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News: Mobile Kusina Kicks off Fiesta Caravan in Baguio with a Sweet Experience
 Cooking enthusiasts – and budding entrepreneurs – learned how to make their favorite pasalubong treats from guest sweets entrepreneur Angie De La Cruz in the first of a series of Mobile Kusina Fiesta Caravan tours held in Market Encounter, Burnham Park, Baguio recently. The kitchen-on-wheels program by the San Miguel Pure Foods Culinary Center (SMPFCC) showcases regional dishes to food enthusiasts and homemakers across the country.
A passion for cooking combined with a good head for business make a successful food venture, and Angie has parlayed her talents in the kitchen into a lucrative business, building a brand that became known for its delicious, sweet treats.
“Tartland Baguio Pasarabo began with my deep appreciation of a boat tart made by a close friend,” shared Angie. Given her entrepreneurial nature, Angie considered the possibility of introducing and selling the product to friends, “mainly moms like me who were hanging out and waiting for their children in school.”
The tarts became a hit, and soon Angie and her friend brought the delicacies to other school canteens in the city. Their tart-making process also gave birth to a new product. “We were using only the egg yolks and throwing out all the egg whites, but we realized the extent of our wastage when there are so many things we can make out of it,” related Angie. They decided to use the egg whites to make Lengua de Gato, thin, sweet, melt-in-your-mouth biscuits that are now pasalubong must-haves for Baguio residents and tourists alike. 
Angie was more than happy to share her beginnings and even secrets with the Mobile Kusina audience. “There’s a certain level of fulfillment that comes with being able to share your enthusiasm and your passion with others,” said Angie. The entrepreneur/cook revealed basic tips about baking and offered advice on how to answer various baking dilemmas, such as keeping costs low. “Great food need not be expensive, but sometimes really good ingredients cost a bit more,” related Angie. “As an entrepreneur, the challenge is to manage food costs and make our products competitive.”
Assisted by Chef Rene Ruz of SMPFCC, Angie had Mobile Kusina attendees picking up more than culinary knowledge. Watching both of them work on featured recipes such as Magnolia Chicken Galantina, Adobo Flakes Cannelloni, Strawberry Cheesecake, Ube Puto and Coffee Lengua de Gato provided an inspiration for attendees to cook and eventually be entrepreneur themselves. “We hope that our attendees gathered some ideas for possible business opportunities,” related Angie. She believes Mobile Kusina provides the perfect learning experience to those who are keen in becoming a great cook or even a pasalubong entrepreneur like her, “if you like a certain food, you can challenge yourself to make it even better-tasting by learning how to prepare it yourself.”
MAGNOLIA CHICKEN GALANTINA
Ingredients:
1 piece MAGNOLIA CHICKEN STATION BONELESS WHOLE CHICKEN
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tbsp calamansi juice
ground black pepper
Stuffing:
2 cup bread cubes
2/3 cup MAGNOLIA FRESH MILK
1 kilo MAGNOLIA CHICKEN STATION GINILING
4 piece PUREFOODS CHORIZO BILBAO, chopped finely
1 cup PUREFOODS HAM SELECTIONS Salami, chopped finely
1 cup raisins
1 cup pickle relish
1 cup tomato sauce
2 piece egg
6 tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
Procedure:
Marinate chicken in soy sauce, calamansi and pepper mixture for at least 1 hour. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
To make the Stuffing: In a bowl, combine bread cubes and milk. Let stand until bread softens. Mash until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend well.
To assemble: Place boneless whole chicken on a sheet of Glad Aluminum Foil. Stuff chicken with giniling mixture and secure legs by twisting a strip of foil between it. Place remaining stuffing on the sides before roasting.
Steam for 1 hour. Let cool then chill.
Serves 10-15.
ADOBO FLAKES STUFFED CANNELONI
Ingredients:
2 250g pack lasagna
500 grams chayote leaves, blanched
Filling:
1 tbsp MAGNOLIA NUTRI-OIL Vegetable Oil
1 tbsp chopped garlic
2 tubs PUREFOODS MOM’S KITCHEN Adobo Flakes
Béchamel Sauce:
1/3 cup MAGNOLIA GOLD BUTTER
1/3 cup PUREFOODS BARON ALL PURPOSE FLOUR
2 cup MAGNOLIA FRESH MILK
1 cup water
1 cup MAGNOLIA QUICKMELT CHEESE, strips
1 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper
Topping:
½ cup MAGNOLIA QUICKMELT CHEESE, grated
Procedure:
Cook pasta according to directions. Set aside.
