small business – Page 2 – Jellybeans in the City

Chef Edmond Dannug brings back-to-basics comfort food via Heavenly Spiced

You would think that after honing his craft through stints at upscale hotel restaurant Amber in Hong Kong and as head chef of Enderun Events in Davao, Chef Edmond Dannug will bring his considerable skills to bear in whipping up complex French dishes when he decided to go into business.

But no.

Instead, he opted to offer comfort food – his personal favorites, actually – through the online store that he co-manages with his fiancee Jasmine Guillarte. They named it Heavenly Spiced.

“My cooking mentors always taught me that the best food are the simplest,” he shares.

Still, the dishes on offer at Heavenly Spiced are no run-of-the-mill viands. Their flavors have been enhanced through careful preparation and cooking techniques ingrained into culinary professionals, such as Chef Edmond. They come in large party trays that can serve six to eight people and are perfect for small gatherings or for a special family meal that you don’t want to slave over in the kitchen.

He started out with the Hainanese Chicken and Rice (Php850), widely considered as one of Singapore’s national dishes. Based on the Wenchang Chicken, a well-known dish in South China dating back to Qin Dynasty, this dish is painstakingly made by poaching a whole chicken in sub-boiling temperature, with some of the resulting stock combined with ginger, garlic and other flavorings to cook the flavorful rice that will accompany the dish. Chef Edmond completes this platter with bright green bokchoy and the three traditional dipping sauces for Hainanese Chicken: a red chili sauce, a thick and dark soy sauce, and a paste of freshly ground ginger.

Another of the chef’s comfort food faves is the Bourbon Glazed Barbecue Pork Ribs (Php1,400). Meat lovers would love to get a hold of this dish! Slow-smoked, falling-off-the-bone meat flavored with a sweet-savory bourbon glaze and partnered with umami corn cobs made for a finger-licking dish! It’s messy eating but there’s really no better way to enjoy it.

Chef Edmond recently expanded his menu to include Chicken Wings (Php900). Inspired by his favorite chicken chicken place Frankie’s, this dish is made with large pieces of chicken wings which are deep-fried then coated with a vinegar-based cayenne pepper glaze. They are then served with bleu cheese dipping sauce which made for a well-balanced combination of sweet, spicy and tangy flavors.

The chef’s newest creation which also joins Heavenly Spiced offerings is the Angus Burger (Php1500). Six hefty quarter-pound patties made with ground Angus beef are lightly seasoned and then grilled to medium doneness to bring out their beefy goodness. These are then placed in grilled brioche buns along with lettuce, tomato, battered onion rings and cheddar cheese then coated with the chef’s Bourbon Barbecue Glaze and served with a side of umami fries.

Aside from these party trays, Heavenly Spiced can also cater your Zoom parties via its gift boxes made with solo servings of especially curated dishes from Filipino, Chinese, Japanese and Western cuisines. Prices range from Php450 to Php600 per box.

Now we know where we can get tasty and wholesome comfort food that’s been meticulously prepared by a professional chef!

To order, text or call +63 939 2373383 or Viber +63 929 4514998. To know more about Heavenly Spiced’s latest offerings, follow it on Facebook or Instagram.

Disclosure: I attended a food tasting of Heavenly Spiced dishes together with fellow foodies. Items mentioned here were served to let us sample the fare and elicit our honest feedback.

Check out my blog posts on other small enterprises and startups in the food business:

Yummy homemade apple pie for the apple of your eye

Literary goddess Jane Austen was said to have uttered, “Good apple pies are a considerable part of our domestic happiness.”

I certainly cannot refute the truth behind Ms. Austen’s words.

Apple pies – good ones! – do bring about feelings of happiness and contentment.

This much-loved dessert actually originated in England, influenced by culinary traditions from France, the Netherlands and the Ottoman Empire from as early as the 1390s. It made its way to the New World thanks to the European settlers. It grew in popularity and was eventually included in America’s first cookbook, American Cookery, by Amelia Simmons in 1796.

Over the years, it has become ingrained into American culture, hence the saying “as American as apple pie.”

