World Class Chefs
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Ramilo (Ram) Villaluna
Ram is a budding chef from Iloilo City (Molo). He gained his training in Culinary Arts at the Center for Asian Culinary Studies under food guru Gene Gonzalez, Institute of Culinary Education (formerly Peter Kumpps) in New York. He took up bread making, and he studied food styling under Delores Custer of the Culinary Institute of America. It all started in Antique where his father owned a restaurant many Antiquenos learned to love. He continued the culinary legacy of his father and now, Ram owns a catering business, Cindy\'s Catering. Food is Ram\'s life, seriously speaking. I am short in saying that he is married to the food industry that, he spends most of his time teaching and mentoring at the Department of Culinary Arts at the University of San Agustin in Iloilo. If one cannot find him in the classroom, Ram will be on the road crisscrossing Iloilo and Antique having first hand in the management of his thriving businesses from both provinces. He also has a once-a-week TV show in GMA 7 \"Food Trip\". I met with Ram once before and he exudes perfectionism, the character that will beam him up to the limelight of culinary arts. At present time, Ram is extremely busy in Manila. I believe he is one of the finalists in The National Food Showdown 2010 sponsored by ABS-CBN. We wish you all the luck, Ram! Maybe, after this showdown, Ram will have the opportunity share favorite recipe here at ILONGGO LIVING.
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Buko Pie Dilemna
February 9, 2010
There were few food issues I had to straighten out during my recently-concluded trip to the Philippines. The major one was, who has the best BUKO PIE in the Philippines? Most buko pies now are commercially-prepared and the quality is compromised. This competition is somewhat narrowed down to three competitors as I have gathered few observations already from my previous visits to Iloilo and Luzon last year. Nang Palang’s emerged as the winner last year and will face off with its steep competitor from Bacolod (El Ideal) and Laguna. Few of my readers briskly suggested to try the Laguna-made buko pie. Allow me to show you who prepares the BEST BUKO PIE in town, or should I say, in the Philippines?
The BUKO PIE from Laguna has finally arrived for my scrutiny. Thanks to my niece Elgin from Laguna who brought this buko pie made by Orient Bakeshop who claims to be the maker of the original buko pie.
Looking closely inside the pie will reveal the whole story. Here, I noted there are ONLY few strips of buko and more of the cornstarch base.
El Ideal of Bacolod prepares pies and other local delicacies. A very popular name in Negros.
El Ideal's BUKO PIE came very close to winning the competition! Strips of buko are quite visible to the eyes.
I'm glad that Nang Palang's Buko pie has upgraded their box, making it more competitive.
The Nang Palang's BUKO PIE is loaded with select buko strips and it almost fill the whole pie with it. Thus making the flavor so rich and creamy. That's my kind of buko pie, making Nang Palang's my GOLD STANDARD.
And the winner is: NANG PALANG'S BUKO PIE! This is an unbiased taste test and as I always recommend, be your own judge!
I <3 buko pie too!! but my fave is the one from Tagaytay.. we get the BUKO TARTS either from Amira's or Rowena's!! The bite-size tarts has generous fillings of buko and topped w/ streusel
Rowena's also has yummy ube tarts!! LOVE LOVE!!
U8, I like to try buko pie from Tagaytay! My niece from Laguna will be coming over here in Canada next month and I’ll ask her to bring some buko from Tagaytay.