Breaking Bread

Written by Jonathan Lansang, Photos by Ryan Fernandez

GOOD BREAD IS A SCIENCE. With just flour and water as a base, one can mix in some yeast and sugar to make it rise, butter and eggs for richness, or even just switch the kind of flour used to produce an entirely different texture. That same bread is itself an element of a greater whole. Though often a side, or a simple vehicle for the filling, the right variety can add just the right texture or flavor that will bring together all the other elements of the dish. Choosing that perfect loaf may be difficult for the layman, but luckily you can get all that and more at Harina Artisan Bakery Café.

Harina in White Plains serves up artisanal baked goods daily. Left: Bread sticks with cheese and chocolate dips hearken back to the Yan-Yan snacks of yesteryear.

Located along White Plains on Katipunan, Harina is a charming little café that radiates the warmth of home. Well, a home with the gorgeous scent of freshly baked bread wafting through the air. Formerly Monsee’s the store has greatly expanded their all day breakfast menu while retaining some of their signature items such as their Spanish bread and breadsticks. Living up to the “artisan” in their name, all their baked goods are prepared in the traditional manner, hand-rolled and baked everyday with premium ingredients and absolutely no chemical additives.

Food is meant for sharing at Harina. Their Bloomin Bread, a fluffy focaccia loaf, is the perfect starter for groups.

Naturally, their menu capitalizes on this same artisanship and features several items with breads and pastries baked in the very same kitchen. Bloomin Bread is a great starter. The gorgeous loaf of focaccia topped with a bit of cheese and basil puree served with balsamic vinegar and olive oil on the side is a classic combination, one made better by the freshness of the bread. The loaf is huge, enough to share amongst your party and will definitely whet your appetite.

 The Chicken Caesar Sandwich is a savory treat combining Cajun chicken with lettuce, bacon, Caesar dressing and a perfectly poached egg on a baguette whose crisp crust is a good compliment to the other ingredients. 

The Waldorf Sandwich is another good healthy option. Like its salad namesake, it is composed of red and green apples, celery, chopped walnuts, joined by a chunks of chicken in mayonnaise all in a flaky pastry.

Perfect pairings: Left: Iced tea is served in adorable mason jars and striped party straws. Right: Harina's chunky waldorf sandwich is loaded with apples, walnuts, and chicken shreds.

If you’ve got a bit of a sweet tooth, Harina has two varieties of French toast which are sure to please. The Strawberry Cheesecake version, as the name implies, has a cheesecake and strawberry preserves filled brioche. As much as I loved it, I’m a total sucker for peanut butter, and the Peanut Butter, Banana and Chocolate French Toast (the name is pretty self-explanatory) take on the timeless combination of flavors in their special wheat honey walnut bread and among their desserts, it’s my top choice.

Toasts of the town: Opt for butter, banana, and chocolate French Toast (left), or a strawberry cheesecake twist (right) for your all-day breakfast cravings

My personal favorite of the their breakfast offerings though was the Breakfast Tart, a puff pastry with a filling of cream cheese, spinach, tomatoes and eggs topped with bacon. The combination of flavors and textures is simply divine and the incredibly rich filling is only made more so by the gooey yolk as it flows out.

Harina's Breakfast Tart - flaky pastry topped with layers of cheese, spinach, egg, and bacon - is rich and savory. In short, it's the perfect way to start your day.

Bread's available all-day round at the bakery corner of the restaurant

As with all great bakeries, they have a selection of breads and other pastries like muffins and Danishes. Of special note though, was that they also had a variety of sweet and savory spreads that they make themselves. While the cookies and cream spread called out to me, I opted for the Bacalao as a take home for my family.

Baker's dozen: There's a lot to be had at Harina both for merienda and parties including muffins, cream puffs, danishes, and cookies.

As a final treat, we were offered a chance to try their brand new cronuts which were being brought out for the first time. Available in varieties of chocolate, blueberry and peanut butter (YES!), Harina has, for my money, produced the best cronuts in the local market in terms of both texture and flavor. I can definitely see people lining up for a box of these babies.

Whether you’re looking for a cozy place for brunch with your significant other; a great meal for your family (including decorate-a-treat cupcakes or cookies which kids are sure to love); or artisanal gifts for the holidays and beyond, swing by Harina. Munching away on some focaccia, you'll be happy you did.

Harina Artisan Bakery Cafe
118 Katipunan Avenue, White Plains, Quezon City
Tel. 352 6721
Open daily from 6:00am to 9:00pm

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All Chucked Up

From left to right: Razorback rocks the house as opening act to Canadian chef Chuck Hughes. Among the dishes Chuck prepared was grilled Canadian scallops.