It has also made its way to this country, where dessert lovers can now enjoy it in the comforts of their own home by ordering from enterprising home bakers.

One such entrepreneur is Mark David Antonio, who started baking apple pies at the start of this year to practice baking and earn a bit of money.

As apple pie is his favorite dessert, he infused it with his favorite elements: a buttery and flaky crust, a sweetly-spiced apple filling and a crumbly streusel topping. Together, these made for an apple pie perfect for any occasion: a show-stopping contribution to a potluck, a delightful gift to a sweet tooth, or a satisfying cap to a wonderful meal.

It’s best served warm from the oven. You will also be treated to the wonderful apple pie aroma wafting to your nostrils as the pie re-heats in the oven, giving you a heady sense anticipation.

You may or may not choose to top it with a dollop of vanilla ice cream to have it ala mode (I didn’t because I couldn’t wait to bite into my slice).

It’s also quite affordable at just Php550, so no need to think twice in treating yourself and the apple of your eye to this decadent delight.

Just order from Mark by texting +63 956 8674914 or +63 921 4813262. You can also send him a message via Facebook. Payments via GCash and BPI are accepted. This can be delivered to anywhere in the metro, with delivery fee shouldered by the buyer.

Let this sweet treat add to your domestic bliss today!

Check out my blog posts on other small enterprises and startups in the food business:

Classic kakanin from Ka Mely’s Bibingka

So much of my childhood merienda memories involve kakanin – native delicacies usually made with glutinous rice, sugar and coconut milk.

You would think that we would have run out of ideas on what to make with kakanin at some point, but, no. We Pinoys have a extensive plethora of snacks or desserts that fall under this category.

After doing a bit of grocery shopping with Hubby, I happened upon a stand selling products from Ka Mely’s Bibingka, Atbp.

This Cainta-based food business got its start when the Alcantara family matriarch Amelia – also known as Ka Mely – decided to expand her Bibingka-selling business to include the production of native delicacies. Today, it is a well-established food manufacturer with three physical stores as well as regular resellers.

I had the idea of introducing kakanin the kiddos for our afternoon snack, so I brought home:

Bibingka (Php180 for small). The rice cake made with sticky glutinous rice topped with caramelized sugar and coconut cream.

Suman sa Ibos (Php10/pc). The most prevalent suman variant which is usually unsweetened and wrapped in palm leaves. I have two ways to enjoy this suman: one is at room temperature and dipped in sugar, another is lightly fried in vegetable oil until the outside is slightly crispy but the inside is still chewy, then slathered with butter and sprinkled with sugar.

Suman sa Lihiya (Php25/pc). A suman variant which is made with lye-treated glutinous rice which is usually served doused with latik, or caramelized coconut milk.

Sure these snacks are practically all carbs but they made for a good intro for my kids for the wonders of Filipino delicacies!

While I got my kakanin from a kiosk, you can have your kakanin delivered to your home by ordering from Ka Mely’s Bibingka, Atbp on Facebook or Instagram or calling +63 2 85155467, +63 917 8533766 or +63 908 8876992. Payments via BDO bank transfer, GCash or COD (via pabili service) are accepted. Ka Mely’s Bibingka Atbp products are delivered from Cainta, Rizal to anywhere in the metro.

Check out my blog posts on other small enterprises and startups in the food business:

Celebrate Carrot Cake Day with this treat from Inang Charing

Did you know that Carrot Cake Day falls on February 3?

On this day, the world celebrates one of our favorite cakes which happens to have a lively and storied history.

Food historians posit that the carrot cake originated from the carrot puddings eaten by Europeans in the Middle Ages. During this time, sugar and sweeteners were quite expensive so bakers used carrots as substitutes for sugar.

In 1814, a recipe for “Gateau de Carrottes” was included first included in the book L’art du cuisinier by Antoine Beauvilliers, former chef to Louis XVI which was soon copied in competitor cookbooks until an English translation came out in 1824. Thanks to these written works, the recipe for this delectable was handed down through generations and traveled across continents so we foodies can enjoy it.

Here in the metro, the carrot cake remains a foodie favorite and many local bakers have put their own spin on it.

