Amateur baker
- Oatmeal, mango and cheese pie
- Food for the gods
- Valentine’s Day cheesecake
- Chocolate and mango tart
- No bake chocolate-almonds-cream cheese cookie squares
- (Something like) tiramisu, version 2
- Chicken and cheese on toasted bread cups
- Choco butter cupcakes
- (Something like) tiramisu
- Chocolate chip cookies
Noche Buena
- Tilapia fritters with honey-lemon sauce
- Chicken embutido
- Kalabasa (squash) and potato soup
- Christmas ham from Majestic
- Corn muffins a la Kenny Rogers
- Buko pandan
- Home grilled pork barbecue
- Pork ears barbecue
- Fried lapu-lapu with pineapple sauce
- Chicken in sour cream
School lunchbox
- Butterscotch and chocolate fudge combo brownies
- Chicken and asparagus fried rice
- Adobong kangkong
- Blue marlin with hoisin sauce and sesame seeds
- Shrimps, broccoli and cauliflower with Pad Thai sauce
- Ground pork and vegetables frittata
- Packed school lunches
- Chicken, ham and leeks fried rice
- Pork barbecue fried rice
- Honey-lemon-ginger chicken
My dream coffee shop
From what I’ve read, coffee is not exactly native to the Philippines. It was introduced to the country by the Spaniards and the local coffee industry did not begin until the 1700s. But coffee grows wonderfully in our soil and climate that we began producing high-quality coffee beans.
According to one author, “The plant thrives wonderfully, and its berry has so strongly marked a flavor that the worst Manila coffee commands as high a price as the best Java.”
I’m not going to disagree with that. Barako used to be my favorite and I thought it was the best. Then, I experienced Benguet coffee (related story) and nothing was ever the same. And I wondered… With the ability to produce such great coffee, and considering how we Filipinos love our coffee, I don’t quite get it why our idea of a good coffee shop is as foreign as the fruit cake that many have come to associate with Christmas.
I can understand that in the case of coffee chains that originated abroad, like Starbucks, they merely bring with them the culture of their place of origin.
But consider Figaro, for instance. It is a local company that spearheaded the creation of a foundation to help revive the languishing coffee industry in the country. Yet, in Figaro’s own website, it proudly announces: “From Espresso to Café Au Lait, Figaro always meticulously prepare their coffees in the proper, classic European traditions, graciously served in real china.”
Okay, let’s just say it’s a matter or broadening the Filipinos’ culinary horizons. Plain old brewed coffee can be boring and cappuccinos and lattes do provide exciting varieties. But does the coffee have to served exclusively with European style cakes and pastries?
That’s when I begin to question the culture of coffee shops like Figaro. It becomes unbelievable that introducing cappuccinos and lattes is something that is merely meant to add more depth to our coffee experience. If we take that together with what else is served in their outlets, the more it appears that the result is to forever equate coffee drinking with something foreign as though the foreign element elevates its status.
I know. We Filipinos are notorious for our colonial mentality. Even in this day and age, so many still think that local is equal to baduy and foreign is equal to class. And, perhaps, establishments like Figaro are merely capitalizing on such twisted way of thinking. The sad part is how it reinforces the mentality.
But if we really want to promote locally-grown coffee beans, then we have to give our coffee a distinct Filipino image. And the best place to start such a campaign is in coffee shops that serve coffee made from locally-grown coffee beans. Imagine enjoying a cup of barako or Benguet cappuccino with suman, maja blanca, ensaymada, pianono, napoleones, piaya or cassava bibingka. Doesn’t that sound wonderful?
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30 Responses to “My dream coffee shop”
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Hi Connie. I remember you told us during our ‘mommy lunch’ about how you discovered Benguet coffee. I haven’t tried it yet but I’m sure it’s worth a try. I love piyaya and maja blanca. Sounds perfect.
I think what was flawed was the concept of Figaro from the get go : create a *French-themed* coffee shop that served Filipino coffee. In fact with Figaro’s globalization in opening shops in Dubai and Shanghai, Chit Juan was probably playing safe in wanting to serve a more recognizable menu to its future foreign customers.
