Nostalgia La Moderna - Celebrating 60 Years of Baking Heritage

Nostalgia differentiates La Moderna from other bakeries in Manila.

La Moderna has been with the Narciso family for four generations having been founded in the early 1900s by Pablo Narciso's parents in Sta. Rita, Pampanga. Its first milestone was winning a Gold Medal in the pre-war Philippine Exposition.

Celebrating 60 glorious years of baking heritage, La Moderna was transferred to Guagua in 1947 by the original entrepreneur couple, Pablo and Narcisa Narciso, who settled in this prospering commercial town from the quieter agricultural town of Sta. Rita.

Starting as a candy store, Apong Ambo and Ma Sisang nurtured the business and transformed it into a respected institution in the province of Pampanga.

Quality ingredients were transformed by the most loyal and talented bakers in the province (some of whom have been with the bakery for over 40 years) into tasty morsels enjoyed by the young and old alike. The wood-fired oven imparts a unique flavor to baked products.

After the Second World War, the bakery grew tremendously and delivered its products to satisfied customers from Pampanga to as far north as Dagupan and south as Divisoria, Manila where the treats were distributed throughout the metropolis.

Now on its 60th year in Guagua, La Moderna still uses the same recipes, improved on with process technology to increase shelf life, and presented in more contemporary packaging ideal for giveaways.

Travel Time host Susan Calo Medina considers La Moderna's empanaditas among her favourites.

Respected food critic Chona Trinidad praises the bakery for its commitment to making authentic products and continue the tradition of simple yet delectable baked goods. She particularly loves the San Nicolas and masa podrida.

Masa podrida, sampaguita, mamon tostado and turrones de casoy have an extended shelf life of at least two months-ideal for transport as pasalubong to loved ones overseas.

Share with us delicacies several generations of our family have enjoyed for almost one hundred years.

Treasures from the Capampangan Kitchen

Masa Podrida - Filipino version of shortbread biscuits - excellent with coffee or tea.

Sampaguita - melt-in-your-mouth creamy flower shaped cookies named after the national flower of the Philippines.

Empanaditas - our famous and acclaimed yema-cashew filled pastry.

San Nicolas - cookies introduced by the Augustinian friars during the Spanish period - made from fresh coconut milk and imprinted with the image of St. Nicolas de Tolentino - the patron saint of children.

Mamon Tostado - toasted sweet butter cake slices.

Turrones de Casoy - crunchy nougats introduced by the Dominicans during the Spanish period made from cashew, honey and egg whites wrapped in paper-like edible oblea.

Gorgoryas - traditional recipe of bite-sized dayap-glazed (Philippine lime) fried bread fritters.

Petit Fortunes - tiny cups of rich, moist cashew cake bites.

Sans Rival - layers of cashew meringue and butter cream topped with slivered cashews.

Sylvana - light and creamy cashew pastry with butter cream filling coated with rich butter cake crumbs.

Freshly baked bread and pastries are available on special request: ensaymada, mamon, taisan, inipit, garlic bread, brownies, butterscotch bars, chocolate cake, carrot cake, banana cake, and yummies (moist cashew cake with cashew topping)

Other products available: Chicaron (pork cracklings), butong pakwan (watermelon seeds), atchara (preserved papaya in sweet brine), taba ng talangka (bottled crab fat), barquillos (crisp hand-rolled butter crepes) and many more.