Amateur baker

• Oatmeal, mango and cheese pie
• (Something like) tiramisu
• Vanilla-mocha marble chiffon cake
• Valentine’s Day cheesecake
• Classic sponge cake with strawberry jam and whipped cream
• Chicken pie with butter crust
• Tri-level brownies
• Peanut butter chocolate chip cookies
• Martha Stewart’s plum coffee muffins
• Potato raisin scones

Noche Buena

• Spaghetti with longganisa (sausage) meatballs
• Bangus belly steaks
• Christmas ham from Majestic
• Roast pork with mushroom sauce
• Cucumber and coconut smoothie
• Blueberries and cream
• In my kitchen: taking it easy
• Roast duckling on New Year’s eve
• Mango cream pie
• Pre-Christmas callos

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Frances loaf from Julie’s Bakeshop

When Julie’s Bakeshop opened a branch along Circumferential Road in Antipolo, we became regular customers because of its onion bread. It was basically pan de sal but with chopped onions mixed into the dough. The aroma was indescribably sweet and spicy. One time, we hosted an afternoon get-together with cousins and, when they arrived, I was toasting the split and buttered onion bread in the oven to serve with the callos I had prepared. The aroma had wafted through the house and my cousins went straight into the kitchen to ask what was that that they could smell.

Unfortunately, production of the onion bread was discontinued after a few months. It probably wasn’t a very saleable item because Filipinos prefer their bread sweet but otherwise plain. I found nothing else quite as interesting at Julie’s bakeshop and all we’d buy were loaves of white bread for sandwiches. Until one day when we went there and found all the loaves of white bread sold out. The only alternative was an unsliced bread called Frances loaf. Since we didn’t have any choice, we bought one. My, my, my… were we glad we did! Frances loaf turned out to be pan de sal in a loaf–very, very soft inside but crusty outside. And, like the pan de sal, it was sprinkled with bread crumbs.

The best way to enjoy Frances loaf is to buy it warm and still uncut. Slice it at home and serve with butter and jam for breakfast or with saucy dishes like callos for lunch or dinner.

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