The food boys

The Alabang Saturday Market is a small place, but we are not able to visit all the sellers each time we are there because we are always in a hurry. Last weekend, however, we moved around more leisurely and met two young men minding their respective tables. They represent some of the young entrepreneurs who have taken the food industry seriously, and with creativity and passion.

Franz is behind the Bread Monster products, having taken some classes in an international culinary academy. We tried his focaccia bread (P60 for a sizeable slice) and ensaymadas topped with cheese (P25 per). The guests we had over for merienda that day liked them and even took some home. His selection includes pastry bars – revel brownies at P18 per and sugar-free with chocolate granola at P23 a piece, among others; cookies, including triple chocolate at P12 each, Swiss white chocolate for P18 per; and breads including New York bagels at P70 per, banana and carrot at P40 and P60, respectively. Bread Monster will soon open in the Alabang Town Center. Meantime, you can call 807-1671 for orders and inquiries.

Chester, on the other hand, is enthusiastic about being in this market and selling the line of processed food that his father, Roger, has been producing for quite some time now. They have expanded their business, Chester’s Choice Delicatessen, from BF homes to various places. This is one vendor that gives quality, using sirloin and rib-eye beef for the tapa and teriyaki-flavored variants. Taste is good and the meat is tender (from P175 a half kilo). They refer to their seasoned collection as timplados. These range from beef, chicken and pork seasoned ala teriyaki and Korean barbeques; chicken and pork embotidos, plus sausages and four types of longganiza. They can deliver for the following minimum amounts: BF Parañaque – P400, near BF – P600 and Alabang – P1,000. You may also pick up orders at Prague corner Pusan, BF. Call 825-1382 and 540-0356.

A husband and wife team, Mario and Ruth, have become our suki for fruits and vegetables, which are always fresh. But we just discovered their ginataang halo-halo with the traditional bilo-bilo for P50 a tub of about 170 mls, enough for a hearty merienda for three not-so-big eaters.

It makes us feel good when children take pride in what their parents do. One such son is Macky Calo of Davao City. While it is quite impossible (at the moment) for us to visit his mother’s bake shop in Davao, we thought it is commendable that her son took the effort to tell us her success story. His mother, Margie Calo, is known as the ‘other Margie’ of Davao City, the original Margie being the Miss Universe of 1973. As with a lot of progressive food businesswomen, Mrs. Calo started by giving away her baked goodies as presents in their native Butuan. Now based in Davao, she has opened a shop in Ecoland where her wares include sans rival, cookie monster, cappucino brownies and oatmeal thins. Maybe any reader from Davao who has tried some of the Calo specials can give us feedback.

ShopWise at Festival Mall in Muntinlupa is undergoing a face-lift. They have cleared the area fronting the fresh meat section of the gondolas which have now been arranged on one side. We noted some empty food display units, which we presume would soon be for an array of cooked food. Used to its former lay-out, we felt a bit lost. We also had a difficult time checking the prices of the frozen food because they are posted on the inner portion of the freezers. However, the staff is quick to assist. There are some new additions, like the area for imported food. Family Pizza, their own brand, beautifully packed in black boxes, is sold at a buy-one-take-one price of P275. Good for a pot luck. Among their promotional items are the scrub detergent duo of Tide and Surf from P8.25 each.

Browsing through Robinson’s Handyman Hardware we got a shower curtain for less than P70. However, while the package information said it was extra thick, it is not and some of the rings are already brittle. Look carefully at everything you buy to get your money’s worth.

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