Nonnette C. Bennett
Trapped in the house and prohibited from eating out, these foodie adventures are inspired by friends who have enjoyed the meals from these private kitchen services. They’re like homecooked meals delivered in another dining room or baked goodies to pair off with your freshly brewed coffee from a different oven.
Chef Lolah Kate is famous for the oven-baked herb chicken tray set according to friends. This preparation is like no other. Unlike the fried counterparts, the whole chicken that is rubbed with the aromatic herbs like rosemary, thyme, and dill with the sweet scent of lemon grass in knotted neatly in the belly, the flavors of the herbs that slowly seep into the chicken meat in the oven is truly delightful. This perfect meal with marble sized potatoes and button mushrooms that are boiled then baked a few more minutes with the chicken have a faint natural sweetness to subdue the strong herbs while you eat. The chicken meat is tender. There’s no need to crave for rice because this beats mashed potatoes and gravy. Even the fresh mushrooms make the need for creamy gravy to flavor the meal disappear. This perfect mix of slightly buttered carbohydrates, fungi and tender baked poultry make for a healthy meal. The secret spices and herbs in this favorite family recipe will make you remember warm and cozy homecooked meals. This tray is good for six.
The baby back ribs which are favorites and never miss attention drawers for my foodie partners Junie and Agnes had to be a second choice in the Chef Lolah Kate menu. This is another surprising meal that doesn’t disappoint. It was surprising to see a slab of pork ribs coated in a rich dark crust of flavors that seemed to be blended Worcestershire sauce, paprika, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. If you ask me, it was like the ribs were painfully prepared by marinating, boiling, basting, and baking. The secret of this meal is in the combination of the well-timed processes that it goes through. The meat is as good as the promise of the best baby back ribs that fall off the bones but it is like it has a paste of blended mildly salty sauces to coat it as it was baked to dry up in the last process. When eaten the juicy and tender meat hidden inside and the taste of the dried sauces are a different experience all together. The buttered French beans, carrots and corn that accompany it are the textures and sweetness you need to make the perfect mouthful of meat and veggies. This tray is good for six.
Croissants are among my favorite kinds of bread. When I saw the Rebel Bakehouse list of products, I couldn’t help myself but try each one. As Nicole Hamada recommended, this online bakers haven must be on your list.
The butter and pride butter editions are the most basic croissants that they offer, the Pride edition is colorful and inspired by the stripes of LGBTQ + to make a slight difference. These are flaky and buttery as promised. From these basic ones, the additives are derived using different kinds of fillings, dips and toppings.
The floss is butter croissant lavishly topped with pork floss called “rousong or yuk sung which is a dried meat product with a light and fluffy texture similar to coarse cotton, originating from China,” says the web about floss. This is a popular sweet savory topping in most buns in other bakeshops and here for the croissant too.
Ham is a croissant with slices of ham added in some of the layers. The meat lovers will enjoy the ham added to this bread. The ham must be homemade or from a non-commercial source because it cannot be compared.
The pain au choc is bitter dark chocolate slices in the folds of the butter croissant. The mildly sweet and bitter taste and crunch in the bars as your chew on the bread is delightful. It makes you want more.
Ruby is one for the chocolate lovers too. This Butter croissant is dipped in raspberry flavored white chocolate that makes you pucker up. The sharp acidic taste of raspberries gives the white chocolate a different tangy deliciousness. Lovers of sour stuff will enjoy this too.
Calamansi is a delicious edition of pride croissant with a sweet sour creamy filling made with the local citrus, calamansi. This has a light sweet icing to balance the mild tangy explosion in the mouth.
Flan uses the flaky crust as the bed for leche flan with a torched caramel topping. This was the family favorite because of the milky sweet flan with the chewy buttery flaky crust.
Not to miss is the Basqueburnt cheesecake. This comes with a twist in Rebel Bakehouse if my tastebuds are working, coconut milk is used instead of dairy. This brought back memories of the chocolate haupia pie in Hawaii that had a distinct delish creaminess of coconut milk. This cheesecake is unlike the regular ones sold because this is baked until the top is burnt or the top can be torched too. Unlike the common cheesecakes that are smooth and creamy, this has a grittier texture. Still filled with cream cheese and eggs, the difference comes with the familiar nutty taste and smell of coconuts. The instruction includes to put it in the refrigerator for a bit if the texture is a little too soft.
So, there you have it. The delights that come with being homebound because of medical restrictions cannot come any sweeter or delightful. I am glad that these two kitchens are homebased like me.
April 27, 2024
