So i went there yesterday, not really knowing whether my friend and former student from Los Angeles would be there. I was saying, what the heck i already planned this months before so despite the sore arms from the cookies and brioche i made a day before, i left for the Bakery Fair.
Smooth ride, unexpectedly so i got there around an hour and a half. Not bad. Saw my friend but we both got lost inside because i was stuck at the registration counter. For a good hour and so so. Imagine the system this people have. 6-7 lines. I was at the walk in farthest line. You go there if you do not have the confirmation email from the online registration, which i filled up twice, once at Fox Mozilla and over at Google Chrome, but none came in. So we were all wondering, how come we were not moving at all?
Yun pala, those at the other side or lines would submit their forms in groups, so those who are in the walk in sections would have their papers or forms placed under. Pinatungan ng pinatungan, all the way up to when i was already at the front, same system, these dum dums, never thought that, kaya nga pumila kasi the ones in front will get served first than the ones at the back.
Wrong. I see people behind me, on the next line getting their stickers, because they submitted their forms by the stack. What's the point of lining up? Sana, they just did Jollibee style, went around and took the forms and made us wait. It was not like this before, everything was organized, they open up the doors early, unlike now where they made everyone wait outside before opening the lobby door. tsk tsk tsk.
Anyway, if this was a line for the grocery or check up, or something else, i would have left. But, i have a friend waiting for me inside, so i did not leave. The people were already shouting, one argued with the staff, three older women burst out of the line muttering invectives, some just found a way to shout "Darna" in jest, you know Pinoys. Just make fun of it. Most of the demos already started when i got in, past 12 noon. Right.
My observation is that this was a small gathering of sorts, not as grand as it was way back 90's and early 2000's. Parang half lang ng hall yung filled in, a Chinese guy was at the center doing the demo and i could not understand what he was saying so i left. I don't remember seeing a program at the hall, nor was there a pamphlet or leaflet man lang sana to say what is in store for the 3 day bakery fair. So i went around looking to find a good deal on a 20 quart mixer which i want to buy and some baking pans hoping i would bump into someone i know from way back long time ago, or a couple of my students. I saw someone but i covered my face and skeedaddled as fast as i could so she won't see me. Hahaha. I don't want to hear her professional inputs courtesy of the "bilog na buwan". You know what i mean.
Great guy over at Sanmei foods, overhearing one explaining how their Bible Bread is a favorite of The Pope Benedict. Maybe he is referring to the Ezekiel bread? You know, 7 grains or the 12 grains. I stayed over at their stall to watch how the puff pastry was made, while looking around to see where my friend was. Unfortunately, the baker handed me this hot puff pastry with blueberry and it burned my tongue, to which this Chinese guy thought was mongo. Ha ha ha, had a good laugh there, apparently he could not figure out what that dark thing was inside, and so the baker said to his assistant, "nilagyan mo ba ng corned beef?" It was hilarious, i could not help laughing because blueberry is sweetish and sour, what mongo was he talking about?
Over at the Angel yeast side, which occupied at least 7 stalls i guess. Parang may sarili silang world. They cordoned the front, so if you lucky mortals want to see what the Steamed Buns competition is all about, then you stand behind the red line. Nobody was watching. I was saying, again, what was the point of spending that much money to showcase Angel yeast when no one is there to watch what they are doing. No one is stupid enough to stand there because there are no chairs so it was like telling the audience, "don't bother, we don't want you to watch". I think it was an exercise in futility. Useless. I watched for a few minutes and my feet got cramped, so i left, me the lone audience. It would have been nicer if they would hand out samples, small packets of yeast good for one recipe, with the recipe of course. Or maybe someone would be there to explain how good their yeast is compared to Red Star because i have tried Angel and it was good. Wala rin. Sayang.
Most of the flour millers also did the same. If i am selling say Montana or Areena and i think they are competitive enough to rival Wellington Or Emperor, i would prepare recipes with samples of the products this particular flour would produce. Even in small amounts, no need to hand out the samples, just the recipes so we, the consumer can try them. But there was none, they all just stand there. I would approach each, and my first question is, which of these hard wheat flours of yours can perform the same way as Wellington and Emperor. blah blah blah. Pero, if am again the consumer, i will leave with the notion that i would rather stick with the flour i am using. NO gains there.