To prepare the Filling: Heat oil, sauté garlic and adobo flakes. Drain and reserve adobo sauce. Set aside.
To prepare Béchamel Sauce: Melt butter in pan, add flour and mix until it forms a paste. Add milk, water, cheese and season with salt and pepper. Let it simmer for another 5 minutes.
To assemble: Place blanched chayote leaves topped with adobo flakes in cooked lasagna and roll. Repeat with the rest of the lasagna. Arrange in Glad Ovenware. Pour adobo sauce over rolled lasagna and top with béchamel sauce.
Sprinkle grated cheese on top and bake at 350F for 25–30 minutes.
Makes 12 servings.
STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE
Ingredients:
Crust:
1 ½ cup Tartland Lengua De Gato cookie, crumbs
½ cup MAGNOLIA GOLD BUTTER, melted
Cheesecake:
1 cup all purpose cream, chilled
1 block MAGNOLIA CREAM CHEESE, softened
1 tub MAGNOLIA BEST FRUIT JAM Strawberry
1 tbsp unflavored gelatine
¼ cup MAGNOLIA FRESH MILK
1 cup fresh strawberries, chopped
Topping:
whipped cream
fresh whole strawberries
mint leaves
Procedure:
To make the Crust: Combine lengua de gato cookie and butter mix well. And press firmly on the bottom of an 8” spring-form or removable pan.
To make the Cheesecake: Whip all purpose cream until volume doubles in size and peaks are formed. Set aside. Beat cream cheese and strawberry jam until light and fluffy, meanwhile dissolve gelatin in milk over a double boiler. Pour gelatin over cream cheese mixture while continuously beating. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture, mix well. Add chopped fresh strawberries. Pour into prepared pan and chill.
Once set, pipe whipped cream on edges and fill center with fresh whole strawberries and mint leaves. Serve chilled.
Makes 10 servings.
UBE PUTO
Ingredients:
Puto:
4 cup PUREFOODS BARON ALL PURPOSE FLOUR
4 cup pandan water
4 tbsp BAKE BEST BAKING POWDER
2 cup sugar
2 drop violet food color
1/2 cup STAR MARGARINE
Filling:
4 cup ube halaya
Topping:
1 cup MAGNOLIA CHEEZEE, sticks
Procedure:
Prepare steamer. Grease and line paper cups using margarine.
In a mixing bowl, mix all puto ingredients together. Set aside.
Place 1 tablespoon of ube halaya in each puto mold and fill with puto mixture until ube halaya is fully covered. Top with cheese sticks. Steam for 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes then brush with margarine. Remove puto from the mold and serve.
Makes 50 pieces.
COFFEE LENGUA DE GATO
Ingredients:
2 ¼ cup PUREFOODS PRINCESS CAKE FLOUR
1 tbsp SAN MIG COFFEE INSTANT COFFEE
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla powder
1 cup MAGNOLIA GOLD BUTTER, softened
1 cup sugar
4 pc egg whites
Procedure:
Pre-heat oven to 380F.
In a bowl combine flour, coffee, salt and vanilla powder. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugar for 7-10 minutes at medium speed. Add egg whites gradually. Mix well. Add flour mixture and continue beating until well blended.
Pour mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a tip (plain or basket weave) and pipe 1-½" strips leaving 2" space between strips. Bake at 3800F for 7 minutes or until golden brown.
Makes 180-200 pieces.
Mobile Kusina Fiesta Caravan, in partnership with Market Encounter and San Miguel Purefoods Integrated Food Service, was sponsored by Monterey, Magnolia Chicken Station, Purefoods Tender Juicy, Purefoods Ham Selections, Magnolia Cheezee, Magnolia Gold Butter, San Mig Coffee, Magnolia Pancake Plus, E-aji and Magnolia Nutri-Oil and co-sponsored by GLAD Wraps and Bags, Ariston and G. E. Appliances.
Mobile Kusina Fiesta Caravan’s next stop is on March 29, 2008 at 3:00 PM, celebrating the 108th Pateros Foundation Day and 4th “Balut sa Puti” Festival. Know more about culinary entrepreneurs and Mobile Kusina Fiesta Caravan schedules – visit www.mygreatfood.com today! |
