meet fellow pie and pie crust lovers. I think the tarts can afford to be a bit more moist, sweeter too, but they’re showered with Parmesan, its characteristic saltiness pointing up the root crop’s rather subtle flavor. These are Boo’s favorite, and I’m lucky that I’m able to snatch just two away to shoot. The tarts have a very short shelf life however and must be eaten on the day of purchase; the flavor’s just not the same otherwise.

Yet another nod to local ingredients is J&J’s Adzuki Cream Cake (P600/8-inch round), shown here in a sampler size. Inspiration culled from a Korean store takes flight in rounds of sponge cake and fillips of cream. The red bean’s distinctive earthiness tumbles into the filling and frosting, and deep in the cake’s heart, finds its center: robust red bean flavor swathed in cream. The cake is so light, the flavors so delicate, that I need to keep my fork in it lest it fly off the table and float away.

A complete counterpoint to the whispery softness of the cake is the crackly crunch of the Lemon Pistachio Bites (P300, box of 30). An uncommon togetherness, pistachios pock and permeate the cookie while lemon zest perks it up.

I’m impressed with J&J’s range of desserts, definitely far from the usual and with a penchant for sophistication. “We want our customers to appreciate local ingredients [like the red bean and cassava] and see them in a different light,” Michelle avers. “In the same way, we also want [them] to savor ingredients that were once presumed to be very expensive, like pistachios, pecans, cranberries, as something now reachable to anyone.”

Of course no home baker’s line-up is complete without chocolate. The Black Beauty (P750, 8-inch cake) is riveting in name and appearance. Once revealed, it elicits a gasp from me. The cake looks back silent, smoldering – what enigma, surely edible, does it hold within? As if signaling its readiness to divest of its secrets, I touch its nubby exterior and crumbs begin to fall. My knife slides in – in reply, a freefall of crumbs and then … splatters of color. Mangoes, gilded in gold; kiwis glinting green, strawberries blushing shyly, and bananas bundled in yellow – all enmeshed in an edible eternity of cream cloaked in chocolate cake. Eating this is like eating clouds, layers of lightness interrupted only by subtle suggestions of chocolate and fruit. And to think that there’s a “blonde” counterpart to this cake aptly named Blonde Beauty. That, I want to try too and the Mango Princess.

Subtlety has its place in my eating life but sometimes nothing beats the purity of communication like a simple punch to the mouth – a punch of chocolate, that is. J&J’s Salted Caramel Brownies (P150, box of 10) – my god, even the name excites me already – fits the bill. Craggy fissures of darkness brim with caramel, pooling in puddles, brownies brooding brilliantly. A topcoat of crackle mantles unending moistness below. Bite, and the touch-tag of salty-sweet begins.

~~
Joan & Jane by Cathleen Co and Michelle Chan
Product list and other information here.
Joan & Jane are also at the Salcedo Market every Saturday.

Filed Under: Home Bakers Tagged With: brownies, cassava cake, fruit desserts, nut tarts, red bean cake, salted caramel

Christmas Gift List Purveyor #6: Tina Diaz of Taza Platito

Tina is special to me because we started our food careers at the same magazine and as a food writer, I’ve gone on to write about her illustrious desserts.
[Read more…]

Filed Under: Food Purveyors, Home Bakers Tagged With: banana cream pie, brownies, Christmas Gift List, Philippine sweets, sticky toffee pudding, tablea, yema

Christmas Gift List Purveyor #4: Mara de la Rama-Poblete of Dessert du Jour

I dream of Mara’s crepe cake – all 20 layers of them.
[Read more…]

Filed Under: Food Purveyors, Home Bakers Tagged With: bakery, brownies, Christmas, Christmas Gift List, crepe cake, date bars, food for the gods, Oreos

Christmas Gift List Purveyor #1: Chef Buddy Trinidad of Park Avenue Desserts

“And is this Park Avenue in New York?” I ask.
[Read more…]

Filed Under: Food Purveyors, Home Bakers Tagged With: apple pie, bakery, banana cream pie, brownies, chocolate cake, dessert, macarons, macaroons, patisserie

Cheapskate of the Universe

polvoron

I know someone who calls himself C.O.T.U. literally, “Cheapskate of the Universe.”
[Read more…]

Filed Under: The Best... Lists Tagged With: brownies, empanada, Goldilocks, pandesal, polvoron

14 Things I “heart” About You

As requested by those of you who missed the premier broadcast of Dessert Comes First on Mellow 94.7 FM last night, here’s the Valentine’s Day list that I presented.

silicone chopping board mat
1. Silicone Zone chopping board mat
Measuring 11.2 x 11.2 x 0.2 inches, it’s a surefire way to keep your board and knife where they should be. I love mine to death and the color is so apropos for V-Day!
Distributed by SweetLink.
807-8272; www.siliconezone.com

2. Myron’s V-Day Menu (click here to view)


3. Zoi’s Sausages
All-meat sausage specialties. I’ll never go to another deli again. My faves: the Chipolata and Cheese. Try also the exceptional beef bulgogi which I use to fill my shawarmas and fresh Vietnamese spring rolls. The distributor, Anton Guerrero of Thunderbolt Distribution, also distributes Brothers Burger beef patties in Gourmet or Black Angus.