Ay, I would love such a Filipino themed coffee shop. Maybe you oughta find an investor and put one up yourself. If given the opportunity, I’ll be happy to help out with it.
*Just to clarify the post above — I can’t help out financially. Hahahahaha!
Rach, if you click the piaya link, you’ll see the piaya with coffee. MY coffee. I tell ya, they’re just perfect together. The piaya is not too sweet, too heavy or too rich to preempt the taste buds so that you forget about the coffee.
Jon, akala ko pa naman, you’re going to be the first investor. hehehehehe
One of my all time favorite coffee combos is barako with inipit. Nothing like it in the whole world, I tell you.
^__^
Starshadow, now you got me craving for Eurobake’s inipit.
wala na sigurong sasarap pa sa mainit na kape at pandesal… not only during breakfast pero kahit na sa meryenda… mas masarap kung isa-sawsaw ang pandesal sa kape! da best!!!
sabi nga mga foreigners… why filipinos wash thier bread on thier coffee before eating?… hehehe!!! simple lang… masarap e!
hmm coffee! i miss so much! i have to stop having my 3 cups due to pregnancy.
have you tried Sagada beans its delish as well!
I have a friend at work who orders ‘americano’ coffee only. She said that she is making a statement by not patronizing the foreign-sounding, french-snobbing lattes most coffee shops serve here.
BTW, I’m in Seattle the birthplace of Starbucks. I don’t drink their lattes or even buy the beans. I think they are overpriced and overrated. Nakakatawa when I went home to Manila, there was this friend of my niece who boasted about having Starbucks every morning and I was like So? Then she said ‘May Starbucks ba sa States?’
Hi,
My sisters and I have been nurturing that dream too, of opening our own coffee shop in Naga City, our hometown. We plan to offer our local ibos (that’s suman to Manilenos), binutong, balisongsong, binamban, as perfect accompaniment to coffee. Why order those croissants or cakes when you can have these wonderful comfort food, right?
I hope an opportunity will come up where I can send you some of these delicacies.
I can still recall what a friend’s mom told me before we moved to another country. She said “Heaven is in the Philippines”. She’s right. I allot a good chunk of family income to food although I’m in a place where food is affordable (read: cheap). That is because, after 6 years of being here, my tastebud still hasn’t adjusted to the local taste. I mostly buy Philippine-made/grown products. I still use kangkong for my sinigang instead of brocoli. I still prefer chocnut over cadsburry. I like my potato chips Jack n Jill instead of doritos. Of course I prefer my bread to be pandesal instead of frenchbread, with kapeng barako or Milo (made in the Phil, ha) as panulak. Di pa nakakarating dito ang Benguet variety. Nothing taste like “timplang pinoy”.
Naku, Connie dahil sa article mong ito ngayon ko na-realized na marami na pala akong namimiss na Philippine goodies - manggang hilaw (kalabaw variety), yung suman na makayakap at sinasawsaw sa latik (i don’t know what it’s called), puto bumbong, bibingka na may itlog na maalat sa ibabaw at puto binan.
Ayoko nang maglitanya dahil I know di ko masasatisfy ang aking cravings. All I could do is lumunok habang busy ang daliri ko ng pagta-type.
Re #9. LOL C. You should read my entry on Dome Cafe. Towards the end, I mentioned the reason I don’t like going to Starbucks.
Re #10. Lemon, when my hubby was in Bicol a couple of months ago, he was able to bring home all my “bilin” — pili nuts and pili nut products. Next time he goes there, I’ll make sure to tell him about ibos, binutong, balisongsong and binamban. I hope they won’t spoil for the duration of the travel.
But more than that, I hope that you dream comes true. Then I’ll have a reason to insist that my hubby bring me to Bicol so I can have coffee and ibos with you in your own coffee shop. Oh how wonderful that sounds!
Carol, hayaan mo, I’ll feature more native delicacies. At least man lang, ma-ease sana yung homesickness nyo. My gosh the way we consume suman when we get a craving… LOL I especially like the suman sa lihiya that comes with a chocolate dip. Oh my…
That is absolutely beautiful. I love how coffee has become an art form.
