In the coastal town of Balayan in Batangas, residents there live the sweet life. Home to major sugar manufacturer Batangas Sugar Central Inc. and with the thriving industries of sugarcane, coconuts, and corn, it is no surprise that even the town’s breads are tinged with a sweet flavor, memorable even to outsiders.
“I remember this ‘Balayan Bakery,’ they have this hot pandesal being sold all day long,” says Roy Tabocolde, a 21-year-old baking enthusiast from Iloilo City, referring to a hometown establishment whose owner was a native of Balayan, Batangas.
“It was so special that people would wait for 30 minutes just to get their pandesal I could still remember the sweetness of their pandesal and have never tasted anything near to their version,” Greegy says, noting how Balayan Bakery gave Ilonggos a different “twist” on the traditional Filipino pandesal.
Roy went on to study at St. Therese-MTC Colleges La Fiesta in Iloilo City, but he never forgot the taste of the Balayan Bakery breads. Together with fellow student Greegy Cabarrubias, Roy went on to join and win last year’s Tinapay Natin Pinoy Bread Baking Competition, a nationwide baking contest organized by Aboitiz food business unit Pilmico (in partnership with Max’s Corner Bakery) that celebrates local bread creations and strengthens pride of local produce.
No doubt, Balayan’s unique pandesal—sweeter and tastier than usual—was on Roy’s mind as they concocted their original breads that offered a modern take on well-loved food items: Caramel Sesame Roll, Cagayan de Oro Pastel, and Cream Cheese Ensaymada.
“When we tested the recipes that we submitted into the competition, we envisioned it to be a specialty of the house. One that can be taken as a pasalubong, a merienda or a potluck treat for any social gathering,” Greegy says
Roy and Greegy have since graduated from college, finishing their final year as scholars, and their Caramel Sesame Roll, Cagayan de Oro Pastel, and Cream Cheese Ensaymada are now being sold as special edition items at Max’s Corner Bakery branches nationwide (until October 2017), with partial sales going to Roy and Greegy and their chosen charity.
This year, bakers, hobbyists, and even baking enthusiasts will now have the chance to join the second installment of Tinapay Natin, launched at Max’s Scout Tuazon in Quezon City in June.