The other Goldilocks story

No distance of place or lapse of time can lessen the friendship of those who are thoroughly persuaded of each other’s worth. — Robert Southey, author of The Story of the Three Bears, the original Goldilocks story

You might think, judging from the title, that I’m about to tell you my version of a classic fairy tale or perhaps give you a whimsical recipe for the porridge in the cottage of the three bears. But kidding aside, the story I’m about to tell you is more about Pinoy comfort food and the women behind Goldilocks Bakeshop, whose passion for baking has made their creations part of the everyday Pinoy experience.

During the early years of my culinary school, I distinctly remember getting a call from a lady who requested an exclusive group teaching class, an odd request I thought at the time since their group was no more than five people. Little did I know that I was about to encounter Goldilocks’ founding sisters, Milagros Leelin Yee and Clarita Leelin Go, whose road to success would serve as an inspiration to me and many others throughout the years. This quiet approach is a trademark that I will always greatly admire. From that teaching class to a friendship that would encompass decades, I have been witness to their simple and humble characters that have paved the way to global success. From a small one-door apartment in Pasong Tamo, which the Leelin sisters, together with their sister-in-law, Doris Wilson Leelin, converted to a bakeshop, they started building their dreams, usually working till the wee hours of the morning, carefully tiptoeing around the bed when they got home just to make sure they would not wake up their husbands. In a way they were making a statement: that they could always dream and work hard at making their dreams come true without making others lose sleep over it. Long before becoming the great bakeshop legends that they are now, the Leelin sisters will always have a special place in my heart, owing to the fact that the two sisters were good friends with my father-in-law, a judge who lived with his half brood of 14 kids in Tigaon, a small town in Bicol. It was a time when families were extensive, and good-hearted people were not hard to find. They would send freshly made specialties from their home kitchen like the classic steamed cake, topped with sautéed onions and chopped spring onions, and the traditional long-life noodles or pancit.

Recipe for success: The book shares Goldilocks’ winning recipe.

Indeed there was no need for a special occasion for the Leelin sisters to send over food to my father-in-law, home-cooked food that I’m sure was greatly appreciated by my husband and his siblings.

My friendship with them is filled with profound milestones and unforgettable adventures. There was a time when we were traveling from San Francisco to Los Angeles to attend a cake convention. On this culinary road trip, the two sisters offered me some polvoron, a sweet treat made from milk and flour that I happily ate along the way. Little did I know that I was being made into their own guinea pig, indirectly testing their soon-to-be-world-famous polvoron. That was the way it was with our friendship; they would call me about food finds they discovered, they would generously share their recipes, and even call me at home for the littlest things. It was these simple joys that made our friendship stronger throughout the years, so it was with great pleasure that I accepted their invitation to be the food stylist in an ambitious and noble project of Freddie Go Sr. — their pastries would be photographed by none other than master lensman Neal Oshima. Right after styling, they asked me to test some of the recipes featured in the bake-book for housewives, meaning I could evaluate and offer suggestions on how they could modify their commercial recipes and make it friendlier to the home baker. It was a task I enjoyed thoroughly since it gave me the chance to work with some of my favorite products from Goldilocks such as the brownies, mamon and unforgettable polvoron; in fact, even my staff didn’t know I was testing these recipes. Every Sunday it would only be a dishwasher and I in the kitchen of my own school, and now that the book is finally out, I can attest that all the recipes have been tested and are easy to follow. The book is an abundant collection of timeless Goldilocks treats, passed on by the founding sisters Milagros and Clarita. It is indeed a privilege to know them and their families; I am grateful for all that I have learned from them, not only their baking and cooking tips but more importantly their excellent work ethic, and their passion to continue honing their craft by working hard. Through this book they continue sharing a legacy full of thoughtfulness, love and family that hopefully will be cherished through the years.

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The Goldilocks Bakebook, priced at P795 per book, is available at all National Book Store branches and select Goldilocks outlets.

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You may e-mail the author at info@henysison.com or log on to www.henysison.com or join the Heny Sison FB account.