And the winner is . . .

Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods; good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of feasts! — James Beard

Fervet olla, vivit amicitia: While the pot boils, friendship endures. (Meaning the man who gives good dinners has plenty of friends.) — Latin proverb

With the help of media and the Internet, the culinary industry has astronomically risen in popularity, becoming a favorite career choice among the youth today. Culinary competitions like Iron Chef and Top Chef have enticed curiosity, opened doors to numerous possibilities and a venue to showcase their skills in the kitchen.

Lately I have been deluged with requests to be a judge: on television for Channel 5’s Celebrity Cook Off, and a member of a distinguished culinary panel in the recently concluded Ayala Malls “Top Picks,” where our choices from our favorite establishments would serve as guides to the eating public who would visit any Ayala Mall in Metro Manila. 

These events brought back memories of when I was 20 years old and invited by master chef and baker Johnlou Koa of French Baker to be a judge in the “Traditional Bread” competition of the renowned Les Toque Blanches, an event that pitted the top hotels in the country against each other.

I arrived 30 minutes early in my coat and tie, truly believing that it is better to be early than late. It was quite amusing that I was hovering near the judge’s lounge and nobody paid any attention. One individual mistook me for a visitor rather than a judge, sending me to the wrong station and asking me to purchase a ticket. For 30 minutes I roamed around the hall until my name was announced through the loudspeakers. Finally Johnlou spotted me and with his booming voice said, “There’s Ernest, our judge!” I could literally see jaws dropping as the organizers couldn’t believe that the young man standing in front of them all the while with his boyish looks was the person they were looking for.

I was ushered inside with the three foreign judges who represented the international judges, while Johnlou, chef Jessie Sincioco and I composed the local counterpart. After two hours of tasting, debating and tallying of scores, the winner was The Vegetable Mix White Bread of Dusit Thani Hotel Manila, which was also my personal choice and which the other judges had also agreed on.

In Calabria, Italy, I was fortunate to train with chef-culinary director John Nocita and his Italian culinary team of the Italian Institute for Advanced Culinary and Pastry Arts. With his partner, 13-time Olympic and European culinary champion Nicola Stratoti, I further enhanced my skills in the art of bread making, as well as learned the keys to success in winning in such competitions. The necessary factors include understanding the basic principles of making bread, choosing the correct ingredients — like the use of instant yeast compared to active dry yeast for faster rising times due to time constraints, and picking bread flour if you want the bread to be crustier and denser because it has more gluten or protein, while all-purpose flour has less gluten, which makes it softer in texture and easier to handle. The right amount of fat such as eggs, milk, butter, margarine and oil produces a richer taste and a tender loaf, while crispier breads use vegetable shortening. In one event Chef Nicola noticed that the judges favored more coarse bread, therefore he used potato water (or water used to boil potatoes) as his liquid to achieve this, instead of milk, which also made his bread bigger in volume. The right amount of sweetener like granulated sugar, corn syrup, molasses or brown sugar is also essential because too much will inhibit yeast growth. Salt is a stabilizer as well as a taste enhancer.

The second important rule is mixing and kneading. Using a firm, rhythmic motion allows the yeast and gluten to develop, allowing it to become smooth and elastic. Over-mixing leads to the gluten falling apart with no grain.

The third step is the rising time. Ideal temperature is 30 to 37 degrees Celsius, with colder temperatures delaying the time for the yeast to grow. Some recipes call for two to three rising periods, to enhance the flavor and produce a finer texture. Punching down the dough helps distribute the carbon dioxide produced by the yeast for more level bread. It is important to know that bread is “double in size” when you press it with your finger to form an indention and it no longer shrinks in size.

The fourth step is selecting the proper pan. Too small will make it overflow while too big will leave it flat.

Finally the oven temperature plays a crucial role when baking, with lean breads like pizza crust and breadsticks requiring a higher temperature of 425 degrees Fahrenheit while sweet breads like ensaymada and cheese rolls only require 350 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. The oven should be preheated or turned on 15 minutes before putting the bread in. Putting cold or ice water on a tray underneath while baking forms a crust and is a clever substitute for steam ovens. “Practice, practice, and practice!” was Chef Nicola’s mantra, and his input and proven methods clearly illustrate why he is the undisputed champion.

I take judging seriously knowing the time, effort, and prayers that contestants have put into submitting, preparing, and practicing on their entries. Yet still some fall short and do not achieve the golden pot. When given the chance, I talk to them after the results are in and advise them on the correct aspects of the dish and where improvements can be made for better results. As a judge I never use fear and intimidation, leaving participants dejected and heartbroken. I believe that the mark of an excellent judge is to know what went wrong, offer productive solutions and more importantly, inspire each contestant to achieve culinary greatness and success. As Virgil stated, “For they conquer who believe they can.”

Piggies On A Stick

1) 500 grams mini/cocktail hotdogs-30 pieces

2) 15 bamboo barbecue sticks

3) For the dough: Put in a bowl 1 tbsp. each of yeast and sugar, 1 cup water and let “bubble” for 5 minutes.

4) Add 1 tsp. fine salt, 1/3 cup shortening/lard or softened butter, 1 egg, 1/4 cup milk. Mash with hands or Kitchen Aid (using a dough hook). Gradually add 4 cups all-purpose flour (one cup of flour at a time). Place on a table and knead, adding 1/2 cup more flour. (If using Kitchen Aid, no need to knead on table. When you have finished a total 4 1/2 cups of flour, stop.) Grease bowl with 2 tbsp. oil or lard and coat dough thoroughly with it. Cover with plastic cling and let rise until double for 25 to 30 minutes. (To test dip 2 fingers into flour and poke the dough. If it leaves a dent and doesn’t spring back it has doubled.)

5) Dust your table and rolling pin with extra 1/4 cup all-purpose flour. Put dough on top and roll out into a rectangle 15 x 6 inches. Cut center of dough. Cut into 30 pieces with a knife or dough cutter. Put hotdog in each and roll tightly. Place on 2 oil-greased baking trays, open side underneath. Brush with 1 egg (to make it shiny) mixed with 2 tbsp. milk (to make it brown). Let rise 25 minutes then bake in preheated oven 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 175 degrees Centigrade for 25 minutes. 

6) When cool enough to handle, put two mini-dogs per barbecue stick. Ideal for cocktail parties or food-cart business.

7) Tip: Minidogs can be half-baked for 15 minutes. Cool, then freeze up to two weeks. Thaw out and bake 10 minutes more.

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For schedule of classes and recipes visit www.sylviareynosogala.com

Discovery of the Week

Bistro Miyaki has excellent appetizers, including fish wrapped in bacon and very flavorful tofu steak. Other crowd favorites include the Miyaki fried rice and the delectable kani salad, all reasonably priced with generous servings. The service is prompt and customer-friendly. Bistro Miyaki is located at 33 Annapolis Street, Greenhills, 721-9793 or 721-1225.