LIFE
‘Discovering’ the flavors of Asia
To discover the true flavors of a destination, you need to taste its traditional food — not just the dishes presented in fine restaurants, but also the street food and common meals locals eat at home. Together, they represent the true essence of a nation’s cuisine.
Eating — and discovering the cuisine of the place you are visiting — is one of the greatest pleasures of travel. You discover not just the cultural differences between yourself and, say, the Chinese in Hong Kong or the Malays of Malaysia, but also the similarities that bind you as Asians. Herbs, spices, and other local condiments define a food culture. To discover the true flavors of a destination, you need to taste its traditional food — not just the dishes presented in fine restaurants, but also the street food and common meals locals eat at home. Together, they represent the true essence of a nation’s cuisine.
Masa Madre Bakehouse captures this essence by offering representative dishes from various Asian countries — reimagined in bread form — in its ongoing promotion, Masa Madre Passport: Flavors of Asia. This “passport” to Asian flavors grants holders exclusive rewards and privileges. Available for P799, the passport features five Asian bread series — Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore, and the Philippines — alongside Masa Madre’s two special-occasion series for Halloween and Christmas. Perks include a free cake slice, 5 percent off every purchase, rewards for every completed series, and exclusive merchandise for those who complete the entire journey.
Beyond these perks, however, it is the opportunity to taste the Flavors of Asia offerings that excites Masa Madre regulars, with each series featuring three distinct types of traditionally made viennoiserie.
The first destination, Thailand, has already drummed up interest among connoisseurs who know good bread when they taste it. The Thai series features three delicious pastries: the Pad Kra Pao Suisse, Pain Pu Pad Pong and Tod Mun Pla Danish.
The triangular Pad Kra Pao Suisse features a savory pork filling. It is inspired by Pad Kra Pao, a spicy Thai stir-fry made with minced meat, garlic, holy basil and chilies. (“Pad” means stir-fry, while “kra pao” refers to holy basil.) While the traditional meat can be pork, beef, or chicken, this Masa Madre creation opts for pork. Its salty, savory and spicy flavor profile pairs perfectly with the famously flaky bread.
The square-shaped Pain Pu Pad Pong contains a generous helping of crab filling, inspired by the Thai yellow curry stir-fry, Pu Pad Pong. (“Pu,” pronounced “bpoo,” means crab; “pad” means stir-fry; and “pong,” short for pong garee, refers to curry.) This gives the pastry a delightful, mild curry flavor.
Finally, the Tod Mun Pla Danish is a rectangular pastry with a fishnet finish, encasing a delicious fish cake filling. It draws from Tod Mun Pla — traditional deep-fried fish cakes known for their hint of aromatic red curry, kaffir lime and a chewy texture achieved by beating the fish to build elasticity. This filling is perfectly nestled within Masa Madre’s beautifully flaky and crusty dough.
These creations are available at the Masa Madre Café in the Cocolight Building, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, and can also be ordered online. Each piece is priced at P189 at the café, while online orders are processed in boxes of four or six.
The Thai Series runs until 19 September, after which a new destination will be introduced. What will the next series be? Chef Kris Edison Tan, the brains behind the bakehouse, and his team are keeping it under wraps — but the secret will be out next week.