Some of the best food comes from home. And the many home cooks and bakers who have made good business churning out delectable pastries and savory specialties are reinforcing this claim.
Gorgeous Green Hummus by Silver Platter
Mesa ni Misis founder Juana Yupangco has been making hummus for friends and family for some time now. Wanting to share the love, she collaborated with Silver Platter and gave it a healthy twist by making it gluten-free, fully vegan and more flavorful.
Part of the sales for the hummus will fund nutrition seminars for underserved communities, under her brand Mesa ni Misis.
Available in all Eric Kayser stores. Call 09274853399 for bulk orders.
Crab and Truffle Fortune Bags by The China Mommy
China Mommy’s Fresh Lumpia, Crab Sotanghon, and Lo Ba have become party hits. Their best-selling Fortune Bags get two new flavors this season—the truffle, which hides a mix of different mushrooms inside the thin tofu skin, and the crab, an equally delicious and more affordable alternative to their crab trays.
Call 0917-5148540.
Pancit Lagkit by Pepita’s Kitchen
Dedet dela Fuente, aka Lechon Diva, adds her version of pancit to her repertoire. It’s an updated version of a childhood dish: the noodle dish is cooked in a vat of collagen, making it a bit sticky and flavorful.
Call 0917-8660662
Roast Pork Belly by The Hungry Chef
This is a dish Nathaniel Uy would often cook for his lechon-loving family. The pork is left in a brining liquid overnight, seasoned with a secret rub then roasted. The result is a juicier and tender pork belly, which he serves with seasonal veggies, and orzo (grain-shaped pasta) with sultanas.
Call 0922-8186434
Corn Bread and Mushroom-Stuffed Roast Turkey by A Table
As healthier entree to the holiday roast pig, Dulce Magat-Gibb of A Table is offering her roast turkey stuffed with corn bread, ciabatta and mushroom, served with cranberry-pear in red wine relish and gravy.
Another choice, which is just as mouthwatering, is her roast chicken stuffed with garlic-herb boursin.
Call 0917-8621800.
Spiced Short Ribs with Chestnuts and Figs by Xancho
Marco Rodriguez’s Xancho is known for Kitayama short ribs braised overnight in a blend of red wine, herbs and other aromatics then mixed with chestnuts and figs.
Call 0917-8307020, 0917-5054572.
Queso de Bola Chips by Homemade Treasures
Pampanga-based homebaker Chona Ayson‘ first got known for her classic ensaymadas, which is based on a 1930s recipe. Her latest addition, Queso de Bola Chips, is just as good and addicting as her pastries. The chips can be served with cold cuts or enjoyed as is.
Call 0928-5070928, (045) 3234149
Holiday Cookies by The Bald Baker
Cy Ynares, the genius behind the playful cookie brand, released three kinds this season: the BBC or Big Black Cookie, which uses three types of dark chocolate (62 percent, 72 percent couverture and 70 percent from South Cotobato); the Brookie, which is a hybrid of all-time favorites choco chip cookie and brownies; and the Ube cookie because “I love eating it during the holidays,” he says.
Visit www.thebaldbakerph.com
Gruyere Ensaymada by Baby Pat’s Breads and Pastries
Pearl de Guzman is known for her ensaymada with salted caramel, ube, ham or Vigan longganisa. A welcome addition is the gruyere variant. The Swiss cheese is folded in the soft dough, lending a subtle saltiness and nuttiness that marry well with the sugary pastry. For best results, blitz it in the microwave or warm in a toaster until the butter has melted.
Call 0917-7901127.
Holiday Babka by Hiraya Bakery
Babka has been on the spotlight in the United States for some time now. And though Manila is yet to pick up this trend, Collette dela Cruz, who owns Laguna-based pastry brand Hiraya Bakery has already released her version.
Her take on the sweet yeast cake incorporates cardamom, cinnamon, 70 percent South Cotabato chocolate, brandy caramel, and salted almonds, all of which result in a soft loaf that’s both sinful and heavenly.
Call 0915-5290250.
Cereal Cake by The Pastry Cart
Inspired by the cereal milk by Christina Tosi, home baker Camille Ocampo decided to translate the frozen delight’s distinct flavor into a cake. It has become one of her bestsellers. The cereal milk-soaked cake has layers of cereal-flavored cream and crowned with cereal crumble.
Call 0916-7457729 in Manila, 0917-5041204 in Cebu
Mangorama Caramel Spiced Pudding by Bananarama
An offshoot of Bananarama, Kimi Delgado’s line of banana pudding in jars, Mangorama Caramel Spiced Pudding has layers of our beloved ripe mangoes, burnt caramel cream and burnt caramel cake. It’s so good it’s giving her own banana line a run for its money.
Call 0929-5851051.
Earl Grey Torte by Homemade by Roshan
Inspired by recent trip to London where she got to enjoy London Fog Tea lattés in the afternoon, Roshan Samtani turned the comforting and fragrant drink into an elegant pastry that picks up Earl Grey tea’s subtle hints of bergamot. The torte has three layers of walnut meringue with an Earl Grey-infused pastry cream and a thin layer of dark chocolate ganache, covered with an Earl Grey vanilla whipped cream.
Call 6317786, 6336286
Double Cookie Cheesecake from Indulgence by Irene
Every year, people expect Irene Co to release a cheesecake that’s fit for a festive celebration. She went all out this year with a showstopper.
Inspired by an ice cream sandwich, her cake has creamy cheesecake sandwiched between two big Callebaut dark chocolate chip cookies. It’s big, rich and yummy enough to be shared by a big party.
Call 0922-8303900, 0917-6225800