Watch out, this fun-loving Canadian chef is out on a mission, and he doesn’t mind getting down and dirty. The star of the hit cooking show Chuck’s Day Off is known for his no fuss, straightforward cooking style.  Chef Chuck Hughes signature comfort food had reached all new heights when he was invited to a cooking showdown in Iron Chef America's renowned cooking stadium.  The Canadian inspired dishes he created for the judges did more than just hit the spot, it reigned supreme in the Iron Chef's Canadian lobster battle agains Iron Chef Bobby Flay.  

Who is Chuck?

Recently Chuck spent his day off with his Philippine audience at Greenbelt 3. Also known as the rocker chef from Canada, the organizers of the event together with Asia Food Channel (AFC) made sure his day off in the Philippines rocked in more ways than one. Alongside Chef Chuck’s live cooking demo, the audience would be rocking to the beats of the legendary band Razorback! Luckily enough, Ryan and I were able get ringside seats to the cooking event slash rock concert.

Razorback worked the crowd and even got Chuck rocking on the sidelines while waiting for his cue.  Chuck must be PInoy at heart because he couldn't resist belting out a song or two.  Go Chuck! 

When Chuck offered to answer any question we throw, hurl or scream at him, a girl quickly stood up and asked “when’s your day-off”? He turned towards her and answered, “oh you’ll have to ask my manager”. Loved that he was so game.  Not that I’m competitive, but I just had to scream out “I want you on your week-off!”, then he looks at me and jokingly says we could go check out a restaurant in Greenbelt 5. Score! This made me wish I baked a kalamansi meringue pie for him.  How could I not get along with a guy who loved arugula, bacon, oysters, and lemon meringue pie so much he had them inked on his arm?

Salmon Says: Chuck's second recipe was for mouthwatering smoked salmon

His mission: to share recipes inspired by ingredients from Canada. Items that made it to his menu for the day were the pan-grilled scallops, home smoked salmon with greens tossed in apple vinaigrette, and a tapioca dessert.  

Tossing aside his set recipe cards, he wings it on the spot depending on what he feels like throwing in. Like he says, “why not”? His easy going personality and the way he naturally plays up to the crowd easily won him hearts across the board - mine included.  There were so many "Chuck moments" throughout the event but the one that  that left a lasting impression on me was when he was preparing a salad dressing and he accidentally put too much maple syrup into the bowl. Most would re-adjust the recipe, his solution – to raise the bowl precariously over his head pouring the excess maple syrup into his mouth!  Well, that works too. 

Inspired by Chuck Hughes’ love of bacon and maple syrup (I’m not sure he has it tattooed on his arm yet, but I think it’s pretty safe to assume he loves maple syrup), I present to you... (drum roll please)

CHOCOLATE CHIP BACON COOKIES

(Chef Chuck this one's for you!)

Ingredients for Cookies:
1 1/3 cup softened butter (please use good butter, at Anchor would be good)
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
2 eggs
3 ½ cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup chocolate chunks (I just feel like chucks are more rustic not that it tastes any different)

Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F (or 190 degrees C).
2. Prepare the butter mixture:

• Beat butter then add white sugar and brown sugar.
• Keep beating till slightly fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time. Make sure it’s mixed well.
• Set aside.

3. Prepare the dry mixture:

• With a spatula, mix flour, salt and baking soda in a separate bowl. Or you can sift it if you feel like using a bit of elbow grease.

COOL TIP: Make your own ‘cookie mix’ by preparing a few batches of the dry mixture ahead of time.

4. Add the dry mixture into the butter mixture. Mix well.

5. Prepare the cookie batter for baking.

• Use an ice cream scooper to make uniform balls of cookie batter, and place it on a cookie sheet. Feel free to use spoons to form balls if an ice cream scooper isn’t available.

Make sure that there is 1.5 to 2 inch allowance in between cookies to make room for it to expand.
Add chocolate chunks on the cookie dough. It depends on how much you want on it.

COOL TIP: If you like your cookies thick, chill the cookie dough before baking it so it doesn’t spread out as much. End result, a thicker cookie for you!


COOLER TIP: Scoop out the cookie batter on the cookie sheet and freeze completely. Then transfer to a Ziploc bag and store in the freezer until you feel like having a freshly baked cookie. For small batches, you can use a toaster oven.
6. Bake cookies.

• Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the middle part of the cookie is set and the edges are light brown.
• When it’s done, pull the cookies out of the oven. Don’t worry if it still seems soft, it will firm up once it cools.
• Leave the cookies on the pan for 2 to 3 more minutes to finish baking.
• Place on a cookie rack to cool completely.

