Last July
18, 2015, BAGA (Barbecuers' And Grillers' Association) Manila launched its pet
project known as BAHAY Buffet. The word bahay is capitalized to mean: Buffet At
Home is Always Yummy. This new venture aims to introduce consumers to
up-and-coming hole in the wall eateries, small farms, micro-entrepreneurs and
other businesses in the food industry. The idea is to bring a group of private
individuals to the homes or farms of food establishment owners and connoisseurs
to have an intimate food buffet experience. The owners will be able to closely
interact with the consumers and be able to promote their products to them. The
customers, on the other hand, will be able to treasure a unique dining
experience with their hosts and fellow consumers. The concept has already been
in the drawing board last year, but it was only on this year that the project
has been finally executed.
To cap
off the launch of this ambitious event, BAGA, under the leadership of Ms. Dawn
Mawis, invited a select group of food and lifestyle bloggers from different age
groups. The goal was simple. We were sent to document the first event held in
MoCa farm. The property is owned by the Morris and Castor spouses who have long
been into organic farming, small-scale agriculture, and micro-entrepreneurship.
The farm made a mark in the exotic food scene by showcasing its rabbit meat
made from the New Zealand variety of rabbits.
Our
contingent travelled to Padre Garcia, Batangas a rustic town near the city of
Lipa. We met at the Intercon hotel in Makati, then we rode our respective vans.
The journey took us 2 hours. The area is known to be a favorable farming
locale. Big names in the food industry such as Andok's have chicken breeding
grounds there. Even popular politicians and movie actors also have their
respective farms in the area.
Upon
arrival, we were shown into the farm by Ka Gigi Morris, the wife of veteran
horticulturist Bob Morris. She told us the history of MoCa farm. According to
her, the farm was originally a mango orchard in barangay known for mass
producing mangoes. Upon the arrival of Bob Morris in the Philippines, he saw
the potential of the land for more productive uses such as agro-tourism and
animal breeding. Hence, the MoCa farm was born.
According
to Ka Gigi, the farm uses purely organic methods of crop cultivation. It means
that no chemical pesticides such as DDT are used to grow the produce. Apart
from that, the volume of their produce is usually for personal consumption and
their small agribusiness. This is evident in the fact that there are no heavy
farming equipment present in the place. Also, there is no showing that
large-scale crop placement methods like crop rotation are practiced. This is
not to say, though, that the farm isn't remarkable. What delighted me was the
variety of orchids, fruit trees, shrubs, and other plants that were present in
the place. Add to the fact that the farm boasts of its unique native pig and
rabbit breeding grounds. The most amazing part is that all these productive
activities are included in a small 1 hectare area.
The tour
wasn't the only thing that surprised me. The other thing was the food. I'm not
keen on Filipino food, but after tasting Ka Gigi's specialties, I am strongly
reconsidering my position. At about lunch time, Ka Gigi invited us to sample
the delectable recipes made from the organic ingredients from the farm. For
starters, we had the Suman coupled with Santan Sauce. The rice used in the dish
was colored green. It had a good taste which even became better when dipped into
the sauce. Another appetizer was the Kalabasa Soup with Malunggay Flakes. The
soup actually had olive oil to give it a buttery taste without the bad effects
of saturated fat. The malunggay leaves accentuated the buttery taste and
provided the soup with more flavor. The final appetizer was the Garden Salad
with Alugbati (Spanish Spinach), Pineapple, and Tomatoes. This salad, didn't
use the typical lettuce. Instead, a lesser known type of leaf, Alugbati, was
used. The leaves were crisp and a bit bitter. The pineapples and tomatoes
served to provide sweetness to the bitter taste.
The
appetizers themselves were already overwhelming. However, it didn't end there.
The meat and fish viands were more generous. Our menu was comprised of Santol with Pork in Coconut Milk, Native
Pig Lechon, Pinaputukang Tilapia wrapped in Galangal Leaves, and Three-colored
Rice. The santol was ground and cooked to perfection with pork and chili. The
fruit, at this point, had the texutre and the taste of animal meat. The taste
was accentuated with a generous helping of chili and coconut milk, true to the
Bicolano style of cooking. The dish made me unable to distinguish the
difference between the pork and the santol. It also reminded me of the
occasional Bicol Express cooked by our maid. The difference is that the
ingredients were fresh and well-cooked. The Pinaputukang Tilapia, on the other
hand, melted in my mouth with every bite. It was juicy and tender. The dining
event was not complete without the crowning glory of native lechon. Its
succulent flesh made me forget the consequences of high cholesterol. It was
organic anyway. It didn't have the debilitating effects of commercial breeding
chemicals. (and hence, healthier than Andok's) Apart from the succulent flesh,
the meat tasted different from the Manila lechon I was accustomed to. It wasn't
too greasy. The fat was also trimmed and the meat wasn't rubbery. Without time
to recover from our generous helping, we were immediately served another
tempting dish: Dessert!
