MANILA, Philippines - If there’s one thing that would make me let out a yummy, hearty “Wow!” it must be mamon! It’s been a great favorite of mine, since many, many moons and mamons ago! I could (and would) have it for breakfast to start my day, as dessert to end a good meal or as snack in between meals. Wow! This classic Filipino chiffon cake — one of the top 10 pastries in the Philippines — surely is an all-time versatile treat!
And then one day, my drowsy taste buds woke up to discover a more delicious twist to the traditional mamon. Hmmmm! It’s the Butter Mamon of Red Ribbon! Simply, it’s the good old mamon you’ve always loved, but it’s made better — richer, creamier, with all that melt-in-your-mouth goodness. You bet it’s butter goodness like you’ve never tasted before! Now, I believe that love is lovelier the second time around!?
?It’s Better! It’s Butter Mamon?
Not your classic mamon, Red Ribbon’s Butter Mamon is in a class of its own. You probably thought that Red Ribbon is famous only for cakes; well, it’s a great place for pastries, too.
This Butter Mamon has got that unique concave shape that tickles the curiosity. The first time I saw it, I asked myself: Why is it shaped differently from the many other mamons available on the market? One little bite into this Butter Mamon and I unravel its sweet secret: It’s rich in butter that it sinks right into the foamy, velvety soft cake. Imagine fresh, creamy butter dissolving into your mamon, and spreading its pure goodness all over to give this Butter Mamon its piquant concave form. The rich butter also gives this mamon its vibrant yellow color, like the cheerful, warm rays of sunshine. The other mamons out there have a staid, brown color that gives a clue to their dull taste and a convex shape that bulges outward like corrective lenses. With those I’ve tried, I can only taste the sugar, and the texture is so coarse I’m afraid I would choke on the mamon. But with this Butter Mamon, the frothy cake simply melts in my mouth and glides down my throat. I could wolf down half a dozen of it in one sitting!
Certainly, working moms are only too excited to rediscover the mamon, which they never fail to bring home as pasalubong to their even more excited kids. They’ve made the big switch from the ordinary mamon to this extra special Butter Mamon, much to their kids’ delight! For kids and adults alike, this Butter Mamon makes a convenient, delightful baon to school and to the office. Moms can pack a few mamons into their kids’ lunchboxes. As for me, I can easily slip a mamon or two or three into my big tote.
Budget-conscious moms (and what mom isn’t?) will be happy to know that Red Ribbon’s Butter Mamon is now more affordable at only P20 per piece. Enjoy more (for less): Available in pasalubong packs, a pack of 12 now costs only P216, from P240. So, it gets even better if you buy by the dozen. The more you buy, the more you save. Now, that’s great value for money for a “wow” mamon that’s certainly not your run-of-the-mill pastry that only fills the belly but leaves the palate and the heart empty.
Now, there’s more reason to bring your favorite Butter Mamon when attending a despedida or a potluck party or going on a picnic in the park. It’s so convenient to bring to an excursion or a field trip, too. All you need is probably a bottle of water. I usually bring a dozen or more to my relatives abroad, like my sister who’s never outgrown the good old mamon. ?The truth is, you don’t need a reason or occasion to enjoy your Butter Mamon as it’s readily available and so easy to carry around you don’t have to look anywhere else when you get the snack attack. It’s an everyday treat you can enjoy without fuss and without guilt.
For me, this Butter Mamon is so special it’s the last thing on my lips — literally speaking — before I go to sleep. I usually keep it cold in the ref and when my nocturnal craving comes, I gingerly take one mamon from the pack, lay it on a saucer, and then pinch a piece off its paper wrapper. I simply wash it down with a glass of water. Now, this surely is a slice of heaven!
For all you mamon lovers, including the pusong mamon (soft-hearted) out there, Red Ribbon has indeed reinvented a tried but probably tired pastry. Would you believe, from ho-hum to something beyond yummy? Now, that deserves a thousand and one wows! Yan ang mamon!