Home-cooked dishes too good not to share
I noticed that new food finds and where to order them are favorite topics of conversation during the holidays. I even have friends who refuse to divulge who and where they order from. They simply say, “Just let me know when you want to eat it again!”
Here are finds that would be a pity not to share.
I first discovered Ethel Sy of BellyBest just a few weeks ago when my niece Monique Teodoro brought her creations to our potluck lunch. I was impressed by how neat and nice the sisig looked. As I took a bite, I was not disappointed. There are many renditions of sisig that I appreciate, this now being one of the many. It was sisig as it should be, authentic to the recipe. The BellyBest way is tasty, clean on the palate with a light smokiness on the finish.
There were two kinds of callos that day, mine and BellyBest’s. I liked their callos. This dish is also done in as many ways as there are cooks who make them.
Their kalitiran, however, was what I cherished the most. It was truly the beef kalitiran of my youth that I ate with gusto with a ripe banana alongside it.
Pivot Project
Yes, memory has taste! It reminded me of Mom and our kusineras cooking; of meals with everyone gathered around the table; when Mom insisted that every meal must consist of a meat, fish and vegetable dish, plus soup—all to be spun around on the lazy Susan.
That was a different time—but that spoonful of kalitiran brought me back to that happy place.
This prompted me to give Ethel a call to learn more about BellyBest.BellyBest was conceived during the pandemic; it was Ethel’s pivot project. Prior to COVID, she was a distributor of quality frozen goods.
In 2021, she partnered with chef Nats Imson to produce home-cooked meals.
Ethel confessed that they were first bombarded by questions like, “What do we sell? What is the quality? What would make us different? How far do we want to go?,” aware of the rising number of home chefs in 2020.
It was then that Nats decided to focus on his heirloom recipes, dishes that are tedious to prepare but easy to eat. He made a commitment to prepare everything for BellyBest himself, and the partnership began.
The duo takes pride in their porchetta that takes 72 hours to prepare and seven hours to cook; their roast beef and kalitiran that requires 48 long hours to prepare; their 24-hour kare-kare, callos and roast chicken; and their Puerto Rican pernil that needs 48 hours to make delicious.
There are no shortcuts to good food, and no substitute for hard work to guarantee success. And success is what I call having a commissary two years hence. Business was good.
When doors were shut by the pandemic, windows opened for them. As with the easing of restrictions, challenges arose.
With the opening of restaurants, BellyBest’s sales took a dip. Ethel said that something had to be done. She came across a publication in Singapore titled “Private Home Dining.”
Inspired by it, Ethel decided to open their Marikina home to those who want to dine privately, and enjoy carefully prepared dishes made especially by Nats.
They named their private dining business 61 Orange Private Find Dining. “Find” because one must literally find them before they could dine. Though once “found, we promise generous servings till the end,” Ethel quipped.
The duo knew that everything was possible only through God’s grace. “We’ve experienced a lot of ups and downs, more tears and fears than cheers as we build and pursue our goals,” said Ethel.They are still on their way to achieving their dreams, but both said that but they are grateful to have the chance to present the work of their hands with pride. They find joy in food prepared with a lot of heart, slow-cooked with a lot of love. This, Nats says, is his calling and purpose.
Ethel said, “No amount of body pain, Katinko, Salonpas, Alaxan and postponed home massages can stop us from bringing glory to God through BellyBest and 61 Orange.” (Call tel. 0917-8478232, 0927-8583838; follow @Bellybest on Instagram.)
Empanadas
When Ivy Yang of Seventh Heaven decides to create something in her kitchen, expect it to be one-of-a-kind.
Take her cheese rolls. While there are thousands out there to choose from, Ivy’s belong to a league of their own.
When I wrote about them in 2020, I recall describing the baked good as cheese, covered in ultra-soft dough made with pure butter, then brushed yet again with more butter and sprinkled with sugar.
Seventh Heaven cheese rolls are feather-light and truly heavenly.Now their empanadas, like their cheese rolls, are unique creations, unlike those available elsewhere.
Ivy created her special sweet dough, and overstuffs it with her favorite things to eat like Beef Caldereta, Chicken Mushroom, Triple Cheese Spinach Mushroom, Hainanese Chicken and Pork Bicol Express.
When I asked her how she came about the empanada flavors, she shared that it is her desire to elevate the empanada experience by weaving a global culinary tapestry into the Filipino palate, crafting delectable treats that transcend borders and bring a symphony of international flavors to every indulgent bite.
Call tel. no. +63917-8902889; follow @seventhheaventreats on Instagram and Seventh Heaven Treats on Facebook. www.reggieaspiras.com; @iamreggieaspiras on Instagram and Facebook.
