A competition among senior high school students focused on breads and pastries made with vegetables—innovative ideas that allow everyone to have their cake and eat their vegetables, as well.
The recent Flourish Pilipinas Baking Competition, organized by Universal Robina Corporation Flour and Pasta Division, has named the Macabasa Loaf winner in the bread category.
The nutrient-packed bread was made by 18-year-old Stephanie Jane Escobido and 21-year-old Rowel Villanueva of Makati High School, with the guidance of their teacher-coach Lian Marie Espiritu,
“‘Macabasa’ stands for the ingredients of malunggay, carrot, and kalabasa (squash),” explained Espiritu.
Meanwhile, under the cake category, the team of Ralph Christian Mangilit and Alaura Pabandero, both 17 years old from Sta. Lucia High School in Pasig, emerged victorious with their Sweet Potato Carrot Cake.
The interesting concept was a challenge to perfect, as they had to ensure the flavors of the vegetables blended well enough to a sweet concoction suitable for a dessert, according to teacher-coach Angelo dela Cruz.
The Flourish Pilipinas Baking Competition has been providing opportunities for young Filipinos to pursue their passion and hone their skills in bread and pastry making. Pabandero, for instance, has been taking up cooking classes since Grade 7. She sees a future career related to culinary arts, being influenced by other siblings who are taking up hotel and restaurant management as well.
Mangilit, on the other hand, was taking up electrical-related subjects in junior high when he decided to switch to technical-vocational livelihood (TVL) track to gain additional skills that can make him more well-rounded. He found a liking to bread and pastry making, and revealed that he plans to eventually put up his own business based on the knowledge and experience he has gained in SHS.
The competition is part of the Flourish Pilipinas program developed by URC Flour that supports proper, standardized, and professionalized development of students taking up bread and pastry making classes under the Department of Education’s TVL track for senior high school students.
“It is stories such as these that affirm our efforts and inspire us further to carry out our commitment to nation-building through more effective learning in school,” remarked URC Flour and Pasta Division sales, marketing, and distribution director Naida Ebora.
She added, “We envision a new generation of world-class Filipino bakers and cake makers who will thrive in the highly lucrative food and restaurant industries, or make it as entrepreneurs whatever their inclination may be.”