One such baker is Mylene Capili who operates the online bakeshop Inang Charing Cakes and Pastries. Having named her business as a tribute to her beloved grandmother, she applies modern takes to the classic dessert favorites that her store offers.

Her Carrot Cake (Php395 for sampler | Php545 for 8×8 square pan | Php1,245 for family-size 10×12 pan), for instance, like many modern iterations of the dessert, is made with freshly grated carrots incorporated into a moist and sweetly spiced cake topped with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting and beautifully garnished with grated carrots and chopped walnuts.

It’s a showstopper of a dessert, definitely, and a perfect sweet treat for Carrot Cake Day.

Couple this with an order of premium Cookies (Php180 for box of three | Php355 for box of six) made with decadent Belgian chocolate. From the Classic Chocolate Chip (made with dark and semi-sweet Belgian chocolates) to the Aurum (made with white and golden Belgian chocolates topped with almond slices and Maldon sea salt flakes, these are tasty ways to indulge your sweet cravings anytime you want.

So go ahead. Find reasons to celebrate such as Carrot Cake Day and treat your loved ones to lovingly crafted desserts from Inang Charing Cakes and Pastries.

Order now via Facebook or Instagram with a three-day lead time and pay via GCash or BPI bank deposit a day before your preferred pickup or delivery date.

Disclosure: Items featured here were received as gifts.

Check out my blog posts on other small enterprises and startups in the food business:

Quarantine Party? Get some pizzas from Pizza X

And just like that: the year is almost over and we have already struggled through nine months under quarantine.

While the pandemic certainly is life-changing, there’s no denying that life certainly must and will go on. And with life comes all the milestones we use to mark the passage of time, such as birthdays.

Being a December baby, my son, #ExhibitB, also known as Gabe, is the last in the family to have a birthday this year. During the pre-pandemic period, the whole extended family – including grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins on both sides – would usually gather at a restaurant of his choosing to enjoy good food together. These celebrations would invariably involve pizza, my son’s favorite food.

This kind of get-togethers are not possible for the meantime, so the challenge for us was: how can we have a shared pizza experience with our loved ones during #ExhibitB’s special day?

The answer: frozen pizzas from Pizza X.

This new online food business was developed by entrepreneur Cheryl Camungao during the quarantine as a way to drag her kids away from their gadgets and teach them about business and how to earn money.

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A post shared by Pizza X (@pizzax_2020)

Being pizza lovers themselves, her kiddos – thirteen-year-old Chase and ten-year-old Herc – set about crafting and promoting pizzas that their fellow kids would go crazy for and came up with six flavors for Pizza X which I was able to sample with the fam.

These include:

Xtra Cheesy. Made with four kinds of cheese – mozarella, cheddar, parmesan and cream cheese, this is – bar none – #ExhibitB’s favorite of the bunch!

Pepperoni Xstasy. Hubby always goes for pepperoni pizza so this suited him quite well.

Pesto Xcellency. My daughter, #ExhibitA, was quite taken with this Italian-Pinoy fusion pizza made with basil and malunggay pesto and white sauce, topped with cream cheese and parmesan.

Tropical Xplosion. You know what: I never joined the clamor against pineapple on pizza. For me, the combination of sweet and tangy crushed pineapples with double smoked bacon, onions and bell peppers works just fine.

Angus Xtreme. Meat lovers will have much to love with this creation made with savory Angus beef, mushrooms, bell peppers and onions.

Mexican Fix. A meaty and cheesy taste of Mexico made with chili con carne, onions and bell peppers.

All of Pizza X’s thin-crust pizzas are six inches of pizza goodness, frozen when sent to you to retain their freshness. They can be easily heated using a regular oven or an oven toaster. (Don’t worry; they come with instructions that even kids can follow!)

These pizzas can keep in the refrigerator for up to fifteen days or six months if kept in the freezer. (But if you’ve got a Pizza Monster like I do, I bet that they won’t last that long!)

You can get a taste of all these pizza flavors by getting a Xampler for Php499.

