A Bagnet to Remember

Last Friday, after finishing a big order of cakes and cupcakes as well as setting up a dessert table for a local tv feature; my sister, her boyfriend and I, decided to eat out. We originally planned to eat at Hollywood Burger located at The Peak, Gaisano Mall of Davao. But when we got there, we were immediately told by one of the crew that all of their burgers are not available. Since I was so hungry-I-could-eat-a-horse situation, we decided to go somewhere else.

And boy, oh boy, I am so glad we went somewhere else instead. EJ, my sister's boyfriend, suggested we eat at The Bagnetian Kitchen.

A restaurant recently opened this year, located at the Brick Lane Square, along Palma Gil Street, Obrero. It's a restaurant that offers Ilocano's famous dish, the Bagnet. I've read about bagnet in food magazines only and I was quite excited to finally get the chance to eat Ilocos famous crispy pork dish.

What's interesting about this restaurant is that, they incorporated the bagnet in other famous Pinoy dishes like sisig, Bicol express, pinakbet, dinuguan, binagoongan and humba. But my favorite is the classic Bagnet, paired with rice and soy sauce with kalamansi and siling labuyo, and I am in bagnet heaven. The skin of the pork is very crispy, and the meat is not dry, just fried right to my liking. The price and servings is just right, and if you are hungry, expect to order more rice, like I did (diet is a foreign word to me). The interior of the restaurant is also brightly lit and they have enough crew to attend to your needs. Food was also served on time, within 10-15 minutes upon ordering.

 

So, if you want to eat bagnet, you don't have to travel all the way to Ilocos to satisfy your cravings, it's located in the heart of Davao City. 





xoxo,
MM

Fashionista Cupcakes

I received a handful of request to make this kind of cupcake toppers like miniature shoes, bags and make-up. In the past, with great regret, I had to decline so many orders just like this because I don't have any  cutters specifically for miniature shoes/sandals. I have scoured online baking supply stores here in the Philippines and even requested to one online store if they can order from their suppliers abroad, but with no positive results. I am still waiting though, patiently waiting.

Resourceful is one trait that I am very proud of, I realized that I can make a pattern of a small shoe and cut a piece of gumpaste using Xacto knife using the pattern. After practicing for several hours, I was able to make 3 pairs of miniature shoes. As for the bag and make up toppers, it was easy as pie, because it doesn't require cutters, the toppers were hand-molded.

Enough blabbering and let me just show you some photos of the cupcakes.

   

 

That's all folks, I am beat and I have a date with my bed and pillows.


xoxo,
MM

Debut Cake - Pink Chanel Classic Caviar Flap Bag

I love making Chanel Classic Caviar Flap Bag cake, probably because I am used to it now. I think this is my 5th Chanel bag cake. Yen Yen, a friend of my classmate from high school,  asked me to make a cake for her cousin's 18th birthday.

Here's some photos of the process of the making of the cake. (Pardon me if it's not too detailed, I was trying to meet the deadline while doing this.) 

First, I baked 2 pans of chocolate cake in 10x10x2 size and then refrigerated it overnight so that it will be easy to cut and assemble.

This is how it looked when I cut and stacked the cake. By the way, the filling is chocolate ganache. In case you are wondering how this cake stays upright, I inserted 3 bubble tea straw. They can be purchased in local groceries or baking-specialty stores.

stacked cake to form a bag

Then I covered it with buttercream icing and then the pink MMF.I wasn't able to document the making of the chain strap. I was in the zone and I kinda forgot that I am supposed to take picture of it. I will maket up for it if I get a chance to make another cake like this.

cake covered in buttercream

front view

back view

All in all, it took me 6 hours to finish this cake, from stacking, filling, covering it with buttercream and MMF, quilting, adding of the chain strap and the text.

Here are some pictures of the finished cake:

Chain strap and lock

side view

 

front view

top view

front view

Happy 18th Birthday Dayan! I'm not sure if you get the chance to view this post. Hope you had blast on your birthday.







xoxo,
MM

Kadayawan 2012

August is a busy and thriving month for Davao because of the month-long celebration of Kadayawan.

The term "Kadayawan" is derived from the Mandaya word "madayaw", a warm and friendly greeting used to explain a thing that is valuable, superior, beautiful, good, or profitable.

Lots of activities and contest during Kadayawan like the Hiyas ng Kadayawan, the famous Indak Indak sa Kadalanan, and Mayor Sara Duterte Kadayawan Sportsfest.

For more information on the schedule of activities, you can visit this website http://www.kadayawan.com/.

Madayaw!

My Cakes

3 tier Barbie Cake

Roadside Construction Cake

Banana Boat Cake

Quilted Chanel Flap Bag Cake

2 tier Pooh Cake

Crown Cake

Handy Manny Tool Box Cake

Angry Birds Cake

Pink Balenciaga Cake

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Cake

2 tier Safari Cake

Blue Themed Christening Cake

Racer Cake

Baby Pirate Cake

3 tier Safari Cake

Money Making Nurse Cake

Silver Anniversary Cake

2 tier Barbie Cake

Sesame Street Cake

Vintage Sewing Machine Cake

White Rose and Pearls Cake

Barbie Cake with Butterflies

These are some photos of my previous cakes.

Quilted/Tufted Cake

I always love quilted cake. Here is a cake I made for a birthday celebrant who is a vocalist of a local band. The cake is 6 inches in diameter and 4 inches in height and chocolate flavor with chocolate filling. I quilted it with a pattern to get an even quilt for the cake and added silver dragees. I also covered the board with fondant and added the greetings and some gray star fondant cut-outs. Female figure topper is made of fondant. I was glad the birthday celebrant loved her birthday cake.