Connie, you shld taste the binut-ong from Bicol. Am also from Bicol so evrytime we visit, I always ask my auntie to make binut-ong coz my lola is too old (95yrs old) na to make them. In bicol, binuto-ong sold in markets are also really good. I really like them especially yung madaming gata sa ibabaw and just sprinkle with sugar accompanied by black coffee…
hayyyy… kakagutom!
Hi,
Ano kaya magkatotoo yung dream natin, ano? That would be awesome.
The next time that there’s a PMN EB (although I’m one of those who have been blogging less and less), I’ll make sure to bring some of those delicacies for you.
Lemon, sige!
i totally agree with you. i love eating suman, bibingka, and other kakanins with a hot cup of kapeng barako on the side. sometimes, when my friends and i go to starbucks, or coffee experience at the mall, we would pass by the foodcourt and buy ourselves some bibingka or biko to eat. its such a refreshing break from the brownies and cheesecakes that the coffeeshops offer.
recently, i’ve visited a cafe called tsoko.nut batirol.
the shop serves kape barako and tsokolate. they’re great actually, especially the hot choco.
haven’t tried the food though. but, most of the items in the menu are pinoy like suman latik, suman mangga, ensaymada, tablea cake, dinuguan, bangus belly and laing.
will try to visit again the place so i can share with you kung okay naman ang food.
lana, where is it located?
connie, check mo clickthecity.com, may review sila dun ng tsoko.nut.batirol. tapos, review mo pag nakapunta ka na…i want to read what you have to say first…hahaha! segurista no?
chunky, they have a website. hehehe
In Baguio, we sell coffee by the kilo, at about Php150-200 only and you can have them grind it even finer, for fuller body, for an extra P20 pesos.
At these prices you can experiment and design your own blend - like %benguet (arabica), %robusta, %barako. We even have hazelnut flavor available these days.
Right now my restaurant in Manila serves the same coffee blend that is popular at my Baguio B&B. But the best, albeit little known and underrated, original ’secret’ coffee blend to be had is at my cousin’s place at Mountain Lodge.
ay sori….akala ko nagtatanong ka where it is located? i just thought of helping you with the location. anyhoo, since you found the website, you could probably review it para naman sa aming mga nagsisiguro na wala masyadong moolah…
to lemon (#10)
that’s a terrific idea! i am dying to eat the binut-ong everytime i visit our province. at home here in manila, i often buy ibos, nilupak and biko or sinukmami but the binut-ong with the mouth-watering gata on top of it…oh! it’s only available in bicol.
yours a nice idea so that when i went to naga i’ll drop by your place
HELU!
haay, naku…all of us have coffee shop dreams…i even attended a coffee seminar just to know how to make/blend those coffee drinks.pero graabeee! super mahal the coffee makers (de longhi brand)…around 100thou for the complete coffee maker…parang its like the jaguar of coffee machines…haay…i don’t go to starbucks, kasi their coffee is talagang pang lifestyle na…parang nakaka-konsensiya naman… i buy my coffee at farmer’s (i forgot the name of the store)- all local blend (benguet, etc..) with flavors pa (hazelnut) and eat the kakanin (i get the puto with salted eggs) at the katabi na stalls…funny that some people think that starbucks, seattle’s best, and ucc coffee are the most important matters in life…hehehe…
Hi
your blog was recommended by my friend and soul sister.. i wanted you to taste the local coffee in Tiendesitas.. they offer batangas barako coffee (yipee) other.. and they serve ensaymada, pandesal and the like,, their stall is also near a bibingka and puto bongbong stall. I am just bad with store names,, so I cant remember the name of this coffee place.. but we do frequent it.The price for a coffeeis P 50 or so.. let me know what you think..
alma, there are so many food stalls at tiendesitas… and we rarely go there because of the poor ventilation.
Connie, that was exactly what I had in mind 3 years ago when I was working in Boston for Dunkin Donuts. You guys just have to wait until I am ready to retire in 4 years, unless I win the lotto soon. The first unit will be in Antipolo, my future hometown.
I also love to have my own coffee shop at a major mall like SM but the rental fees alone would be exorbitant. But if I manage to save some money i would really consider opening one.
If anybody need some help on the design and planning of a coffee shop or restaurant in the Philippines, let me know. Libre consultation.