Ingredients for the Maple Glaze:

• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp maple syrup

1. Sift the powdered sugar.
2. Add the maple syrup, mix.
3. Add more syrup in case consistency is too thick.

The consistency should be thick enough for it to hold, but still spreadable.

Shakin' Bacon

Ingredients for the Bacon (a.k.a. the “crowning jewel”):

• Bacon (your pick, I used Purefoods honey cured bacon)
• Vegetable Oil 

1. Trim bacon strips to 2 or 3-inches.
2. Heat non-stick pan.
3. Add 2 tablespoons of oil.
4. Cook strips of bacon till it’s crisp.
5. Once it’s cooked, let it rest on top of tissue.

COOL TIP: If you want your bacon to be flat, then bake it on a cookie sheet and place a pan on top of it so it bakes evenly and flat.

Almost there!

Assembly time:

1. Take a cookie, and then spread the maple glaze on top.
2. Gently set a piece of babi love (bacon) on top of the glaze.
3. I’ll bet you can’t resist taking a photo so let’s make that the third step
4. EAT! Share if you must.

Chocolate cookie, say hello to maple glaze and to crisp bacon strips.

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The Breakfast and The Furious

by Ryan

(Firstly, I apologize for the corny title. Really, this is what you get from taking two Creative Writing classes in college so there.)

Once upon a time there was a quaint all-day breakfast joint in Tomas Morato called Heaven n' Eggs. It wasn't the best place on earth but needless to say it had its rustic charm. It had a solid lineup of pancakes, toast, and then some. (Sorry for the ambiguity; this was years ago when things like masticating cold, leathery five-day old pizza counted as a proper meal.)

Slowly though things got weird. Its last branch in Glorietta traded in the sky blue wallpaper for black, and changed the concept from rustic breakfast place to heavy metal rock act. Because as we all know, breakfast brings to mind screeching guitars, leather, and KISS.

Bacon, eggs, toast, demon's blood - all part of a complete and balanced breakfast.

Trends have come and gone - a dizzying list of cupcakes, burgers, frozen yogurt, and milk tea joints - but all-day breakfast? Not quite. There's a little joint in Barangay Kapitolyo's budding dining street though that's sold out on having diners down cereal at nine o'clock in the evening. Whimsically called Milky & Sunny, the venture plies pancakes spouting pet names teenage sweethearts would call each other like Blueberry Honeypie or Choco Marble Warble. The cutesy Sanrio Little Twin Stars concept aside, the food - fluffy pancakes, hearty rice meals, and cold cereal - may not be wholly magical yet but it is damn satisfying.

Left: Milky and Sunny's Strawberry Cream Cheese pancake. Right: A logo I fell in love with at first sight.

There's the Strawberry Cream Cheese pancake (P140) with swathes of Philadelphia and jam between layers. A fourth pancake would have probably made this a more impressive stack, but even then, apart from the gussied up spread, it's still downright homey. Growing boys and lumberjacks should opt for the Breakfast Big Plate (P250) where you can mix and match several protein-rich choices like sausage and corned beef with the breakfast staples of bread (bagel or white), hash brown, and eggs. It's a gratifying sight when set on your table but then again you could probably have the same deal at home.

The Big Plate is perfect for the growing man-child in all of us.

The omelettes add a bit more flair what with a winner like their bell pepper, potatoes, and sausage combo (P130) that's both sweet and slightly garlicky with a smattering of pesto on top. Sugar-deprived students from St. Paul's and UA&P can avail of cereal too: There's Koko Krunch and Honey Stars to be had, but it would be nice to spot some Cap'n Crunch and Fruit Loops in the mix as well.

Left: Quirky artwork lend a sense of the fanciful to the ambiance. Right: Milky and Sunny's
red and green bell pepper with potatoes and sausage omelette  

As restaurants continue to explore the idea of comfort food as something worth building on, Milky & Sunny could very well shine in a neighborhood that's quickly getting saturated with restaurants as Kapitolyo. (Guys, would it really hurt to try something else other than Charlie's for once?) There's some lingering irony however: In trying to promote its image as an all-day breakfast diner plying pancake and eggs the way mom makes it, diners might begin to wonder why they ought to pay for food they could readily have at home.

Still if just for the charming, bright blue ambiance, the chill working space, and solid breakfast fare, I may be persuaded for a second bowl of Honey Stars.

Milky & Sunny is located in #9 East Capitol Drive, Briggy Hall, Barangay Kapitolyo, Pasig City. Visit their Facebook page here

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