Newsletter Oicial Publication of the Philippine Carabao Center of the Department of Agriculture PCC ISSN 1655-2496 • VOL. 9 NO. 4 • Oct-Dec 2010 In Davao City ‘Karbaw’ foods beckon gourmands 6 10 24 PCC Newsletter Oficial Publication of the Philippine Carabao Center of the Department of Agriculture • Volume 9 No. 4 • October-December 2010 ABOUT THE COVER Main photo (by RGBumanlag) displays a plateful of carabeef (Pochero) in a Davao City eatery; other photos are about the other products Editorial Staff from the carabao. Rowena Galang-Bumanlag Editor-in-Chief Joahna G. Goyagoy Managing Editor Table of CONTENTS Khrizie Evert M. Marcelo Editorial Assistant FEATURES Rowena G. Bumanlag Writers Joahna G. Goyagoy 3 ‘Karbaw’ foods beckon gourmands Khrizie Evert M. Marcelo Anselmo S. Roque 6 Leather goods that triumph quality over Eric P. Palacpac quanity Marlowe U. Aquino 8 Tuguegarao bolo-makers make use of Carlo G. Dacumos Graphics/Layout Artist carabao horns in their crat Anselmo S. Roque Editorial Consultant 10 Chicha-rabao is another wow food from the carabao Eric P. Palacpac Chief, Knowledge Resource Management Division 12 Kalamilk sotens, moisturizes the skin; fatens the pocket, too Libertado C. Cruz 14 Executive Director/Editorial Adviser The milk candy of Alcala, Cagayan: How sweet it is 16 Plantanillas, other delights feature ‘innovaing-on-classics’ approach Call for Contributions 20 Sweets haven in Bulacan The PCC Newsletter welcomes industry-related 22 Aling Nora’s ‘cheesy’ business from the articles not exceeding 800 words, with photos and corresponding caption. carabao’s milk 24 It’s a moo-ing business for Mr. Moo! Success stories of farmers, cooperatives, and other beneficiaries and stakeholders of the 26 Hoof, horn products boom as high-end Carabao Development Program are preferred. fashion business PCC encourages reproduction of articles from this publication with proper acknowledgment. INDUSTRY NEWS Topic suggestions and comments are also welcome. 27 Senator Pangilinan is guest of honor, speaker in carabao farmers’ dialogue Please send your articles and comments to email address [email protected] or mail 28 KOICA, PCC to implement $3 million-worth of livestock them to development project THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 29 Aggie chief’s message is about ensuring biosafety PCC Newsletter Information Unit 30 PCARRD, PCC conduct livestock biotech forum for media Knowledge Resource Management Division representaives Philippine Carabao Center National Headquarters and Gene Pool 30 PCC scienists are PSAS awardees CLSU Cmpd., Science City of Muñoz 3120 Nueva Ecija 31 PCC oicial presents paper at AGREX ‘10 or call Tel. No.: 044-456-0731 (loc) 479 31 PCC, NDA sign MOU with Korea on dairy catle improvement 31 2 PCC Newsletter • Oct-Dec 2010 Another ‘Hall of Fame’ award for PCC editorial consultant COVER STORY In Davao City ‘Karbaw’ foods beckon gourmands By Rowena Galang-Bumanlag commitment of these restaurants to called it the Blue Carabao Diner. Even provide only the best-tasing food to its then, almost a decade now, this dish has n the bustling city of Davao, where customers at the most afordable prices. remained among the gourmet’s top picks. everyone seems to be occupied with the demands of another busy day, Owned by a Canadian naional and Hinalang is a Visayan dialect that there is a consistent spot oozing his Filipino wife, Francis and Sherry Scot, means spicy. But this is an understatement I these restaurants ofer both regular Filipino as the Blue Carabao’s recipe surprisingly with an aroma that ofers a perfect respite not only for the restless feet gone dishes and original recipes that survived triggers a sure kick for sluggish persons. ired but also for the stomach yearning for perennial copycats. The soup exhibits more character than the a sumptuous reill. usual menu served as appeizer, such as Topping their culinary repertoire are bouillon, consommé and other broths. Easily, food lovers, even those with the the hinalang and pochero. Both are soups most selecive palate, are drawn to “Blue but can be exquisite complements to rice. It is a brownish carabeef (carabao beef) Carabao” where a full range of viands from soup primed with a handful of ginger, chili Filipino or mostly Asian cuisine are ofered. pepper (siling labuyo), onions and spices. Compared with other soup recipes with ‘Soup for the soul’ beef as the basic ingredient, the chunks The Blue Carabao Diner and Blue Hinalang, also called halang-halang, of carabeef in the Blue Carabao’s hinalang Carabao Eatery carry the slogan: “Taste has been in the centerpiece of its menu pracically “melt in the mouth”, making it a the Power of the Carabao” and ofer a since the couple established the Blue wise choice for lunch among oice