For home bakers

We would like to share a discovery we chanced upon last week. This is good news to Parañaque-based home bakers who make cakes and pastries.

On Sucat Road we found Bake Masters Food Ingredients Corporation, which to our delight is a haven of baking ingredients and other cooking implements. The young lady who welcomed us that rainy day was cheerful, patient and accommodating enough to answer all our queries.

The store has been there for three years, but maybe since we are more keen on cooking than baking, we only noticed it now. As we entered Bake Masters, the scent of vanilla and chocolates pleasantly overwhelmed us. The products are well organized and with efficient assistance, we easily found our way through their extensive collection.

It is impossible to enumerate everything, so we have chosen a few which we thought would be of interest to our readers. Their line is a combination of local and foreign brands. For cocoa, they have Bensdorp and De Zaan, among others. The flour selection includes fine and coarse whole wheat, gluten, fine corn meal, soy flour and, of course, the usual cake and all-purpose. One has a choice between Magnolia and Pauly cream cheese. Then there are the syrups from Ferna and Flavocol. The Mayfair chocolates (bitter, unsweetened, premium, white and drops) are local, while the foreign brands are Callebaut and Tulip. There are fats and oils, leavening agents, and bread improvers. The list is endless! They also have a selection of silicone baking trays, boxes and ribbons in different colors for packaging cakes and gifts. Cooking aids include powdered onions, garlic and spices.

The company also offers short courses conducted by Chef Mario. Basic Cake Decoration is a course for two Saturdays at P2,500. Half day classes (from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.) range from P1,500 to P2,000. For details, call 825-5123 and 829-6949.

A friend asked us what she could do with ulang. We suggested veal in white wine with ulang sauce. You need four pieces veal steak (you may also use beef sirloin or pork chops); one fourth kilo ulang, cooked and flaked; 2 tbsps butter or margarine; 1 onion, chopped; one fourth cup white wine; one fourth cup beef or chicken broth; 1 tin cream; salt and pepper to taste; and 3 tbsps flour. Season meat with salt and pepper, dredge in flour and let stand for a few minutes. Fry in butter then set aside. In the same pan, cook onion, add ulang and let cook for two minutes. Then add the wine and broth. Let boil. Add cream and the veal, bathing the pieces with the sauce and allow to simmer for a while. Serve at once with either pasta or green salad.

Can’t help this one – a presidentiable said he was for the “rule of law”, but how come he could not enforce basic traffic rules such as apprehending drivers who counter-flow against traffic with impunity?      

Have a good Sunday meal!

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