Want to make your quarantine birthday pizza party extra special? Get customized pizzas spelling out the celebrant’s name like I did! I distributed sets of frozen pizzas spelling my boy’s name to our extended family along with cheesecakes for dessert so they can all share in his favorite food.

Well, I do believe this quarantine pizza party is a hit!

To get your own Pizza X frozen pizzas, fill out this order form. An order confirmation will be sent to you via Viber or SMS along with payment instructions. Pizza X accepts payments via GCash, PayMaya, Cash on Pickup, or bank transfers via Metrobank and BDO. Pickup via delivery services will be shouldered by the buyer.

Disclosure: Samples of the six-inch pizzas were provided.

Check out my blog posts on other small enterprises and startups in the food business:

Grab helps Filipino merchant-partners grow with fresh insights, tools, and tech-solutions through Grab Unlocked 2020

Furthering its commitment to support the success of its merchant-partners, Grab Philippines launched its 2020 Grab merchant conference GRAB UNLOCKED: Opening Doors to Uplifting Your Business this New Normal. With insightful talks from Grab and industry experts, merchant-partner attendees learned about digital trends and tools to help grow their business resiliently and sustainably through digitalization.

Virtually held last November 19 and attended by Grab merchant-partners, GRAB UNLOCKED featured updates and insights from Grab’s Head of Deliveries EJ Dela Vega, Head of GrabFood and Grab Financial Group Marketing Daniel Anore, Head of GrabFood Greg Camacho, Head of GrabAds Martin Luchangco, and Grab Philippines Country Head Grace Vera Cruz. To give attendees an informative and inspiring learning session, aside from Grab Philippines representatives, GRAB UNLOCKED also featured industry experts and successful entrepreneurs to share their stories and provide meaningful insights that Grab Merchant partners can be inspired on to grow their businesses, namely Chef Margarita Forés, CloudEats co-founder and CEO Kimberly Yao, 24 Chicken co-founders Mark Ong and Jeff Sy, DITO-CME COO and Udenna Corporation CIO Donald Lim, and Unilever Sr. Omniretail Customer Manager Joselle Dela Rosa.

Embracing change to effectively adapt

Donald Lim, the Chief Operating Officer of DITO CME and the Chief Innovation Officer of the Udenna Corporation also joined the virtual conference to share how businesses can prepare for a post-pandemic world. With insights on how businesses can adapt their strategic response and the secret behind mastering a business pivot, Lim ended his talk remarking “We do not know when COVID will really be gone, but the more that we accept the reality this year, the more we can make adjustments to our business, and [sic] prepare our business, and future-proof our business for other challenges to come,” he said.

To prepare for the challenges to come, Head of GrabFood Greg Camacho unveiled the many upcoming features and upgrades to help businesses effectively adapt to the new normal. “We know that running a business is never a smooth process, and we want to be there with you every step of the way,” he shared.

Taking merchant-partners’ feedback into consideration, Camacho announced a range of features and upgrades to be launched in the coming months:

In the GrabMerchant App, merchant-partners can look forward to upgrades that will give a more seamless operations process through several new features:

The improved GrabMerchant Owner Profile gives access to the full suite of tools, allows easy management of employee roles, and provides a seamless shift for store profiles through multi-owner access
With communication upgrades integrated in the app, merchant-partners will also be able to quickly make order changes and have access to an in-app live chat for real time feedback from Grab’s support team

Outside the GrabMerchant App, merchant-partners will be able to get ample support through new platforms:

To give an even more efficient work process, Grab will be launching the GrabMerchant Portal, a web-based interface where merchant-partners can view and download analytics and reports on sales, operations, and campaigns. Businesses will be able to operate smarter and faster once the GrabMerchant portal starts rolling out in phases by December 2020.
Starting early next year, Grab will be launching the Ad Manager, where merchant-partners will be able to build and launch GrabFood ads from the GrabMerchant app in just a few minutes
This December, Grab will also be launching the GrabAcademy, a one-stop learning center where merchant-partners can easily access Grab merchant tutorials and courses. As Grab continues to innovate and provide new solutions for more efficient processes, the new GrabAcademy for merchants is sure to make learning much easier for its employees.