Also, if i would do a demo on so and so, i will post a huge sign in front to invite the audience. You walk around
late and you wonder, ano kayang ginagawa nito or ni ganito. You have no idea. Angel at least has a large billboard size signage that says "STEAMED BUNS COMPETITION" so you know they are making steam buns.
Lots of good stuff to buy i must say. I left with some sadness because i could not get the baking pans only because i already packed up on some bakery tools and ingredients and being tiny and all, i know my limitations. I am still thinking of the baking pans i missed this morning, too bad i chose not to take the car or be driven there. The hit of the day are the cake decorating and cake baking stalls. Wow, there is this one, Bake et al, so small so you cannot exactly go inside and i passed by the store 5 times, again, looking for my lost friend and her sister and i was not able to browse over their products.
I got some pastry brushes, not the plastic kind because they tend to pierce through the proofed dough, some icing tips from another brand, (Yvette, if you went there you should know there are tips there that you wanted to buy), whipped cream powder, 3 packs of Fermipan yeast, a kilo of bread improver, some tortillas for my fajitas tonight, and other knick knacks. Once again, i knew i would be short of cargo space, my arms were sore from the yeasts, and i left with a heavy heart. I wanted that baguette pan so bad, but it was huge, and i would be commuting by bus. If this was Cubao, i could have called in to be picked up for sure.
All in all, not that bad but i would probably go back with a car and with a friend to chat with, not on the first day, but the second day and have at least 10 persons or computers to register for me and see which one gets at least one confirmation. Absolutely a must or you might get the 2 hour wait like i did.
Internet is slow and my photos won't upload so next time.
Incidentally, election again and the poor is at the center stage. All talk but look at the dirt and the poor, still poor and dirty. Vote for someone with real integrity, someone who really has done good, with tangible proof, and wise up. Do not vote for the same name recall like Maceda, Enrile, Legarda, Escudero, Binay,Poe,etc., gasgas na politics, what have they done? I look at the names and faces and i only see one decent enough to merit my vote, and it is Hagedorn. Worth the risk, look at Palawan. I was at the airport last year and these Canadian couple were talking about going back to stay with their uncle who was kind enough to sponsor their visit, just not enough money they said, but they will definitely go back. It became a conversation piece because two old Pinoy expats also mixed in with the chat, and they too will go there. Hmmmm. I wonder why. Palawan made us respectable and famous, i felt so proud to be a Pinoy that day. Finally, our country was name dropped for something beautiful. So yes, definitely Hagedorn.
Seedlings i started from seeds bought online. Below is the garden center at Home Depot where we picked up 3 inch plants because my mother just can't wait. Turns out you cannot put them out as well, all the lettuces we bought from this place died because she re-planted them outside right away.
Planting starts from these pellets, water them up and wait until they swell up. Put the seeds, cover with light soil and cling wrap the whole thing or cover.
A few days later.... 9 days at the most
Three weeks on...
The small ones peeking through were only planted, (pahabol) two days ago. Lovely!!!!
Below are breads that i am trying to edit and include in the BREADMAKING VIDEO that i will add into the CD on COMMERCIAL BREADMAKING.
It has the Sweet Potato Pandesal, Malunggay Buns, Logs, Manual kneading, Special Ensaimada etc., The cost of the CD and Video will be $65.00 inclusive of the shipping but will not be available for sale in the Philippines at this moment. I know, i know some of you will be asking why but the USPO is only 3 blocks away from us, just a walking distance compared to what we have in Manila so i will figure out how to.
Contents of the cd video will be:
How to make Special Yema Ensaimada/Special MIni Pandesal
How to make Sweet Potato Pandesal, Buns and Loaves
Mixing manually, or Kneading
Mixing and baking Whole Wheat Buns using KitchenAid
For those who have purchased the ebook already, you may purchase the video for $30.00 inclusive of the shipping and handling. If you have a background in baking, have experience in baking breads, you may purchase the CD/Video. The video uses a sponge and dough method which is an advance technique therefore if you have not baked before, you will find this hard to follow.
