Every bakery claims to make the best baguette in Paris. This bakery in Montmartre does not care to be in that overcrowded group. It proudly proclaims itself the second best in the region.
The cat at the grocery doesn’t care because cats don’t eat carbs (except in Italy, where cats eat pasta), but he’s very friendly.
We expected to pass out any minute from jet lag, so we had dinner in the neighborhood. Our friend took us to a restaurant called L’été en pente douce. Meaning “Summer on a gentle slope”—slope, as in the side of the hill, which requires climbing these stairs. (A second flight of stairs takes you to the basilica of Sacre Coeur. A week or so of this and we should have quads of steel.)
The restaurant serves a very good quiche, which is a meal in itself. We had champagne, this being our welcome dinner. A glass of champagne is only slightly costlier than 6 ounces of Coke. Around here Coke is more expensive than the house wine, so have the wine.
Even before the quiche arrived, we were royally entertained by the menu, in French and English versions.
According to various translation apps, the title means “the pot-gossip of summer” or “the pewter-pot summer”, but according to a native it could also be interpreted as “the ass of summer”.
The translations, though perhaps overly literal, sound very grand. The French menu even asks: “Do you have an emptiness?” Why do restaurants back home never ask us existential questions?
Who could resist “a dry wine, so very dry for a muscat that it causes raised eyebrows among wine connoisseurs”?
We were so fascinated by the menu that we had to ask for a copy. The waiter feigned hurt and said, “If you’re just going to laugh at it…” but we assured him that it was the laughter of genuine admiration. The menu doesn’t just offer specials, it proposes them. (“We are the only restaurant to offer this” becomes “We are the unique restaurant to propose this.”)
Outside, a cat waited to be served.
This was the scene at the first KAINdustriya convention organized by Puregold last October 14 and 15 at the World Trade Center.
Hotel and restaurant managers, caterers, operators of cafes, canteens, food stalls, karinderya and jolly jeeps found big discounts on food items and kitchen supplies.
Established in 2012, Puregold’s KAINdustriya is for all food resellers. It aims to offer the most affordable prices on basic commodities and ingredients as well as cooking equipment and appliances through the Tindahan ni Aling Puring program.
Tindahan ni Aling Puring is not just for sari-sari store and neighborhood tindahan owners, but for everyone in the food business.
In addition to the big convention, KAINdustriya has been organizing cook- offs, cooking demonstrations and free seminars for its members on topics ranging from safety and sanitation, inventory keeping, and menu planning to pricing and cost management. The idea is for members to increase their knowledge of the business and hone their skills so they can become competitive in the thriving Pinoy food industry.
For more information on Tindahan ni Aling Puring and updates on KAINdustriya events, go to www.facebook.com/puregold.shopping and www.facebook.com/alingpuring.ph, or follow them on Twitter and Instagram.
Canteen operators, hoteliers, karinderya owners, caterers, amateur and professional cooks are invited to the 1st Tindahan ni Aling Puring KAINdustriya Convention on October 14 and 15 at the World Trade Center Tent Area in Pasay City. Admission is free.
Organized by retail giant Puregold, the convention is a national fiesta where food entrepreneurs can shop for food items at discounted prices, and learn how to improve their earning potential.
“These food resellers provide a big boost to the local economy,” says Puregold Merchandising Director Vincent Co. “They source their supplies from their communities, and generate jobs in those same communities. They also provide nourishment to the country’s workforce, from laborers to executives, who do not have the time to prepare their own meals but need good Filipino home cooking to keep them strong.”
The KAINdustriya Convention aims to give small- and medium-scale food entrepreneurs what the annual Puregold Sari-Sari Store Convention has been providing tindahan owners for the last 11 years. During the two-day event, entrepreneurs may attend free seminars and learn business tips from experts, including RJ Ledesma and Anton Diaz of Mercato Centrale. They can attend cooking demonstrations by renowned chefs, check out the trade showcase, and buy food retail products at discounted prices.
This being a fiesta, celebrities will grace the event.
“It will be two days of kita, kain and kabuhayan for our neighborhood chefs,” said Co. “Through this event, we hope to foster a sense of community among our food entrepreneurs and inspire them to bring their business to another level.”
Puregold will also hold pocket KAINdustriya events at its QI Central, Paranaque, Cainta Junction, Valenzuela, Meycauayan and Dau branches. For updates on the latest Puregold events and offerings, visit their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter and Instagram.
From Sonny Lua at Asiong’s in Cavite City: Huevos de Pescao in Tinta de Choko), fish eggs in squid ink, or bottarga al nero. Eat it on toast and you’ll feel like the Tsar. Before the revolutionaries showed up. Unfortunately it’s available only at Asiong’s in Cavite City (Sonny, you really need an outlet in Metro Manila). We get our supply from Ige Ramos, who organizes food tours to Cavite. If you want to join a food tour and try Cavite delicacies like quesillo and pansit pusit, send Ige a personal message on his Facebook page.
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