View Thunderbolt product list

4. Chocolates by Benoit Nicolay
A chocolate artisan who makes the only handmade Belgian chocolates in the Philippines.
Click here to view Valentine’s Day products.
www.chocolatesbybenoit.com
822-6995; sale@chocolatesbybenoit.com
Visit kiosk at RCBC Tower in Makati from Feb 11-13. FREE deliveries in Makati only.

5. Dusit Thani Manila Crossover Family Sunday Brunch
Relive the tradition of Family Sunday Brunch with food from the Dusit’s four restaurants: Basix, Tosca, Benjarong, and UMU.

Every Sunday from 11.30am-3pm.
P 1,450 nett per person.
Half price for kids 6-12 years old, 5 years old and below are free of charge.
For inquiries and reservations, call Restaurant Reservations Hotline: 867 3333. Also ask about their Valentine restaurant promotions that range from P1,450-P2,900 nett.

6. Fudgy Brownie mix from Ken Subillaga & Chef Joey Prats of Symphony Sweets
0918.4910649 / 0922.8536638
Symphony.sweets@gmail.com
“Desserts made in heaven, available on earth.” (I dig their tagline!)

macaroons

7. Empire macarons
Precious heart-shaped macarons and chocolate-dipped cheesecake balls and bites. Too cute!
Available at the Bakers’ Fair at Rockwell until Feb. 15, 2009.
467.1995 / (0917) 886-1190
georgia@grochacatering.com

8. Tarta de Sta. Teresa
An ethereal cake cake filled with yema and topped with a yema ball. Can you say “more?” Available at all Alba’s Restaurants:
-Polaris in Bel-Air ”“ 896.6950
-Tomas Morato corner Sct. Lozano ”“ 925.1912
– One Luna Lifestyle Ctr, Eastwood, Libis ”“ 631.2216

9. Best Apple Pie by Amor Garcia (formerly Tina Tamesis’ apple pie)
490.5696/ 83304076

10. Fresh roses from Ecuador, tulips from Holland
Reasonably priced too!
www.bloomservice.multiply.com

11. M Café’s “Love the Good Life” Valentine Special
On all Saturdays in February, eat all you can of US Angus Prime Rib, raw oyster bar, and salad. P988++.
For inquiries, 757.3000 / 6000
Museum Cafe
Ayala Museum Greenbelt 4,
Dela Rosa Street corner Makati Avenue, Makati

12. Cookbooks
New arrivals at Fully Booked. Stock availability varies at each branch.
*Betty Crocker Baking Basics – P1,298
*Kneadlessly Simple by Nancy Baggett – P1,248
*Under Pressure: Cooking Sous Vide by Thomas Keller – P3,750
www.fullybookedonline.com/

13. Carla & Elaine’s bakeshop
Two of my favorite bakers offer Devil’s food cupcakes with heart toppers (P65 single; P440/8) as well as a heart-shaped decadence cake (P550).
Contact info

13. Enderun’s Wine & Dine Menu
Feb 13-14 set dinner specially paired with sparkling wines.
Four-course dinner at PhP 1390+ per person
Add P600 per person for four glasses of sparkling wine

Aperitif
Bellagio Sparkling Red
Malvasia/Freisa, Italy
~~
Cream of Wild Forest Mushrooms with Truffle Foam
or
Mixed Green Salad with Walnuts, Tomatoes, Croutons
With White Wine Vinaigrette and Truffle Oil

Vallformosa Cava Brut – Macabeo/Parellada/Xarello, Spain
~~
Pineapple Granité
~~
Surf and Turf
Grilled Lamb Chops on Truffle Mashed Potato
and Pan-fried Bacon Wrapped Scallops with Fava Beans
or
Oven Roasted Fillet of Chilean Sea Bass
with Sautéed Garlic French Beans, Mashed Potato and Saffron Sauce

Yarra Burn Yarra Valley Pinot Noir/Chardonnay/Pinot Meunier,
Australia ”˜04
~~
Dessert
Trio of Dark Chocolate Truffles

Fox Creek McLaren Vale ”˜Vixen’ Sparkling Shiraz/Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon,
Australia NV

http://www.restaurant101.com.ph
Related Post:
A Meal At Restaurant 101

Filed Under: The Best... Lists Tagged With: Alba's, brownies, Carla and Elaine, chocolates, kitchenware, Len Lo, M Cafe, macaroons, Myron's, sausages, Valentine's Day

Brownies on the Brain

I’m popping squares of bitter chocolate into my mouth in an attempt to gratify/sate/satiate what feels ”“ to me ”“ like an insurmountable yearning for chocolate. And in a seemingly cruel trick that fate plays on me, I quickly discover that there’s no milk chocolate to be found in the house.

Egads.
[Read more…]

Filed Under: Food Purveyors Tagged With: brownies, Xocolat

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