Putting safety at the core of your business

As businesses learn to adapt to the so-called “new normal,” addressing the demand for deliveries and prioritizing safety become key factors every business owner must take into consideration.

Unilever, a key partner of GrabFood in its commitment to providing safer meals, shared tips and tricks on how food businesses can ensure protection and good health of its employees and customers. With the goal of raising the bar for safety and hygiene in the food and delivery industry, Unilever Philippines’ Manager Joselle Dela Rosa talked about talked about all the cleaning and hygiene must-haves to maintain a safe kitchen— from surface sanitizer sprays like CIF to hand sanitizers like its new product Lifebuoy.

After a whole afternoon of insightful talks, Grab made sure merchant-partner attendees not only got learnings to help them with their businesses, but also a chance to win from hundreds of exciting raffle prizes. With the support of GRAB UNLOCKED’s co-presenter Unilever and sponsor Coca-Cola, some of the prizes given out were 500,000 GrabReward Points, Samsung S10 phones, Cebu Pacific round trip flight tickets to a local destination, Coca-Cola branded LED watches and cooler bags, Knorr Seasoning, and so much more!

Despite living in these unprecedented times, Grab Philippines’ Country Head Grace Vera Cruz assured its merchants that Grab will continue to be their partner in leveraging technology that can be utilized to further grow their businesses. “While we have a long road to recovery ahead of us, I am confident that by working together, we can build a stronger and more resilient economy; and it starts with every one of us fully embracing digitalization and unlocking its many opportunities,” she said.

Although today’s circumstances remain unprecedented, Grab is committed to working together with its merchant-partners to find the most effective solutions to better reach and serve their consumers. Through technology and digitalization, Grab will continue to provide its merchant-partners with various platforms that will help grow their business, such as the 2020 Grab merchant conference GRAB UNLOCKED.

To learn more about how you can grow your business with Grab, sign up to be a Grab merchant through https://www.grab.com/ph/merchant/food/

Bon Appetea Milagrosa Katipunan celebrates first year

There was a time, before the pandemic struck the metro, when I anticipated visits to milk tea cafes. I find these places quote relaxing to hang out in while sipping my chosen drink.

One such place was the Bon Appetea branch in Barangay Milagrosa along Katipunan.

Located at the crux of Quezon City, Pasig and Marikina, it offers the metro’s denizens a haven where they can de-stress and enjoy their milk tea of choice as well as nourishing servings of comfort food.

Before the pandemic, I dropped by to enjoy a cup of Salt & Cheese Foam Wintermelon (Php135). I’ve long been a fan of salted cheese topping on my drinks and I was glad I was able to get a taste. I also brought home a pair of Nirvana Milk Tea (Php80 regular | Php100 medium | Php110 large | Php140 extra large) for the kiddos. This refreshing combination of assam black tea and wintermelon already came with chewy black pearls.

A few weeks after that visit, the pandemic changed the restaurant scene forever. Bon Appetea Milagrosa was able to transition to this new normal by partnering with delivery platforms to supplement its own delivery service. It applied strict sanitation and safety protocols such as twice-a-week disinfection, footbaths, temperature scanner and alcohol dispensers as well as socially distanced seats for the riders.

With these in place, Bon Appetea was able to continue servings its customers, not just with its signature drinks but also with satisfying dishes such as its Sirloin Tapa (Php149). Tender and flavorful bits of marinated and fried beef sirloin served with garlic fried rice and scrambled cage-free eggs.

It also supported its local community by donating meals and face shields for the medical and security personnel of nearby Quirino Medical Center.

With dining in at restos now making a comeback just as Bon Appetea Milagrosa celebrates its first anniversary, it’s all geared up with a strong WiFi connection and spacious dining areas, ready to receive customers who will visit its premises.

Those who prefer not to leave home can still have their meals delivered via GrabFood, LalaFood and FoodPanda.

As part of its anniversary celebration, Bon Appetea is giving Buy One Large, Get One Medium deals on its House Pearl Milk Tea, Lemon Yakult Tea and Tropical Passion Fruit Tea until November 30.

