A place called Nostalgia

One Sunday afternoon, my daughter Rikki Mae had a basketball game at Xavier School. While waiting for the game to start, I wanted to have a snack, so I went out to look for food. I spotted this cozy place that was part of a house. From afar, I could see they served coffee, cakes, cookies and homemade hamburgers and cheeseburgers. I rang the doorbell and out came a petite woman. I decided to get soft prune apricot cookies and a cup of coffee. The place is called Nostalgia, owned by Annie Lee-Giger and her Swiss husband Guido.

Annie said her cakes and cookies had no preservatives and her burgers had no meat extenders. My daughter and I tried the cheeseburger and we loved it. I also ended up ordering her butter loaves and prune rhum cakes as gifts to my friends. They loved it, too.

Annie and Guido were introduced to each other by Annie’s brother. They met, fell in love, were married and are blessed with two children, Audrey and Bryan.

Annie, who grew up in Sta. Cruz, Manila, had a degree in Marketing Management and Hotel and Restaurant Management at St. Scholastica’s Manila. Guido first came to the Philippines in 1985. He has been all over — from the Mountain Province to Tawi Tawi. His first business was selling Swiss fabrics then started making furniture as a hobby until it flourished to being his business as well.

Jacqui: When was Nostalgia born?

Annie: In August 2005 when we moved from Philam Homes Q.C. to Greenhills. With our landlord’s permission, my husband, a furniture craftsman with his crew, put up Nostalgia. Nostalgia officially opened on Nov. 26, 2005.

Jacqui: Why did you name it Nostalgia?

Annie: I chose it for nostalgic reasons. Old shops in Europe always fascinated me. (Annie studied Hotel Management in Europe for two years.)

Jacqui: Your burgers have no meat extenders and your cakes and pastries, no preservatives. Why have you chosen to do this?

Annie: No food tastes better than real good quality food. Freshness is one of the main reasons why my burgers and pastries have no preservatives and extenders. And it is healthier.

Jacqui: Do you bake the cakes yourself?

Annie: Yes but so do my two household girls, Eva and Rita. They even assist me in conceptualizing some recipes.

Jacqui: What are your bestsellers?

Annie: It’s hard to say. It all depends. For the chocoholics, they like Wolfie’s choco cake, ménage a trios and flourless choco mousse. Ménage a trios is made of 100 percent Swiss white, milk and dark chocolate (Felchlin and French whipping cream). Wolfie’s Choco Cake is made of 100 percent Swiss dark chocolate (Felchlin). Both are three-layered cakes. The flourless choco mousse is also made of 100 percent Swiss dark chocolate (Felchlin) and French whipping cream.

Jacqui: Did you take up baking or cooking lessons?

Annie: Yes, with Sylvia Reynoso Gala and Heny Sison.

Jacqui: How does your husband help you with your shop?

Annie: He helps me with some errands and being a Swiss who loves sweets, he is the critic.

Jacqui: Are your children showing any interest in the kitchen?

Annie: My daughter Audrey helps around whenever she is free.

Jacqui: What is most fulfilling part of your job?

Annie: The most fulfilling part of my job is to be able to create good quality pastries out of my passion and be able to bring smiles to my customers, for every bite is worth every penny spent.

Among those I have tried, my favorites are choco filled cookies, triple choco, old fashioned oat/pecan cookies and soft prune apricot. You should try choco Schuemli which is meringue with chocolate inside. Oh! It is a must to try. It melts in your mouth. And Annie’s lasagna, too. It is the best I have tried. She simmers the beef for five hours. It is heavenly! Mouth-watering!

(Nostalgia is located at 67-B Washington St., Greenhills, in front of Gate 10 Xavier School. Their telephone number is 727-5047. They open at 7:30 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. But like the shops in Europe, all you need to do is ring the bell.

(E-mail me at babyjackster@yahoo.com or visit www.jackielou.com)