Inside: The original Tibiao Bakery in Antique

For most Ilonggos, Tibiao, despite being a name of a town in Antique, is often associated with a bakery making good breads and treats thus earning its tagline “Symbol of all Foods”. It has numerous products to boast ranging from biscuits and cookies to breads and cakes. In Iloilo City it has even spawned numerous branches having short orders like pancit Molo, spaghetti, hamburgers and more.

It was a big surprise during our trip to Tibiao in Antique a few weekends ago that we got a chance to tour inside the factory of one of the biggest and popular bakeries on the island of Panay – Tibiao Bakery.

Owned by the family of Mayor Walden Lim, Tibiao Bakery has been baking a lot of goodies since 1953. Eventually, it became big, expanded and became even more popular outside the town especially in Iloilo City where it has around 10 branches.

Our trip started after a sumptuous breakfast our host provided but seeing all the goodies inside the factory made me hungry all of a sudden. It was the start busy day and everyone was at their respective areas.

And it starts with the dough – mixed and machine-kneaded before it is shaped and flavoured into the bread of the moment. Cookies were also made during that day and after being shaped- all goes into the original pugon (brick oven) that dates back to 1955.

A casual talk with Mayor Lim and his wife reveals that unlike their Iloilo-main branch which uses modern ovens, this branch uses the same methods and equipment in baking bread eversince. And gives a more different flavour and aroma to the breads compared to its modern counterparts. This bakeshop supplies all its other branches in Antique, Aklan and Capiz while the Avancena branch in Molo, Iloilo caters to all branches in Iloilo City.

We were just in time to see how biscochos are made. Before it was just left over breads made into such but seeing the popularity, breads are baked and then made into biscocho. See the stacks of bread? They are quartered and each cut side is smothered with a mixture of butter/margarine and sugar. Then it is off to the oven once again as the name biscocho means twice baked bread.

After some time, cooked biscocho are ready to be packed by hands. Each piece is chosen carefully so that only the good quality biscocho are packed and goes out o the factory.

This was also an opportunity for us then to savor biscocho almost right of the oven and they were right – it had that rather smoky taste and aroma. The crunch was there and the taste – so tempting, that I stayed in the area for such a long while that I think I almost ate a whole pack of biscocho (lol)

And did I mention that they were also packing some otap that time? It was just a few steps to the otap side that I find my way in a few seconds and changed my menu that time.

I love doing some behind the scenes write ups since it is always a one of a kind experience. And it's just gets better when it's actually one of your personal favorites. You get to know more about the shop - its history, ways of preparation of your favorite goodies, the people behind and not to mention some unlimited treats that all you can eat!

Tibiao Bakery in Tibiao, Antique, now that's really a treat!

More photos on Facebook

Video courtesy of GMA TV 6 Iloilo's Arangkada

An Ilonggo favorite - Valenciana

Found in almost all occasions like fiesta, birthdays, reunions and others, Ilonggos really love valenciana because most if not all have grown accustomed of having it in special gatherings at home. A complete " go, grow and glow " dish because it has the carbohydrates, protein and vitamins and minerals in just one spoonful, Valenciana is really an " occasional dish ". Here's the recipe for Valenciana

Ultimate Ilonggo Favorite: KBL Kadyos, Baboy, Langka

K.B.L. or Kadyos, Baboy, Langka is the ultimate favorite dish of most Ilonggos. It is also one of the most missed native dishes as kadyos and the souring ingredient, batwan , are hard to find when outside of the Ilonggo region. Basically, it is boiled/stewed pork dish owing its "deliciousness" to the combination of the soft and tender pork, the tamed sourness of batwan and the malinamnam na sabaw . One of the "secrets" of the malinamnamn na sabaw , is the fact that the pork, whether just the plain meat or pata (hocks) are first grilled or broiled. This gives the broth a rather smoky taste that makes it more appetizing.. Learn how to make the Ilonggo dish KBL (Kadyos, Baboy, at Langka) with the recipe below. Ingredients 1 kilo Pata (pork hocks) or pork cubes, GRILLED and sliced into bite size pieces 1 unripe Jack fruit, cubed 2 cups pigeon pea (kadyos) 6-8 pieces batwan fruit (or tamarind powder) 1 piece por...

Easy Century Tuna Recipes

If you're looking for simple, easy and delicious Century Tuna recipes online, congratulations, you've found it right here! How about spicy tuna sisig or tuna sinigang ? Maybe stir fried tuna with pickles or just yang chow fried rice . I love Century Tuna from its flakes in oil variety, the spicier the better, but when I discovered the versatility of its solid variant, it became an obsession. At first I was just into the usual tested recipes; pasta and sandwich filling, but then it got simpler – I just eat it straight from the can! Usually with a piece of bread or an apple. I just add a few drops of vinegar to spice it up a bit. Then came the experiments. Yup I got tired of that habit that one day, I decided to test my skills in the kitchen. Serendipity, you might call it yet most of them turned into good recipes that I have shared now and then. Satisfying my Palabok cravings had me experiment on this recipe on the spot. With Century Tuna in lieu of the us...

Flavours of Iloilo 2012 Highlights: Lovin' February gastronomy

So how to start a month the month of Love in terms of gastronomy? I didn't have to try hard as they come on their own terms.After the revelry of Dinagyang, the next big celebrations in Iloilo are the Chinese new Year, Jaro Candelaria Feast and Paraw Regatta. And it was on the mid celebrations (Jaro Fiesta) that February gastronomy marked its start. I went to two fiestas during Candelaria - the rainforest inspired set up at the Jamerlan residence and one at Afrique's Jaro, where the restaurant business all began. But in between I just got a call informing me of a photoshoot happening at Days Hotel Iloilo and when I got there it was cakes, cakes and cakes all over. Tinapayan was readying for Valentine and the Heart Cakes were at the center of it all. The next day I was out to lunch at the Central Market and got to discover the old way of having Coffee on the Go at De Leonian Cafe . The month also brought in more discovery as for the first time I got to taste a hambu...

Oyster Cake and more new items at Tarzan Magic La Mien Noodle House

Now there's more reason to go back at my favorite noodle house in town! Tarzan Magic La Mien Noodle noodle along JM Basa street may just look like your ordinary Calle Real eatery serving turo-turo and Chinese specialties but once you've tried what's on their menu, you'd surely be back, again and again. A few days ago, I found myself enjoying their latest dish, Oyster Cake. Our order took long that we thought it was forgotten but when the plate of the oyster cake came to the table, we knew then why. It was cooked with a labour of love, the oyster meat was seasoned with delectable spices (the kusay being the most evident) then sauteed and made omelet style then smothered with, at first I thought just plain catsup, but it was a Chinese dressing/sauce which really complemented the oyster specialty. It was one good and savoury find that day. And they also have new noodle varieties and I think I hit the jackpot with my order - Spare Ribs La Mien. The taste of the s...

FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

Search This Blog