This Bon Appetea branch is located at YDG Building, 219 Katipunan Avenue, Barangay Milagrosa, Blue Ridge, Quezon City.

The Jelly List: Cookies for Christmas!

Whether for personal enjoyment or for gifting to loved ones, cookies are this season’s ultimate treats. Have your sweet bits of joy from enterprising bakers delivered right to your doorstep!

Christmas is just around the corner, foodies!

Who would have thought that the COVID19- caused craziness would last until the end of the year?

Keep your chins up, though. There’s still hope of better things to come.

In the meantime, give yourself reasons to smile by indulging in sweet bits of decadence: cookies, of course!

From their origins in 7th century Persia, their resurgence in the New World in the 17th century, to their domination of the global dessert scene, cookies have grown to become the sweet indulgence of choice foodies worldwide.

If you’re a cookie lover, you’d be happy to know that you won’t have to travel far or even leave home to get your just desserts. You can simply order from these online bakeshops and have your cookies delivered to you.

1. Sugar Creations by Alex

Satisfy your cookie cravings with these pretty confections, particularly that potent combination of cookie and S’mores in pastry: the smookie!

To order, call +63 988 5447945, or send a message via Instagram or Facebook.

2. Inang Charing Cakes and Pastries

I’ve sung praises for Inang Charing’s Triple-Flavored Cheesecake and Strawberry Shortcake in previous posts. However, it also offers a Salted White Chocolate Caramel Cookie that boasts of complex flavors and textures.

To order, send a message via Instagram or Facebook.

3. MDJ Cookies

Cookies can feel like warm hugs that you can eat. At least, that’s what MDJ Cookies strive to be. Get yourself a Loaded Crinkle and you’ll agree that it comes pretty close!

To order, send a message via Instagram or Facebook.

4. Extra Butter

Sometimes, bigger is better! With a palm-sized cookie from Extra Butter, like its fully loaded Double Chocolate Milk, there’ll be a lot of cookie goodness to go around.

To order, fill up this form.

5. Kica Bites

Fancy a return to the homey goodness of an all-time favorite cookie? Grab a piece of Kica Bites’ Original Chocolate Chip and enjoy the sugary buzz.

To order, fill up this form.

6. Bake Boss

Cookies do help in spreading the joy of the season. Take Bake Boss’ chewy and buttery Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, for example, which is perfect to serve to the little ones along with a glass of milk to elicit a few smiles.

To order, send a message via Instagram.

7. Casa Bakes

Christmas is a season for celebration and your cookies can be part of the cheery mood. Get yourself a monster-sized Birthday Cake Cookie and enjoy the festive combination of white chocolate and colorful sprinkles.

To order, send a message via Instagram.

Given the variety of cookie options available this holiday season, you can easily treat yourself and your loved ones with yummy cookie creations. By ordering from these enterprising bakers, not only will you be sating your cookie cravings, you will also be supporting small businesses and the dreams of their owners.

And that’s a sweet thought, isn’t it?

Happy holidays, foodies!

Photo credit: header image by Jennifer Pallian on Unsplash

Check out my other adventures compiled into Jelly Lists:

From bits to pieces: making an impact with Neil & Marter’s handmade wearable art

Neil & Marter aims to influence people in supporting the slow and ethical fashion movement through handcrafted accessories using upcycled materials. The brand is launching a crowdfunding campaign to introduce a limited-edition collection together with artisans from Marikina City

A startup fashion brand proves that it’s possible to be socially and environmentally responsible in a fast fashion-driven world.

Neil & Marter was born out of curiosity and environmental wellness by interior designer Mark Boni Marter and aspiring fashion designer Neil Capistrano.

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A post shared by Neil & Marter (@neilmarter)

It started with the abundance of scrap materials from Bon’s interior design studies. Conscious of how fashion waste hurts the planet, they thought of maximizing the use of oddments of genuine vegan leather and fabrics to create wearable art.

Armed with basic leather crafting tools and techniques, the creative duo produced their first batch as gifts to family members “At first, I wanted to craft everyday accessories like bags, wallets, and cardholders out of Bon’s luxury leather collection,” Neil shares. “One day, my mom requested a pair of earrings for her, my aunts, and cousins. We had fun with the learning process and ended up making 25 pairs.”