The Hubad
na Turon had a unique twist. It was served like a fusion cuisine dish. The
lumpia wrapper served as the placeholder for supremely sweet caramelized
bananas. The wrapper was fried to a crisp, while bananas were chilled. Talk
about a perfect mixture of hot and cold. The bananas were cut to small servings
so as not to overwhelm our taste buds.
All of
these dishes were served together with a variety of drinks. We had glass after
glass of bignay cider, santol juice, and organically grown Batangas coffee from
dried Liberica and Robusta fruits. The bignay cider, commonly used, in making
fermented wine, had a slightly bitter taste, but was still satisfactory as a
cooler nonetheless. The Santol had the flavor of mixture of fruit juices, and
yet maintained a well-bodied taste. It didn't taste like typical powdered juice
we had in Manila. The coffee took the show. It showcased the strength of a
fresh and popular Batangueno delicacy. Add to that the fact that the beans were
not showered with pesticide. The drink was pretty strong; and I'd say it can
keep a person awake for an entire day.
The
delightful showcase of food combined with a homey atmosphere truly showed me
the success of BAHAY Buffet's wonderful concept. During the entire period of
the tour and meal, BAGA and the bloggers had a wonderful time to interact with
each other and network. After witnessing the generosity and hospitality of Ka
Gigi Morris and Miss Dawn Mawis, I can already say that the trip also
provided me with pleasurable memories and experiences. I'm sure that after this
successful launch, BAHAY Buffet will be a powerful tool in promoting
agro-entrepreneurship in the country.
The
excursion didn't end there. Our group also had the opportunity to visit BAGA's
Lakefront establishment in Sucat, Paranaque. I'll feature it in the next post.
Check out BAHAY Buffet events, through their FB page at:
https://www.facebook.com/bahaybuffet
MoCa Family farm has its website. Wisit:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/MoCa-Farm/144927215529014?sk=timeline
The story in pictures:
The 8 am meet up at Intercon Manila
One group picture before departing
The marker of Lipa City, Batangas
a left turn to the secluded farm
The arch of San Sebastian Cathedral, one of the oldest churches in Batangas
The arch of Padre Garcia, Batangas, the home of MoCa Family Farm
The welcome sign of the MoCa Family Farm
Another welcome sign
Ka Gigi Morris and kids
The start of our tour
a short merienda before continuing the tour
the participants enjoying the greenery
some of MoCa Farm's horticultural projects
Bugnay - the fruit for one of our drinks
a small campsite
the wooden throne
Formosa pineapple
Some pictures of the lush vegetation
A native pig serves as the breeding stock
one of the few rabbits harvested for their meat
The hungry bloggers waiting for lunch
The venue of our lunch - the dining hall and kitchen complete with fly nets
Liberica coffee beans
pumpkin soup with basil and olive oil
an artsy shot of what to expect for our meal
Axl roasting the lechon for our meal
Ka Gigi and her staff, together with the sumptuous buffet
our garden salad with fresh pineapples, tomato, and Alugbati (Spanish Spinach)
a wonderful presentation of suman with bignay cider
suman with santan sauce
white rice, yellow turmeric rice, and blue rice
a sample menu posted on the dining room
Bugnay fruit
The bloggers grabbing pics of the meal
Some of MoCa Farm's preserved delicacies for sale
The native pig lechon - note the
another shot of the lechon roasting
Ka Gigi telling us the dishes and their ingredients
Pinaputukang tilapia in galangal leaves
another shot of the ginataang santol
a short prayer before eating
Ginataang Santol and minced Pork with chili - reminiscent of Bicol Express
bagoong sauce
a close up of the ginataang santol and pork
Hubad na turon - unwrapped lumpia wrapper and caramelized bananas
bignay fruit - looked like blueberries hehe
Santol juice in orange and bignay cider in violet
a mango tree stump. A reminder of the devastation brought by Typhoon Glenda
The bloggers, BAGA, and Ka Gigi
A pleasant reminder of our visit
Photo Credits to:
Axl Guinto (axlppi.blogspot.com)
Jacqueline Mercado (gotasteblog.blogspot.com)
Kay Almienda of BAGA Manila
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