workers promise of providing customers “Power Carabao Eatery in 2001. In October 2009, to your Peso”. This branding depicts the they opened a branch in the city and Next Page 3 Mrs. Sherry and Mr. Francis Scott ‘KARBAW’ FOODS... (from page 3) in the area who usually want the most of restaurant and its signature soup through her father’s (Maximino Salve) recipe, which their brief recess. the internet. A search for the words “blue was one of the food delights ofered in carabao’’ in the internet would show their small eatery, then, “Karbawan ni Mrs. Scot disclosed that the carabeef favorable reviews from those who have Manong” , which specialized on carabeef is tenderized in a pressure cooker for 30 partaken the soup. dishes. Hinalang gained the atenion of minutes; the shanks for 45 minutes. diners from then on. Even foreigners who happen to pass by Any dish that relects the culture of the the food outlet, the Scots said, can’t help “I coninued with the business unil community and portrays such character but take their sip of the popular hinalang I met my husband who is also very that even the most picky food enthusiast and apparently they become saisied with supporive of the venture and really would relate to is guaranteed a niche in the sure treat. appreciates my talent,” Mrs. Scot said. food business. This has been the case of hinalang soup as proven by queues of loyal Behind the success of the recipe, Mr. Karbawan comes from the root followers. Scot said, is his wife-partner and Blue word karbaw which is a Hiligaynon term Carabao master chef—Sherry Scot. meaning carabao. Manong, on the other Hinalang has virtually caught the hand, is an Ilocano term which means atenion of gourmands who deliberately Mrs. Scot has been with the business “older brother”. express their praises for the Blue Carabao of hinalang for 10 years. It was originally 4 PCC Newsletter • Oct-Dec 2010 taro, Chinese cabbage and straw beans. Mrs. Scot, who is the restaurant’s A serving of quality master chef, said that what makes the Blue Carabao pochero special is its tasty white standard soup that she had expertly perfected over One unique and salient feature of the ime. She executes the technique with the Blue Carabao restaurant is its consistent use of a speciic variety of taro that gives transparency to customers. In fact, Mr. its exquisite appeal. and Mrs. Scot encourage diners to take a tour of their kitchen to appreciate how the Pochero, also called bulalo in Luzon, foods are meiculously prepared before relects a Spanish int in the Filipino they are served on the dining tables. cuisine. During the Spanish period, pochero was a favorite dish served usually The kitchen staf follows safety and during special occasions. It has since sanitary protocols on hand washing, become a comfort food and the most- preparaion and cooking. Reminders and sought-ater-dish on the Filipino diner’s instrucions on these are printed and table whether on important occasions or laminated on a paper and strategically on a cold weather. ixed on the working areas where workers can easily see and follow them. At the Blue Carabao restaurant, it is almost impossible to shy away from “We are implemening the strictest ordering a bowl of pochero as it is already sanitary and safety standards in our considered by its most loyal patrons either kitchen, which are the same standards as an appeizer or as the main course along used by the Health Department of the with a cup of steaming rice. City of Toronto. That’s one thing that Blue Carabao can be proud of. We make sure As more and more diners pick pochero that we give back only the best service in the array of Mrs. Scot’s display of to our customers by upholding quality In “Karbawan ni Manong”, Mrs. Scot culinary skill, it is sure to be a mainstay, and standards,” Mr. Scot said. said their customers were mostly males. one of the highlights, in the Blue Carabao He used to work as an environmental Apparently, the customers would love to restaurant’s menu board. technician in an oil reinery company in snatch a sip of the spicy carabeef soup Alberta, Canada before he decided to setle to get sober ater a rendezvous with the A bowl of this lavorful soup, which can booze. serve up to two persons, is also reasonably priced at Php50. Page 19 Over the years, the range of customers expanded to include bankers, execuives and tourists. The females also gained appreciaion of the nutriive value of carabeef and favored its disinct and lavorful taste over other meat used in soup. A serving of hinalang is afordably priced at Php50 which can be shared by two persons. Comfort soup A classic Filipino beef stew is also served at the Blue Carabao. It’s Mrs. Scot’s version of pochero, which comes as an alternaive for those who do not fancy a spicy soup.