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A post shared by Neil & Marter (@neilmarter)

This led them to venture into an ethical fashion social enterprise that caters to modern and eco-conscious fashionistas who value the origin and process behind the brands and products that they support.

While they have different art styles, Neil and Bon share their love for personal self-expression through ethical fashion, making a positive impact on the environment, and a strong desire to create opportunities for the local crafting community.

Bon explains, “I’m into modern pop art, art deco, and abstract while Neil likes contemporary art and minimalism. At Neil & Marter we infuse our preferences with architectural details and symbolic representations of cultural diversity. We conceptualize and execute designs ourselves, handcrafting each one with care.”

“Being mindful in using leather and fabric scraps is one of our core values,” adds Neil. “People throw away the excess or off-cuts but we save every bit and try to incorporate it in our future designs. This extends to our choice of hang tags and packaging.”

Their three collections of artful dangles feature food and pop culture references: Whimsical (Kabuki- & Oblina-inspired), Juvenescence (Legos and Rubix cube), and Food for the Soul (breakfast food items and fruits). These unconventional but chic pieces caught the attention of fashion editors from various publications, social media influencers, as well as ANC’s On The Money Entrep Lab.

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A post shared by Neil & Marter (@neilmarter)

The brand is currently expanding its product line with mixed medium repurposed accessories of patchworks, geometric bags, and wearable art shoes. The Cattle’s Cradle collection will be launched and exclusively available for purchase through a rewards-based crowdfunding campaign on the Spark Project website starting October 28, 2020. The items will be produced in collaboration with women artisans of Marikina City who were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with campaign supporters receiving their limited edition pieces by December 2020.

Beyond the aesthetic statement products, Neil & Marter strives to redesign how people think about fashion, renew the appreciation for our local makers, and restore people’s confidence in self-expression. They are in the business of saving the earth (and the creative industry), one piece at a time.

Find @neilmarter on Facebook and Instagram.

Gift your loved ones with goodies from Bake Boss

It will be a different Christmas this year, won’t it?

We won’t be able to gather with friends and family, travel to our favorite haunts, nor have boisterous merrymaking.

The holidays may be subdued but the Christmas spirit should still be alive and well through the time-honored practice of gift-giving.

Presenting our loved ones with yummy treats is one way to keep sweetness in this world gone awry.

Take Bake Boss’ baked goodies, for example. Made with love by thirty-seven-year-old baker Earl Reyes, these sweet somethings should give your nears-and-dears a bit of sugar rush that will usher in some holiday cheer.

Aside from her involvement with the family construction business, Earl busied herself with her hobby since high school: baking. She whipped up baked goodies for family, friends and coworkers during the height of the quarantine, and, bolstered by her husband’s encouragement, eventually launched her online food business in May of this year.

Bake Boss’ homemade sugary treats include:

Chocolate Banana Muffins (Php347 for 6 pieces | Php573 for 1 dozen). Moist and chocolatey muffins with the naturally rich sweetness of bananas. Gift this to avid chocolate lovers and banana loaf fans.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (Php297 for 9 pieces | Php360 for 1 dozen). Soft, buttery and chewy oatmeal cookies with the fruity tanginess of raisins. Be a Santa and treat the little ones to a plate of these yummies along with a glass of milk as a reward for being good kids all year.

It’s never too early to plan out your presents for your family and friends. So be sure to make a list and check it twice, then order your foodie presents from Bake Boss via Instagram at least two days before delivery date. Cashless payments via GCash are accepted.

All of Bake Boss’ goodies are freshly baked and can be delivered from Paranaque to anywhere in Metro Manila via Grab, Lalamove, Happy Move, MoveIt, Angkas, Mr Speedy and others (delivery fee charged to buyer).

Christmas may be different this year, but with sugary treats as delicious holiday gifts, it can be just as sweet as it always has been.

Disclosure: Product samples were provided to facilitate an honest review.

Check out my blog posts on other small enterprises and startups in the food business: